Ben Riddle

During the end of 2018 I was travelling in South America where I began working with Ayahuasca, a sacred medicine found in the Amazon. The experience has been extremely powerful in my psychospiritual development and in my creative endeavours. The jungle and the incredible medicine herself has inspired me to write a new album of work based on poetry I wrote whilst in the jungle for 1 month. I'm working on soundscapes, meditation music and some more structured songs. A melodic blend of new creations will accompany a printed book of my jungle journal as well as short video documentary blog of my experience.

The reasons why I want to complete this project is to provide another resource about Ayahuasca and to highlight its beneficial psycho-spiritual healing qualities as a medicine. Whilst the medicine is accessable in many countries of South America, it is also illegal in most all other parts of the world. By making available both the book and album of songs, I hope to inspire others to seek the healing they need, help people understand more about the powerful ancient medicine and to allow those who are already interested in exploring Ayahuasca healing to build the courage to adventure into something so incredibly life-changing.

Returning back home to Australia and France has allowed me to connect with family and begin integrating my experiences during the Ayahuasca journey a few months ago. Sharing insight, stories, visions and experiences, I feel that the healing process is constantly evolving with positivity and truth. The new album, (not yet titled) is the evolution of my transformational journey and experiences with the ‘mother vine’ into creative expression. Music is healing and my way towards liberation.

Book excerpt:

'When the time is right, before you know it you’ll be in the jungle and ready to drink. It was the rainy season of 2018 when I decided to take off alone and go experience what I had been researching and reading about for years of the use of the sacred plant medicine known as Ayahuasca. Knowing very little about Peru or the area of jungle I was planning to visit, I just took my bag, a few books and a mind full of optimism and before I knew it I was landing in the capital and ready to begin what would be an incredible journey into sacred shamanic plant spirit medicine.'

Project Outline:

- 10 track audio album

- Printed paperback book

- Video documentary

- Music video/ time lapse photography for one song called Brand New Day.

The Album:

10 tracks of melodic jungle inspired songs featuring sounds recorded from the Amazon jungle of Northern Peru.

The Book:

A printed version of my personal Ayahuasca journal whilst I was in the jungle, full of notes, stories, drawings, poems, quotes, research, songs, pictures and more. You will follow my experience and have the songs of the album to accompany you deeper into the jungle. Printed version and e-book will be available.

The Video:

A personal series of 12 testemonial videos blog entries and video footage taken from the jungle after the Ayahuasca ceremonies. 

Only 200 copies of the book and album project will be produced to minimise costs to the environment. If any other orders are made after the project is complete, they can me made personally ordered from me directly.

A percentage of the donations made to this project will go towards supporting Ayahuasca Conservation and sustainable cultivation of the plant in the Amazon.

I hope you all will enjoy the project and its development over the following months and I wish you all such happiness and peace.

Thank you and I am very grateful to the universe.

Book exerpt:

'On My Way: I boarded the plane bound for Iquitos in the heart of the Amazon jungle in northern Peru. Late afternoon, the setting sun on our right, spotlighting the weaving brown snake below that flows and guides us deeper into the green. Contorting and twisting, the sacred Amazon River has provided for those who have lived symbiotically for thousands of years. My first glimpse of the snake, the spirit of mother Ayahuasca, of the vine, the call, the mystery and the place I’ve seen deep in my mind for a very long time. Since many years I’ve become somewhat detached from this world and to the western cultural structures that drive and divide our unique consciousness we try to hold on to. Dreams, childhood intuitions, synchronicity and a strong calling towards a more holistic and spiritual life is now so clear. Perhaps this is it, I don’t know. I don’t want to name it now and create a futuristic image, but up until this point and right now in this present moment, as im sitting on the aeroplane, my heart weeps of sadness, not sure if it’s my own, or the sadness of mother nature and all of the those beings who share this planet. It’s also happiness and of joy of the potential I see in every living being. My place I know to be true is when I close my eyes and step away from this material body and can transcend into other realms of consciousness that allow guidance toward ultimate truths, the one essence of wholeness that shines with pure energetic vibration. In June I experienced just a glimpse, now I want to experience it all. The view from up here is beautiful.'

Song previews:

Audio Sample

https://soundcloud.com/benriddle/sacred-symmetry

Sacred Symmetry

Splitting the seeds

Sacred symmetry

Microcosm universe

Transient truth

I see these merging worlds

Across the innate fibres of species

Plant and human in infinite overlap intelligence

Germinating, slow decaying

Fingers in locked truth

The plants have finally spoken

Splitting the seeds

Sacred symmetry

Microcosm universe

Transient truth

Plant and human in infinite overlap intelligence

Plant and human in infinite overlap intelligence.

Butterfly visitors everyday.

Bobinsara - heart opening plant medicine

CD audio recording: already complete

Album printing x200 copies: $400

CD mastering: $200

Book printing (paperback + e-book) x 200 copes: $2800 (Ingram Spark.com)

Book editor fee: $200

Music video/ animation: $500

Reward postage costs: $300

Additional admin costs/ fees: $300

Total project costs: $4700

Flowerbath ceremony petals, leaves and seeds.