Yopo: the shamanic medicine that will cure your ills

Yopo is a substance created from the seeds extracted from a jungle tree in the Caribbean and South America.

Reading this article, you will learn everything about this Amazonian substance, from its origin, use, and what are the benefits it can offer you for your health.

What is Yopo?

The Yopo (Anadenanthera peregrina) is a large tree of the legume family; this tree belongs to Colombia's tropical dry forest, very common in the Orinoquia region. This name comes from the indigenous language, achagua, which means heart. It can grow up to twenty meters tall and produces large amounts of seeds.

Each tree contains between 3 and 10 seeds, similar to flat beans. When prepared and dried, these seeds are a potent psychedelic. The history and shamanic use of Yopo, also known as cohoba, nopo, parica, or teta tamarind. It was one of the hallucinogenic substances most used by indigenous Colombians.

Where Yopo comes from?

It was consumed significantly throughout South America. It was used by indigenous tribes of the Orinoco basin in Colombia, Venezuela, and in the southeast of the Brazilian Amazon. Further north in the Caribbean, the tribes of the islands of Puerto Rico and Spain also used Yopo for ceremonial and medicinal purposes.

How is the Yopo elaboration process?

The seeds are extracted and roasted in a mortar that a paste is generated from ashes or calcined shells to make a resin type. The resin is placed at one end of a bamboo tube called yopera; this is an instrument in the form of a tube that forks into two small tubes which fit into each hole in the nose.

At present, it is used more frequently with the projection technique; this is based on a provider that blows and projects the Yopo to the participant.

How the body reacts to receiving Yopo?

After approximately 5 min the effects on the body begin. It is described as a tingling feeling throughout the body accompanied by heat. It can cause vomiting intended to detoxify the body and unblock energy channels; it also helps control anxiety and depression, and various obsessive-compulsive disorders.

Uses and Benefits of using Yopo

This psychedelic was used significantly by South America's shamans; evidence of yopo consumption was found in Inca Cueva, Argentina. Puma bone pipes and Anadenanthera Peregrina seeds were found, analyzed and date from the year 2130 BC, indicating more than 4000 years ago. In the same way, remains of pipes and trays from 1200 BC were found.

Yopo has favorable qualities for different situations, among the benefits that we can obtain thanks to this powerful substance we have:

Side effects caused by Yopo

Being a powerful hallucinogenic drug, Yopo can produce a series of side effects that can vary in intensity and duration depending on the person. Some of the side effects that occur are:

Take a trip with your inner spirit and feel rejuvenated.

The strong effect of Yopo will make you meet yourself on a spiritual plane, where you will feel very relaxed and reflective. This will cause your brain relaxation and bring you all the benefits mentioned in this article.