The Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook: The Essential Guide to Ayahuasca Journeying

by Chris Kilham

The Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook provides a practical guide to ayahuasca use, aiding seekers in making right—and safe—decisions about where to go, who to drink with, and what to expect.

Ayahuasca, the Amazonian psychoactive plant brew, has become vastly popular. Once the sole purview of shamans and indigenous native people in the great Amazon rainforest, ayahuasca is now becoming well known—and widely used—around the globe. Today, foreigners from all over the world flock in ever-burgeoning numbers to the steamy Amazon, drinking bitter ayahuasca with shamans and curanderos in order to access its potent healing and spirit-enlivening effects. What began as a mere trickle of visitors in the 1980s has become a surging riptide of seekers.

Chris Kilham (Fox News's "Medicine Hunter") has worked closely with South American shamans for two decades and has sat in ayahuasca ceremonies with at least 20 different shamans. Through his "Ayahuasca Test Pilots" program, Kilham has brought numerous people to the Amazon to engage in ceremonies with maestro ayahuasceros. Clear, concise, straightforward, and well informed, The Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook is an indispensable guide for anyone curious about this unusual plant medicine.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Psychology, Health, Drugs, Self Help

264 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2014

Reviews

[Brett C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives you the backstory of what ayahuasca is, its uses, the use of shamans, etc. Overall an unique book promoting the use (healthily and in moderation of course) to elevate your consciousness.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introductory guide

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in ayahuasca and shamanism. Its got a good bit of information for anyone starting out.

[Karl Malivuk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A reality check of the most basic of truths, my highest recommendations!

Having just returned (3 days earlier) from 18 days of living with 2 separate Shuar shaman families in Morona Santiago, Ecuador, this book caught my eye. In those 18 days I attended 16 ceremonies, the majority of those with Natem, the Shuar word for ayahuasca. I can say from personal experience that this book should be considered a necessary element for anyone who has even the slightest interest in personal growth through the use of ayahuasca.

My journey to the Shuar was my first experience with ayahuasca and while I had read deeply and broadly for years previously, the author's own experience and research provided me with new knowledge. I am fortunate enough to be retired (age 67) and traveling solo in the Andean portion of South America. I hope to meet up with other Test Pilots and share flight plans.

[Fil · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good guide for someone with absolutely no knowledge of Ayahuasca and is looking to learn more. I liked how the author didn’t just ramble about being high but instead covered the history, the process of making the brew, the ceremonial components, and precautions.

I expected it to be much more in-depth and detailed. If you read a few internet articles you can get pretty much all the information found in this book. Some sections were kind of shallow, and often times he would repeat himself. I also wish there was more information about finding reputable ceremonies, travel information, USA based information, etc.

The most interesting piece (for me) was the section on the psychoactive-pharmacological-chemical interactions, but unfortunately this section was only a few pages.

Regardless it is clear he is experienced with the medicine and knows what he’s talking about. I guess I just wish the book had more information to offer.

[Senjunion Namaste · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great primer for those who have ever been curious or are in the process of seeking out the plant medicine known as Ayahuasca. This book will surely give you the baseline knowledge required to attend and navigate "Le Medicina ceremonies" with a greater sense of clarity and purpose. Let's not kid ourselves, going in blind might be blunder you'll come to regret, take some advice from a person who is a seasoned vet and make use of your journey with Mother Ayahuasca.

[Craven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviews of Books in English that (For Better or Worse) Came my Way during Peru Travels in 75 Words or Less, Part 9

How it came my way : Nick, a dude I met traveling gave it to me. Thanks, Nick!

Covers everything someone with an interest or going into an Ayahuasca ceremony should know history, science, culture, etc. Wish I'd of had it going in. Still got a lot out of it.

[Istrate Andrei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this one. The author has an impressive sense of humor along with a clear intention of keeping it straight and simple. Even when discribing his personal experiences he was able to keep a distance from diving too deep into the Ayahuasca vision vortex banana sandwich tales.

Wished I would've read this before having my first Ayahuasca ceremonies. Some of the things mentioned here I've never took into consideration and now seem pretty crucial to improve ones experience.

This handbook is a great guide for anyone interested in doing some inner work with Ayahuasca.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really phenomenal. I love the way. The writer breaks everything down, cohesively and kindly give straight up advice dues, and don'ts and allows. Those curious of trying the medicine to make informed decisions about their journey and help them to spill any fears around it. Highly recommend.

[nikolce tasevski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

Intetesting book and detailed experience. The author provides lots of practical info on the topic at hand and is well versed.

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Informative as it promised, I appreciated how it was not a sanitized report. The good, the bad, the ugly…all here.
Also appreciated the lack of ; youneedtodothis type of preachy.

[Domas Janulevicius · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - A quick and entertaining read. Great material for JRE podcast episode. But at the same time felt like the whole experience was painted in bright colours while skipping the risks of psychedelics

[Dushan Hanuska · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a very good introduction to ayahuasca journeying. I cannot comment whether what is described is true or not as I have not experienced ayahuasca myself. If it is true, I hope that this book at least prepares one's expectations.

[Claude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good book. It can be a bit of a hippy subject when we are dealing with hallucinogenic drugs. Thank God this guy wasn't too hippy. When people become too hippy they lose a lot of their credibility and abilities to make rational sense. I also liked that he breached important safety concerns with this drug, and illuminated things about the experience that I had always wondered about. I shan't ellucidate on what those matters are at present because I'm a bit like that, I also haven't tried DMT or any of the forms it comes in but have curiosity about this drug/medicine. Though for once my curiosity is from more of a scientific point of view than a medical or recreational view. I'm not exactly dying to try this drug, and I think that no person should take any drug or substance unless they have a burning curiosity that has come about from their own means. I.e. not through peer pressure or drink spiking.

More comments later as I'm not in the mood to recall this book.

[Patrick Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice overview and intro to the use of Ayahuasca as a medicine. I found Chris' insights to be well grounded. I enjoyed reading his story of how he came to use the medicine and what he has learned from it. Even though I feel fairly well versed in the subject, he surprised me with numerous tips I had never heard of. He gives very good harm reduction advice that anyone who is interested in using ayahuasca should take head to. I hope to read more from Chris in the future.

[c4ss1us [l1f3] · Rating 3 out of 5]

great introductory guide, especially for people that don't know anything about shamanism. i was hoping to get more into detailed lessons from the author's experiences, but it's more of a general book that explains the context in which ayahuasca exists and addresses the main basic questions/concerns from interested people.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great overview of the jungle medicine. Some of this doesn't apply if you're journeying locally but still a very well researched and entertainig read.

[Matte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Truly a great handbook about the essentials of ayahuasca! Not very deep but even the hardcore psychonauts will learn something new

[Bulut Yücel]

ı want to know about ayahuasca