The Dark Side of Shamanism: Exposing Dangerous Ceremonies in Perú

In this podcast-style episode, I sat down with Nika Monte, a medicine woman and one of my long-time ceremony guardians.
Nika bravely shares one of the most incredible stories I've heard about unsafe Ayahuasca spaces, a kind of ceremony nobody should ever have to go through. She was constantly being shamed, eventually threatened with death by her own shaman and put in a jungle prison cell for calling out some of the ways in which the center operated out of integrity.
It is a common belief that the only proper way to participate in ceremony is in the jungles of Peru, where the plants come from, with a traditional indigenous shaman. I have been opposing this idea for a long time, and in today's podcast you'll have the chance to hear one of the many stories that support this perspective.
I want to thank Nika for bravely opening herself up with so much vulnerability, and for supporting the channel in one of its many missions: to bring awareness about safe psychedelic spaces so that our medicine journeys can create healing and not more trauma.
Follow her on her IG: / nii.the.truth.warrioress
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1) Want to watch more? Check out these videos I made on safe Ayahuasca spaces:
- DON'T drink Ayahuasca without knowing these 9 essentials: • DON'T drink Ayahuasca ...
- 10 things I wish I knew when I started drinking Ayahuasca: • 10 things I wish I kne...
- Top 10 Mistakes from Ayahuasca Facilitators That Can MESS YOU UP: • Top 10 Mistakes from A...
2) Do you want one-on-one coaching with me? Submit an inquiry on my website, or here: docs.google.com/forms/d/1qH_Z...
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CHAPTERS 📖
00:00 Introduction
02:37 Why did Nika agree to tell her story?
04:02 Going to Peru ten years ago
07:03 Being "welcomed" with scary stories around demons
09:35 Shaming, mocking and bullying
11:09 Being sent alone for days to a dangerous city
12:20 Her shaman trying to have sex with her
14:40 Projecting and insulting her
18:38 Threatening Nika with death with bow and arrow
21:29 Being imprisoned behind bars in quarentine
24:08 Being judged in jungle court
27:34 Using medicine as punishment
30:52 Being left alone during Ayahuasca
33:01 Going back home traumatized feeling worthless
36:09 Why were they treating Nika this way?
38:17 Why do we trust shamans out of integrity?
40:15 How much was Nika's fault?
44:55 How did you start drinking Ayahuasca again?
47:52 Is Peru really the place to do ceremony?
50:30 Find Nika on Instagram!
51:06 Nika's gifts as an energy worker
53:42 What does sharing this story mean to you?
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About me:
I have over a decade of experience as a meditation teacher, coach, consultant, and plant medicine facilitator, having positively impacted the lives of over 10,000 individuals. My background in engineering, obtained at the National Technological University of Buenos Aires, serves me to uniquely bridge the gap between those minds inclined towards scientific perspectives and those with a spiritual orientation.
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[@johnvliet523]

This is valuable information. It’s been said that if we can tell our story about a traumatic event three times within the first 72 hours of that event, it can save us from having to carrying it inside us. It seems the longer we wait the more difficult it is to speak. Thanks for making this. It reminds me what people who spend a lot of time around the medicine are like: Healthy, strong, and healed enough to be vulnerable.

[@IvanChocron]

Love this!

[@TaylorJohnson-ur8ek]

Iván and Nika, thank you. What a powerful conversation. Very healing and revealing for all. ❤

[@saffronmccaughna1592]

20 years ago I started a shamanic course and ended up pregnant ,abused on all levels and homeless a year later . My " teacher" manipulated me and convinced me we were supposed to be together..I was in my twenties . There is a lot I could say about this man but he is now deceased and is the father of my wonderful son so I don't want to go into detail .He was a prolific author of books on Shamanism ,appeared quite regularly on tv and radio and used to take people to the Amazon in Peru to take medicine. It took me years to recover and he harmed other women also . As this beautiful courageous woman has stated,this was her underworld journey.Immense learning ,but abuse pure and simple .I WOULD REALLY CAUTION PEOPLE ABOUT GETTING INVOLVED IN PRACTICES WHICH HAVE NO GOVERNING BODY..it's such a risk , life or death for some of us . Stay safe ,as the mother of all wants us to be ,we are children of this earth . blessings and respect X

[@JasminFischer-wk4km]

Thank you for sharing your story Nika ❤

[@alexkuhtarev651]

This is great information to share, and I feel your pain, Nika. Ivan, your video is excellent and very marketing-oriented, encouraging clients to stay local in the US. This resonates with many who have experienced Ayahuasca ceremonies in places like Peru, Costa Rica, or elsewhere in the Amazonian region. Ensuring a safe experience during these ceremonies is crucial. However, I've personally witnessed numerous ceremonies in the US that were profoundly unsafe. Some venues aren't adequately prepared for ceremonies. Some stories where facilitators have left participants unsupervised midway through. There have even been instances of inappropriate sexual activities involving facilitators or participants during or immediately after ceremonies. It's not just about where the healing ceremony takes place but also about the integrity and ethics of the facilitator or 'shaman' involved and their ability to hold the space. Finding spaces (anywhere you go) with genuine integrity is challenging, even within the so-called plant med., community.

[@IvanChocron]

Thanks for your comment. My video has no intention of marketing. So if any of that vibe is present it wasn’t intentional. And of course there are unsafe ceremonies in the west. I am not saying: Jungle = Bad and US = Good. This is more about the myth that the only proper way to do ceremony is in the jungle and how that isn’t the case. In my experience, the level of unsafety in the jungle way, way surpasses the ones by western facilitators. Yet, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of unsafe facilitators in the west, which is why I made the video about the 9 things to consider before signing up to ceremony. These videos aren’t oriented toward marketing, but toward awareness for those who are new to this work.

[@alexg3905]

My beautiful and brave friend Nika! What an amazing soul✨💖 This is so important to talk about. Working with people and in the best interest of people is hard work and unfortunatly attracts a lot of very bad people. 🙏 You are strongly protected now and can fight off all the bad stuff!

[@juriiclaura]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! This is an important subject to talk about! These things are happening often, even on the places where we would never thought are happening! You are an amazing and brave woman! One Doors have closed! New ones have opened, and many beauty is ahead of you! You will help many people with your experiences, that's why that all has happened! Thank you one more time! Sending you love and hug!❤

[@albert.robles7]

Would love to tryout psychedelics like LSD or the magic mushrooms but it's rare in my area

[@katlinkate]

I took 2g of PE Saturday night with friends, laughed all night. Took 4g last night by myself and went on a Pink Floyd journey... I love Shrooms

[@userconspiracynut]

[Adamsflakesx] Ships psychedelics

[@albert.robles7]

​@@userconspiracynut how can I reach out??

[@albert.robles7]

Is it Instagram?

[@userconspiracynut]

Yeah, he has variety of stuffs like Mushrooms, LSD, DMT, MDMA even the chocolate bars

[@layliericks7045]

Thank you so much for sharing your story Nika! I am so sorry for the pain and fear that you went through and am also so inspired by you and your strength. You are so filled with Light and Healing and I honor you and your work and service. Thank you for following your Light! I found this channel by "chance" and I really enjoyed this interview. I look forward to learning more from this channel Iván, thank you. I have not had the opportunity to try Ayuhuasca because of physical reasons and I am not sure that I can (I had an open heart operation 2 years ago and take Warfarin -blood thinners- daily) But I can feel the deep healing that she provides and I honor it. Sending you both so much Love and Light! Blessings from Costa Rica!

[@mcsoli9455]

thank you for sharing- I was punished by the founders of "Sprit Weavers Gathering" here in the US

[@IvanChocron]

Sorry to hear that

[@Tregnier52]

Thank you for opening up and sharing your story. I can’t believe how immaturely people act who are considered healers. Incredible.

[@IvanChocron]

Healers sometimes are among the most wounded people in a ceremony. I believe that trying to heal others is partially coming from a projection of needing it yourself but not willing or being ready for it.

[@Tregnier52]

@@IvanChocronMakes sense. I hope those facilitators can also find their healing and peace.

[@hanaxhamza]

31:40 “Standing now, calling all the people now to see the show. Calling for my demons now to let me go. I need something, give me something wonderful. I believe. She wont take me somewhere Im not supposed to be. You can’t steal the thing that God has given me. No more pain, no more shame and no more misery. You can’t take me down. You can’t brake me down.” I love you Mama Wolf.🐺🪬

[@CYBERYOGA]

Amazing share 🙏🏾

[@IvanChocron]

Agree! So many unfathomable stories out there.

[@mary-anncarleton7578]

❤❤❤

[@daniblablah9329]

Very brave.

[@anaguerrerosholisticwellbe2788]

Where's the link to her Instagram, please? She sounds delightful and what a story!

[@IvanChocron]

In the description of the video

[@starslightning4818]

Nika that's called abuse of power. You need a lot of healing. It wasn't your fault at all. Energy Healing would be great for you. Stop putting yourself in vulnerable positions to grow spiritually, there's no need for that. Think about the enlightened ones. Meditate with them in mind and heart and ask for guidence for the highest good for your soul! You need to heal❤ You are loved❤

[@IvanChocron]

This happened ten years ago. Nika has done great progress since then and this conversation I believe to be proof of it. Even though your message to her is well intended, I don’t believe it applies to where she is at today.

[@groooarh]

niko might be telling a 100% truth but I had to stop watching within first 6,7 minutes as she contradicted herself: initially saying that she was told that she is the chosen one and then-just a few minutes later, she said that all students were invited...and that she was not told that she is the chosen one 'per se'/in those words (the interviewer tried to correct this and ended up putting the words in her mouth). I've noticed that a lot of spiritual individuals accept duality in every possible form -including words and expression and very often contradict themselves with no hesitation.

[@IvanChocron]

I didn’t notice any contradiction. She said this is what her teacher told her even if it wasn’t with those words, but that’s how she experienced it. It could be more of a contradiction of her teacher than herself. Also don’t forget English isn’t her first language and there might be a slight impediment here. I know Nika and I promise she isn’t making anything up. Such a pity you missed the meat of the story because of this. You might want to consider giving it another chance. Thanks for watching though.

[@InVision77]

@nika, fala najljepse 🐋🪽✨