English ethnobotanist Richard Spruce describes the use of the ayahuasca vine, which he names Banisteria caapi, by the Tukanoan Indian tribes in Brazil and Colombia. He observes a caapi ritual and imbibes a small amount of ayahuasca tea. Spruce wrote: "This is all I have seen and learnt of caapi or ayahuasca.... Some traveller who may follow my steps with greater resources at his command will, it is hoped, be able to bring away materials adequate for the complete analysis of this curious plant" (Spruce 1908, 1873).

Held near Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest, this seminar featured ayahuasca sessions, visionary art, psychotherapy, ethnobotany, body work, and healing massage. Presenters included Marie Brain, Antonio Escohotado, Isabela Hartz, Luis Eduardo Luna, Alex Marquez, Silvia Polivoy, and Giorgio Samorini.

Held near Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest, this seminar featured ayahuasca sessions, visionary art, psychotherapy, ethnobotany, and discussion of out-of-body experiences and altered consciousness. Presenters included Frank Echenhofer, Alex Grey, Isabela Hartz, Andrea Lalo, Luis Eduardo Luna, Silvia Polivoy, and Zoe7. Cost was $1,600.

Held near Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest, this seminar featured ayahuasca sessions, Salvia divinorum sessions, brainwave technologies, and visionary art practices. Presentations and instruction were provided by Pablo Amaringo, Frank Echenhofer, Jon Hanna, Isabela Hartz, Silvia Polivoy, and Zoe Seven. The cost was $1,600.

Held near Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest, and presented by Luis Eduardo Luna and Wasiwaska, this seminar featured ayahuasca sessions, Holotropic Breathwork, and lectures on psychopharmacology and consciousness. The cost was $1,850.

Held at in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and produced by Psychoativity/Conscious Dreams, this was the first international conference held in Europe that focused on ayahuasca. International presenters and shamans from South America provided a wide range of expert information on this enigmatic plant brew.

Held near Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest, this seminar featured ayahuasca sessions, Salvia divinorum sessions, brainwave technologies, and visionary art practices. Presentations and instruction were provided (Jan 9-18) by Rick Doblin, Isabela Hartz, Martina Hoffmann, Jonathan Ott, Silvia Polivoy, Zoe Seven, and Robert Venosa, and (Jan 20-30) by Isabela Hartz, David Icke, Silvia Polivoy, and Zoe Seven.

Held in Manaus, Brazil, and produced by the Wasiwaska Research Center for the Study of Psychointegrator Plants, Visionary Art, and Consciousness, this seminar features lectures by Rick Harlow, Luis Eduardo Luna, Dennis McKenna, Steven White, and Michael Winkelman, as well as four ayahuasca using a brew of the highest quality with each session followed by a circle for integrative group-sharing, and two breath work sessions conducted by Diane Haug and Ivania Hassler; literary, artistic and musical expressions of inner experiences (workshops); body work, yoga and excursions into the rainforest; magnificent setting and experienced facilitators.

Held in Manaus, Brazil, and produced by the Wasiwaska Research Center for the Study of Psychointegrator Plants, Visionary Art, and Consciousness, this was a three-week intensive investigation of ayahuasca using a brew of the highest quality.

Held at the International House in Berkeley, CA, and produced by Jon Hanna, the fourth edition of the Mind States conference series celebrated the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the psychoactive effects of LSD by featuring a panel of experts discussing the past, present, and future of this world-changing molecule. Other panels were held on the topic of visionary art and the topic of control culture, and individual presentations focused on ayahuasca shamanism, memetics, the neurology of aesthetics, future mind technology, virtual reality, cyber-punk literature, an "Ask the Shulgins" Q&A session, a theatrical depiction of Confessions of a Dope Dealer, excerpts from True Hallucinations (an opera based on the life and times of Terence McKenna), and other arcane topics. Presenters included Pablo Amaringo, Anton Barbeau, Susan Blackmore, Richard Glen Boire, Erik Davis, Earth Erowid, Fire Erowid, John Gilmore, Alex Grey, Allyson Grey, Stanislav Grof, Lorenzo Hagerty, Mark Henson, Martina Hoffmann, Jaron Lanier, Mark McCloud, Ralph Metzner, Naaskow, David E. Nichols, Sheldon Norberg, Mark Pesce, Stevee Postman, V.S. Ramachandran, Nicholas Sand, Wrye Sententia, Zoe Seven, Ann Shulgin, Sasha Shulgin, R.U. Sirius, Myron Stolaroff, Fred Tomaselli, and Robert Venosa.

Held near Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest, this seminar featured ayahuasca sessions, Salvia divinorum sessions, and workshops in remote viewing, lucid dreaming, and visionary art. Presentations and instruction were provided by Pablo Amaringo, Richard Glen Boire, Silvia Polivoy, and Zoe Seven.

Held in Manaus, Brazil, and produced by the Wasiwaska Research Center for the Study of Psychointegrator Plants, Visionary Art, and Consciousness, this experiential and theoretical seminar featured five ayahuasca sessions, two Holotropic Breathwork sessions conducted by Ivania Hassler, artistic expression led by Anderson Debernardi, a "Liberating the Voice"workshop conducted by Silvia Nakkach, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and percussion with Iván Padilla, and five excursions to the rainforest. Additional presentations were given by Diane Haug, Luis Eduardo Luna, Ralph Metzner, and Benny Shanon. Cost was $1,850-$2,000.

Held in Bahia, Brazil, and produced by Heart of the Initiate, this event featured ayahuasca rituals.

Held in Florianópolis, Brazil, at Wasiwaska, and produced by Luis Eduardo Luna, ayahuasca was available every other night at this event, which also featured lectures on Psychointegrator Plants, Visionary Art, and Brazilian Culture. Permaculture information was presented by South African ethnobotanist Dale Millard. Additional activities included yoga, Tai Chi, Capoeira, Portuguese lessons, gardening, and excursions to the island and mainland. Cost was $1,000 per week.

Held at Wandjina Gardens in Mullumbimby NSW, Australia, presentations and workshops were given by Michael Bock, David C, Henry Cox, Dan Cummins, Darklight, Fractal, Jasper, Thomas Munro, Sybille Orzek, Mark Pesce, Robin Rodd, Reville Saw, Michael S. Smith, Torsten Wiedemann, and Darren Williams. Topics covered included the growing and using mescaline-containing cacti; chemistry and quantum physics; bioethics; ethnobotany in Brunei and Bali; the culture surrounding the use of Brugmansia and Datura; the use of Sceletium tortuosum; psychoactive mushrooms of Australia; conservation of the Victorian Ethnopharmacopaea; yopo and Banisteriopsis caapi use by the Piaroa; Bufo marinus and bufotenine; recent scientific and political developments with Salvia divinorum; tissue culture protocols for Acacia phlebophylla; thin layer chromatography; the use of Duboisia hopwoodii; a Yuruba drumming performance and workshop; trance-inducing rhythm; the propagation of tropical plants; growing mushrooms; propagation & care of ethnobotanicals; and methods of making seed-based snuffs. Attendance required Participating Membership in the Australian Ethnobotanical Conservation Association, Inc. at the cost of $75.

Held near Manaus in the Brazilian Amazon Rain Forest, this seminar featured ayahuasca sessions, Salvia divinorum sessions, and lectures and workshops in the shamanic use of psychoactive plants, neuro-technology devices, lucid dreaming, visionary art, and more. Group sharing, transpersonal exercises, and local excursions, were all a part of the program. Presentations and instruction were provided by Martina Hoffmann, Silvia Polivoy, Zoe Seven, and Robert Venosa.

Held in Berlin, Germany, this conference featured presentations from Wolfgang Bauer, Markus Berger, Hans Cousto, Joachim Eul, Michael Ganslmeier, Jochen Gartz, Sergius Golowin, Jon Hanna, Ulrich Holbein, Marc Iwaszkiewicz, Sandra Karpetas, Bernd Lauer, Claudia Müller-Ebeling, Christian Rätsch, Silvio A. Rohde, Alexander Shulgin, Ann Shulgin, and Wolfgang Sterneck.

Held in Manaus, Brazil, sponsored by the Wasiwaska Research Centre for the Study of Psychointegrator Plants, Visionary Arts and Consciousness. Stephen LaBerge will discuss the art and science of lucidity as a special guest of Luis Eduardo Luna during a two week workshop exploring visionary sacred plants of the Amazon. The program will include several opportunities for guided personal experience with the shamanic brew ayahuasca, known for producing powerful visionary experiences.

Held at "Soga del Alma" in Iquitos Peru, this conference allowed people from all over the world to meet in the Jungle, drink the sacred medicina, meet different types of curanderos and learn more about how Shamanism is practiced and plants revered there.

Held in Iquitos, Peru, the 3rd Amazonian Shamanism Conference focused on the theme of "Healing Plants and Navigational Tools" and featured presentations from Alanna Aisha, Pablo Amaringo, Ananda, Lennon Boardman, José Cabanillas, Judith Arielle Golden, Peter Gorman, Yasmeen Grant, Richard Grossman, Alex Hargrove, Jan Kounen, Jerónimo M. Muñoz, Scott Petersen, Alan Shoemaker, Sitaramaya, Carlos Tanner, Jimmy Weiskopf, and Xythos.

Held at CoSM in New York, NY, "Tales of the Spirit Vine" was co-produced by Reality Sandwich, CoSM, and Souldish and it featured discussion between Fabian Alsultany, Maxi Cohen, Adam Elenbaas, Alex Grey, Jonathan Phillips, Daniel Pinchbeck, and Manuel Rufino, with music by Alien Ambassador and Globesonic's Fabian Alsultany. Tickets were $20.

Held at Espiritu de Anaconda in Iquitos, Peru, this event convened shamans, visionaries, leading-edge thinkers, scientists, spiritual teachers, healers, filmmakers, and other artists gathered to discover common ground in multiple disciplines through presentations, workshops, and ayahuasca ceremonies. Presenters included Pablo Amaringo, Guillermo Arévalo, Eric Avondo, AyasminA, Sonia Chuquimbalqui, Frank Echenhofer,, Richard Grossman, Martina Hoffmann, Chris Kilham, Jan Kounen, Dennis McKenna, Tom McKinnon, Jeremy Narby, Sitaramaya, Kenneth W. Tupper, Maria Valera, and Roberto Venosa.

Held in Iquitos, Peru, this event had the theme of "Magic, Myths & Miracles" and featured presentations from John Alexander, Pablo Amaringo, Ananda, John Alexander, Frank Echenhofer, Mary Ann Endowes, Elisa Vargas Fernandez, Robert Forte, Peter Gorman, Richard Grossman, Martina Hoffmann, Jan Kounen, Wendy Luckey, Dennis McKenna, Melvin Morse, Alan Shoemaker, Robert Venosa, and others.

Held in Iquitos, Peru and hosted by Soga Del Alma. This Shamanism Conference allowed people from all over the world to meet in the Peruvian Amazon, meet different types of curanderos (shamans) and learn more about how Shamanism is practiced and plants revered there.There were also many Shamans from the Upper Amazon and they too were speaking of their healing modalities, including the ceremonial and healing use of the Sacred Power Plant: Ayahuasca.

A conference held in San Jose, CA, co-sponsored by the Beckley Foundation, the Council on Spiritual Practices, the Heffter Research Institute, and the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. With presentations from Rick Doblin, Earth Erowid, Fire Erowid, Amanda Feilding, Alex Grey, Allyson Grey, Roland Griffiths, Charles Grob, Stanislav Grof, Robert Jesse, Ralph Metzner, Michael Mithoefer, David Nichols, Andrew Weil, and dozens of others, who discussed ayahuasca, ibogaine, LSD, MDMA, psilocybin, Salvia divinorum, research chemicals, and other areas related to psychedelic studies.

Psychedelic Science brought together international experts to present on psychedelic research and psychedelic psychotherapy topics for the largest conference dedicated solely to psychedelics in the U.S. in 17 years. There were three full days of programming with concurrent tracks exploring clinical and spiritual applications, issues relevant to healthcare professionals, and social and cultural issues surrounding the therapeutic and recreational uses of psychedelics.

Event Report: Shulgin Appreciation at MAPS Con: Psychedelic Science in the 21st Century, April 15-18, 2010

MAPS Conference Page

Held at Soga Del Alma in Iquitos, Peru, and produced by Gracia Ethnobotanicals, the theme of the 2010 gathering was "Grace and Madness". Shamans from the Upper Amazon spoke of their healing modalities, including the ceremonial and healing and healing use of sacred power plants such as the ayahuasca brew and the San Pedro cactus. Presenters included Martin Ball, Alexander Beiner, Steve Beyer, Howard G. Charing, Richard Fowler, Peter Gorman. Richard Grossman, Matej Jurenka, Dennis McKenna, Andrew Ostapenko, Alan Shoemaker, and The Teafaerie.

Held at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland and produced by the Institute of Ethnology, this event featured presenters from France, Switzerland, Spain, and Peru, including Sébastien Baud, Christian Ghasarian, François Kaech, Rama Leclerc, Jacques Mabbit, Ilario Rossi, Marie-Laure Schick, and Bernard Weniger, as well as a documentary exhibition.

Held at Melbourne University in Australia, Entheogenesis Australis is a not-for-profit association that exists to create a supportive environment that fosters mature, open discussion about psychoactive plants and chemicals. As a part of their work seeking to explore ways to assess societal impacts and examine the positive applications of plant-based psychoactives and empathogens, they produce a yearly conference. The gathering in 2010 featured presentations from Michael Bock, Stephen Bright, Henry Cox, Rick Doblin, Joseph Gelfer, Jasen, Anna Kokavec, Sean Leneghan, Rohan Mitchell, Rak Razam, Robin Rodd, Mitch Schultz, Des Tramacchi, Torsten Wiedemann, Alex Wodak, and others.

Held at UvA, Oude Manhuispoort 4-6, in Amsterdam, Holland. This symposium was a multidisciplinary series of lectures that focused on current research being done in Europe. Experts from different disciplines presented their studies on ayahuasca’s effects on health, neural functioning and consciousness. Some of the speakers were Brian Anderson, Wouter J. Hanegraaff, Rama Leclerc, Janine Schmidt, Christian Raetsch, Claudia Mueller-Ebeling, and Diana Trimble.

Held in San Francisco, CA, and produced by the Psychedelic Society of San Francisco, this lecture by Beatriz Caiuby Labate related to the "Controversies, Public Debate, and Regulation" surrounding ayahuasca also acted as a book release party for her recent 448-page tome The Internationalization of Ayahuasca.

Held in Vancouver, Canada, and produced by the American Educational Research Association, the paper "The Wonder of Plant Teachers: Entheogens as Cognitive Tools" was presented during a session titled "Dwelling and the More-Than-Human in Education".

ABSTRACT: The traditional ritual uses of entheogens--psychoactive plants and fungi, such as peyote, ayahuasca, and psilocybin-containing mushrooms--have been an important part of some indigenous cultures. Yet modern political, religious and educational authorities have cast these as diabolical savage practices or archaic magical customs incompatible with Western values and epistemologies. This paper suggests that indigenous peoples may not have been misguided in revering entheogenic substances as "plant teachers", but rather that the circumspect uses of entheogens as primordial cognitive tools may offer valuable forms of learning for the early 21st century. It deploys some current educational theories and critiques of modern schooling to account for the concept of psychoactive "plant teachers" and the phenomenal wonders they can inspire.