Main content

Ayahuasca: Fear and healing in the Amazon

Psychedelic plants, the spiritual tourism backlash - and sexual abuse.

Increasing numbers of tourists are travelling to the Peruvian Amazon to drink Ayahuasca, a traditional plant medicine said to bring about a higher state of consciousness. Foreigners come looking for spiritual enlightenment or help with mental health problems like trauma, depression, and addiction.

But not everyone is happy about Peru鈥檚 booming Ayahuasca tourism industry. A group of indigenous healers are fighting back against what they see as the exploitation and appropriation of their cultural heritage by foreigners - who run most of the Ayahuasca retreats popular with tourists. This coming together of cultures has thrown up another serious problem too - vulnerable women being sexually abused while under the influence of charismatic healers and this powerful psychedelic.

Reporter: Simon Maybin
Producer: Josephine Casserly
Editor: Bridget Harney

(Photo: Forest canopy, Peru. Credit: Getty Images)

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Sat 18 Jan 2020 16:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 16 Jan 2020 13:32GMT
  • Thu 16 Jan 2020 18:06GMT
  • Thu 16 Jan 2020 21:06GMT
  • Thu 16 Jan 2020 23:06GMT
  • Fri 17 Jan 2020 02:32GMT
  • Fri 17 Jan 2020 03:32GMT
  • Sat 18 Jan 2020 16:06GMT

Download this programme

Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes