The Shaman and Ayahuasca

It is a very comprehensive information about Ayahusca.A good introduction to those who knows nothing about this subject. A very good documentary. i just did a dieta with don Jose Campos in the rainforest. I am very happy to find this documentary video. I will show it to my friend so that they know what I did. I will also translate his book into Chinese.

As I will be traveling to Peru later this year, I was looking for travelogues and I saw that this one had five stars and was only a little over an hour long. I was trying to convince a friend to watch it with me so the short length was a bonus. The fact that it was about shamanism and alternative cultures also fit the bill, as it was close to Halloween and I thought it might be kind of a spooky tale about witch doctors in the Amazon. It was not to be!This documentary begins with an American couple who go to the Amazon area of Peru in order to take a special psychedelic concoction only available from certain men who call themselves Shamans. (The Americans are on some sort of spiritual quest that is never quite explained.) It appears that the movie is filmed on an inexpensive handheld camcorder. That would certainly be excusable if the content of the movie was in anyway interesting, but unfortunately the story and editing is as amateurish as the videography.The movie has four main characters. The American couple, the Shaman, and their translator. The translation is one of the first problems. Although I don't speak any more Spanish than I learned years ago in high school, I was able to understand the Spanish speaking Shaman better than the English speaking translator who most of the time just mumbled over the Shaman, making it impossible to understand what either was saying. Occasionally, the movie would throw in a subtitle, and I wished that they had used subtitles throughout rather than the translator.But, that turned out not to matter much, as the dialogue was boring and repetitive. Way too much of the movie was spent listening to the Shaman talking (not showing!) about how he would make the concoction they would eventually imbibe (although, that is also never shown.). Almost all of the rest of the movie finds him singing. His songs are not pleasant and it sounds like he is influenced by a lot of bad pop radio. Eventually they leave the city and take a trip down a sadly deforested and rather ugly stretch of the Amazon, with Don Shaman singing his psuedo-pop song for a good twenty minutes of the movie, or more! My friend and I finally muted the sound on my television.By the end of the movie, nothing has really happened, and if you are looking for a movie about alternative realities or a nice travelogue of Peru, I would skip it. There is one scene where they go visit an artist who has indulged in this psychedelic potion many times, and his art and the explanation of what he has painted is rather interesting. Because of this, and also because this was a good background movie to have on while my friend and I chatted and played with our iPads, I give it two stars.

Wow...I don't even think I could offer a coherent review of this, as a film. It's like watching the raw footage from someone's camcorder where they left it running and NOTHING of any interest happened. I'm at a loss. So disappointing.

Don Jose is an amazing teacher. This is an older documentary, but good information for those just coming to the work.

It all starts with a simple discussion. The next thing you know, you're off to the Amazon rainforest in South America, drinking a tea made from a psychoactive plant and taking part in an ancient ceremony intended to heal and open the realms of consciousness. That's what happened to filmmaker Michael Wiese as he was searching for a cure after being confronted with a serious disease. Michael knew the universe was co-conspiring to aid in his mission and he, his translator and wife were off, embarking on a mysterious and deeply personal adventure.The Shaman and Ayahuasca on GaiamTV.com follows these three on a thought-provoking journey, providing unique personal perspectives, majestic and stunning visuals of Peruvian surroundings, and wisdom from a famed shaman. It also piques the viewer's curiosity: What does this psychoactive elixir taste like? How does it feel to be whisked away to other realms and connected to the cosmos? How does it feel to return to reality? Here are a few of the most shining moments from this fascinating documentary:The Shaman knowsDon Jose Campos, the internationally-known Shaman, graciously and sincerely walks Michael and company through his homeland, and shows just what goes into having a proper ceremony, including the blessing of the tea. Viewers can sense his passion and commitment to this sacred, ancient ritual. It's also important to note that ayahuasca should never be casually ingested and should only be taken under the care, guidance and supervision of a skilled Shaman who concocts, blesses and administers it; the brew is extremely powerful and mind-altering.Ayahuasca in artSpeaking of mind-altering, legendary painter Pablo Amaringo is also featured. It's worth watching this documentary if only to catch a glimpse of this man's awe-inspiring works that express on canvas some of the many visions and worlds he entered while drinking ayahuasca everyday for 10 years.Courage and confidenceShaman Don shared the most important lesson that his teacher, Don Solon, passed on to him - the true definition of confidence: "A deep sense of trust in oneself, faith in the process of being present and being courageous and optimistic." Not only is it a lovely definition of the word, but it's the overall message of the documentary; confidence is applied and interwoven so deeply and on so many levels. One needs confidence to be open to learning about this spiritual sojourn. One needs confidence to go through with the experience. One needs confidence to expect the unexpected during this highly unpredictable journey.Wanderlust starring Jennifer Aniston and her ayahuasca trip it is not, The Shaman and Ayahuasca offers viewers intense magical clarity into every component of this unique ritual. Delve into a world of deep spiritual development with The Shaman and Ayahuasca on GaiamTV.com.GaiamTV.com Ambassador Alyson Charles is an AM and FM radio host and television producer. She lends her passions, inspirations, and self-help knowledge to her readers on [...], supplying you with all the tips and secrets for creating your most magical life!

Sadly this documentary is very poorly made which is rather surprising considering it was made by Michael Wiese. He made a film some time ago called Dolphin which is beautifully made but this latest documentary looks awful.The content and characters we meet are rather interesting but the whole production is ruined with camcorder looking footage and bad sound recording. This really only deserves one star but I added an extra star for Don Jose.Why would a filmmaker cut corners for something like this; a once in a lifetime journey and experience into the Peruvian jungle. This could have been an amazing film, capturing the atmosphere, scenery and sheer wonder of the experience. Unfortunately, it's an amateurish video, at times looking like it's captured on a cellphone. The imagery is among the worse digital-video camerawork I've seen and the sound recording is equally as bad. At times, it's hard to understand the interpreter who mumbles his words. Hugely disappointing. I can only imagine what this could have been with quality visuals and decent sound.

A bit slow and does not show much about the effect. A lot of talking..