SANANGA (Becchete)
VISION | VISUALIZATION
Sananga – also called Becchete by the Mastés people – is a traditional medicine from the Amazon made from extracts of Tabernaemontana undulata, a shrub from the tropical forest of the Apocynaceae family. The bark of its root is first crushed, macerated with river water, then filtered several times to finally extract a very active liquid. Its chemical composition is well known, and contains an abundance of alkaloids with antimicrobial, antioxidant, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory properties as well as powerful psychoactive effects. At the organic level, Sananga would also help in the healing process of glaucoma, cataracts, astigmatism, conjunctivitis, myopia, depth and color perception, and would improve distance vision.
The Matsés mainly use Sananga as a preparation before hunting sessions. First, the strong reaction promoted by the Sananga has the ability to promote “good sight” to use native terms, which is understood to mean “visualization of the prey to be hunted or the plant to be harvested” in terms of place and of time, ensuring the success of the outing. Then, during the hunt itself by sharpening their perception and increasing their concentration, allowing the detection of the most subtle movements in a dense jungle. The Sananga also boosts the sense of smell, night vision, endurance. More generally, this sacred medicine has the ability to free the mind of distracting energies and allow a whole new way of perceiving things – making it a perfect combination with Rapé and Kambo. Traditionally, it is also served before or during Ayahuasca ceremonies to augment visualizations and teachings.
Sananga is mainly applied in the form of eye drops, the only method I use. The experience can be pretty intense, with a deep stinging and burning sensation. This pain can be alleviated by focusing on your intention and letting this energy flow where your last blockages are. You may also experience vomiting and bowel movements, further indicating removing blocked energies and illness. However, pain is an integral part of the process. Leaning into it and breathing through the discomfort leads to deep relaxation and liberation. The pain of the Sananga allows the healing. If it doesn’t hurt, you won’t achieve that process. The pain will enable you to ground and balance. The acute effects reside after 10-15 min, yet subtle aftereffects can last for days.
Mind what you introduce back into your system.
As with Rapé, Sananga prepares and supports the deep cleansing on the emotional and physical levels of the Kambo, leading to the expected equilibrium. Moreover, the drops will expand your intuition and awareness, and you may feel fully aligned with your consciousness. I regularly prepare fresh Sananga medicine and usually serve it in the resting stage after removing the Kambo medicine. It is essential to have time aside and devote to all the medicine received so that they are not confused with the daily stimuli and inattention, and Sananga will bring clarity to this moment.
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