I won't go into the details of my ceremonies now. Out of the four ceremonies I was able to participate in, three of them were excruciating. But that's just me and my experience. I don't think it is typical of most people. At any rate, I highly recommend [name removed] because of the high level of support and potential for healing there. I already want to go back again!
EDIT and UPDATE 4/01/2015: Six months after my four ayahuasca ceremonies, my depression has not come back to the level it was at before. Yes, there have been ups and downs, and even a few temporary episodes of depression that were able to be healed by the shaman back home. However, I feel the depression caused specifically by childhood abuse was healed due to a combination of the shamanic healings back home (which both healed "primed" me for ayahuasca) AND the ayahuasca ceremonies. I've kept up the healing through spiritual practice and shamanism. Many, many changes have occured, both within myself and in my outer life. Things are great and I go back to Peru in a few days.
EDIT and UPDATE 5/06/2015: Well, things took a huge turn. After coming back from my second trip to the ayahuasca center in Peru, I've been extremely depressed. You can see my posts here, here, here, and here. After recovering from my depression, I wrote more about my thoughts on this center. While I don't feel like I lost any of the previous healing that had occurred--and in fact, I did get a lot of work done this second time around in my ayahuasca ceremonies--but, I do feel like more issues have been made conscious and reveal. And it fucking sucks. Also, my psoriasis did not improve as much this time.
As for my psoriasis, it cleared almost completely while at the retreat, but I attributed this mainly to the strict diet of no sugar, salt, fat, dairy, alcohol, red meat, etc. We mainly ate potatoes, rice, fish, occasional chicken, split peas, lentils, oatmeal, apples, bananas, and some vegetables. As soon as I was off the diet I started to eat breads and foods containing gluten, something I normally try not to do because it flares my psoriasis. I also ate a little bit of chocolate today. My elbows have gotten noticeably drier looking because of this, but it will be interesting to see if the psoriasis eventually heals further as a result of the ayahuasca ceremonies.
I know the shamanic healing from this summer caused some healing already. The healing reached it's peak during my bliss state and then the psoriasis slowly came back as my mood went back down. However, some of the healing still stuck. It's as if my body bounces back more easily from the inflammatory foods that flare the psoriasis. Will the healing from the ayahuasca center allow my body to bounce back even more? I know that ayahuasca raises serotonin levels. I'm wondering if endorphins and/or serotonin have something to do with my immune system and the psoriasis. It's as if I have to feel good in order to not have psoriasis. I don't know...something like that maybe?
Here are some pics of my elbows from today, a few days after returning from the ayahuasca center in Peru:
Right Elbow
Left Elbow
UPDATE: The psoriasis eventually came back, so ignore the two above photos. Sorry to disappoint you.
