Latest news with #spiritualretreat
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Tourist, 41, Drank Psychedelic Tea During a Spiritual Retreat in Peru. Now, His Dead Body Is Waiting to Be Claimed by Family: Reports
Aaron Castranova, 41, died after allegedly consuming ayahuasca brew at a spiritual retreat in Peru on Sunday, June 1 He is believed to have suffered a "serious" reaction to the brew after consuming it while already on antibiotics No family members have come forward to the morgue or contacted Peruvian authorities regarding his death at this time, according to reportsAn American tourist has died after drinking a hallucinogenic herbal tea during a spiritual retreat in Peru, according to reports. On Sunday, June 1, Aaron Castranova, 41, from Alabama, died after allegedly ingesting an ayahuasca brew at the La Casa de Guillermo ICONA hostel in Loreto, located in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest, Daily Mail, national outlets La Republica and Infobae reported. Castranova suffered multiple organ failure, with the presence of pleural effusion (fluid around the lungs) and acute pancreatitis,' Infobae reported, citing the regional prosecutor's forensic pathologist, Dr. Narciso López. López suggested that Castranova was on certain medications that, combined with consuming ayahuasca, can 'trigger serious adverse reactions,' per the outlet. Ayahuasca is a psychedelic brew containing the natural chemical dimethyltryptamine (DMT), found in the psychotria viridis plant leaves, which is illegal in the U.S. The brew has been used for centuries by indigenous peoples from Peru, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador in religious rituals and for therapeutic purposes, according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation. Castranova reportedly consumed the drink during a ritual in Santa Maria de Ojeda's indigenous community. Hostel managers claimed that he didn't inform the ceremony organizers he was on antibiotics ahead of the ritual, per the Daily Mail. Following his death, the authorities were alerted and Castronova's body was 'transported by river to the port of Bellavista Nanay and then transferred to the central morgue in Iquitos, where it remains pending claim by his family or the U.S. Embassy,' Infobae reported. No family members have come forward to the morgue or contacted Peruvian authorities regarding his death at this time. The U.S. Embassy has been called to coordinate the transfer of Catronova's body back to the U.S., per Infobae. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human-interest stories. The U.S. Embassy states that U.S. citizens visiting Peru should "NOT ingest or use traditional hallucinogens, often referred to as ayahuasca or kambo. These dangerous substances are often marketed to travelers in Peru as 'ceremonial' or 'spiritual cleansers.' " The embassy warns that ayahuasca can cause several negative health effects, including nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and even death as well as long-term effects of psychosis, difficulty sleeping, neurological diseases, and ongoing hallucinations. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
American tourist dies in shamanic ritual in Peru after drinking hallucinogenic herbal tea during 'spiritual tourism session' in remote Amazon
An American tourist has died after taking ayahuasca at a spiritual retreat in the Peruvian Amazon. The 41-year-old man died on Monday in Loreto, a region on the border with Brazil, after drinking the trance-inducing brew in a spiritual session. According to the regional prosecutor's forensic pathologist, Narciso Lopez, the man suffered a 'breakdown that led to his death', with the ayahuasca triggering a multi-organ reaction in his body. The ritual is said to have taken place in a hostel in the indigenous community of Santa Maria de Ojeda, which has been largely associated with 'spiritual tourism' in recent years. Ayahuasca, which Lopez warned can cause 'not only death, but also permanent, irreversible damage', is a concoction traditionally used by Indigenous cultures in the Amazon, often for spiritual and healing rituals. The bitter-tasting drink is made from the bark of a vine and the leaves of a bush found in the Amazon that contains N-N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a hallucinogenic. Ayahuasca tourism in Peru has surged in recent years, with dozens of jungle retreats offering the traditional indigenous brew to visitors under the supervision of a guide or shaman. Many tourists seek the drug out because of its reputation as a way to help ease depression and other mental troubles. Amazonian tribes in South America use ayahuasca, or yage, as an important spiritual and medicinal tool. The tragedy comes a year after a British mother died at a Bolivian retreat that specialises in the psychedelic drug. Social worker Maureen Rainford booked a ten-day stay in October 2024 at the Ayahuasca and San Pedro Pisatahua Retreat, an Amazon commune billed as a wellness and detox retreat. The family of the mum-of-three, who paid £800 for the trip, stressed that she was fit and healthy ahead of the visit. Her daughter Rochel, 32, was told by a resort official named Eric that Ms Rainford suffered a 'medical emergency' while on site. Others told her that her mother collapsed ten minutes after drinking the ayahuasca and she was complaining of feeling ill as her breathing and heart rate dropped. Despite CPR efforts Ms Rainford died an hour after she collapsed with a doctor not arriving until after, the family heard.
