My introduction to Kambo was a very unusual situation. A friend of mine asked me to accompany her to a circle, as she was keen to try Kambo. I agreed to go along, as support and only really found out the day before exactly what I had signed myself up for.
I had a reasonable amount of scepticism about the whole thing and to be honest was not convinced it would make any real difference for me. Especially as, as far as I was concerned I wasn’t really ill or suffering.
My main focus had been just to make sure my friend was safe and ok.
We arrived at the flat in South London, where the circle was to take place and by now our nerves had kicked in. “What are we doing?” “And why are we about to put ourselves through this?”
I remember everyone else in the flat was also slightly nervous, but Karen, who was leading the circle, helped to ease the nervous energy and hold the space.
As it was our first time experiencing Kambo both me and my friend were given test points. The test points serve as a gentle introduction to the medicine. I experienced a warmth flowing through my body, as the medicine scanned me. Followed by an increase of heart rate and pounding in my ears. As strange as it might sound, it was actually a pretty nice sensation. However, as the onset had been so quick, I knew this was going to be a very intense experience. After a few minutes the sensations from the test point subsided and it was time to receive our full treatments.
My friend had her full treatment put on before I had mine. I remember sitting next to her and watching as she started to struggle against the medicine. She was actively trying to resist it. She started to shake a bit and then fainted. I knew she was safe and alright, but I also saw there was no point in trying to fight against the medicine. I decided in that moment to just surrender, as much as I could, to whatever was going to happen.
When my full treatment went on the the onset was equally as rapid as the test point and the intensity of the sensations was high. The intention I had set before the circle was difficult to focus on, as I became so aware of my physical body. It was as if the kambo had pulled me into my heart space. I had an awareness of what was happening around me, but it was superseded by what I was experiencing within myself.
With each time I purged I felt myself come back more and more ‘into the room”. Eventually I thought it was all out. Karen encouraged me to rest. As I lay on my blanket, I tried to work out if I had got rid of it all. I had the sensation of a small knot of energy in my stomach. I lay for a bit and then suddenly I had a final purge and the knot was gone.
“Wow” I exclaimed.
“Are you OK?” asked Karen.
“Yes.” I said. “I feel amazing!”
After we all had had a rest, we shared some food as a group. I remember noticing how different everyone looked. I could see the healing process taking place in everyone. And I enjoyed the change within the group, we had gone from a nervous bunch of strangers, to an open, relaxed, group of friends. Connected by an extremely intense and powerful shared experience.
Over the following few weeks I experienced a huge shift within myself. I had an increased sense of clarity and focus. Things which would normally have derailed me, or put me off balance passed with ease. Instead of procrastinating over important tasks, I saw clear paths through. I had an increased sense of inner strength and confidence. And I also had a much stronger connection to my body and its needs.
I felt a strong calling, from that first treatment, to start working with Kambo, to try to help other people. However, I was not sure how to make that happen. Happily, Karen contacted me not long after the circle, letting me know she would be holding a practitioners training course, the following year. And so began my journey with Kambo.
Karen is a generous teacher and a wonderful guide. I feel blessed to have both her support and that of the ever increasing network of trained IAKP practitioners on hand.
The change I have experienced in myself and in those I’ve treated has been so profound, I am convinced there is real power in this wonderful, generous medicine.