Healing Through Mapacho Smoke
The black jungle tobacco smoke is said to be the “food of the plant spirits”. It is blown by the shaman – and/or by his apprentices – over a patient, during the singing of the icaros, during a curación (healing session). The smoke is also blown on to the Ayahuasca brew, to purify it from negative energies/entities (the spirits of Ayahuasca and Mapacho are greatly connected and in tune with each other).
Senior dietero lightning a Mapacho cigarette during a purification ritual
Photo Credit: Stephen Witte
