In 2013, I found myself in the Amazon Rainforest after following signs that led me to a tribe of indigenous people, known for a sacred, vision-giving medicine; Ayahuasca. That encounter led me to leave behind a career as a classical musician, and enter more deeply into the world of healing and plant medicines.
In my memoir, Walking with the Serpent, I share some of my experiences and adventures with the Yawanawá, the tribe in the Brazilian Amazon that I have come to call family. I include the vision of a man that led me to the jungle, visions I received while being on the force of ‘Madre Ayahuasca’, and my first encounter and communication with Nalini, a big boa constrictor. I’ll be releasing a new chapter of Walking with the Serpent on Substack, fortnightly.
In between the chapters, I will share some ‘Musings’ in the form of voice notes. These have been surfacing over the last 10 years of holding ceremonies and during the 1 year and 7 months spent in deep study with the Yawanawá. It has been an honor and a pleasure to be in ceremony so many times, and I am very grateful for the growth and transformation that I have witnessed in my own life and the lives of so many other special human beings.
At the same time, I have been contemplating how much wisdom we are really gaining in the Western world with the ever-growing consumption of sacred medicines. Questioning if at times, we are blindly consuming medicine in pursuit of healing, enlightenment, and connection, while overlooking some of the detrimental consequences on indigenous cultures and the Amazon forest. And exploring the ways the overconsumption of ayahuasca can negatively impact personal relationships and communities. These musings have led me to explore the themes of colonization, cultural appropriation, and the patriarchy, and their impact on sacred medicines and Indigenous tribes.
Within all of these inquiries, I would also like to explore some solutions and hold the vision that this Substack serves as an open, mutually respectful place for conversations about these themes. I would love to cultivate a platform where we can connect outside of medicine space.
In these Musings, I will also share some parts of the Yawanawá creation stories. They offer invaluable insights into the ancient tradition from which the rich culture, and the value systems of the tribe, spring. They recall how, at the beginning of time, the Sacred plants and Medicines were born, how the Indigenous tribes came into being, and end with the prophecy of a great leader of the Yawanawá, Mukavuine. I believe that these stories hold some important keys for humanity in these times. It is an honor to be able to share these stories.
All chapters of Walking with the Serpent will be available, for free, to all subscribers, and the first couple of the ‘Musings’ will also be available to all subscribers, before becoming accessible to paid subscribers only.
I’m so very grateful for the opportunity to share this journey with you.
