IRIS DISSE & DON YACHAK DE DURAN

ayahuasca noche de ritual

“Night. I walk along a narrow jungle path. Nearby a wide river shimmers in the moonlight, the Agua Rico. Around us play the shadows, above us gigantic trees. Cracking branches. I cling myself to Miguel. The path is no longer visible, only moonlight as silver specks on giant leaves. How long have we been walking? The Time no longer exists.”

This is how Iris Disse begins the description of a nocturnal trance journey in the Amazon jungle, of her encounter with the shaman Don Yachak de Duran, with the magical visions of the Amazon Indians. Iris Disse takes part in a nightly ritual, drinks the ayahuas under the guidance of Don Yachak the Ayahuasca1, a bitter brew made from native plants of the Amazon basin, which has been used for thousands of years as a guide for the spiritual journeys for thousands of years, thereby changing their worldview and worldview and their relationship with nature significantly.

“For moments, I’m present in reality, listening to the shaman’s chanting shaman’s song and the crickets, then I am absorbed again by the powerful dreamlike images of my inner world. Two cosmic visions meet my rationalistic world and the magical world of the Amazon Indians, who still Amazon Indians, who still live in a time in which everything is connected with everyone is connected.”

Iris Disse has transformed her experiences into a suite-like composition a mixture of song cycle, radio play and electro-acoustic impressions. electroacoustic impressions. For 55 minutes she takes the listener listener into a strange, magical world, creating a musical equivalent of her nocturnal experiences, which shows respect for the traditions of the indigenous people traditions, but at the same time utilizes contemporary compositional methods and studio techniques. The basis of the composition are ‘field recordings: the sounds of the jungle (crickets, bird calls, rain) and the and the traditional chants of the shaman. All sounds are always in are always in flux, changing, being mixed together and/or electronically treated to treated electronically to match the acoustic hallucinations under the influence of ayahuasca. under the influence of ayahuasca. They are overlaid by an acoustic instrumentation throughout (violin, flute instruments (violin, flute, saxophone, bass clarinet, Jew’s harp, percussion), which are often used solo - only occasionally duos or trios are heard. duos or trios can be heard. In addition, the women’s voices run like a spider’s web the female voices of the improvisation group ILALOA and the voice of ILALOA and the voice of Iris Disse herself, who sings with short impressionistic texts or with songs (wonderful: the ‘Ayahuasca Song’). ‘Ayahuasca Song’!) can be heard.

Despite the partly massive electronic treatment of the sound recordings, a feeling of vastness and transparency prevails on this CD coupled with a dynamic change between tension and relaxation and a deep tension and relaxation and a deep knowledge of the spiritual and musical culture of and musical culture of South America.

All 13 tracks of the CD blend into each other - ayahuasca noche de ritual is a demanding, but rewarding listening experience, with which one can also can also go on a purely musical trance journey.

Tracklist

  1. Noche De Ritual-Ritual Night (02:49)
  2. Sendero Selvatrico-Junglepath (02:49)
  3. Espiritus Detras Fuego-Spirits Behind Fire (03:04)
  4. Chaman-Shaman (03:41)
  5. Pasaje-Transition (03:55)
  6. Cancion Del Ayahuasca-Ayahuasca Song (04:53)
  7. Vision De La Boa-Boa Vision (04:59)
  8. Amantes-Lovers (04:52)
  9. Mujer Jaguar Sol-Woman Jaguar Sun (03:33)
  10. Viento-Wind (03:04)
  11. Memorias En Lluvia-Memories In Rain (06:01)
  12. Respiracion De La Vida-Breath Of Life (03:26)
  13. El Vuelo-The Flight (04:46)
  14. Amazonia-Amazonia (03:47)

Literature:

  1. AYAHUASCA (also ‘Yagé’, ‘Caapi’ or ‘Daime’; engl: ’tendril of the soul’) is a sacred plant brew found in the Amzonas Basin and in the adjacent Orinoco region for more than 2000 years. ritual for spiritual journeys, initiations and healing purposes. and healing purposes.

    In more recent times, it has also been used in ceremonies by about 20 syncretic Brazilian syncretic cults, the best known of which are Santo Daime and the best known are Santo Daime and União do Vegetal (UDV). The Indians Indians believe that ayahuasca detaches the soul from the body so that it can freely and then returns to the body.

    The effectiveness of the ayahuasca brew is based on the mixture of plant species that contain two different alkaloids. The hallucinogenic effect is based on DMT (N, N-dimethyl-triptamine). Normally it is ineffective when taken orally, even in high doses, because it is broken down by the body’s own enzyme monoaminooxidase (MAO), before it can cross the blood-brain barrier into the central nervous system. central nervous system. This is prevented by the simultaneous administration of harmine and Harmaline, which act as MAO inhibitors, i.e. block the enzyme and thus prevent enzyme, thus allowing DMT to take effect. Harmine and harmaline are found in two closely related liana species of the genus Banisteriopsis (Malpighiaceae), which serve as the basis for ayahuasca in the Amazon region. ayahuasca. Harmine is also found in the steppe rue (Peganum harmala). DMT is found in a whole range of shrubs, including the including in the leaves of the chacruna plant (Psychotria viridis). The experience of intoxication can vary greatly depending on the type of DMT-containing plant. varies greatly. In the Amazon region, every shaman has his own secret ayahuasca recipes. Often the potion is prepared in different ways, depending on the depending on the desired effect. In addition, it is occasionally taken in conjunction with other other medicines.

    “To the shaman, the plant extract serves to detect disease, avert imminent danger, divine the wiles of the enemy, or prophesy to prophesy future events. A stage characterized by dizziness, nervousness and nausea, is followed by the appearance of bright colors Appearance of bright colors, whose symbolic content is interpreted. Yellow is associated with sowing and fertilization by the sun, and red red symbolizes female fertility and blue means thinking in the midst of tobacco smoke. Thinking in the midst of tobacco smoke. The leader of an ayahuasca ceremony is always a a specialized shaman who, after the intoxication, tells the participants of the ceremony the wishes of the spirits after the intoxication.” (according to: Schultes & Hofmann, Plants of the Gods, AT Verlag, 1998).

    The ingestion of ayahuasca is associated with unpleasant physical side effects, including dizziness and palpitations. Frequent are strong vomiting shortly after ingestion and diarrhea usually the same night. The intoxication itself is accompanied by strong color and sound hallucinations. The intoxicated person usually experiences usually in an alien reality and loses track of time. The hallucinations gradually subside after 4 to 6 hours. Taking together with certain medications (antidepressants, sedatives, tranquilizers containing MAO) can be life threatening. In general, it is recommended to follow a diet beforehand (avoiding eggs, dairy products, etc.). avoiding eggs, dairy products, coffee, bananas, tomatoes, sugar, and meat) and meat) and intake only under experienced guidance. ↩︎