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3 Rituals with Sacred Mapacho (Part 2)

Updated: Oct 21

Picking up where we left off in The Sacred Leaf: A Journey into the Spirit of Tobacco (Mapacho), this piece will now guide you into the heart of the matter—the rituals and practices that define the spiritual use of this plant.


Mapacho a unique natural tobacco known as Nicotiana rustica. This species is remarkably potent, containing up to 18% nicotine with no tar. In contrast, Nicotiana tabacum, the variety used in commercial cigarettes, has a mere 1% nicotine and is packed with around 30% tar, along with numerous chemical additives.


Shamans in the Amazon emphasize the therapeutic and spiritual properties of mapacho, and there is no evidence that nicotine alone is harmful. Ingested in large quantities, mapacho can even induce a deep trance state—a feat not possible with less potent Western tobacco.


Amazonian shamans may specialize in working with powerful plant medicines like Ayahuasca, Yopo, San Pedro but the use of mapacho is considered essential to their practice. In fact, shamans who work exclusively with the healing properties of mapacho, known as tabaqueros, are highly respected.

 

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The Ritual of Smoke


In shamanism, smoke is a powerful medicine in its own right. The Shipibo people, for instance, have used smoke therapeutically for centuries to treat various illnesses and imbalances. While mapacho smoke is central to these rituals, other plants and natural materials are also used, including:

  • Achiote (annatto) leaves

  • Termite nests (from the Amazonian termite, comején)

  • Dried palm leaves

  • Cotton or burnt cow horns

  • Palo santo and copal tree resin


The type of smoke used depends on the spiritual needs of the ceremony's participants.

According to Shipibo tradition, mapacho smoke is vital for both the shaman and the individual. First, a shaman blows mapacho smoke throughout the ceremonial space to ward off negative spirits. Then, the shaman purifies each participant by blowing smoke over their head, hands, and body to cleanse their energy. Finally, participants are encouraged to do the same for themselves, using a mapacho cigarette specially blessed by the shaman.


These smoke rituals are performed for spiritual purification, helping to extract negative energies—whether they are internal, like negative thought patterns, or external, possibly absorbed from a rival or even a partner. Beyond banishing negative spirits, this practice is believed to attract positive ones, who are said to love the scent of the smoke.


Shamans also use mapacho smoke to visualize and interpret messages from the

Tobacco Mother, a spiritual entity. By studying the patterns and symbols formed in the smoke they exhale with intention, they receive information to help diagnose and treat their patients. These rituals are a crucial complement to treatments involving other master plants.


Historically, the great shamanic masters, or Merayas, used these rituals to purify the body, mind, and spirit of their patients. The rituals also allowed the Merayas to purify themselves so they could travel through cosmic space, visit other dimensions, or even become invisible.

 

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The Liquid Tobacco Ritual


The ritual of inhaling liquid tobacco, known as repocati rao, has been passed down through generations of the Shipibo people. This medicine is prepared by macerating mapacho in water until it forms a dense, dark tincture. The water absorbs all of the tobacco's properties, especially the highly water-soluble nicotine.


Historically, this ritual was performed in every family, particularly for children. Grandmothers were the primary healers, using this medicine along with others like huito, ajosacha, and mucura to cure their grandchildren. The ritual was typically done in the morning, followed by a bath in the river where the children drank the water during immersion. This practice was believed to ensure that the children grew up strong, healthy, active, and intelligent. Liquid tobacco was also used to cure ailments like sinusitis, insomnia, and hoarseness. It was also recommended for women to enhance their ability to visualize the intricate patterns of kené, a traditional Shipibo design.


Shamans use this ritual in their healing practices to combat depression, stress, and emotional issues like accumulated anger, fear, and strong tempers. Inhaling the liquid tobacco acts on the chest, helping to loosen and expel phlegm that is a product of sadness and accumulated trauma. The medicine is also said to open the mind and intuition, making it an excellent companion to Ayahuasca.


For this reason, Maestro Heberto often uses this ritual as a supplement to his healing work before Ayahuasca ceremonies. The liquid tobacco is administered into the participant nose with a dropper. The initial sensations can be quite uncomfortable, sometimes causing dizziness or hiccups, which is considered a good sign that the medicine has begun to work. As layers of energetic blockages are removed, the patient experiences a mental opening and a feeling of strength and empowerment.


The ritual involves several applications. The first three are essential, corresponding to the three channels: love, medicine, and protection. After that, the patient decides how far they need to go. Once the medicine is complete, it is recommended to connect with the spirit of water by bathing in a river or taking a shower, just as the grandmothers taught. After the ritual, drinking plenty of water is important to flush out the toxins that have been removed and the negative energies that the tobacco has cleared.


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Honoring the Sacred Path


As awareness of plant medicines grows, it’s vital to approach them with respect and an understanding of their deep cultural roots. The journey with mapacho isn't about seeking an escape or a new high; it’s about a conscious choice to engage with a powerful teacher. The spirits of these plants are not a commodity but a relationship, one that demands humility, preparation, and a sincere heart. When you consider exploring this path, remember the shamans and ancestral traditions that have protected this knowledge for generations. This is how we can ensure the wisdom of the sacred leaf endures, not as a trend, but as a timeless and respected path to healing.


The Rapé Ritual


Rapé (called repocati raopoto in the Shipibo language) is one of the many ancestral medicines created by Amazonian natives. While mapacho is the primary base, it is blended with a variety of other plants carefully selected for their specific function, such as:

  • Protection

  • Opening energy channels

  • Clearing blockages

  • Promoting heart-opening

  • Activating energies

  • Deepening spiritual connection


Each tribe has its own unique, and often secret, recipes.

The preparation of rapé is a sacred ritual, similar to that of Ayahuasca. The shaman protects the space and works with the help of spirits to enhance the medicine's healing properties. This spiritual connection is considered even more important than the active ingredients themselves, which is why rapé should not be made by inexperienced individuals.



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In the past, the Merayas were the exclusive guardians of these recipes, and many secrets were lost when they passed away. Today, many Shipibo people no longer associate rapé with their culture. However, thanks to the written legacy of the grandfather of a renowned shaman named Maestro Heberto (also known as Yosi Ocha), some still prepare rapé according to the authentic tradition of the Merayas.


The rapé ritual can be performed by a shaman or self-administered. Receiving the medicine from a shaman, however, is considered more powerful due to the intentional energy they infuse into it. Maestro Heberto, for example, applies the rapé with a specific intention for each patient based on their needs. Higher doses are often used in ceremonies to help patients who struggle to release control or cannot purge (vomit).


Rapé is administered by blowing the powder into each nostril through a special pipe made of wood or animal bone. The recipient takes a few deep breaths to relax and then holds their breath with their mouth slightly open to allow the air to flow gently. It's important to open your heart and surrender to the healing process. For first-timers, the initial blow can be overwhelming, causing coughing, sneezing, sweating, tears, or even vomiting. It's crucial to concentrate and receive the second blow as quickly as possible to balance the body's energy and both brain hemispheres.


On a physical level, rapé has been used to:

  • Cleanse the nasal passages and relieve allergies and headaches.

  • Strengthen the immune system and improve pineal gland function.

  • Induce a deep cleanse and purge toxins from the body.


On a subtle level, rapé cleanses and balances the energy channels, specifically harmonizing masculine and feminine energies and both sides of the brain. It also quickly induces a meditative state, bringing focus, clarity, and mental silence, and helping you connect to the present moment. Its impact on the sixth chakra, or third eye, enhances intuition and prepares you for working with visionary medicines. During ceremonies, rapé strengthens the entire group, bringing everyone to the same vibration.


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A Concluding Thought: The Bridge Between Worlds


In a world increasingly driven by speed, technology, and disconnection, the sacred leaf offers a powerful lesson. It reminds us that wisdom and healing are not always found in the latest scientific breakthrough, but in the ancient, symbiotic relationships between humans and the natural world. By honoring traditions like the ceremonial use of mapacho, we can begin to mend the divide between the physical and spiritual, the ancient and the modern. This sacred plant, when approached with humility and reverence, is more than a tool—it is a teacher and a bridge, guiding us back to a deeper understanding of ourselves and our place in the web of life.


Discover this transformative medicine with our Inner Evolution retreat.

Reach out and I will be your guide for your transformation.



By Ritshi Zenati, Guide and Coach at Holistika Center



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