“Ikaro is the popular word used for difference the shamanic chanting from other music, singing or song . Ikaro comes from the quechua word Ikaray which means the action of blow tobacco smoke to a particular object with healing purposes “.
What is the ikaro ? As mentioned the ikaro is a special kind of music that peruvian curanderos ( shaman, specially the ayahuasqueros ) use for healing purposes , the ikaro can be a particular whistle or a repetitive lyric and is performed according to the circumstances of the ritual or the need. The ikaros are gifts that the spirits give to the curanderos while they had started their training as well during all his/her life the ikaros will come and go.
Kinds of ikaros :
The ikaros are not performed with entertainment purposes, each whistle and song has a different purpose and use . If you had ever participate in an ayahuasca ritual with a real peruvian curandero you may notes that the curandero always start the ritual by whistle or singing to a mapacho ( tobacco) , the ikaros the curandero whistle or sing to a mapacho are ikaros for call for protection for the curandero itself , for the ceremony and also to clean the medicine that will be offer during the ritual . After Ayahuasca has been served and this will depend from curandero to curandero, some signs immediately after everybody has finished drinking the medicine and some others when they start to feel the ayahuasca effects or when the first participant in the ceremony has started to purge. This ikaros are the opening ikaros , where the curandero will call the spirits of the plants that he/she has being dieting to support the shaman, to protect the space and also to perform healing to the participants. As I mentioned before during the dietas is where the curandero receives most of his/her ikaros , some teachers likes to transmit their own ikaros to their student and some others let the students to find the ikaros, each plant and each living being has a ikaro. I believe the ikaro is the vibration that keep us alive.
How it’s possible to perform healing through the ikaros?
It is important to remember that the meaning or the intellectual understanding of the words of the ikaro is not necessary , what is important is the vibration that the ikaro is carrying . The studies of the japanes doctor Masaru Emoto has proved the power of the sound in the water , if we remember that 70% of our bodies are water and that ayahuasca is a liquid we can see that since thousand of years curanderos from the amazon had been aware of the healing power of the sound that in combination with ayahuasca can perform what most people call healing miracles. The sound can change and modifies cells in the body and have a big impact our healing , if you do not believe me please read the book of Masaru Emoto : Miracles of water.
Ayahuasca itself cannot perform miracles , there are many other factors and circumstances around this medicine to be understood by western minds . Ayahuasca without Ikaros is just like silent singer, like an empty eggshell .
-Love and gratitude.-
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