Cure in the Brazilian ayahuasca religions
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illnesses is associated with this idea of the Daime as a “plant that teaches”. Accordingly, the Daime is a vegetable animated being that teaches and can therefore reveal the presence of a disease, sometimes even unknown, in the body of the one who ingests it. It can help the healing, working as a drug to treat a specific disease, also having an oracle role when it points, in some cases, to the need for administration of other drugs. However, it is important to highlight that the elements of the traditions of the Peruvian ayahuasca vegetalismo are resignified in the daimist cult, now appearing associated with conceptions and practices of another cultural and religious complex. Besides the ayahuasca vegetalism, a whole set of elements of the so called popular Brazilian Catholicism was triggered for the formation of the new religion founded by Mestre Irineu in Rio Branco, as highlighted in other studies[3,5]. Based on the analysis made by different authors[7,8], it is possible to identify in the organization of the Daime rituals, many aspects of the tradition of popular Catholicism saint festivals, strongly disseminated throughout the ancient rural Brazil. Ancient forms of worship, such as celebrating a saint’s day with dance and a feast of typical regional food were being associated with the use of the Daime. Therefore the “work of hymnals” originates, which consisted in the gathering of the believers to sing and dance hymnals in a set of specific dates, generally following the Christian calendar, especially dates that celebrate some saints. As mentioned, when Mestre Irineu begins to organize his cult in Rio Branco, his ceremonies consisted primarily in healing “works” or “sessions” with the Daime. The structure of these “works” involved a few elements, the main one being the consumption of the Daime itself done either by the patient as by other participants. Gradually, however, the ritual structure of this religion becomes more complex. Mestre Irineu starts summarizing his experiences with the Daime in hymns, songs that are understood by these followers as a result of the connection with the spiritual world. Over time, several of the early followers of the cult founded by Mestre Irineu will also express their experiences with the Daime in the same fashion “receiving” their own hymns. This first group of daimists, led by Mestre Irineu, gradually organizes the whole ritual of this religion. Meetings were made to “take” the Daime and sing with fervor the hymns received by Mestre Irineu and some of his followers. The tradition of festivals for Christian saints was followed with enthusiasm by both Mestre Irineu and many of these early believers of the daimist cult. So, gradually, some dates that celebrated Christian saints were selected for the times when taking Daime and singing hymns were wanted. Thereby, a Daime ritual calendar was being made and over time, the work of hymnals with their specific dances was being elaborated.