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| Landed at Kansai Airport glistening like a jewel on reclaimed land in the middle of an inland ocean at 9a.m. local time. After a 15-hour journey from London via Amsterdam, I stepped on to the moving pavement and a different planet. Through customs, I was directed to the train station on the 7th floor and 6 ticket collectors in immaculate uniforms, peaked hat and white gloved greeted me in unison with low bows. The spotless and luxurious train was at the platform and as we glided out, 6 cleaners in uniform, with bucket and mop bowed low and smiled. Who said the Japanese was inscrutable. |
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| I was off to meet some friends and about a hundred others to take Ayahuasca in a Santo Daime celebration a couple of hours away. They had been doing it for the previous 2 weekends and I was to join them half way through for 2 more weekends "work" I had taken ayahuasca about 50 times over the previous 4 years having come across it in Amsterdam. The Dutch ayahuasca takers were members of the Santo Daime community who called ayahuasca - "Daime" and treated it reverently in ceremony. Daime means "give me" and refers to the spiritual and healing properties contained in the plants used in the sacred "tea". Santo Daime - Saint "give me" - sounds as though it could be my cup of tea. For the first couple of years, I did it pretty infrequently suffering discomfort and doubts over the religious overtones in the work while acknowledging that it did offer a cloak as well as a ritual that was needed and common to most. More recently, I had been taking it for the last couple of years with a small group in London. The English group was smaller, more relaxed than the Dutch although the haunting Portuguese songs we sang included many references to Jesus and even more to the Virgin Mary. After my Catholic up bringing, I wanted nothing more of the mumbo jumbo. Followers of Santo Dame can believe whatever they want providing the Daime is treated reverently. For me, Virgin Mary was taking the shape of Mother Earth and Jesus a prophet together with Allah, Buddha, Che etc. and other Shaman and Holy men but what do I know except I am in Japan courtesy of the Santo Daime. The "work" took place in a community centre- more of a compound, which was among the first "Christian centres" opened in Japan and could have been purpose built for our needs. It was beautiful green and grassy area flanked on two sides with everything we needed. I arrived from the train in time to dump the case in a small wooded dormitory, get a quick shower before changing into white and the start. One small reason to wear white was so that colours do not clash heightening any hallucinogenic effect, in other words, you wear white for the benefit of others in the group which in this case numbered from what I could see about 120 magnificent looking specimens of humanity |
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| We were, as always, arranged in lines, women on one side, men on the other. There were about 20 "foreigners" i.e. Europeans in the group and as we settled down after a welcoming introduction from Ronaldo and a "Hail Mary" and "Our Father" in Portuguese. Maurillio, from Mapia in Brazil, was there and in charge (to help) and Laura led up the Women. Rolando walked along the lines distributing small glasses of Daime to all and we sat cross legged and meditated. I could not get images from "The Bridge over the River Kwai" out of my mind and the inscrutable locals and as I relaxed suddenly felt very tired, the journey had caught up with me. I noticed a space to the back before D. and laid down covering myself with a blanket. | |
| I do not know how long I enjoyed the deepest sleep I have ever had, maybe an hour, maybe 5 minutes, but I woke feeling refreshed to utter confusion, or so it seemed. I had to stay in my own space. Rorlando was going along the lines with more Daime and I rejoined the group. . Throughout, while doing it in Amsterdam, the rules were strict - you are advised to stay in your own space and not visually or any other way engage others during the work, this is your own personal journey or quest for enlightenment or whatever else it is that you want. You are in your own space and you must give space to those around you. You still feel very close to your fellow travellers much of the time and enjoy the sense of sharing the bounty and beauty of Mother Earth. Others also feel the Astral rays especially from the Sun, the Moon and the Stars. And the same sort of rules applied here. |
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 After the work and before food. |
The musicians at one end started and voices were raised too as the rhythmic one two three and four of the maraca's joined in and music filled the air. Guitar, bass, violin, keyboard and even a trumpet and congas, it was a magnificent and full sound. I could not help but notice that some others had flaked out and a couple were retching into buckets. Poor fuckers, I thought, we are all in the same boat, all the same under the skin. The lines regrouped and we sang and by the 4th. glass, I was extremely high. |
| The benefit of the ritual dancing and singing helped bring your thoughts outwards rather than going into yourself. I could not help but notice that faces opposite looked all shades of orange streaked with black lines and emotions worn. Eyes truly seemed like windows of the mind. The wood veneer in the ceiling whirled in fantastic movement. I also noticed that a Buddhist monk on the front row was asking that his glass of Daime be filled and the glass he was drinking from looked pint size filled to the very brim by Rorlando. I could not believe what I was seeing as he downed it in one. I noticed other horrified people as the singing and music started again. His internal explosion came before too long and while I could not see his face, I could see the faces of those opposite and their expression were clear. Our brave had to be helped from the front by Orlando to a chair at the back and as he was being helped away, I happened to glimpse in his eye which looked like the proverbial piss in snow and there was intelligent life in there. He was fine again by the end of the work. The songs continued only now we would also be dancing simple one two three steps in unison, it was a time to enjoy the moment. The floor was cleared After an hour or so of singing songs and dancing and some making music, the work was finally brought to a close. Viva! Rorlando lead a couple of prayers, his physical and mental ordeal was over, and I was on a high! We were on a high. The work had lasted 6 or 7 hours with the rest of the evening to look forward to. Many just wanted to crash out, others to eat, most to share and enjoy the sheer exuberance of being alive and more music. It was the same again tomorrow, and I had barely been in Japan 12 hours. In the bath house tomorrow. And grass at £900 pounds an ounce WHEN YOU CAN GET IT ! Has anyone got this far? Years later and still drinking the sacred brew, thanks to our brothers in Brazil, I realise how much crap I've written and have to acknowloge the Santa Daime (Ayahuasca) which means "Saint Give-Me" brings joy with it's music and is strong medecine. It can also make you very sick, but promises insight. It is many things to many people. |
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