At last, the interview I have been promising for the past few weeks has happened and it's now here for you to read.My special guest on The Traveller Returns is Damien Saul whom I was put in contact with via a good travelling friend of mine.
Damien went on a journey to The Temple of the way of Light, in the Amazon basin, not far from the jungle city of Iquitos, northern Peru. His personal account of his attempted life altering journey to the depths of the Amazon rainforest in order to find himself through the ingestion of a sacred South American root vine, Ayahuasca can be read here in his own words: Ayahuasca.... The revealer of truth and wisdom.
Richard
Okay Damien, I feel a bit like Terry Wogan on BBC Radio 2 ready for an interview.
Firstly I was really happy that you mentioned the flight over to Sao Paulo, which gave me the feel of my South America again and an insight of your everyday self, doing breathing exercises and calming yourself on the cramped plane.
Damien
Cool, it was a magnificent view and it blew me away. Glad you felt the same!
Richard
But I'm going to dive straight into when you first talked to Christian (a local Peruvian man) on the way to Iquitos on the back of the pick up truck. What were your thoughts when you heard of his Ayahuasca experiences about his grandmother?
Damien
Well, I guess I instantly imagined (hoped for) myself having a similar encounter/experience and maybe getting some clarity/closure on some things. I guess I was hoping for something profound like that to happen for me mainly involving my mother that I lost when I was three years old.
Richard
Yes, I can only imagine, it's defiantly something you would like to connect with again.
Damien
For sure it is, I don’t even remember her but I guess in many ways it helps the situation, if I did I could be a lot more painful.
Richard
After reading the beginning of your blog, Ayahuasca…. The Revealer Of Truth And Wisdom, I get the feeling you’re a deep character. Were you hoping Ayahuasca to change you in any way or just in it for the one thing?
The experience?
DamienWell, for me there’s a great urge to expand my consciousness and to develop into something a little bit more. We humans have the potential for so much more and I for one would like to see how far I could take things! But it’s a long journey and a forever learning curve!
I think firstly for me the task of eradicating old patterns, traumas and such things that hold me back from achieving much of my potential as do they us all so for me the trip to Peru was mainly about healing many old ways that no longer serve me and are holding me back! Also obviously the experience would always be an incredible one and also it was a good test for me to go alone!
It was so meant to be though I felt comfortable I guess even at the loneliest of times, as I knew it was part of my path!
Richard
The more I read your journey the more I was taken into it as if I was there with you. It really drew me in, if not wanting to do it myself. The funniest thing was you hadn't even had a drop of Ayahuasca either.
Damien
I’m so glad it had that effect. I was hoping to share it with people and for it to make a difference to at least one person’s decision about the experience in a positive way! It was the most words I’ve ever written and I hadn’t really written much since school apart from travel emails etc
Richard
It's amazing how an experience of whichever kind can really take an effect on you! I did like your touch of welcoming the group to a smudging (sage), a brave thing to do when there are so many people gathered together!
Damien
Yes I’m happy that everyone enjoyed the sage! So very happy! Some more than others but each to their own!
Oh yes mate I mean, it changed my life!
I’m not a saint but it kicked me up a gear or two on the long and winding road to source so to speak.
Richard
I really want to know what you felt after meeting all the Shipibos and everyone who worked there in the Temple Of Light then to put your first ceremony into their hands for an evening.
I know you put so much effort into preparing yourself before hand as well, and to have the added feeling that you also wanted the Ayahuasca to work as?
You must of felt a bit of pressure, especially after the chanting, I liked that, chanting is good to get it out.
Damien
Wow, now these are the most kind and generous and loving people you will ever meet! Any worries that you have about them just dissolve the moment you appear at the retreat as they just run up and cuddle each and every participant, which is the warmest reception one could hope for really! And as for the Ayahuasca...
I knew it would work in some way! I knew that physically the DMT would have a trippy effect at the very least, but mainly I knew I was to receive some form of profound healing on an intuitive level! I mean, this was definitely a trip that was in my path and it called me! Not the other way round!
Everything that led me to Peru was carefully articulated by a divine source so to speak, therefore it could not be something that would leave me deflated! Well...so I believed! I guess some things like that can happen, and they too are all part of our learning!
The chanting helped me massively! It’s so calming and gets me into the alpha state very quickly! Also one thing I didn’t mention in the blog was that one of the days there I did a distance healing for my friend in the UK and I actually chanted at the same time!
When I got home she told me of a day where she had to lie down for having massive energy surges etc which were amazing! She had had a hip replacement previously, but that’s another story but thought id mention it.
Richard
When you wrote about not wanting to insult people back home, I’m totally with you on that, it’s really weird that you are taken away from reality or normal surroundings and to do what YOU, yourself is to do on his journey, which ever path that maybe or which any of our journeys or paths are.
Damien
Yeah I love my friends and I endeavor to show love to everyone but we all have people we connect with on particular levels don’t we.
Richard
We do and it gave me an extra kick in the right direction after reading your journey.
DamienAh I’m so glad to hear that!
Richard
Now, I know you said it was impossible to describe your feelings when taking the Ayahuasca but you do mention so much about your past lives? I find this so intriguing! Could you shine an insight on it for me?
Damien
Well I only really know what I’ve been told by numerous psychic readings and also my own intuition and things i just seem to resonate with for no apparent reason!
These are more than likely attractions formed by past life memories on some level as we (most of us) have lived a number of lifetimes!
During the Ayahuasca ceremonies I didn’t have a specific past life vision but I did have numerous visions of ancient buildings of all kinds etc.
That mainly was an intuitive knowing that particular experiences had past life connections and we must learn to trust this innate sense much more than we do! Hence my lack of fear of the experience itself.
Richard
Yes, and it must as one of the members really didn't take you in? That was interesting.
Damien
We must trust our inner knowing without having to have proof or scientific.
Richard
Believe in ourselves and know ourselves more.
Damien
Once we learn to trust this we can unlock many doors and infinite potential.
Exactly!
Richard
I feel people are being led into not being themselves these days.
Damien
It’s something we have all experienced but not trust. Then later it turns out to be true and we all say ahh how strange.
Richard
Do you feel the Peruvians for example already had unlocked many doors in the past within themselves and had that taken away. But things really aren’t all that strange? To many weird things have happened to me to rule anything out now.
Damien
Well its all down to the powers that be wanting things that way. Who else can we rely on? Ourselves and not them! Things are changing fast and they cannot stop it! It is in our path, the path of evolution and ascension and we are all waking from a deep slumber more and more every day with new realizations one after the next.
Richard
I'd like to get back to were we were. I will leave the experience of first two ceremonies for the reader to enjoy on your blog. How did you feel going into the third night of ceremony? (After the large cup and feeling weary?)
Damien
Well, the second night was difficult to say the least, but once the hard stuff was over then came the lessons and realizations and I was very grateful for the whole experience, as I knew it had great significance! Saying that I was more than happy to take a reduced cup the following night!
Also the intention you set before the ceremony is paramount and this time, I asked for a mild and subtle healing! Which then came!
Richard
It was amazing to read Damien, an excellent experience just to read it and then ponder to myself a moment and think, could I do that? Should I do that?
I also really have to add by Day 9 of the Journey I thought your writing sounded so, so very positive, but then suddenly changed afterwards!!!
I think something happened but you could feel a joy all of a sudden in accomplishment of some sort.
DamienYes, it’s the constant battle once again with our programming in the modern world! We need proof instead of trusting. But mostly I was experiencing negativity that had been disrupted and was being released from my being.
Again, as the shamans explained, I was reliving past life experience from negative actions I’d done in past lives and this brought a deep sadness as they came to the surface.
This can happen during any healing session and happens during reiki also! We must experience it before it is released! Karma you know, it makes sense.
Richard
I'm learning. If your ceremonies were turned into a game show or something, the crowd would be on the edge of their seats wondering “Is he going for the large cup or the small cup tonight?” It certainly kept me on edge of my seat as each ceremony approached!
Damien
(Laughing: That’s a cool way of putting it)
As are we all, one-step at a time! The great thing is, as prophesized, science now has the means to prove all of this stuff.
I must say though I was a bit gung ho about it and I wanted to make the most of the experience, therefore throwing myself in at the deep end most of the time.
Richard
Good on you, you had to really after all the efforts.
Damien
Indeed! And again, you go with your instincts. Some people have less of a tolerance to the Ayahuasca and don’t need so much so it takes you a little while to find your level
Richard
Ayahuasca doesn’t always heal you in the ways that you want, or expect but always in the ways you truly need. Would this be a harsh lesson for the average person?
Damien
Unless you have your mind set on the goal of overall healing and again, trust in the shamans, the Ayahuasca and the experience then it can bring harsh lessons.
Most of them are as they can challenge and dent your ego! I think for anyone it can bring lessons that seem harsh but being open to these and realizing what you are being taught ultimately is for the growth and healing of the individual!
Richard
Yes and that is a scary thing.
What would you advice on people learning before hand before doing Ayahuasca?
Damien
Yes, nobody wants to be shown where he or she are going wrong and how they can be acting in a less than positive way, therefore not always what you want but always what you need!
Richard
No defiantly not, I know what you mean.
Damien
I would advise they consider the temple of the way of light as I know them to be pure and true to the tradition and goal of the healing path! There are indeed shamans out there that have lost their way a little and let their ego take over! It’s always good to research. I’d tell them to go with their gut in every way. Every worry they have, research it and ask people that know who have experienced these things. Mainly though most of these things can be answered by themselves. How they really feel towards things deep inside? If it’s positive then go for it, if not proceed with caution or not at all. I think most guidance comes from within. If something’s meant be or to happen, you'll be guided that way, doors will open, opportunities will arise and the information will appear to you when you ask for it. Then close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and call upon your guides to show you the answers, things will come in some form to show you the way!
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