Ayahuasca: Salvation or Destruction? New talk.

I recently presented Ayahuasca: Salvation or Destruction? at the annual conference of the British Psychological Society’s Transpersonal Section in Scarborough. The talk explored what really happens when people drink ayahuasca — and why this Amazonian brew continues to divide opinion so sharply.

Drawing on both personal experience and a longitudinal study of eight participants in Peru, I examined how Western culture tends to frame psychedelics as either redemptive or dangerous. My research instead points to a more nuanced reality: that ayahuasca can be profoundly therapeutic or deeply unsettling, depending on context, preparation, and integration.

The presentation explored the promise of psychedelics, contrasting narratives, and the psychological and cultural dimensions of ayahuasca practice — as well as the ethical questions around sustainability and cultural respect.

You can watch the full 20-minute presentation on YouTube: