#768: What Happens When Israelis and Palestinians Drink Ayahuasca Together?

Sami Awad has dedicated his life to nonviolent peace activism in the midst of perennial violence and oppression, arising from the deep-seated Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Sami Awad's lifelong dedication to nonviolent peace activism in the face of ongoing violence and oppression

Sami founded the Holy Land Trust, an organization known for its nonviolent activism trainings. Despite unwavering commitment, Sami's surroundings grew progressively more violent, with continual setbacks in the peace process deeply affecting the community.

Sami's childhood experience planting trees that were subsequently uprooted by Israeli soldiers, which fueled his commitment to nonviolent resistance

The trauma that fuels Sami's dedication to nonviolence has roots in his childhood when he planted trees that Israeli soldiers later uprooted, a metaphor for the cycle of destruction and regrowth in the region. This inspired his commitment to nonviolent resistance.

The failure of the Oslo Accords and the subsequent deterioration of the peace process

Sami's realization that healing collective trauma must be a core part of peacemaking, not just political solutions

Sami recognized the failure of the Oslo Accords and the peace process's aggravating deterioration. He came to understand that peacemaking requires more than political remedies; it must include healing collective trauma. Sami notes that Palestinians often do not fully acknowledge the depth of their familial suffering and he advocates for a healing-focused approach to tackle the trauma passed down through generations.

The generational trauma experienced by both Israelis and Palestinians, stemming from events like the Holocaust and the Nakba

Sami's deeply moving experience visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau, where he witnessed the ways trauma is passed down and weaponized

The overlapping generational traumas experienced by Israelis and Palestinians profoundly influence the conflic ...

The complex issues between Israelis and Palestinians may partly stem from intergenerational trauma, a concept that has been gaining more attention in recent times.

Rachel Yehuda's research on how the effects of extreme stress can be biologically passed down through generations

Dr. Rachel Yehuda’s research suggests that the effects of extreme stress may not be confined solely to those who directly experience it but can also be biologically passed down to future generations. Yehuda explains that trauma can affect the body and may lead to a hypervigilant response to fear, affecting both the brain and the endocrine systems of descendants of traumatized individuals.

The notion of a "better threat detector" being inherited, leading to a constant state of hypervigilance and anxiety

Dr. Yehuda has described the phenomenon as inheriting a "better threat detector," which, while perhaps initially adaptive, results in subsequent generations waiting for danger, even in times of peace and security. This heightened threat response means individuals are often in a constant state of vigilance and anxiety that can severely impact their quality of life.

How unresolved collective trauma creates a cycle of fear, mistrust, and retaliation between Israelis and Palestinians

Sami, another individual with insights into the issue, recognizes that unresolved collective trauma is a significant factor perpetuating cycles of fear, mistrust, and retaliation between Israelis and Palestinians. He observes that the foundation of not trusting others blocks the path to peace, with both sides operating on a narrative of existential fear and a perceived threat to existen ...

Israeli and Palestinian peace activists are seeking common ground to heal intergenerational trauma through shared ayahuasca ceremonies.

Sami's initial skepticism and concerns about the taboo nature of psychedelics in Palestinian society

Sami Awad, a peace activist from Palestinian society, originally viewed psychedelics, such as the ayahuasca brew, as taboo. These substances were seen as illegal, against religious and social values, and immoral. Despite this, Sami participated in ayahuasca rituals, where he had transformative experiences that helped him confront and understand his own trauma.

Sami's transformative experiences with ayahuasca, which helped him confront his own internalized trauma

Sami’s own trauma included living under occupation, uncomfortable experiences with soldiers in his youth, arrest moments, and the stress of his daughter's birth during a lockdown. He believes ayahuasca helped him understand his wounds with greater clarity.

The creation of underground ayahuasca circles where Israelis and Palestinians came together to heal

Following Sami's experience, Palestinians were brought into Israel for ayahuasca ceremonies, eventually introducing the brew in the West Bank for purposeful peace activist circles with Israeli and Palestinian participants. About 50 Palestinians and twice as many Israelis took part in these ceremonies. They fostered unity by letting go of boundaries and fears, singing in Hebrew and Arabic, and engaging in collective spiritual practices.

The intention behind these gatherings being crucial - they were not a "peace medicine" but a means to confront deep wounds

According to Shaina Shealy and Sami Awad, while these rituals did not solve geopolitical conflicts, they facilitated deeper connections by helping participants confront their deeply embedded fears and feelings. The gatherings weren't simply “peace medicine”; rather, they focused on confronting deep emotional wounds.

The ayahuasca experiment in Spain, bringing together 15 Israelis and 18 Palestinians to explore collective healing

In Spain, during the summer of 2022, an experiment united 15 Israelis and 18 Palestinians with a Brazilian medicine man, a Palestinian medicine woman, and an Israeli group therapist. Participants, who had all used ayahuasca before, shared personal and family stories as part of an intention-setting process for collective healing.

Participants' powerful and often revelatory experiences, leading to new connections and commitments to pos ...

In the aftermath of the October 7th violence, the ayahuasca group, consisting of activists from diverse backgrounds, finds itself at a crossroads, grappling with despair but also striving toward healing and peace.

The group's struggle to maintain hope and connection in the face of escalating violence and tragedy

A devastating wave of violence has deeply impacted participants like Liel. He feels a profound sense of disillusionment with the region he has now left, describing it as "rotten" due to the persistent conflict. The resulting tension led to increased polarization, even among lifelong peace activists from both Palestinian and Israeli communities, who found themselves blaming the other side. This schism and the reversion of some activists to their "tribes" is a source of significant grief and a testament to the challenging conditions under which these individuals operate.

Despite the challenges, the group perseveres in its mission for healing. Though direct meetings have been restricted, causing the group to mostly connect virtually, their discussions underscore the isolation felt due to their unique perspectives on the ongoing conflict and the difficulty this creates in their personal lives. As movement across Israeli checkpoints tightened, the cohesion of the group has understandably suffered. Many, like Mariam, found it too overwhelming to stay engaged, and participants like Rotem sense a feeling of scatter and disillusionment, amplifying a sense of powerlessness against realities they perceive as horrific.

Some, like Sharon, have continued to engage, yet with the expectation that their Palestinian counterparts explicitly stand against violence, mirroring his stance against militant actions by Israel. This expectation, which wasn't met after the October events, resulted in feelings of loneliness and a disconnect within the group.

The group's determination to continue their healing work, both individually and collectively

Despite the immense challenges, some participants from the Spain Project have continued to meet regularly, one year after their initial experimental gathering. These sessions, which include social gatherings and parties, foster a sense of community and support the development of self-love and a secure self-identity, which is crucial for hopeful interactions acr ...