Music at Ayahuasca Retreats: A Gateway to Healing

Ayahuasca is a powerful plant medicine with a long history of healing and spiritual growth. It has recently become a popular choice for those seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world. But what makes ayahuasca ceremonies so unique and powerful?

The answer lies in the music. Music is an integral part of ayahuasca retreats, providing a gateway to healing and transformation. In this blog article, we will explore the role of music in ayahuasca retreats and how it can be a powerful tool for healing.

What is Ayahuasca?

Ayahuasca is an ancient Amazonian medicine made from a combination of two plants: the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and another plant that contains the powerful psychedelic compound DMT. It has been used in traditional healing ceremonies by indigenous people for centuries, due to its powerful medicinal and spiritual properties. Through the ingestion of ayahuasca, it is said that one can gain profound insight into their inner workings, and heal physical, mental and emotional ailments.

Ayahuasca Retreats: Exploring Deeper

Ayahuasca retreats have become increasingly popular in recent years, as a way for people to explore their inner world and learn more about the healing power of this plant medicine. In these retreats, experienced facilitators guide participants through traditional and non traditional ceremonies, and offer profound guidance and insight into the spiritual realm.

However, these ceremonies are not just about drinking the ayahuasca tea—they also involve various other elements to help create the right atmosphere for deep exploration and healing. One of these elements is music. On my own journey as a facilitator of plant medicine ceremonies I have found that the choice of music I use has a powerful impact on the journeys of the participants.

Music: A Gateway to Healing

Music has the power to unlock a world of healing and transformation. It has been used in sacred rituals for centuries to access higher states of consciousness, and in ayahuasca ceremonies, it creates a powerful space to explore the depths of our inner being. Through its rhythms and tones, it can help us access alternate planes of reality, and can be used to break through blockages, restoring balance and harmony within us. In this article by neurosciencenews.com it's explained how the use of icaros, which are a type of traditional music sung by shamans, in combination with Ayahuasca has a profund effect on treating addiction - https://neurosciencenews.com/music-psychedelics-addiction-22138/

Music and Ayahuasca: A Symbiotic Relationship

The bond between ayahuasca and music is a special one. Ayahuasca has the power to take us to the depths of our emotions and feelings, and the music helps us to navigate these states with more comfort and clarity.

Ayahuasca can be a powerful and overwhelming experience, so having the perfect music to accompany the journey is essential to create the perfect environment for healing.

Creating the Right Atmosphere

The atmosphere created during an ayahuasca ceremony is of paramount importance. By introducing specific types of music, facillitators are able to create a sacred space in which to explore the depths of our being. Certain sounds and rhythms can help to guide us through the various stages of the journey, while others provide a soothing backdrop to help us feel safe and secure.

Through my own experience in facillitating I've discovered that a broad range of music can be very effective in creating the perfect atmosphere. Shifting through the different phases of a ceremony will require different styles of music to suit the current state of the cirlcle and the energy in the ceremonial space. Moving through heavy, dark electronic beats and then buidling into lighter more melodic acapellas can be an incredible musical voyage and the contrast between the different styles adds a much deeper flavour to the experience.

With the right atmosphere, we can unlock the mysteries of our innermost selves. In this fascinating article by Aubrey Marcus he describes, with examples, how specific types of music lends itself more to certain plant medicines rather then others and how this contributes positively to the overall eperience - https://www.aubreymarcus.com/blogs/aubrey-marcus/the-psychonauts-guide-to-music-for-ceremony-and-meditation

Soundscapes: Crafting the Perfect Setting

Music has the power to transform our lives. A talented facilitator can create a unique soundscape that helps us explore and heal our innermost selves. From the soothing sounds of drums and flutes to the energising vibrations of rattles and voices, each element is carefully chosen to create a healing atmosphere that encourages profound transformation.

Each ceremony should be a musical voyage that takes the participants on a journey and guides them through the work they need to do. A ceremony should start at the base and work upwards. What I mean by this is that different styles of music will work on the different chakras or energy centres of the body.

The darker, heavier and more beat driven music lends itself to lower level work, getting deep into the root chakra, excavating negative buried emotions that can be brought to the surface and processed. As the ceremony progresses and the music lightens and becomes more celestial and angelic the energy can move up to the higher chakras and allow access to more ecstatic states.

Another powerful musical tool is what I call a "constant". By "constant" I mean an instrument or sound that is heard frequently and/or for long periods during the ceremony.

I use a didgeridoo and play it as an accompanyment to the music playing from the speaker. The deep, powerful and resonant tones and vibrations that the didgeridoo provides become the "engine" that drives the ceremony forward and give the participants something to hold on to when they are deep in their own processes.

Music as Medicine: Deep Transformation

Music has the miraculous power to heal us on a profound level. It can help us to break free from old patterns and energies, and move into a state of equilibrium and serenity.

We all have those special songs that send shivers up and down the spine when we listen to them. Those shivers are literally energy moving inside the body. This is the power of music and sound.

While stuck in a deep personal process, a poignant song at just the right moment can be the key to unlocking the emotional floodgates, allowing the tears to flow and giving that blocked energy the permission to gently move through.

Ancient Tones and Modern Beats

The music used in an ayahuasca ceremony is a beautiful blend of traditional and modern sounds. Indigenous music has a powerful connection to the land and nature, allowing us to tap into the spirit of ayahuasca. Meanwhile, modern music helps to keep us rooted in the present, providing a more contemporary context. Together, these two styles of music help us to access the deeper realms within ourselves. In this Aubrey Marcus podcast, the guest Porangui, an artist who mixes traditional tribal sounds with more contemporary beats in his musical compositions talks about the power of music during ayahuasca ceremonies. A personal favourite of mine and a staple in my music playlists that I use during Planet Kambo Plant Medicine Ceremonies.

Music as a Universal Language?

Music is a magical force that can connect us to the deepest parts of our being. It is a language that speaks to us on a soul level and can be used as a bridge between our conscious and subconscious minds.

In an ayahuasca ceremony, the music helps us to explore the depths of our inner being, and to access alternate planes of reality. It speaks to us in a way that words cannot, and can help us to gain profound insight into our journey. It is a powerful tool that can open up new pathways of understanding and growth.

Music has the power to open us up to new perspectives and to help us access our inner wisdom. If you’re considering attending an ayahuasca retreat, we encourage you to explore the potential of music as a way to deepen your experience and to open yourself up to the healing power of the medicine.

Remember, the most important thing is to find a retreat that is right for you and to make sure that you’re comfortable with the music that will be played. With the right music, you can open yourself up to the full potential of the ayahuasca experience.

If you'd like to find out more information about Planet Kambo Retreats just click the link below.

Planet Kambo Retreats

Jonathan Gold

Co-founder,

Planet Kambo Ltd.

Plant medicine veteran & Planet Kambo co-founder Jonathan Gold, left an unfulfilling 10 year IT career to pursue a higher path of healing, self-discovery & enlightenment uniting him serendipitously with the transformational healing power of Kambo frog medicine.

Now a skilled facilitator boasting thousands of recovery testimonials, Jonathan escaped the matrix of corporate enslavement & lives a life of service, duty & soul alignment.