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At this point, you’ve probably heard or seen something about the hallucinogenic tea known as ayahuasca. Maybe your more adventurous friends have gone on an ayahuasca retreat in Peru, or you saw a comedic scene in a movie or show where the characters trip out on the stuff, like in the recent series The Best Man: The Final Chapters.
There are even a number of celebrities who have been open about their experience with the substance. Will Smith writes candidly about it in his book Will, sharing that tripping on this witchy brew made him realize he didn’t need to be number one in everything he does in order to be happy.
What started as tea consumed during spiritual rituals amongst ancient Amazonians has become a (nearly) mainstream experience for those seeking enlightenment and healing. So, what exactly is ayahuasca? Does it do what people say it does? Is it even legal? We’ve got answers that will help you decide if it’s a trip worth taking.
What Exactly Is Ayahuasca?
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Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic tea made from the leaves of the Psychotria viridis shrub, plus stalks of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine. Psychotria viridis contains N-dimethyltryptamine, otherwise known as DMT, a psychedelic substance. However, the body doesn’t readily absorb DMT, which is why Banisteriopsis caapi is added – it helps DMT get in one’s system.
