Pablo Amaringo.. “The pictures themselves have messages and teachings that train the mind to see what could have happened in the past and what can happen in the future. They open up other ways of seeing, which you could call sacred or divine. I would like my pictures to inspire a different idea of religion, one that is not given in exchange for something but is free.” Pablo Amaringo was born in 1938 in Loreto, Peru. His artworks are known world-wide and he is considered one of the most influential Peruvian painters in history. His paintings show the world he is familiar with painting the rainforest in the Amazon region with the many plants and creatures living there. His paintings also depict the spirit world known to the peoples of his region. This spirit world is entered through prayer and through the use of visionary plants most commonly ayahuasca. The spirit world includes spirit beings of all kinds, ufos, giant serpents, angels, luminous cities existing in another plane of consciousness; this is what Pablo Amaringo called the divine or sacred reality. Each object, intelligent being and motif has specific meanings which are revealed in the book, “The Ayahuasca Visions of Pablo Amaringo”. These paintings give a glimpse into the unseen world of the Peruvian healers, shamans and common peoples.. Pablo Amaringo tried ayahuasca for the first time with his grandfather when he was ten years old because he had heard of others who drank it and was curious. He entered the spirit world and lost feeling of his body. He was a bit frighten but saw spirit beings traditionally spoken of in the region.  Ayahuasca was and still is a sacred sacrament which connects the person to the spirit world. Ayahuasca is a combination of plants cooked down in a specific way and contains psychedelic compounds. There are many ayahuasca churches both indigenous and Christian throughout South America and is commonly used for healing and spiritual purposes..

By Klara