Contributing researcher · PhD, Ethnobotany
Priya is an ethnobotanist whose work examines Amazonian plant traditions and the ethics of access, reciprocity and commercialisation. She writes for Ayahuasca.help on the cultural and historical context of Ayahuasca, foregrounding indigenous knowledge-holders and the communities from whom the traditions originate.
Choosing a retreat
Peru is the world's biggest ayahuasca destination, but its retreat centres are largely unregulated. A clear-eyed guide to the legal and cultural context, the real medical and travel risks, how to vet
· 7 min read
Safety
The Ayahuasca dieta has two roots that point the same way: a traditional Amazonian discipline of restraint, and a modern MAOI food-safety caution. Here's what the diet actually is, why the food list e
· 8 min read
The medicine
How ayahuasca compares with San Pedro, peyote and iboga: different plants, compounds, durations, indigenous traditions and legal status, explained honestly.
· 7 min read
The medicine
From ancient Amazonian roots and Brazilian churches to the modern tourism boom: an honest history of Ayahuasca, foregrounding Indigenous knowledge-holders.
· 7 min read
The medicine
Icaros are the medicine songs at the heart of Ayahuasca ceremonies, the healer's primary tool, "received" from plants over years of disciplined apprenticeship. A guide to what they are, what they do,
· 7 min read
The medicine
A respectful guide to ayahuasca traditions: Shipibo-Conibo and Indigenous Amazonian roots, mestizo vegetalismo, and Brazil's Santo Daime and UDV churches.
· 8 min read
The medicine
Ayahuasca, DMT and pharmahuasca all centre on one molecule but differ in route, duration, risk and legal status. A plain-language guide to what each term really means, and why the MAO inhibitor is th
· 7 min read