There is something I took years to understand, and yet it completely transformed my therapeutic practice from the ground up.
Plants are not substances. They are intelligent beings.
I know, said like that, it may sound strange to a Western mind. Myself, with my background as a Cartesian Swiss engineer, I probably would have laughed if someone had told me that 20 years ago.
But after years spent with the Siona, Cofan, Arhuaco communities and other ancestral peoples of Latin America, I understood what they meant.
Master plants do not "heal" you like a medicine. They teach you. They show you. They reveal to you what you need to see to heal yourself.
That is the power of sacred plants.
What is a sacred plant?
In the ancestral traditions of the Amazon, a sacred plant is not simply a plant that has medicinal properties. It is a plant that possesses consciousness, a spirit, its own intelligence.
The Siona shamans with whom I studied do not say "I use Ayahuasca." They say "I dialogue with the spirit of Ayahuasca." This is not a poetic phrase. It is their lived reality.
These plants are called "masters" because they teach. They transmit knowledge that goes far beyond what your mind can understand. They work on energetic, emotional, spiritual levels that conventional medicine does not even recognize.
What differentiates a sacred plant from a classic medicinal plant:
- It acts on consciousness, not just on the body
- It requires spiritual preparation, not just physical
- It demands respect, a ritual, a clear intention
- It shows you rather than fixes you
- It works deeply, on the causes, not on the symptoms
When ancestral peoples talk about master plants, they speak of beings with whom they have a relationship. Not substances they consume.
This nuance changes everything.
👉 If you want to learn more about the therapeutic potential of master plants, the following article will inform you on this subject: The Power of Master Plants: How They Can Transform Your Life
The main sacred plants of the Amazon
The Amazon is home to more than 80,000 plant species. According to a Wikipedia article, there are about 40,000, while other sources from researchers and botanists report 80,000, notably including Richard Evans Schultes. Among them, some are considered particularly powerful master plants.
Ayahuasca: the vine of the soul
Ayahuasca is probably the most well-known ancestral brew in the West. It is actually a preparation that combines two plants: the vine Banisteriopsis Caapi and the leaves of Diplopterys Cabrerana (also called Chagropanga).
This combination creates a unique synergy that opens doors of consciousness. Ayahuasca takes you on a journey inside yourself, confronts you with your shadows, shows you what you repress.
It is not a pleasant experience in the "spa wellness" sense. It is an experience of deep transformation. Often difficult. Always revealing.
At Tatwa, we work with Caapi and Chagropanga essences in the form of flower essences, for a gentler but equally deep work on consciousness, recognized and approved by the higher indigenous authorities we work with, and approved by health authorities.
San Pedro (Huachuma): the opening of the heart
San Pedro is a sacred cactus from the Andes. Unlike Ayahuasca, which takes you inward, San Pedro opens you outward, to the world, to others.
It is the plant of connection, unconditional love, and heart opening. San Pedro ceremonies often take place during the day, in connection with nature, with the sun.
Murundi, Mutok or Rapé: purification through breath
Murundi, more commonly called Rapé in Europe, is a sacred powdered tobacco that is snuffed into the nostrils during rituals. It is not tobacco to smoke; it is a tool for mental and energetic purification.
It cleanses, grounds, centers. It brings you back to immediate presence.
It comes in powder form and is generally a mixture of tobacco with one or more therapeutic plants, depending on the intended work.
Yagé: the Colombian brother of Ayahuasca
Yagé is the Colombian version of Ayahuasca. It is under this name that I had my first experiences, guided notably by Taita Victor in the Colombian mountains.
Each tradition has its own way of preparing and working with these plants. What remains constant is respect.
You can discover our Master Plants collection to explore this ancestral knowledge in the form of flower essences.
How healing rituals work
A ritual with a sacred plant is not a simple "consumption" of a brew. It is a ceremony.
Preparation for the ceremony begins days, sometimes weeks before. You must cleanse your body (specific diet), your mind (meditation, intention), your energy (sexual abstinence, avoiding certain substances).
Why? Because the plant will show you what is inside you. If you are full of toxins (physical, emotional, energetic), the experience will be difficult. The plant does not create visions, it reveals what is already there.
👉 For more information on this subject, read the following article: Effects of Ayahuasca: an inner journey to the heart of ancestral rituals
The typical course of a ceremony:
Front : Diet (no meat, alcohol, sugar, strong spices, sex for several days minimum)
During :
- Opening of the sacred space by the shaman
- Chants (icaros) that invoke the spirits of the plants
- Taking the plant in a ritual context
- Inner journey guided by the chants and the spirit of the plant
- Purges (vomiting, diarrhea) that release toxins
After : Integration (this is the most important and most neglected part)
The shaman's chants are not just for ambiance. They are powerful energetic tools. Each icaro (sacred chant) has a specific function: protection, cleansing, guidance, grounding.
I spent years listening to these chants with the Taitas (shamans) Siona and Cofan in particular. They transmit information on subtle planes that the mind cannot grasp.
The real benefits of sacred plants
There is a lot written about sacred plants. Some true, some exaggerated, some completely false.
Here is what I have observed in my practice with hundreds of people:
On the emotional level:
- Release of traumas buried since childhood
- Dissolution of toxic repetitive patterns
- Reconciliation with rejected parts of oneself
- Increased ability to feel and express emotions
On the mental level:
- Mental clarity regained
- End of obsessive ruminations
- New perspectives on old problems
- Creativity unleashed
On the spiritual level:
- Deep connection with something greater than oneself
- Dissolution of the fear of death
- Sense of interconnection of all life
- Access to expanded states of consciousness
On the physical level:
- Reduction of chronic pain (often linked to repressed emotions)
- Improved sleep
- Energy rebalancing
- Immune system strengthening
But beware: these benefits do not come from the plant alone. They come from the work YOU do with the plant as a guide.
The plant shows you. But it is you who must integrate, transform, act.
That's why at Tatwa, we offer comprehensive support, not just flower essences. Because the real work happens afterward, in your daily life.
Our 9 Flower Essences Kit is designed as a progressive transformation protocol, directly inspired by this ancestral knowledge.
Essential precautions
Sacred plants are not toys. They are not recreational drugs. They are not miracle solutions.
These are powerful tools that require respect and preparation.
Absolute contraindications:
- Serious heart problems
- Severe psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, unstable bipolar disorder)
- Use of certain medications (SSRIs antidepressants, lithium, etc.)
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Severe liver or kidney disorders
Risks if misused:
- Psychotic crisis
- Serotonin syndrome
- Psychological trauma if the setting is bad
- Worsening of pre-existing mental disorders
What is NON-NEGOTIABLE:
- Support by an experienced practitioner
- Safe and protected setting
- Respect for the preparation protocol
- Clear intention and personal work beforehand
- Integration afterwards
I do not work with sacred plants without first assessing my inner state, my motivations, my ability to integrate the experience according to the context I am in. And there have been times when I had to give up the experience.
And even with all precautions, you have to be ready to experience difficult things. The plant does not only show you the beautiful. It especially shows you what you do not want to see.
And then, we created this system of Flower Essences that allow anyone to work safely according to the conditions they present, whether it is a newborn or an individual at the end of life.
Respect for traditions: non-negotiable
Here is something I want to raise awareness about: ancestral knowledge must be treated with respect. It does not belong to us. It belongs to the peoples who have preserved it for millennia.
When a Westerner arrives in the Amazon to do an "ayahuasca retreat" at €2000 a week without knowing anything about the cultural context, without supporting the communities, without respecting the protocols... it's spiritual colonialism.
What respecting traditions implies:
Acknowledging the source
This knowledge comes from the Shipibo, Siona, Cofan, Ashaninka peoples and many others. They must be named, honored, and thanked.
Supporting the communities
The guardians of this knowledge often live in poverty while "shamanic" centers charge fortunes.
At Tatwa, we work directly with the communities. We care, just like the communities, that this knowledge is accessible, respecting the traditions surrounding it. We support their cultural and territorial preservation projects, notably with the Arhuaco to whom we give a portion of the profits so they can buy back the lands they are on (which originally belong to them).
Learning properly
You don’t become a shaman after 2 weeks of online training. The Taitas I know have spent decades learning, often isolated in the forest for months.
Protecting the territories
No Amazon rainforest, no sacred plants. Deforestation destroys not only ecosystems but also millennia-old knowledge.
Not revealing everything
Some knowledge is sacred and must not be shared publicly. It’s hard to understand in our culture of total transparency, but it’s essential.
My commitment with Tatwa is to create a respectful bridge between these ancestral knowledges and the Western world. Not to take everything and commercialize it all, but to transmit what can be transmitted, in the right way.
Flower essences: a gentle and accessible approach
Not everyone is ready for an Ayahuasca ceremony. And that's okay.
There are other ways to work with master plants, gentler, more gradual, more integrated into daily life.
That's why we created the Tatwa flower essences.
These essences capture the vibrational information of the plant, its "spirit," without the psychoactive compounds. They act gently on the energetic and emotional levels, over the long term.
You can use them at home, at your own pace, as a complement to therapeutic or spiritual work.
Some examples:
- Huantuc to transmute anger and toxic emotions
- Chichaja to reconnect with self-love
- Kuka to regenerate vital energy
- Caapi for presence and grounding
- Chagropanga for subconscious exploration
Our Sacred Feminine collection works specifically on emotional balance, intuition, and reconnecting to your inner power.
It’s not the same intensity as a ceremony, but in the end it’s the same work spread out over time. A deep, respectful, accessible work.
Conclusion: plants as guides, not as solutions
Sacred plants will not solve your problems for you.
They will show you where your blockages are. They will reveal what you repress. They will open doors of consciousness for you.
But it is you who must cross these doors. It is you who must do the integration work. It is you who must transform your life with what you have learned.
Plants are extraordinary teachers. But they require committed, respectful, humble students.
If you are ready for this journey, approach them with an open heart and a humble mind.
They will show you things you never imagined.
FAQ: Sacred Plants
What are the main sacred plants?
The main sacred plants of the Amazon include Ayahuasca (Banisteriopsis caapi + Diplopterys cabrerana), San Pedro/Huachuma (Andean cactus), sacred tobacco, Yagé (Colombian version of Ayahuasca). Each has a specific function: consciousness expansion, heart opening, mental purification, introspective vision. Discover our Master Plants collection.
How does a ritual with sacred plants take place?
A ritual begins with preparation (diet, abstinence, meditation) several days before. During the ceremony: opening of the sacred space by the shaman, icaros chants, ritual intake of the plant, guided inner journey, physical purges. After: essential integration period to anchor the teachings. It is not a "consumption" of plants, but a ceremony that requires respect and spiritual preparation.
What are the benefits of sacred plants?
Observed benefits: release of deep emotional traumas, dissolution of toxic repetitive patterns, mental clarity, regained creativity, deepened spiritual connection, sense of interconnection, reduction of chronic pain, improved sleep. BUT these benefits come from the work you do WITH the plant as a guide, not from the plant alone. Integration is essential.
Are sacred plants dangerous?
Yes, if misused. Absolute contraindications: severe heart disorders, serious psychiatric conditions, certain medications (SSRI antidepressants), pregnancy. Risks if in a bad setting: psychotic crisis, serotonin syndrome, psychological trauma. NON-NEGOTIABLE: accompaniment by an experienced practitioner, safe setting, respect of the protocol, clear intention, integration afterwards. These are not recreational drugs but powerful tools.
Can one work with sacred plants without doing a ceremony?
Yes, through flower essences that capture the vibrational information of the plant without the psychoactive compounds. They act gently on energetic and emotional levels. Usable at home, at your own pace. Examples: Huantuc (anger), Chichaja (self-love), Kuka (energy). The Kit of 9 Essences offers a progressive protocol inspired by ancestral knowledge.
How to respect the traditions of indigenous peoples?
Recognize the source (Shipibo, Siona, Cofan...), financially support the communities (not just the Western intermediaries), protect the territories (no forest, no plants). At Tatwa, we work directly with the communities, supporting their cultural and territorial projects.
To go further:
- Discover our Master Plants collection
- Explore the Sacred Feminine for emotional balance
- Start with the Kit of 9 Flower Essences for progressive work
Author Laurent Gheller