written notes a few nights after my first Ayahuasca ritual:
“…
The physical reaction to the medicine (Author's note: Ayahuasca) was certainly strong, but it was worth it. I am still perplexed by the extraordinary visions of the shamanic journey; hundreds of questions befuddle my head, trying to find a logic to everything, a rational explanation: all of those visions, were they dreams, hallucinations, all created by my mind? And the answers to the questions that popped into my head, did I tell myself them? If everything had flowed from my mind, why had I chosen those kinds of visions? The questions come one after another.... those visions have truly perturbed me, I never expected so much.
Today after eating I went to take a walk alone, to distract myself a little. There was nobody around, everyone was on siesta. I felt the sun scorching my skin, so I sat in the shadow of a fat plant near the school; quickly thereafter, I see that stranger I met by the river appear. He approaches, greets me, asks permission to side beside me, and introduces himself as Pragnil. I ask him if he has ever done an Ayahuasca ceremony and we begin to talk about the subject.
I told him of my dismay at the messages I received during the Ayahuasca session in the form of visions and answers to my questions; of my scepticism of indigenous beliefs in spirits; and also of my doubts that the visions were simply the fruits of a mind under the influence of psychedelics, and that they were therefore not based on anything real, but were only the product of a hallucinating brain.
. After listening to me, Pragnil answered by saying: - do you think that there is anything real in what you are seeing, touching, and feeling in this moment? Isn't all of that created by your brain? -
...”
Pragnil never imposed his own knowledge or ideas on me; he never dispensed unseen teachings. Pragnil always helped me to reach a comprehension of concepts through inference and reasoning, intellectually accompanying on my way to a clear understanding.
- do you think that there is anything real in what you are seeing, touching, and feeling in this moment? Isn't all of that created by your brain? -
Since the moment I heard those words, I needed to probe deeper into the subject; I immediately felt that it was a fundamental concept for my new path... and I imagine that Pragnil knew this well, or he would not have brought up the subject when we had only just met.
Pragnil has reminded me several times that the reality in which we live is ours to create.
Wishing to deepen my knowledge of the subject, I returned to Pragnil several times on different occasions, and, having received confirmation on subsequent research, I succeeded in obtaining the general framework which I will propose to you in the following paragraphs. I believe that the division of each subject into paragraphs will prove useful for future reference.