Changes in Spirituality Among Ayahuasca Ceremony Novice Participants‪.‬

One group of compounds has shown promise in harnessing the power to increase an individual's spirituality and strengthen their sense of well-being. Known as entheogens, a term etymologically rooted in Latin meaning "generating the divine within," such compounds are commonly referred to as psychedelics or hallucinogens. Some of these, including the brew called ayahuasca (itself known by many names), have been used in sacred healing rituals in indigenous cultures for centuries. Ayahuasca too, like many of these compounds, has found more recent use in a wide variety of modern spiritual contexts and communities, and its unique and prevalent application is evident in the literature (Wilcox 2003; Luna & White 2000). Shanon's (2002: 260) description of the spiritual power of ayahuasca provides a starting point in beginning to understand this phenomenon: Exploring the potential benefits of ayahuasca usage to an individual's spiritual well-being may assist in paving the way for future opportunities in mental health research and clinical practice to study the medicinal uses of ayahuasca and other psychedelics.