Ayahuasca is a psychoactive tea that has a long history of ritual use among indigenous groups of the Upper Amazon. Made from the ayahuasca vine and the leaves of a shrub, ayahuasca is associated with healing in collective ceremonies and in more intimate contexts, generally under the direction of specialist an ayahuasquero, experienced practitioners who guide the ceremony and the drinkers experience.

Ayahuasca has gained significant popularity in recent years in cities around the world. Ceremonies happen nightly and Hollywood stars, Wall Street players and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs now drink the brew. 

This week Sophia Rokhlin, ethnobotanist, anthropologist, speaker, and co-author of the book When Plants Dream, is on the podcast to explore the economic, social, political, cultural and environmental impact that ayahuasca is having on society.