In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Elizabeth Ramírez, a Colombian mentor, speaker, and former corporate strategist who left behind a high-powered consulting career in Switzerland to follow her heart into the world of ancestral medicine, spiritual coaching, and conscious leadership. Elizabeth now helps guide others in their own healing and awakening journeys through a blend of plant medicine work, meditation, and transformational teaching.

We touch upon topics of:

• [00:02:00] Leaving the corporate world and returning to Colombia for healing
• [00:04:00] First Ayahuasca experience and its subtle long-term impact
• [00:07:00] What “receiving medicine” really means vs. what people expect
• [00:08:00] Cultural conditioning, gender roles, and the pressure to be a “good girl”
• [00:13:00] Spiritual transformation after moving back from Switzerland
• [00:16:00] Rebranding Colombia away from drugs and toward nature and medicine
• [00:23:00] Meditation as a path to awakening and connection
• [00:29:00] Dangers of rushing Ayahuasca breakthroughs and the value of patience
• [00:31:00] Ego, integration, and learning the real lessons from the ceremony
• [00:38:00] Her mission to unite leaders through heart-centered, spiritual entrepreneurship
• [00:43:00] The role of mushrooms and their connection to creativity and integration
• [00:49:00] Life as ceremony and creating sacredness in the everyday
• [00:54:00] Manifestation, physics, and aligning with desired realities

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about Elizabeth Ramírez at @elramirezdu on Instagram.

In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Dennis McKenna, PhD—renowned ethnopharmacologist, author, co-founder of the McKenna Academy, and pioneer in psychedelic research for over 40 years. A central figure in the psychedelic renaissance, Dennis has explored the intersection of plant medicine, indigenous wisdom, and science since the 1970s.

We touch upon topics of:

• Dennis’ early trips to Colombia and the origins of the “La Chorrera” experiment (05:10)
• The unexpected role of mushrooms in his spiritual awakening (11:50)
• DMT and the search for orally active psychedelics (15:30)
• Shifts in his scientific path after the La Chorrera experience (22:20)
• Conducting biomedical studies with the UDV in Brazil (31:45)
• Differences between psilocybin and ayahuasca (45:15)
• The ethics and cultural impact of ayahuasca tourism (49:00)
• Sustainable ayahuasca cultivation and community economics (53:30)
• The myth of how indigenous people discovered ayahuasca (59:10)
• The importance of preserving tradition in modern psychedelic use (1:06:40)
• The vision for global symbiosis between North and South through plant medicine (1:13:20)
• Climate change and the message of Gaia through psychedelics (1:17:55)

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about Dennis McKenna at https://mckenna.academy or on Instagram @dennismckenna_

In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Jason Grechanik — a curandero, tabacero, and the host of The Universe Within podcast. Jason spent over a decade living in the Peruvian Amazon training in the Shipibo tradition. His work bridges plant medicine, traditional cosmologies, and deep healing practices through tobacco and Ayahuasca.

We touch upon topics of:

• Jason’s path to becoming a curandero and his early interest in spirituality and martial arts (00:27–03:39)
• The concept of Ayahuasca "calling" and plant consciousness (04:02–06:36)
• Tobacco as a master plant and its traditional uses (07:06–11:57)
• The role and practice of a tabacero (12:09–14:34)
• Tobacco initiation and altered perception (15:01–20:28)
• Intention and the neutrality of plant medicines (21:02–25:44)
• Sam’s personal relationship with tobacco and the loss of tradition (26:29–29:20)
• Risks of Ayahuasca being misused or misunderstood (29:20–36:40)
• Cosmovision and how worldview shapes experience (39:45–47:25)
• Definitions of spirit across traditions (47:30–54:35)
• Understanding spiritual disease (55:02–60:06)
• The emergence of plant medicines into the modern world (62:09–67:32)
• Advanced civilizations, pyramids, and Ayahuasca as ancient technology (68:02–82:50)

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about Jason Grechanik at nicotianarustica.org or on Instagram @jasongrechanik. You can also listen to his podcast The Universe Within on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Rinus van Offeren. Rinus is a former Dutch special forces bodyguard who once protected royalty and politicians, and is now a men’s coach helping others heal through emotional reconnection and plant medicine. His transformation from a high-stress, emotion-suppressing life to spiritual awakening through Ayahuasca is a powerful and moving journey.

We touch upon topics of:

• 3:01 — Midlife crisis, depression, and loss of purpose
• 4:30 — Stress, hypertension, and hospitalization
• 5:50 — Breakup and emotional collapse
• 7:59 — Suicidal ideation and sitting on the rock in Ibiza
• 9:45 — First Ayahuasca ceremony in the jungle of Mexico
• 11:34 — Belief in God and spiritual awakening
• 13:38 — Feeling connected to everything (God as unity)
• 15:10 — The soul’s journey and view on death
• 16:46 — What to do if you’re feeling suicidal
• 18:00 — Plant medicine vs psychiatry
• 21:07 — “What if Ayahuasca saved Chester Bennington or Kurt Cobain?”
• 22:16 — Letting go of control and facing inner darkness
• 23:09 — The difficulty and reward of healing
• 24:41 — Emotional repression, stress, and physical symptoms
• 25:35 — Rinus’s past as a teenage drug dealer
• 27:30 — Transition to government work and emotional detachment
• 29:12 — Reconnecting with emotions and becoming human again

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about Rinus van Offeren on Instagram or linked in @rinusvanofferen to learn more about his coaching work with men.

In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with David Londoño.

David is a Colombian psychologist and researcher at ICEERS (International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service). With over 20 years of experience, he focuses on the therapeutic use of Ayahuasca, safety protocols, and integration practices. David bridges Western psychology with traditional Amazonian wisdom, helping improve mental health outcomes in modern plant medicine contexts.

We touch upon topics of:

• David’s personal journey into Ayahuasca and clinical psychology (01:11)
• The therapeutic potential and risks of Ayahuasca (03:02)
• The AyaSafety course and best practices (04:28)
• How to properly prepare, serve, and integrate Ayahuasca (07:39)
• Psychological screening and who should avoid the medicine (11:48)
• What integration really means and why it matters (14:17)
• Cultural differences: Colombian vs. Western attitudes (19:08)
• Magical realism and the spiritual worldview of Colombia (25:18)
• What “bad trips” really are and how to understand them (29:05)
• Ayahuasca as a tool for depression, trauma, addiction, and grief (34:16)
• Reconnecting with self, nature, and spirituality through Ayahuasca (38:07)

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about David Londoño by searching “David Londoño psychology” on Google to access his professional profiles and connect with his work.

In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Troy Casey, also known as the Certified Health Nut. Troy is a holistic health coach, author of Ripped at 50, and former Versace model who transformed his life through fasting, herbal medicine, breathwork, indigenous healing, and ayahuasca.

We touch upon topics of:

• Troy’s transformation from fashion model to health advocate (01:17–03:50)
• His early ayahuasca experiences in the Amazon and three life-changing visions (06:43–12:50)
• Humanity’s spiritual awakening and vision for a conscious future (16:24–23:20)
• Environmental destruction, geopolitics, and the rainforest (24:25–29:10)
• Rockefeller history, pharma, and the Flexner report (29:36–31:02)
• First principles of health and his 9 Pillars of Wellness (37:02–41:20)
• Views on purpose, fatherhood, and feminine roles in raising children (38:27–40:50)
• Urine therapy, Maori healing, and unconventional yet effective practices (42:19–44:26)
• Ego, balance, emotional processing, and the spiritual journey (45:26–50:14)
• Troy’s powerful definition of Ayahuasca and its healing potential (54:23–57:50)

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats, go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about Troy Casey at www.certifiedhealthnut.com or follow him on social media @CertifiedHealthNut across platforms.

In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Dave Hodges.

Dave is the founder of the Church of Ambrosia, a psychedelic church in Oakland, California, known for its use of mushrooms as sacraments. With over 125,000 members, Dave is one of the most outspoken advocates for entheogens as religious tools and has pioneered breakthrough dose work for spiritual insight, healing, and consciousness exploration.

We touch upon topics of:

• Founding a psychedelic church and early raids (01:24–03:29)
• Legal challenges and city pushback (04:01–06:04)
• Psychedelics as religious sacraments (06:24–07:34)
• Understanding the soul and afterlife (07:38–08:35)
• What is a breakthrough dose and how it’s calculated (09:15–12:37)
• Dangers of overdose and gradual dosing (12:46–13:52)
• Origins of religion through mushrooms (14:36–15:47)
• Aliens, dimensions, and God (17:04–20:38)
• What it’s like running a psychedelic church (21:04–22:05)
• Safe environments and the “God’s Sitters” project (22:12–24:40)
• Can the soul get lost? (25:34–26:40)
• Church leadership, books, and the Book of Ambrosia (26:46–29:25)
• Encounters with dark entities during ceremonies (30:09–32:31)
• The war on drugs and financial incentives (33:08–40:16)
• Legal battles and how the church fights back (40:29–41:24)
• Who comes to the church and why (42:05–43:18)
• Business model and sacrament contributions (44:03–44:39)
• Dave’s vision for humanity and the soul (45:02–46:01)
• Risks and special conditions (48:01–49:27)
• Integration practices and audio journaling (49:42–51:59)

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about Dave Hodges at ambrosia.church, zydedoor.com, or follow him on Instagram at @davehemp420.

In this episode of Ayahuasca Podcast, host Sam Believ (founder of www.lawayra.com) has a conversation with Micah Stover, a certified psychedelic somatic therapist, educator, and author of Healing Psychedelics. Based in Mexico, Micah specializes in trauma healing through plant medicine, blending clinical models with indigenous traditions. Her work is rooted in personal experience with complex trauma, motherhood, and cross-cultural wisdom.

We touch upon topics of:

• Micah’s traumatic birth story and healing journey (01:28)
• Birth and motherhood as psychedelic experiences (04:31)
• Postpartum depression and ancestral trauma (06:11)
• The role of MDMA and psilocybin in healing (12:39)
• Nature as a co-facilitator in integration (16:28)
• Cultural insights from Mexican and Latino worldviews (20:28)
• The power of playfulness and reverence for children (25:50)
• Travel and relocation as healing catalysts (28:06)
• The importance of community and "finding the village" (29:22)
• Group vs. one-on-one healing work (32:55)
• Lessons from curanderas and traditional medicine perspectives (36:08)
• Science vs. spirit in psychedelic healing (40:14)
• Understanding and healing complex trauma (42:56)
• Accessing preverbal trauma through somatic memory (46:05)
• A profound healing story involving mobility restoration (48:35)
• Who Micah’s book is for and why she wrote it (50:48)

If you would like to attend one of our Ayahuasca retreats go to www.lawayra.com

Find more about Micah Stover at www.micahstover.com and on Instagram @micahsugarfoot.