The Plant Teachers
The Amazon basin is home to hundreds of indigenous groups with diverse but interconnected spiritual traditions. Amazonian shamanism is characterised by the central role of plant medicines, particularly ayahuasca (a visionary brew), tobacco, and other teacher plants. The shaman (known by various names: curandero, paje, yachak) undergoes rigorous training involving extended fasting, isolation, and plant diets.
The Icaros
Icaros (sacred songs) are the primary tool of the shaman, used to call spirits, heal the sick, and navigate the visionary landscape. Amazonian cosmology describes a multi-layered universe accessible through altered states of consciousness. This is not escapism — it is a disciplined practice of perception, refined over millennia.
Related Traditions
- The Andes — the highland traditions
- Caribbean and Brazil — where Amazonian and African traditions meet
- The Cosmic Library