I took ayahuasca 45 times and discovered my past lives as a witch and prophet

One woman who took ayahuasca 45 times in three months described her experience as “like watching a Netflix series” about her “past lives.”

Tatjana Strobel, 53, from Germany, drank the hallucinogenic drink every other day during ceremonies at a retreat in Bolivia with a group of ten other participants.

She told DailyMail.com about her experiences, saying she saw herself in new roles each time, including philosopher, concertist, witch and prophet.

The author is overwhelmingly positive about her travels, claiming that the drug has helped her combat her phobias of snakes and even death. Some of her most bizarre visions include “marrying herself” and discovering that she has visited Plato’s fictional island of Atlantis.

Ayahuasca, which is illegal in the U.S., has become extremely popular in recent years for its supposed ability to “reset” the mind and alleviate mental health issues. Retreats outside the U.S. that offer it have amassed a celebrity following, including Will Smith, Chelsea Handler and even Prince Harry.

Tatjana Strobel, 53, a published author, revealed that she took ayahuasca every other day for three months. She described the experience as a “Netflix series” of her past lives

Among her most bizarre claims, Ms. Strobel also said that ayahuasca also revealed to her that she was “from Atlantis” and that there is a line of souls waiting to come to Earth.

Normally it lasts for a few days, with the drink being distributed during ceremonies led by a ‘shaman’ or spiritual leader.

Some retreats last several weeks and participants take ayahuasca as many as 22 times. Shamans report taking it as many as 100 times a year.

Ms. Strobel decided to go on a longer, three-month retreat in 2022, after having previously tried ayahuasca at least six times and being “curious” about how the psychedelic drug could change her life.

She described her experience as follows: ‘It was beautiful, you know, it was like a series. If I finished one night, I would start again the next night.’

“I saw different things almost every time I took it. I was a concert performer, I was a witch — this happened a lot — I was a person who helped others give birth, I was a writer, I was a prophet, I was everything.”

“It really felt like I was watching a series on Netflix.”

The substance is known to cause extreme nausea and diarrhea within minutes of ingestion.

However, Ms. Strobel said she had little concern about possible long-term effects. If she didn’t feel well, she would decide the next day not to take the drug, she said.

People take ayahuasca on retreats, such as the Ambi Resort in Colombia (pictured above)

Users typically vomit after taking the drug, before experiencing a ‘trip’ that lasts several hours (pictured above is the Ambi Resort in Colombia)

“My body is very sensitive. That means that if I eat something that is not good for my body, I stop.”

Ayahuasca is made from a mixture of plants from the Amazon rainforest, which are boiled into a stew and then consumed. Many users have previously described the taste as ‘nasty’.

These plants contain DMT, a Schedule I substance considered as dangerous in the US as heroin, LSD and MDMA, which gives the drug its psychedelic properties.

According to experts, it can disrupt brain activity, including communication between different areas, leading to the vibrant and colorful images that many users see.

Some scientists have been investigating the drug’s potential for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in combination with ketamine. Small studies have shown that the drug can help rewire the brain or allow people to “reprocess” traumatic experiences.

Research has also shown that it can improve brain health by boosting the production of a chemical that slows neurodegeneration.

However, concerns have been raised about possible negative effects on mental health.

A Study 2022 found that at least half of the 10,000 adults reported negative effects on their mental health, including depression and hallucinations, in the weeks to months after taking ayahuasca.

Dr. Greg Fonzo, a psychiatrist at the University of Texas Dell Medical School at Austin, said he would be “concerned” about patients using so much ayahuasca.

‘It is unclear whether frequent use can have harmful effects on mental health and cognitive functioning’.

“There are also concerns and reports of possible heart abnormalities.” DMT is known to increase heart rate while still active in the body.

Andrew Gallimore, a computational neurologist at the Okinawa Institute of Science in Japan, added that he would be concerned about the dramatic purging – or vomiting – that could occur, as it would carry the risk of dehydration and damage to the esophagus.

He added: ‘In addition, the psychological integration of what is often an extremely intense and psychologically demanding experience is as important as the experience itself.

‘That can take days or longer. It is therefore difficult to imagine how the experiences can be integrated in a good way when they occur in such rapid succession.’

Psychological integration after ayahuasca refers to the process of integrating deep experiences and insights into daily life and self-esteem.

There have been a number of reported deaths among people who had used ayahuasca, although in all cases these were associated with the use of another substance alongside ayahuasca.

The cases include a 22-year-old in Florida who consumed ayahuasca mixed with kambo, a toxic tree frog poison. He died after a seizure brought on by drinking excessive amounts of water after vomiting.

Tatjana Strobel shared her experience in a podcast with Alex Renko, a wealthy 15-year-old who regularly posts about psychedelics on social media

Ms. Strobel said she had always been “afraid” of drugs and avoided alcohol, but decided to try ayahuasca in the hope it would improve her life.

She says that the first time she took ayahuasca she didn’t throw up, which earned her the nickname “dominator.”

But by the end of the three-month retreat, she was vomiting every time she took the drink.

Dr Daniel Perkins, who directs the University of Melbourne’s Psychedelic Research Centre and studies the drug, is more positive about the drug’s impact.

He said a research paper he authored found there was no association between the number of times ayahuasca was consumed in the past year and negative effects on mental health.

He added: ‘But there is some association with reporting adverse effects on physical health. By far the most common was vomiting or nausea at the time of use.’

Groups that run ayahuasca retreats claim that shamans may drink ayahuasca up to 100 times a year and that it is used regularly in indigenous cultures without causing serious negative health effects.

To others considering using ayahuasca, Ms. Strobel says: “If you’re on your way somewhere, it might help you, but if you’re not, it might not help you discover who you are.”