Vine of the Soul
In the heart of the Amazon, a doctor and an accountant experience life-altering epiphanies when they drink a psychoactive brew called ayahuasca, the 'vine of the soul.' A documentary film by Richard Meech. Featuring Dennis McKenna, Gabor Mate, M.D., Kenneth Tupper. With Guillermo Arévalo, Metsa Niwue and Ronin Niwe. Shot on location near Iquitos, Peru and other sites in North America.
"When I set out to make this documentary, I had two intentions:
Firstly, to awaken viewers to the possibility of a direct experience of the divine through the ceremonial use of ayahuasca, a sacred plant medicine used for this purpose in traditional Amazonian shamanism.
And second, I wanted people to see first hand to what degree the insights and joy that arise from such encounters can be integrated into daily life." -Director Richard Meech
Can a sacred plant from the Amazon heal our minds and spirits? For centuries, indigenous people of South America have used ayahuasca, a psychoactive plant medicine, to cure all manner of
psycho-spiritual ills.
Today, thousands of Westerners, seeking healing and spiritual awakening, attend ayahuasca ceremonies around the world to drink the vision-inducing tea and experience dramatic
transformations in their lives.
"Vine of the Soul” is a documentary that explores the mystery of ayahuasca shamanism, offering insights into the nature of spirituality, mystical experience and self-healing through a
heightened state of consciousness.
Filmmaker Richard Meech follows a doctor and an accountant as they journey to Peru – and back home – capturing in verité style both the life-altering epiphanies and nights of terror
encountered after drinking the sacred brew.
Throughout the film, in-depth interviews with indigenous and Western curanderos, ethnobotanist Dennis McKenna, addiction expert Dr. Gabor Maté and scholar Kenneth Tupper speak to the
increasing use of ayahuasca outside the Amazon and the potential benefits for Western medicine, personal spiritual growth and a new understanding of nature.