It’s 6am on the 7th of April. It’s day 13 of the COVID-19 Government advised lockdown. The suns about to come up.
As I walk out the front door I turn to see the moon as it dominates the nights sky.
The last time I seen the moon like that I was in Rythmia it’s was the last full moon of the decade.
Rocco is pulling me in all directions eager to sniff and do his doggy stuff.
As the moon disappears and the Sun starts to rise, I know I am in for a treat today as I walk the Stirlingshire countryside back roads.
My Rythmia playlist is playing. I am in nature so it’s an easy fit. I think of the Jim Rohn quote, “work harder on yourself than you do on your business”.
My work is about to begin
My journeys with Ayahuasca
It’s December 2019, I am laying by the pool watching the birds chase each other as they dip in and out of the shallow end all having early morning drinks.
Around me are comfy sun loungers. To my front is the restaurant serving the most delicious vegan food I’ve ever enjoyed eating.
The suns soft and gentle on my skin in Costa Rica. The day hasn’t begun yet. I’ve not been able to sleep, a side effect of the medicine.
As I sit watching the birds and listening to them sing beautifully to each other, I reflect on the night before.
This was my second Ayahuasca journey and it had been rough as fuck.
Rythmia is a life advancement centre where ancient ayahuasca plant therapy is mixed with metaphysical teachings. It’s a deeply introspective, spiritual experience.
Ayahuasca is a Peruvian entheogenic brew made out of banisteriopsis caapi vine and other ingredients.
The brew is used as a traditional spiritual medicine in ceremonies among the indigenous people of the Amazon Basin.
(Side note Ayahuasca is a class A drug under British law. It’s legal in some countries, decriminalized in others and illegal in most.)
I was first introduced to Ayahuasca by Dr Gabor Mate. Dr Mate is a best selling author and globally renowned speaker. He specialises in addiction and childhood trauma as a medical doctor and physician he worked for 10 years with drug addicts in Canada’s most deprived area.
Dr Mate talks about Ayahuasca in this interview on London Real
So due to great education, I’ve gotten from listening to Dr Mate I made a commitment to myself that I would journey with the mother plant. As a child abuse survivor with ongoing addiction and depression challenges, I relate a lot to what Dr Mate talks about and the advice he gives.
How I got to Rythmia
It’s October 2019, I am sitting up in bed in our apartment in Turkey.
Its 04:00am. I’ve had broken sleep all night. The mosquitos have been having a great time feeding on my blood. I’ve tried to get back to sleep but it’s not happening.
So as I do in situations like this I pick up my book. I am reading wishes fulfilled by Dr Wayne Dyer. I’ve learned a lot from Dr Dyer as well. He’s been such a strong influence in my spiritual development.
As I finish a chapter on synchronicity, I decide to listen to a Wayne dyer meditation on YouTube. The way I see it is if I can get an hours more sleep I will be okay to exercise in the morning.
As I go onto YouTube I see a promo for a documentary. It catches my eye due to the actress Michele Rodriguez from Fast and Furious films.
At the end of the documentary they talk about a place called Rythmia (in Costa Rica) and how it’s the only medically registered plant therapy facility in the world.
I’m happily freaked out by this. As much as many would say it’s coincidence, for me it’s true synchronicity in action. I’ve now received my calling.
The calling
As the birds drink, sing and dance around the shallow end of the pool. I sit with my breath. I’ve been with my breath a lot these last few days.
My body still hurts from the purging. I feel like I’ve had a night of heavy rounds of MMA sparring.
Last nights purging went on for what felt like forever. At one point it was so intensely painful. I wanted to die.
They say in Rythmia that whatever is coming is going and that we are to pay attention to how we feel during the day and relate it if we can to how we feel in normal day to day life.
I’d been feeling sad all day the same deep sadness I feel during my bouts of depression.
I am not going to go into what happens during ceremony. It’s sacred and to be experienced personally. I feel describing it is disrespectful to the shamans and the sacred ceremony itself.
What started as big yawns then muscle spasms and twitches soon turned into violent seizures then the screams and convulsions.
I remember Graham Hancock talking about how sore purging is and now I understand fully what he was talking about.
As the purge intensified I howled for hours, crying from the pit of my soul, shaking uncontrollably and releasing years of trauma from my body.
In between the intense emotional releases I made frequent runs to the bathroom. Ayahuasca is a purgatory and it comes out of both ends, vomit and diarrhea. at one point both came out at the same time.
I respect anyone whose brave enough to journey with Patchamama. It’s common for people to involuntary shit themselves while being drunk / high on the strongest hallucinogenic known to man.
The purging begins after the first cup and as there are 80 – 100 people in each ceremony my screams and cries were muffled in amongst all the others.
For 4 nights I journeyed with the mother plant yes the purging hurts but that’s what I went for to release those locked in low frequency emotions deep inside me due to the years of ongoing trauma, shame, blame, guilt, fear, anger and violence. I knew why I was going way before I set foot in Rythmia.
“Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light.” -Brene Brown
In true Ying Yang Pachamama was also very beautiful to me as I staggered about high on shots of Mother Nature. I took great pleasure looking up into the stars in the sky and the moon swaying from the hammocks outside of the Temple.
As much as this was the hardest and sorest experience of my spiritual journey it was also one of the most beautiful joyous experience of my life.
I met so many beautiful souls all of us connecting in our own ways. Big Irish John with that hug on the first ceremony, Jen, Dalton, Christine, Shawn, Vicki, Gianluca, Kelsie, the twins, a special thank you to Meg and Sarah for the emotional release work they did with me. If I’ve missed anyone my sincere apologies.
Rythmia has a special place in my heart and I look forward to going back in the near future.
I have faith I will be sitting by the pool, watching the birds play again soon.
My first experiences of plant therapy are powerful ones. For me there is a lot more work to do.
Love and gratitude to all who journeyed with me. Thank you you to Gerry for creating Rythmia for us all and to the Shamans thank you 🙏 from deep within my heart.
I’ll finish this blog with a beautiful share from my brother Dalton.
Brothers and sisters I want to send my gratitude for the work you’ve all done and the work I’ve done.
I watched all of us grow and free our light.
We are all the light. We are all love and truth.
Thank you for the way you all showed up in my life.
Thank you to all the woman for being open, loving and true warriors.
Thank you to the men that let their sadness go and their hearts shine.
Remember the work now lives through you by your hands, heart and your actions.
The world needs everyone of us. I’m now a champion for the devine Feminine and masculine.
I see the beauty, I hear the truth and trust all of it.
My brothers and sister I wish you all victory, power, insight and choice to be who ever your heart calls you to be.
With love from my heart thank you, thank you.. sending hugs for all you beautiful souls.
Namaste 🙏
“Strength for Life”
Davie
Davie McConnachie
Davie McConnachie is Scotland’s leading health and wellness coach, multi-award-winning gym owner, motivational speaker and the founder of DMC Fitness, a fitness education facility known as the premier choice for 1-2-1 personal training. He has inspired thousands of people to fall in love with fitness – his true purpose and mission in life.
Diving into the world of fitness and wellness has helped Davie to deal with his own trauma and inner demons. He, overcame many dark times using his own unique methods to continue his cycle of healing.