by John Balla

Less known than its Amazonian counterpart, Ayahuasca, San Pedro (named after St. Peter, who is said to hold the keys to heaven) has been celebrated and ritualized for its medicinal and spiritual properties for over 3,000 years in the high Andes of Peru and Ecuador.

Now, with the blessings of San Pedro shamans Otorongo and Edwardo, who performed the all night ceremony, what a San Pedro ceremony is, how it is conducted, as well as an investigation into the truths and myths are presented.

As you will see in the short film (below), captions are used liberally to not only explain the context of what is happening, but to also summarize the scientific evidence, conventional myths, as well as anecdotal findings and claims about the psychotropic cactus, yet leaves the viewer to form their own conclusions, and short of that, to gain a new appreciation for compelling spiritual practices that fall outside conventional belief.

As an individual with a history of alcoholism, at least as it is understood in conventional and clinical terms, I was curious to see if “a cure” which the plant’s advocates claim, has any merit. Bear in mind, however, this was not the primary concern I brought to the ceremony, for I never considered my “handicap” to define me. After all, I am yet to meet a diabetic, cancer survivor, heart attack victim, amputee, epileptic, arthritic, hemophiliac, or even a poor golfer, define themselves by what makes achieving success (or well being) more difficult. Recall that Michael Jordan was cut from his high-school basketball team, later to become the best basketball player in history. (I am certain MJ’s life would have been an uncelebrated one if he went around saying he was “lousy at basketball). The same holds true for Franklin Delano Roosevelt. No doubt if he defined himself by his handicap – polio – becoming President of the United States what have clearly have been an impossibility.

In this context, we all have one handicap or another, something that doesn’t preclude becoming the person we want to be, only making it more difficult.

I entered the ceremony in this spirit, to discover the “nocebos” — belief that I can’t do this or that because of getting a “raw deal” -, remove their victimizing underpinnings, and enter a placebo consciousness, one based on intuitive truth, rather than wishful thinking.

Rather than a promotion of San Pedro per se, the film aspires to be an attestation to the placebo effect as put in the context of this writing, and the vital importance of building a community of trust through rituals designed to place no room for judgment and other divisions that promote “right versus wrong” ego-consciousness, culminating in the blossoming of heart consciousness, which indeed, holds the keys to our own personal utopia, and paradoxically obliterates the very notion of self interest.

I for one, have never met a paradox I didn’t like, for it is the divine’s way of exposing the heretofore mysteries of truth.

About the author: To arrange your own San Pedro ceremony, or for other spiritual ceremonies and expeditions in Peru, go to www.lucerostour.com  For more information on John David Balla, go to www.woowoochronicles.com.

For people who desire to buy San Pedro to grow or for other purposes, we recommend they deal with Bouncing Bear Botanicals, an excellent source both for San Pedro Cactus and Peruvian Torch Cactus.

Bouncing Bear does not ship cactus outside the USA, so people in Canada and elsewhere may wish to check out Urban Shaman in Vancouver, BC at http://www.urbanshaman.net/.

A magical journey to Peru to work with San Pedro, the legendary
Cactus of Vision.

We are delighted to offer you this opportunity to experience
authentic Andean shamanism, using the methods, plants, and
approaches that have been practiced in this region for thousands
of years.

Our accommodation is close to the heart of Cusco – the “centre
of the world” – so you can enjoy Peru and its culture as well
as its magic and medicine.

We provide English-speaking seminars on Plant Spirit Shamanism
to deepen your knowledge of this tradition, as well as rituals
and healings with Andean shamans, all included in the price.

The programme includes authentic ceremonies with the legendary
Cactus of Vision, plus:

Limpia: an Andean healing method where the shaman divines areas
of unbalanced energy within a patient’s body. These are then
rebalanced and any unhelpful energies are removed.

Pago: an offering to the spirits of the land and a blessing for
those who take part.

Coca Divination: using the leaves of the sacred coca plant to
produce a picture of a person’s life ??” and sometimes
past lives. Each divination is unique and sometimes followed by
a ‘correctional healing’ to change the future and produce an
outcome more favourable to your needs or desires.

Seminars and circle meetings: are held with Ross Heaven, author
of Plant Spirit Shamanism, to discuss your San Pedro insights,
and provide you with background to Andean shamanism to enhance
your understanding of this healing tradition.

Email ross@thefourgates.com for a free Information Pack.

If you’d like to combine your visit to Cusco with a journey to
the Amazon, also ask about our Magical Earth programme, where we
work with ayahuasca, the legendary vine of souls. This two-week
Amazon adventure is available as a prelude to the Cactus of
Vision journey or can be booked as an extraordinary experience
in its own right.

Email ross@thefourgates.com for a free Information Pack.

About the author:
Ross Heaven is a therapist, workshop leader, and the author of
several books on shamanism and healing, including Darkness
Visible, the best-selling Plant Spirit Shamanism, The Way of The
Lover, The Journey to You, and Love’s Simple Truths. His
website is http://www.thefourgates.com where you can also read
how to join his Sacred Journeys to the plant spirit shamans and
healers of the Amazon and Andes.