Journey with Mother Aya

11/11/21 • 39 min

2 Listeners

Ayahuasca, known as the vine of the soul, is a plant native to the Amazon region, brewed from a jungle vine into a tea, and has been used by shamans for centuries in healing ceremonies. Tom shares his very personal journey with Mother Aya when traveling to South America. Ayahuasca is a ceremonial experience. A shaman is a vital difference between recreation and medicine. When someone says they “drink Ayahuasca,” it inherently means to drink in ceremony. This episode is a two-sided account of Tom’s ceremonial Ayahuasca experience. You will hear a personal account of visions, nightmares, and fears that unfolded and ultimately the sense of wonderment, enlightenment and self-love. Tom is joined by Adam Stammers, one of the retreat helpers from Bristol, England, who assisted the shaman and the participants throughout the entire ceremony. Adam’s perspective and insight may help the listener frame how an Ayahuasca ceremony can appear from an outsider’s point of view.

Previous Episode

Stories from the Stage with Joey Sommerville and Peter Stroud

Kindred spirits and newly found friends, Joey Sommerville (also known as Papa J, trumpeter extraordinaire) and Peter Stroud (legendary guitarist) sit down with Tom. Each artist offers their perspective on creativity, mortality, and friendship —all the while celebrating the power of music to heal and augment the human experience. Hear Peter’s uncanny connections to getting the gigs with Pete Droge, Sheryl Crow, and Don Henley and listen to the lyrics inspired by a parting friend, Ike Stubblefield, in Joey’s developing new single, See You on the Other Side.

Peter Stroud is Sheryl Crow’s guitarist of 22 years and serves as her Music Director. He has also toured or recorded with Don Henley, Sarah McLachlan, Stevie Nicks, Shawn Mullins, Pete Droge, and founded his own band, Big Hat. Outside of performance, Peter is a co-founding partner with Artistory, a company offering deep-dive metrics data for the music industry and fan engagement through social media. He formerly co-founded 65amps, a manufacturer of high-end “boutique” guitar amplifiers.

Papa J has solidified his place in music history, transforming his sound and genre over the years. An iconic contemporary jazz trumpet player, Joey was hearing another kind of music in his head, a “New Sound” informed by years of performing with blues legends and jam band superstars, including BB King protégé Big Joe Burrell and mega band Phish. Papa J has collaborated with celebrated artists, including Earl Klugh, Marion Meadows, Jeff Bradshaw, Bob Baldwin and he has four solo albums. Joey is an active community servant, including serving on the Board of Directors of the How Big is Your Dream Foundation, an Atlanta based charity that provides music education programs to students in underserved communities.

Song Credits:

Might As Well Be You, 2019, Written and Performed by Joey Sommerville, Produced by Joey Sommerville and Martin Guigui

Airplane Mode, 2021, Written by John Stamp, Performed by John Stamp featuring Peter Stroud

A Feather in the Breeze, 2012, Performed by Big Hat

A Prayer for Peace, 2002, Performed by Joey Sommerville, Produced by Sojo Music Inc.

Covered by an Underground Umbrella, 2021, Written by Kevin Kinney, Performed by Peter Stroud (Guitar), Ike Stubblefield (Hammond B-3), Robert Kearns (Bass) and Fred Eltringham (Drums), Mixed by Nick Didia

Next Episode

Starting Points of San Pedro Cactus

Continuing his healing journey in South America, Tom offers a very personal recounting of his experiences in a San Pedro ceremony. San Pedro cactus, also known as huachuma (wa-choo’-ma), is a tall, fast-growing cactus that contains the psychedelic compound mescaline – and has been used for its powerful medicinal properties by South American peoples for thousands of years. The primary psychoactive compound is mescaline, considered a classical psychedelic because it causes physiological impacts that can leave a person in an altered state for hours. In recent decades Westerners have begun traveling to South America to participate in authentic and legal San Pedro ceremonies. Joined again by Adam Stammers, who is both a helper and participant in the San Pedro ceremony, you can hear common themes and differences in the San Pedro experience from the Ayahuasca ceremony.