Go beyond!

We decided to meet in a tiny town just outside of Warsaw. Our meeting point was at the end of a road that run through the woods. There was no one in sight. I had written the address on a piece of paper. It seemed right. There was a large white house behind an iron gate. I noticed a man on the other side of the fence. He seemed a little dismayed by my presence. I told him I was looking for Jay but he still appeared uneasy about letting me in. He asked me: “Are you here for the circle?” I told him I had no idea what the circle was and that I was there to see Jay. Suddenly, a woman in a white, embroidered tunic appeared in the doorway. She smiled, invited me in and quickly disappeared behind the door. As I stepped into the hall, I was instantly hit with a strong scent of incense. I could hear the sound of drums and people vomiting. Suddenly I felt a little afraid because I had absolutely no idea what to expect. But my reporter’s instinct told me to stay and step into this unfamiliar world. It was then that Jay himself came out to say hello and offer me a cup of tea.

This is what my first meeting with him was like. Jay spent three years in the Amazon. During that time he was introduced to a natural vaccine used by the natives. The tribes inhabiting Brazil and Peru had used it for centuries to improve their concentration during the hunts. The vaccine is acquired from the venom of the giant leaf frog and it is believed to have a healing power. According to the natives of the Amazon, if your life is heading in a wrong direction, Kambo is the only solution. The secretion is introduced into the bloodstream and the lymphatic system through the tiny breaks made on a person’s skin. It contains active peptides which cause short-term but rather extreme side effects. This explains the disturbing noises I heard while standing in the hall of that suburban house. People who have just taken Kambo are likely to retch and vomit. The person who applies the venom is called the Curandero - in this case it is Jay. It is believed that after such a ceremony, our strength is bound to grow, our sensory perception will heighten and we will become less susceptible to hunger and thirst.

Through Jay, I was introduced to the world that had been completely unfamiliar to me. I did not take part in the Kambo ceremony but I had a chance to observe all the preparations. It was a life changing discovery. Suprisingly, not that far from my home town.