Dear all at Acsauhaya,

It has been interesting integrating the effects upon me of ayahuasca in my everyday life. There is no doubt I have felt considerably calmer, and far more tolerant of life’s stressors. This new sense of calm has been reflected in my treatment of those around me. Immediately after returning, matters that used to irritate me before simply did not. This effect has diminished to an extent over the following days, but I feel I have been left with an effective – and I hope permanent – filter, which, if I concentrate, permits me to catch and thereby avoid providing the negative responses I once used to fire off automatically in certain scenarios. This is on any view a wonderful and powerful tool.

In addition, when faced with difficulties in my work, instead of the stress I feel manifesting as anger and impatience, I have noticed an increased tendency for it to manifest as a need to cry – not much, just a little, and then it is gone.

I am of course now reading one of your recommended books on Ayahuasca. The brew has clearly captivated my imagination and I remain extremely curious about it and what it has done to me. I had two profound experiences with you: on my first afternoon I experienced two complete releases from my body, the second of which involved my experiencing a full death – which I only really understood to be such at the point in time of my subsequent rebirth into this body. This first session made me – I think understandably – anxious about going back to drink again the following afternoon, but the second session was simply beautiful: she was far gentler and more healing in nature than during my first, effectively mind blowing, session. Both experiences remain almost as vivid to me now as they were at the time I experienced them.

I am most grateful for having found you all, and for the environment in which you provide the medicine.

I found Shurandi to be extraordinarily supportive, honest, amusing and insightful. He struck me as exactly the sort of person with whom I could become close friends if the circumstances of our lives permitted it. I can imagine no better or more supportive guide than him. If (when) I drink ayahuasca again, I will do all I can to ensure I do so under his watchful and benign eye.

Thank you all so much for the weekend. I truly hope you keep doing what you doing – and Shurandi continues to provide ceremonies that are as welcoming and safe and mind-altering as those he provided for us – into the future. It seems to me you are all doing exactly what you ought to be doing with your lives right now, which is no doubt hugely fulfilling.

I look forward to seeing you all again soon. I suspect I will be in touch about a possible private retreat for myself and my partner. I very much hope we can organise this for when Shurandi is back on shamanic duty again!

Yours,

Iain
UK