Chinwag #06 Ayahuasca Changed My Life, with Richie Stokoe

Welcome to the How To Die Happy podcast, where we explore the art of living and dying well. In this episode, host Martin O'Toole and his friend Richie discuss their first Ayahuasca experience, the ceremonial use of psychedelics, and the transformative healing potential of DMT.

Ayahuasca, also known as the "vine of the souls," is a potent brew made from the bark of the Banisteriopsis Caapi vine and the leaves of a shrub called Chacruna. It has been used for centuries by indigenous communities in the Amazon Basin for its incredible healing properties. The common thread in any variation of this mixture is the powerful psychedelic compound DMT.

During their first Ayahuasca ceremony, Martin and Richie experienced a transformative level of healing for their mental health issues. While Ayahuasca was first discovered by an English botanist in 1851, physical evidence of the brew's use dates back as far as 1,000 AD. Martin shares his experiences working with Ayahuasca plant medicine in Peru and the Brazilian Amazon with the Noke Kuin (Katukina) tribe. The Noke Kuin say that Ayahuasca and countless other psychedelic healing plants have been used in the Amazon Basin since the dawn of time. From the beginning, the indigenous people knew of the medicine's powerful healing properties and function, allowing second sight and access to the spirit realm.

As the conversation unfolds, Martin and Richie discuss the safety of Ayahuasca and its potential as a treatment for anxiety, depression, and addiction. While it can be a powerful and transformative experience, it should only be taken under the guidance of an experienced shaman or facilitator. But for those suffering from mental health issues, Ayahuasca could be a life-changing treatment.

Western medicine is beginning to recognise the profound benefits of psychedelics, and leading addiction psychologist Gabor Maté regularly works with them. In fact, Port Townsend became the 13th American city to decriminalise psychedelics in December 2021, and even celebrity Will Smith has admitted to working with the medicine.

Ancient therapies like Ayahuasca have always been essential to unlocking human potential on a level that will forever change the psychiatric, pharmaceutical, and mental health arenas. Once criminalised and vilified, these medicines are now on the brink of a global evolution in treating mental illness. If you're interested in the widespread use of ancient alternative medicines for mental health, you'll love this episode.

In recent weeks, there has been a growing trend that supports the analysis published in an American Medical Association journal last month, which predicted that a majority of US states will legalise psychedelics by 2037. Based on statistical modelling of policy trends, this study suggests that the use of psychedelics for therapeutic purposes will become increasingly mainstream in the years to come. It seems that we are on the cusp of a global shift towards a more open-minded approach to mental health treatment, with ancient alternative medicines like Ayahuasca, Huachuma, and Psilocybin mushrooms playing an essential role in this evolution.

Join us for an informative and eye-opening conversation about Ayahuasca, its incredible healing properties, and its potential role in the future of mental health and well-being. Special thanks to Andres, Pajé Peno, Mõcha, Tamá, and the Noke Kuin for contributing to this episode (which includes a short interview and recording of the tribe during an Ayahuasca ceremony).

To answer whether Ayahuasca is good for anxiety or can be a treatment for depression, Martin and Richie share their personal experiences with plant medicine. While Ayahuasca is not a cure-all, it has shown incredible promise in helping people with mental health issues, including addiction. The question is no longer whether psychedelics can heal mental illness but rather how we can best utilise these medicines to help those who need it most.