In one of the most powerful scenes of the series Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, which premiered this past Tuesday on Netflix, the New York Jets quarterback of American soccer immerses himself in a “spiritual experience” in Costa Rica.
Inside a makeshift tent, known as “the womb,” Rodgers is exposed to the intense heat of a sauna where hot rocks are placed. During this ritual, the quarterback seeks to “absorb the medicine and wisdom of our ancestors,” stored in the stones, as he embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
This episode is part of the last Ayahuasca retreat attended in our country by the NFL player. As the ceremony progresses, Rodgers’ mind begins to hallucinate, leading him to a deep state of introspection. When he feels he can’t take it anymore, he escapes to the great outdoors and dives into a nearby stream to find relief.
Aaron Rodgers: Enigma
The three-part series gives fans an intimate look into the life of the NFL’s most polarizing quarterback. Throughout the episodes, Rodgers shares his experiences with Ayahuasca and how these ceremonies have influenced his personal and professional life.
Ayahuasca is a psychedelic beverage with roots in Amazonian indigenous traditions, used for ceremonies and medicinal purposes. Rodgers has spoken openly about how these retreats have helped him deal with his perfectionism and his relationship with religious faith, central themes in his life. In his own words, “It’s the hardest medicine I’ve ever tried. It is a deeply intense spiritual journey.”
The Directorate of Migration and Aliens indicated that only in this 2024 he entered twice: in March and in May. Previously he did it once in 2022 and once in 2023.
Another famous person consumed Ayahuasca here
Jake Paul -recognized YouTube figure, entrepreneur and now self-proclaimed face of boxing- revealed that he consumed ayahuasca in Costa Rica. The recent winner of the fight in the ring against the mythical Mike Tyson, which was held in front of more than 72,000 spectators in Arlington (Texas) last November 15, told that the Ayahuasca consumed in our country revealed that fight to him.
The 27-year-old explained how in Costa Rica and during his first Ayahuasca ceremony he visualized himself fighting 58-year-old Tyson. Speaking to Netflix, Jake Paul stated, “Two and a half years ago now I went to Costa Rica for my first ayahuasca ceremony. I wanted to discover things about myself.
“One of the craziest things was the vision I had of me and Mike Tyson fighting each other. It was like it had already happened or something. It could have been in the future, like it was going to happen, but that was the feeling and the vision I had from the ayahuasca.
“It showed me the millions of kids watching the fight through their TVs and devices. It showed me the butterfly effect of what that created for the sport of boxing.
“The next day I got in touch with Mike and he was like, ‘Yeah, Jake, I love this idea, it’s amazing, it sounds great, we have to make it happen. ’ That’s the power of opening up to the energy of the universe, but also taking action when things come to light,” Jake Paul recounted.
The Immigration and Foreign Affairs Directorate told this media that Jake Paul visited Costa Rica on two occasions. The first took place in May 2022 and the visit lasted seven days. The second occurred in March of this year and lasted six days.
More about Ayahuasca
Much has been said about the effects of this drink and why our country has become a center of attraction for travelers eager for ayahuasca, as revealed by The New York Times two years ago.
Wine of death
Ayahuasca is also known as yagé or wine of death. It is a traditional drink from the Amazon that results from the mixture of two plants – the ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi) – and a bush called chacruna (Psychotria viridis), which contains the hallucinogen dimethyltryptamine (DMT).
Why is it sought?
The consumption of the “master plant” or “wise plant” “constitutes the door to the spiritual world and its secrets, which is why Amazonian medicine has been structured around the Ayahuasca ceremony,” the Peruvian government reported some time ago.
Based on scientific evidence, the clinical benefits of yagé are limited. But those who defend it – such as actress Megan Fox – say it is a tool for treating post-traumatic stress disorders, depression and addictions.
Professor Dennis McKenna, a botanist at the University of Minnesota in the United States, said: “Thrill seekers throw it away after several sessions of vomiting. It’s not pleasant or fun. It puts your body through a physical and emotional wringer.”
The Shaman
A Shaman is the person responsible for leading the ceremony, but he or she is also the one who must check what medications people take before ingesting Ayahuasca. And he or she will also know about possible reactions to other drugs, such as antidepressants.
Health risks?
While studies are being carried out to analyse the feasibility of administering psychedelic substances instead of traditional drugs, the New York Times report also warns of the dangers of drinking Ayahuasca, especially if antidepressants and anti-hypertensive drugs are also ingested.
The BBC, for its part, published that the British government warned some time ago that the consumption of yagé can have serious implications for someone with mental health problems. This is because the hallucinogen can be responsible for triggering disorders in those predisposed, although unaware of it.
