Bia Labate - the global spread of Ayahuasca, women and plants

In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Bia Labate, a Brazilian anthropologist, activist, and one of the most influential voices in the global psychedelic movement. She is the executive director of the Chacruna Institute, editor of 28 books, and a champion of Indigenous rights, equity, and cultural integrity in plant medicine spaces.

We touch upon topics of:

• Bia’s early psychedelic explorations and road trip across the Americas (01:02)
• Her first Ayahuasca experiences and academic journey (02:41)
• Pre-Google era of plant medicine research and early stigma in Brazil (03:23)
• Ayahuasca’s paradoxical rise in the digital age (07:54)
• Loneliness, vulnerable connection, and the appeal of Ayahuasca (09:51)
• The evolution of Ayahuasca use in Brazil and globally (11:42)
• Comparing Ayahuasca traditions: Santo Daime, UDV, Shipibo, Huni Kuin (16:32)
• The limitations of comparing traditions and the food-culture metaphor (19:28)
• Why Bia has published 28 books and her methodology (21:49)
• Creating legitimacy for Ayahuasca as a field of study (24:38)
• The tension between spiritual practice and entrepreneurship (30:51)
• Ethical complexities of running an Ayahuasca retreat (32:16)
• Integration circles and her mixed feelings toward them (35:39)
• The founding, mission, and programs of Chacruna Institute (42:16)
• Indigenous Reciprocity and Psychedelic Justice initiatives (44:37)
• Chacruna’s conferences, education, and publications (47:01)
• Women and psychedelics, invisible labor, and cultural dynamics (50:58)
• Menstruation taboos in ceremony and cultural relativism (55:44)
• Ayahuasca’s origins and Colombia’s historical role (59:21)
• Ayahuasca's global spread to places like Hawaii and Australia (01:03:08)
• The cultural mission of Chacruna and decolonizing psychedelic narratives (01:09:02)

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about Bia Labate at www.bialabate.net or on Instagram @labatebia. Learn more about her organization at www.chacruna.net.