The internet has made ayahuasca more accessible than ever - bringing the promise of spiritual awakening and deep healing to people worldwide. But in doing so, has it commodified a sacred practice, fuelling a rise in unqualified facilitators and a dangerous disregard for the cultural traditions it came from?

We're joined by Bia Labate - Brazilian anthropologist, founder and Executive Director of The Chacruna Institute of Psychedelic Plant Medicines, and one of the world's leading ayahuasca experts - who has spent her career at the intersection of indigenous knowledge, psychedelic research, and the ethics of what happens when ancient practices meet the modern internet.

Welcome to Ruined By The Internet? - the show where we examine how technology is shaping modern life - whether we want it to or not.

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In this episode we investigate how social media transformed ayahuasca from a protected indigenous practice into a globally marketed experience, examine the ethical minefield of selling spiritual healing online, explore the very real risks of unqualified facilitators operating in an unregulated digital marketplace, and ask whether the internet's role in spreading ayahuasca has done more harm than good — or opened doors that needed opening.

00:00 - Introduction to ayahuasca and the internet's impact

01:03 - Bia's personal journey with ayahuasca

04:09 - How ayahuasca practices have evolved in the digital age

07:37 - Social media's role in shaping ayahuasca experiences

12:28 - Authenticity versus misrepresentation in online ayahuasca culture

17:16 - Guidelines for finding safe ayahuasca practices online

19:58 - The role of facilitators in healing ceremonies

21:02 - Navigating the real risks of digitally sourced ceremonies

22:45 - Cultural etiquette and the question of community control

24:35 - The genuine positive outcomes of ayahuasca's global exposure

27:46 - The paradox of ayahuasca's popularity

29:26 - Ethics and sustainability in a commodified practice

31:03 - How digitalisation is changing the ceremony itself

34:16 - What prospective participants should know before they look online

Guest links – Bia Labate

Website: http://www.bialabate.net

Chacruna Institute: https://chacruna.net/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC22F9iOhoGVWPiVlO9ueN0Q/featured

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labatebia/

Further reading: https://chacruna.net/the-commodification-of-ayahuasca-how-can-we-do-better/