Showing posts with label ltreat headaches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ltreat headaches. Show all posts

Friday, February 20, 2015

Vilca tree - Sacred Tree of Ancient Inca

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 298-365

Vilca tree is an entheogenic plant. Entheogenic plants have been used as for purposes of holistic healing, higher consciousness and sorcery for thousands of years. 

The vilca tree (probably Anadenanthera colubrina) grows in the cloud-forest zones on the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes. 

The Incas used a snuff made from the seeds which was generally blown up the nostrils of the participant by a helper. Evidently the Inca priests used vilca to bring on visions and make contact with the gods and spirit world.


Interesting Facts

Vilca is an ancient visionary snuff prepared from the seeds from the Vilca tree (Anadenanthera colubrina) of South America.  The psychoactive components are the tryptamine alkaloids bufotenine, dimethyltryptamine, and 5-meo-dimethyltryptamine 

There is a village named after this tree.

Vilcabamba is a village in the southern region of Ecuador, in the Loja province, about 45 km (28 mi) from the city of Loja. 

The etymology of the name “Vilcabamba” apparently derives from the Quichua “huilco pamba.” Huilco denotes the sacred trees, Anadenanthera colubrina, that inhabit the region; pamba (cognate with pampa) is a word meaning “a plain”. 

The area has been referred to as the "Playground of the Inca" which refers to its historic use as a retreat for Incan royalty. The valley is overlooked by a mountain called Mandango, the Sleeping Inca, whose presence is said to protect the area from earthquakes and other natural disasters.


Other Names

Anadenanthera colubrina 
(also known as Vilca, Huilco, Huilca, Wilco, Willka, Cebil, or Angico) is a South American tree closely related to Yopo, or Anadenanthera peregrina. It grows from 5 m to 20 m tall and the trunk is very thorny.

The Quichuan word ‘huilco’ also refers to a sacred tree found in the Sacred valley. The Anadenanthera colubrine tree (known also as Willka, Vilca or Huilca), is considered to be a treasure in Ecuador and is deemed to be holy among the Quichuan 

History

Vilca (which means ‘sacred’ in Quechua)  was regarded as the supreme visionary bridge between life and death in ancient times.  It was used by many cultures in South America dating back to before 2,500 BC.  

It was partaken within huachuma mesada ceremonies in the Chavin temple as part of the supreme initiation there, and later by the Moche, Wari, Nazca, and Inca in largely 'inner sanctum' ceremonies administered only to the shaman priest elite. 

To understand the nature of Vilca one must understand some of the basic tenants of South American shamanism which is fundamentally animistic:
    1. Belief in spirit guides, guardians, healers and teachers.
    2. A realization that special sacred places are endowed with supernatural power.
   3. The concept of metaphysical combat with negative energy and/or entities.
   4. The integral association of entheogenic plants with spiritual power, healing, and enlightenment.
    5. Belief in spiritual or supernatural forces or energy as principal causes of illness.

The Spanish chronicler Polo de Ondegardo, writing in 1571, records the use of vilca by what he called sorcerers, hechiceros; in 1582, the Relaciones Geográficas de la Provincia De Xauxa describes vilca as a bean used in conjunction with tobacco snuff.

 The Jesuit Franz Xavier Veigl, published in 1768, writes of “the so-called ayahuasca, which is a bitter reed, or more specifically, a liana. It serves for mystification and bewitchment” 

Medicinal Uses

Vilca leaves are used to:

  • treat respiratory ailments and 
  • asthma and 
  • the tree is also valued for its ability to bring back pristine oxygen and 
  • block pollutants in the air, which many believe is a contributing factor to the residents’ 
  • good health and longevity.
  • A tea made from vilca seeds is used for digestive troubles.  
  • The seeds, when combined with a chicha brew, may also be used to help fever.
  •  Seeds are added to honey to increase female fertility and 
  • as a diuretic
  • However, the seeds are also abortifacients. 
  • The gum of A. colubrina is used to treat coughs, while 
  • the snuff is used to treat headaches
  • constipation and 
  • flu
Psychedelic Snuff

To make the psychedelic snuff called Vilca (sometimes called cebil), the black beans from the bean pods of these trees are first toasted until the beans pop like popcorn breaking the bean's husk. The roasting process facilitates removal of the husk and makes the beans easier to grind into a powder. 

The bean's husk is usually removed because it is difficult to powderise. The bean is then ground with a mortar and pestle into a powder and mixed with a natural form of calcium hydroxide (lime) or calcium oxide (from certain types of ashes, calcined shells, etc.). This mix is then moistened to a consistency similar to bread dough, using a small amount of water. If calcium oxide is used, the water will react with it to form calcium hydroxide. 

Once moistened, it is kneaded into a ball for several minutes so that all the bufotenin comes into contact with the calcium hydroxide and forms the free-base. After kneading, it is then left to sit for several hours to several days, depending on the local customs. 

During this period most of the excess calcium hydroxide reacts with the carbon dioxide in the air to form calcium carbonate. Calcium hydroxide is caustic in the presence of water, and is very irritating to the nasal passages, so it is desirable to allow any left over calcium hydroxide to convert to calcium carbonate. It is then thoroughly dried and ready for use. 

The more modern non-traditional use of baking soda or ammonia as a substitute for calcium hydroxide has been used with limited success. A nearly identical snuff called Yopo, can be prepared from the related Anadenanthera peregrina.