Reply #12: very interesting..

[rumpel]

drinking tobacco must be quite intense...understandably only to be used for ceremonies.

Mr. Narby, in the "Cosmic Serpent" speaks of many medicinal plants of the Amazon, and how the pharmaceutical industries have been exploiting the wisdom of the shamans of these plants. According to him, the problems we have with pharmaceuticals is that the plants have not been asked for assistance during harvest, as the shamans would, or chemically reconstituted without being taught how by the plants, and therefore making them toxic in some instances...

It must have been fascinating spending time with the indigenous peoples there...

someday, when you have time would you care to share?

I always think of the film "Emerald Forrest" when I think of the Amazon...
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089087/

Beautiful cinematography