Back

Selected ressource details

-
Back

Phenomenological study of psychedelic experiences of people who have participated in therapy sessions with ayahuasca.

Abstract

A study of the psychedelic experiences of people who participated in sessions of Ayahuasca Therapy. It is a Qualitative research that makes use of the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as a methodological tool for the description and interpretation of the phenomenon studied. The phenomenological reduction of the experiences with ayahuasca had the objective of describing and interpreting the diverse psychological effects that the participants experienced before, during and after their ayahuasca experiences. Psychological concepts and theory from deep and archetypal psychology, humanist psychology and transpersonal psychology are used in order to define the major constructs used in the study. The result was the elaboration of three main themes, first exploring the motivations that drive people to participate in sessions of Ayahuasca Therapy; then a classification of different types of psychedelic experiences that occur during the process, describing different aspects; and finally, description of the experiences in the short and long term. These considerations helped to conclude that the way in which people perceive and interpret their experiences is very important; since the depth and duration of the experienced impact will depend on it, which occurs at different levels; encompassing the instinctive, the emotional, various cognitive processes, and the spiritual. Key words: ayahuasca research, phenomenological research, psychedelic experience, expanded states of consciousness, transpersonal psychology