The Main Categories of Shamanic Initiation Plant Medicines
Having apprenticed and spent over a decade with a African (Northern Sotho) Traditional Healer I came to understand the importance of psychoactive shamanic plant medicine in the learning process traditional healers undergo-very similar to that of South America Curandero healers and shamans. I also learnt and experienced as part of the African traditional medicine initiation that there appears to be sequence of using traditional shamanic initiation plant medicines both in South America and Southern Africa for psychological and spiritual healing. I have written elsewhere on this: https://independent.academia.edu/JeanFrancoisSobiecki
Yet, many western seekers of healing and exploring consciousness are focusing on only one category namely the psyche opening plants like ayahuasca. However there are three other equally important categories of initiation plants used to transform a person on the healing path that is not commonly known.
The Four Main Categories of Traditional Plant Medicine Include:
1. Cleansing. To let go of the “old self” one has to clean and let go of the past. In my training in South African traditional medicine I used a number of powerful cleansing plants to steam and vomit with (e.g., ingwavuma-Eleaodendron transvaalense being one) to prepare myself to open with Category 2: Ubulawu (mind opening medicine). This cleansing interestingly occurred together with diet and behavioral restrictions in the same as with dietas by shamanic societies in the Amazon.
2. Mind/Psyche Opening medicines: Once you have cleansed yourself thoroughly, you open with what are called the Ubulawu medicines. These medicines; namely the roots of certain plant species (see my other papers) are steeped in water and are used as a infusion with which you vomit with to cleanse the body of Phlegm. This cleansing action and the chemicals in the plants increase the intuitive and dreaming faculty thus opening the mind. This can be a very intense experience that in my case led to facing the deepest questions of my life after 12 days of everday use; with the opening happening around day 9. An experienced healer is required to advise and monitor this process that can last up to two weeks. The Ubulawu should be taken very seriously and in the right way and combinations to avoid psyche disturbances.
3. Relaxing Medicines. After using the ubulawu in a ritual process of minimal social interaction every day and using a new batch every four days-to keep maintain fresh medicine infusion, one needs to ground and integrate the learning from the Ubulawu that can be psychologically challenging through disrupting old beliefs and behaviors patterns. In my case I was instructed to use red bark medicines that are anti-hypertensive and that calm and relax you so you can “root” the knowledge gained through Ubulawu. Too much opening is not good for an initiate or seeker they must also relax. I used red tree bark medicines to vomit with too, to root and relax me for five days. Instruction on all these medicines can be advised on by Jean-Francois as dosages and proper use is crucial so as Not to harm.
4. Protection/Strengthening medicines. After using the cleansing and opening medicines, I learnt through my experience that certain plants are also used to help you strengthen your power so you can better manage your energy and become strong as a healer. These are taught to the apprentice over time.
The importance of using these shamanic plant medicine categories in a sequence is crucial in the learning process to balance the perturbations that comes along with disrupting old patterns of behavior with using medicines like ubulawu with relaxing plants. My research findings, initiation process and traditional healer reports suggest that the use of these categories of often subtle acting psychoactive plant medicines is indispensable for the healing process, and that Westerners would benefit in knowing these categories and that shamanic healing is Not Only the use of strong opening plant medicines like San Pedo or Ayahuasca, but a well designed technology and process of using numerous subtle acting psychoactive plant medicines, in a sequence, in order to heal and transform a person, that requires time and patience. Go Safely!
References https://www.academia.edu/42991386/Psychoactive_Initiation_Plant_Medicines_Their_Role_in_the_Healing_and_Learning_Process_of_South_African_and_Upper_Amazonian_Traditional_Healers
Jean-Francois Sobiecki B.Sc Hons (ethnobotany), Dip Clin Nutr (Aus) is a qualified ethnobotanist, nutritionist and herbalist with a holistic natural medicines practice in Johannesburg.
To Help you Reconnect to Nature and Her Healing Plant Wisdom, Jean Francois Sobiecki is Offering his 5 Hr online Herbal, Shamanic Medicinal Plant Course on a 40% Special Lockdown Offer here: http://phytoalchemy.co.za/faq/
Numerous Plants are used as strengthening medicines in the initiation process of Southern African traditional healers. This one in the photo being an initiation secret, that requires training to know.
