The first time I heard the word "Ayahuasca" was in 2013 when a close friend returned from a retreat in Peru. She had gone seeking relief from chronic pain and emotional trauma. Trying to describe her experience was like attempting to paint a sunset with only words—she struggled to convey the depth of her transformation, yet it was evident. She radiated a newfound inner peace and clarity, like seeing someone for the first time without a veil. Her experience ignited my curiosity. In my late twenties, living a high-paced corporate life, I felt a profound emptiness and disconnect. Witnessing her...