Life After Kambo

“Every man has two lives and the second starts when he realizes he has just one.” —Confucius

There are events and experiences in life that can define us, mold us, and weave us into the people we are meant to be. When we walk our path consciously, we take heed of the differences in ourselves before, during, and after such a transformation. We could say, then, that this is when we begin to live our second life—one with better purpose and more understanding.

Before Kambo

I was searching for personal healing and clarity, but I had become curious about alternative ways of achieving these ends. And, right on time, Kambo showed up in my periphery.

Through research and discussions with friends, I felt as though I might have discovered an escape from my depression, a way out of my head and the unbearably loud and self-defeating narrative upon which I’d grown to rely and trust.

I desperately wanted relief from the sadness. I just wanted to let go of what was holding me back from understanding who I am. Trying Kambo seemed a logical choice for me. I’d heard that this “ordeal medicine” could help me, bring me healing on so many levels. But I’d also discovered it was an intense process, one that requires powerful purging, extreme bodily discomfort, and mental challenges. I never felt scared, though; rather, I remained hopeful as the gentle stirrings of curiosity carried me toward my first Kambo session.

After Kambo

Because of the intensity of Kambo, it takes more than mere curiosity to get through a session. One must be mentally prepared to sit in discomfort, to accept and give in to the experience as it unfolds. My first experience was intense to say the least, but I learned so much in the process.

From the burning Sananga eye drops (that I fell in love with immediately), to the seemingly strange and somewhat curious sensations coursing throughout my body to the painful purging that brought up so much stagnant energy, deadly toxins, and useless shit I had been clinging to my entire life, Kambo guided me down a path of unexpected healing and understanding.

In the days and weeks that followed my first 3-day inoculation, I notice so many changes, so many benefits. I noticed silence: the self-defeating loop in my mind had quieted; I felt space: there was an expansion within me that I did not have before, a space that allowed me to pause and respond, rather than merely react; and I noticed shifts: I could not eat fake food (all junk food became unappealing), television became mind-numbing, and I felt a longing for stillness whenever I could achieve it.  

The biggest change, though, was how I felt in general—I felt good, I felt healthy, I felt whole, and I actually began to see glimpses of a happy me. I became curious about life instead of feeling like a victim; I began to ask questions and develop my own answers. Where toxins clogged pores and flooded my organs, where stagnant energy culminated, where pain had raged on for so long, I found acceptance, understanding, and purpose instead.

I found me,  and so much more. Kambo has taught me to sit with discomfort—in the world, in myself, in life in general. It has also taught me balance, humility, courage, and patience.

Doing the Work

Kambo gave me my life back. But it is not just the Kambo doing the work. I’ve had to perform much integration work: meditation, yoga, breathwork, etc. Kambo is not magic. We must meet it half way, surrender to the process, and do the essential work in the areas of our lives that are most needed. Only then can overall healing occur.