San Pedro ceremonies
The San Pedro cactus grows naturally at altitudes between 2,000 and 3,000 metres. Although it can now be found in other countries, it is native to the Peruvian Andes where it has been used for medicinal purposes for at least 3,000 years. Presently, it is used in the treatment of nervous problems, articular ailments, drug addictions, heart diseases or high blood pressure. It also holds strong antibacterial properties.
San Pedro contains various alkaloids including one, called Mescaline, which can cause psychedelic effects. However, when used within a healing context and, therefore, consumed in therapeutic doses, these psychedelic effects remain very light or non-existent.
As part of its healing action on a psychological level, San Pedro can make thoughts clearer, it can break rigid mental patterns, release negative emotions, fears and phobias, enabling one to feel more freedom within their body and mind, to increase their self-esteem, happiness and love of life in general.
San Pedro is also a powerful tool for one’s personal and spiritual development. It helps the strengthening of one’s connection to nature, the increasing of their sensitivity to energies that fill and surround them or the understanding of universal concepts, of one’s purpose and the direction they should take.
It is important to understand that any of these therapeutic or evolutionary effects can appear during the day of ceremony itself, just as they can do so, in a more subtle manner, during the days or weeks that follow it.
A San Pedro ceremony is a full-day activity which will take place in a natural environment. It requires a previous 24-hour diet (only pure fruit and vegetables + water and unsweetened chamomile tea). One will eat as little as possible during the day of ceremony (a banana, dried fruit or soda biscuits, for example) but can have a normal dinner afterwards.