Ayahuasca, a powerful plant medicine from the Amazon, has been gaining global attention in recent years, and many celebrities have openly shared their experiences with it. From professional athletes to Hollywood actors and musicians, well-known figures have turned to ayahuasca in search of healing, self-discovery, and spiritual growth. Their stories not only highlight the personal transformations they’ve undergone but also help destigmatize the use of ayahuasca, making its benefits more widely known. As more high-profile individuals speak out, the conversation around plant medicine is shifting, encouraging more people to explore its potential for mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
For centuries, indigenous Amazonian cultures have used ayahuasca ceremonially for its powerful healing properties. Today, it is recognized in the West for its ability to help individuals process deep-seated trauma, release negative thought patterns, and gain clarity about their life’s purpose. Many who partake in ayahuasca ceremonies report experiencing emotional breakthroughs, increased self-awareness, and a stronger connection to themselves and the world around them. Studies suggest that ayahuasca may be beneficial for conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and addiction, making it a powerful tool for those seeking holistic healing beyond conventional therapies.
However, the effects of ayahuasca depend heavily on the right set and setting—a person’s mindset going into the ceremony and the environment in which it takes place. A safe and supportive space with experienced guides is crucial for navigating the intense emotional and spiritual journey that ayahuasca offers. For those considering an ayahuasca experience, it’s essential to choose a reputable retreat with trained facilitators who understand the complexities of the medicine.
New Life Rising offers a safe and nurturing environment for those looking to embark on their journey. As the oldest operating Ayahuasca retreat in Costa Rica, we have amassed a wealth of knowledge and expertise that has enabled us to carefully create a retreat program that encompasses a balance of complimentary healing modalities, time for reflection, and community support. Through the years, we have witnessed incredible transformations through ayahuasca.
Whether someone is drawn to ayahuasca after hearing about it from a celebrity or has been considering plant medicine for years, the key to a truly beneficial experience lies in choosing the right setting with knowledgeable facilitators who prioritize safety, respect, and integration. Our retreat offers a unique opportunity to strip away all distractions and explore your true self in a supported sacred environment. Through the transformative power of ayahuasca, you can release the burdens and patterns that have held you back, opening the door to newfound clarity, healing, and personal growth. We invite you to join us and step into your fullest potential!
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Several celebrities have openly discussed their experiences with ayahuasca, while others have mentioned it only in passing. Across these various accounts, the consistent theme is the profound, often positive influence ayahuasca can have on one's life.
Aaron Rodgers, the four-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl-winning quarterback, has been outspoken about his transformational experiences with ayahuasca. Rodgers opened up about his ayahuasca experience on the Audrey Marcus podcast about how it helped his mental health and helped him find self-love and support for his professional career.
Aaron Rodgers, drank ayahuasca with a shaman of Quechua lineage, presumably in the Sacred Valley of Peru with his then-girlfriend NASCAR star Danica Patrick. "I started deep on a journey where ayahuasca is usually described as a grandmother spirit, and I met her and walked with her through past, present, and future lives, and it was the most beautiful experience I could possibly imagine."
He elaborated by stating, “My intention the first night going in was I want to feel what pure love is. That was my intention and I did, I really did. I had a magical experience with the sensation of feeling 100 different hands on my body imparting a blessing of love and forgiveness for myself and gratitude for this life from what seemed to be my ancestors.”
Rodgers, who was previously engaged to Shailene Woodley, discussed how ayahuasca helped him embrace love for himself and love for others. “To me, one of the core tenets of your mental health is that self-love. That’s what ayahuasca did for me, was help me see how to unconditionally love myself. It's only in that unconditional self-love, that then I'm able to truly be able to unconditionally love others. And what better way to work on my mental health than to have an experience like that?" Aaron Rodgers recalled, "I laid there afterward on my mat and then opened my eyes and it felt like I was opening my eyes for the first time."
In regards to his career, the four-time NFL MVP stated "The greatest gift I can give my teammates, in my opinion, is to be able to show up and to be someone who can model unconditional love to them." Aaron Rodgers added, "I really feel like that experience paved the way for me to have the best season of my career." Rodgers went on to win the MVP award in 2020 and 2021.
Chelsea Handler, the comedian, actress, and television host known for her bold and candid personality, has openly shared her experience with ayahuasca. Handler decided to try the powerful plant medicine as part of her journey of self-discovery which was documented in her 2016 Netflix series Chelsea Does. Int he series, she traveled to Peru to participate in a traditional ayahuasca ceremony. Handler, who is known for her sharp wit and skepticism, was initially hesitant but ultimately found the experience to be deeply introspective and transformative.
“I didn’t feel anything the first night … so, of course, I had to take it the second night with a shaman,” Handler stated in the New York Post. “There was a lot of chanting and vomiting on camera for me, which of course I was very excited to do.”
“It tasted pretty awful, but if you’re a girl trying to look tough in front of your camera crew, you handle it,” she wrote. Minutes later, the comedian said she experienced a “light show” of colors before vomiting into a bucket. The comedian admitted that even the purging felt peaceful. She spoke about experiencing vivid visions and a strong emotional release, which led her to reflect on her past and the way she navigated relationships. Ayahuasca took her back to Katama Bay, where she spent summers with her family. Her sister, Shana, made an appearance as Chelsea admitted she became “overcome” with emotions of her childhood memories.
“I had all these beautiful images of my childhood and me and my sister laughing on a kayak, and all these beautiful things with me and my sister,” she said. “So [my experience] was very much about opening my mind to loving my sister, and not being so hard on her.”
While she approached the experience with humor, Handler acknowledged that ayahuasca was much more powerful than she expected. Though she has joked about the experience in her usual comedic style, she also expressed an appreciation for the profound insights ayahuasca provided. Handler’s willingness to publicly share her experience helped bring more mainstream attention to plant medicine, sparking curiosity among her audience about its potential for self-exploration and healing.
3. Will Smith
In his 2021 autobiography book, Will Smith has shared that he participated in over a dozen ayahuasca ceremonies, describing the experience as life-changing. He recounted having profound visions that helped him confront deep-seated fears, particularly around his career, relationships, and personal fulfillment. After a difficult and temporary split from his wife Jayden Pinket Smith, Will drank ayahuasca 14 times. “This was my first tiny taste of freedom,” Smith said of his first experience. “In my fifty-plus years on this planet, this is the unparalleled greatest feeling I’ve ever had.”
One of the most impactful revelations he had was realizing that his happiness and self-worth were not dependent on external success or validation. Smith described one vision where he saw all his material possessions disappear, yet he still felt whole, which helped him break free from the fear of losing everything. His experience with ayahuasca became a key part of his journey toward self-acceptance, emotional healing, and a deeper understanding of his purpose beyond fame and fortune.
He went on to describe the experience as "floating deep in outer space...trillions of light years away from Earth". He detailed sensing an unseeable woman, whom he called 'mother' that he knew would 'never leave me'. His description of a mother figure is a very common theme in ayahuasca visions. During his other 13 journeys, the 'mother' appeared to him either more times.
He discovered powerful revelations of self-love. He thought to himself "If I’m this beautiful, I don’t need #1 movies to feel good about myself. If I’m this beautiful, I don’t need hit records to feel worthy of love. If I’m this beautiful, I don’t need Jada or anyone else to validate me.”
"It's about being able to find that contentment within yourself - not with external stimuli," the actor said.
4. Kanye West
The famous Rapper, now known as Ye, is well known for controversy. On February 10, 2025 Kanye West deactivated his account on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) with the following message: “I’m logging out of Twitter. I appreciate Elon for allowing me to vent. It has been very cathartic to use the world as a sounding board. It was like an Ayahuasca trip. Love all of you who gave me your energy and attention. To we connect again. Good afternoon and good night.”
This is the only public mention of Kanye West and ayahuasca, so its still unclear when or where Kanye may have drank ayahuasca, perhaps more details will come to light in future.
5. Prince Harry
Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, details his ayahuasca journey in his new book Spare and in interviews with 60 Minutes. Harry has been open about his struggles with mental health, revealing that ayahuasca played a key role in his healing journey. After years of suppressing grief from the loss of his mother, Princess Diana, he sought alternative therapies, including psychedelic-assisted healing. Ayahuasca, a sacred Amazonian plant medicine, helped him process deep-seated trauma and find emotional release.
Speaking about his experience, Harry shared, “It was the cleaning of the windshield, the removal of life’s filters—these layers of filters—it removed it all for me and brought me a sense of relaxation, release, comfort, a lightness that I managed to hold onto for a period of time.”
“I would never recommend people to do this recreationally, but doing it with the right people, if you are suffering from a huge amount of loss, grief or trauma, then these things have a way of working as a medicine." Harry said, stressing the importance of a safe and guided setting.
"For me, they cleared the windscreen, the windshield, the misery of loss," Harry said. "They cleared away this idea that I had in my head that— that my mother— that I needed to cry to prove to my mother that I missed her. When in fact, all she wanted was for me to be happy."
6. Megan Fox
In July 2021, actress Megan Fox announced that she and her boyfriend, Machine Gun Kelly, traveled to Costa Rica to drink ayahuasca. She made the announcement on Jimmy Kimmel Live and described the experience as "going to hell for eternity." : She added, "Just knowing eternity is, like, torture in itself, because there was no beginning, middle, or end," Fox said. "So you have, like, a real ego death." She said that it felt like the ayahuasca goes "straight into your soul" and "takes you to the psychological prison that you hold yourself in."
"There's nothing glamorous about it. It’s all a part of making you vulnerable, so you sort of surrender to the experience.”
7. Machine Gun Kelly
Machine Gun Kelly, the rapper and actor known for his rebellious persona and emotional lyrics, has openly discussed his transformative experience with ayahuasca. In an interview, MGK revealed that he traveled to Costa Rica to take part in an ayahuasca ceremony alongside his fiancée at the time, actress Megan Fox who had previous experience with the psychedelic. The experience profoundly impacted him, forcing him to confront deep-seated fears and emotions and he describes it as "one of the most important things that happened to me in my life"
Speaking about his experience on Jimmy Kimmel, Machine Gun Kelly described the journey as intense and overwhelming, recalling a moment when he felt as though he had "gone to hell" for eternity. Despite the initial difficulty, he ultimately found healing and clarity, saying, "It was one of the most intense experiences of my life, but it helped me confront things I had been running from."
"The plant was a medicine that really went inside — you could feel it working inside your body. Even after you left, it stayed there."
The famous child actress, who faced public struggles with addiction and mental health, revealed in an interview that ayahuasca helped her release deep emotional pain and trauma. After experiencing a miscarriage during the filming of her reality show Lindsay on the OWN network and enduring a series of public arrests and legal challenges, Lindsay Lohan sought a way to release past traumas and embark on a journey of healing.
"I worked with a shaman doing a cleanse. It was a really eye-opening experience with ayahuasca. It was really intense. I saw my whole life in front of me. and I had to let go of things I was trying to hold on to that were dark in my life. I saw myself die, it was insane. I saw myself being born and I feel very different since that, being okay with the wreckage of my past and letting that go."
"When I tried it, I felt crazy, as if I was reborn. It was as if I had completely left behind the weights that I myself had created in my past and now I am only looking forward. It is a unique experience and it's changed my life, I'm not going to screw this up again, ever," said Lindsay Lohan.
She credited the plant medicine with helping her find peace and a renewed sense of direction in her life. Her experience highlights how ayahuasca has the potential to facilitate deep healing, even for those who have faced years of personal struggles in the public eye.
9. Sting
Sting, the legendary musician and former frontman of The Police, said that his ayahuasca experiences were the only religious experiences ever had.
In his memoir Broken Music, he described his profound experiences with the plant medicine, highlighting how it deepened his understanding of consciousness and the interconnectedness of all life. Sting has spoken about the visionary nature of ayahuasca, explaining how it provided him with insights into the nature of reality, creativity, and human existence. He once shared, “Ayahuasca takes you to a place where you understand that everything is connected, that we are all part of the same energy.” His reflections on ayahuasca align with his broader interest in meditation, yoga, and other spiritual practices, demonstrating how plant medicine has played a role in his personal journey toward enlightenment and artistic inspiration.
10. Penn Badgley
At a 2012 event called the Ayahuasca Monologues, Penn Badgley spoke about his ayahuasca experiences in the Colombian rainforest, calling the plant a 'glittering spiritual tool'. He had a difficult time purging during the experience, but when he finally did he said “I dropped into my heart, and I felt it in my blood and all of the discomfort and this mercurial nature of perceptual boundaries during these ceremonies seemed to melt away and all melt into one gleaming psychic arrow pointing towards my heart… And that was the simplest but, to this day, the most profound moment of my life.”
11. Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus opened up about trying ayahuasca in a Rolling Stone article. “Ayahuasca was definitely one of my favorite drugs I’ve ever done. When I did it, I asked everyone else in the room, ‘Did your entire life just change? Are you a new person?’”
“They all looked at me and said, “No.” And they’re like, ‘You’re so extreme. Of course, you have to have the most extreme trip of all.’ Actually, the shaman said people take ayahuasca three, four times, sometimes 30 times before they have the kind of trip I had,” she adds. She goes on to describe the experience as “extreme,” saying she saw snakes immediately. “It was pretty crazy. I loved it, though.”
Cyrus said that snakes grabbed her and took her to “Mother Ayahuasca”, who walked her through her entire trip. Cyrus later told the New York Times that the experience was healing. “I loved what it did for me.” She drank the psychedelic brew at her home in 2013 with Flaming Lips’ leader Wayne Coyne. The two had been collaborating on tunes for Cyrus’ Dead Petz record at the time, Coyne told Rolling Stone.
12. Paul Simon
Paul Simon was inspired to write the song 'Spirit Voices' after his ayahuasca experience.
The lyrics paint a picture of his journey.
"Some stories are magical, meant to be sung
Songs from the mouth of the river
When the world was young
And all of these spirit voices rule the night
I drank a cup of herbal brew
The sweetness in the air
Combined with the lightness in my head
And I heard the jungle breathing in the bamboo"
He told Billboard magazine: "Ayahuasca has always been there. Nobody outside of the Amazon knew anything about it. And there are several main sets of healers that use ayahuasca. I wouldn't say that it heals - but I wouldn't say that it doesn't. It seems to work sometimes for some people, seemed to really not work for other people. I'm not a proponent and I'm not a detractor. I just wrote the song because this had been my experience."
13. Tori Amons
Tori Amos has done ayahuasca many times, starting in the 1980s. During a 2001 interview with Q magazine, she said: “The drug which had a big effect on me was ayahuasca. It comes from a vine in the Amazon and you ingest it. You know that stuff they take in The Emerald Forest? It’s like that. I was hanging around with some medicine women and they suggested I try it. I was very lucid but felt like I was walking around in Fantasia, having a conversation with myself."
“It isn’t like acid. It’s more emotional, more mental. But it can grab you by the balls and just shove you up against the wall. I’ve been in a room with a woman who was literally trying to bite her own arm off. And this lasted for 15 hours. I wasn’t scared — just scared that I’d make a fool of myself. The funny thing was, I kept laughing and laughing, rather than sitting in the corner being intense. Then, every so often, I’d say, I’m in a really rough patch. And one of the medicine women would come over and reassure me that everything was going to be alright…"
“I haven’t taken it in a couple of years now. You can only really do it once in a blue moon. But the wild thing is that sometimes I only have to smell something and I’m right back there again, high as a kite.”
14. Ricki Lake
In an interview on 'Watch what happens Live' with Andy Cohen, She was asked if within the last 10 years, Ricki had tried ayahuasca 11 times.
"It's true," Ricki said.
Andy asked, "Do you love it?"
"I wouldn't say I love it," she replied. "But it's a very, very powerful medicine that has been very beneficial in my life."
15. Robin Quivers
The famous radio show personality from The Howard Stern Show, Robin Quivers
“I went to a retreat in the Sacred Valley and I had to stay in silence the whole time. I was hardly talking. And, like I said, sleeping on a mattress on the floor.”
Robin wanted to learn more about herself: “I had been suffering from some depression lately.”
She drank under the guidance of a shaman, “He’s a master. He’s revered there.” Robin said.
“I am very, very pleasantly surprised that I came home feeling great,” she told Howard.
16. Josh Radnor
Josh Radnor, the actor best known for his role as Ted Mosby on the American TV sitcom 'How I met Your Mother' drank ayahuasca over 100 times in ten years.
"I did over a hundred ayahuasca ceremonies over a ten-year period, always led by a shaman and undertaken with great seriousness of purpose. I’m not sure why I took so ferociously to it, but I suspect it was partly due to being rattled by the success of a television show I was on and the attendant newfound visibility and erosion of anonymity. Ayahuasca became my refuge, a thing that felt meaningful and true at a time when meaning and truth felt in short supply. I ran into its arms and vomited up—oftentimes quite literally—my fears, obsessions, regrets, and insecurities. And the medicine, or whatever force dwells therein, held me. I never felt unloved, punished, or rejected by it. I continue to feel that ayahuasca is, in many ways, an antidote to what ails the modern soul, a fiercely deep teacher of generosity, selflessness, and forgiveness. It offered me a glimpse of my best and bravest self."
Josh Radnors story is an interesting one. As a Jewish man, he had an encounter with Jesus during his experiences.
"It was through ayahuasca that my relationship with Jesus began in earnest. During a ceremony one night in 2009, I experienced a vision of myself at the crucifixion. Jesus was on the cross, near death. My heart was heavy with grief. Soon, I was in a small hut with a few people as we laid Jesus’ lifeless body out on a stone bench. My grief deepened and tears began to fall. Then, very suddenly, I was inside my chest and, in the darkness of my heart, there appeared a tiny light which began to grow and grow. I knew this light to be “Christ.” This Christic light then began growing brighter and brighter, spreading throughout my heart, slowly occupying every last nook and crevice. I recall a moment of panic as the light began to spread, horrified at the thought that I was undergoing a conversion. How was I going to tell my parents that I was now a Christian? But the next thought calmed me. This vision, I came to understand, was not about tribe or sect or religion. It was bigger and more transcendent. Christ—as Richard Rohr so beautifully maps out in his recent book, The Universal Christ—is distinct from Jesus. I saw that the “Second Coming of Christ” is not a literal, material event. Rather, it will be taking place in the realm of consciousness, in the hearts and minds of human beings. The prophecy is that the compassion, wisdom, and healing capabilities of Jesus will one day be available to all of us—or could be. What else could Jesus have meant when he said, in John 14:12, “All these works I do you shall do, and greater works than these you shall do?”
17. Terrance Howard
Terrence Howard has spoken about his transformative experience with ayahuasca.In 2014, Terrance Howard told The Rolling Stone Magazine that he had tried ayahuasca.
"I took ayahuasca once. The only answer I got was ‘Keep following your hands.”
Howard has always been a deep thinker, often exploring unconventional ideas about science, spirituality, and the nature of existence. In interviews, he has hinted at the profound insights he gained from ayahuasca, describing it as a journey that expanded his consciousness and provided clarity on life’s deeper questions. While he has not extensively detailed his experiences, he has suggested that plant medicine played a role in his spiritual awakening, allowing him to confront personal challenges and gain a new perspective on the universe. His experience with ayahuasca aligns with his reputation as a seeker of truth, always looking beyond conventional wisdom to explore the mysteries of existence.
18. Chris Robinson
The frontman of The Black Crows and former husband of Kate Hudson, Chris Robinson said “I was very lucky getting near eight or nine years ago to have an ayahuasca experience. Even though a lot of my belief systems had let me up to that day and believing in the esoteric realities of aggressive psychedelic and entheogen-driven experience, that was the literal opening up of all my minds and hearts.
Where my mind and heart and soul all coalesce of having at least the initial understanding of the interconnectedness of all living entities in the universe, really.”
19. Michelle Rodriguez
In the documentary 'Reality of Truth,' actress Michelle Rodriguez said ayahuasca helped her cope with the death of fellow Fast and Furious actor, Paul Walker.
Rodriguez said “I have to say, you know, when I lost Paul, I went through about a year of just being like an animal. Like, what could I do, physically, to just get my mind off of existentialism? Get my mind off of how transient life is and how we just come here and can just disappear at any moment. How could I get my mind off that? ... I did everything I could possibly do to hide from myself and I'll tell you that my Ayahuasca trip made me sad that he left me here. It wasn't a sadness that he's gone, it's more like a jealousy that he's there first."
Although after the release of the documentary, Michelle claimed her comments were used out of context.
20. James Scott
Soap opera star James Scott famously quit Days of Our Lives after his ayahuasca experience.
In 2014 he said, “I just got back from Peru. I spent six days in the jungles of Peru doing Ayahuasca with the shaman. It was the single most positive experience of my life. Ayahuasca is this hallucinogenic. I sat in a tent, in a hut, in the jungle, on the amazons with three shaman blowing tobacco smoke into my crown, realigning my chakras and my energy, while I hallucinated for four to six hours. I mean, this is all hard to explain. It’s very spiritual and very interesting. This is a medicine that the people of South America have been using for years to have a relationship with a higher consciousness. It sounds wacky when you say it, but it was truly the most important thing I have ever done. I came back a very different person.”
“Ayahuasca has brought me close to something, something fearful and profound and deadly serious.”
21. Susan Sarandon
In 2014, Susan Sarandon briefly discussed her ayahuasca experience with the Daily Beast.
She talked about attending Burning Man in Nevada. When asked if she tried any psychedelics while she was there, Susan answered, “Well, it's pretty psychedelic to begin with. But, yeah, I'm not new to the idea of mushrooms. I don't really like chemical things, really. Timothy Leary (a psychologist and writer known for advocating psychedelic drug use) was a friend of mine so that acid was nice and pure, but I'm not really looking for chemicals, and I don't like to feel speedy. But I've done Ayahuasca and I've done mushrooms and things like that. But I like those drugs in the outdoors -- I'm not a city-tripper.”
She added, "My attitude about marijuana or anything is, “Don’t be stoned if you have to pretend you’re not,” so I’d never do drugs if I was taking care of my kids. I like doing it in the Grand Canyon, or in the woods. You want to be prepared and not have responsibilities. It does remind you of your space in the universe—your place in the universe—and reframe things for you. I think you can have some very profound experiences."
22. William Burroughs
The famous beat generation author of books such as Naked Lunch and Junkie also published The Yage Letters in 1963, a series of correspondence between Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg detailing Burroughs' quest to find ayahuasca (yagé) and get off heroin in the Amazon Rainforest.
"This is the most powerful drug I have ever experienced. That is it produces the most complete derangement of the senses. You see everything from a hallucinated viewpoint. Yage' is not like anything else. This is not the electric euphoria of coke which activates channels of pure pleasure in the brain, the sexless, timeless, negative pleasure of opium."
23. Ben Lee
Australian musician Ben Lee released a whole album titled "Ayahuasca: Welcome to the Work," about his experiences.
"I'm cautious of putting the medicine on a pedestal because I think the medicine is used in a lot of different ways. I don't think the answer is that everybody is to take ayahuasca. I don't think drinking ayahuasca is going to immediately solve all your problems, but within the context, I was exposed to it -- with a teacher/shaman who I've continued to work with -- it's taking me into a study of the systematic hunting down of our egos and our fantasies and almost like a samurai practice of trying to maintain awareness under incredibly adverse situations and noticing when we are asleep -- in those moments, sensing the urgency and attempting to wake ourselves up again."
24. Ron White
Comedian Ron White recently went on the Joe Rogan Experience and talked about his ayahuasca experience in Costa Rica. He disclosed he wanted to try ayahuasca to help reduce his alcohol consumption. The comedian is well known for drinking scotch and in his comedy routine. “People sаy I’m an alcoholic, but that’s not true; I only drink when I work,” Ron said in 2014. I’m a workaholic who can’t stop working. ”
He described the ayahuasca brew as “mud, awful tаsting stuff.”
The trip began to feel like a mushroom effect, but when he opened his mouth, “the entire forest poured into it.”
Ayahuasca comes with a purge, either vomiting or diarrhea, and Ron got the latter.
During the experience, he reported not knowing how to use his own hands and that people's faces became distorted. Still, he drank ayahuasca again with a lower dose the second time.
25. Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey has never publicly spoken about taking psychedelics, but it is rumored that while on ayahuasca, the comedian refused to get off a mountain until he believed he could earn $10 million a picture — which he eventually did.
26. Anna Kendrick
In a red carpet interview for the premiere of her film A Simple Favor, Anna Kendrick hinted at having tried ayahuasca. During the interview a reporter with Variety asked Kendrick how she felt the movie had been influenced by current events, possibly referencing the controversy surrounding her co-star Blake Lively.
Kendrick playfully responded, “Wait, what happened? I did ayahuasca, and the last year of my life is just gone—but I heard the movie is amazing.”
27. Jim Belushi
Jim Belushi, the actor, comedian, and cannabis advocate, has openly spoken about his life-changing experience with ayahuasca. Seeking deeper healing and personal growth, Belushi traveled to South America to participate in an ayahuasca ceremony, where he confronted past traumas and gained profound insights. He has credited the plant medicine with helping him process grief, particularly over the loss of his brother, John Belushi, who tragically passed away from a drug overdose.
In interviews, he has described ayahuasca as a powerful tool for self-discovery, saying, “It cracked me open in a way I never expected. It helped me release so much pain and see my life from a new perspective.” Like many who turn to plant medicine, Belushi emphasizes the importance of approaching ayahuasca with respect and proper guidance, acknowledging its potential to bring deep healing when used in the right setting.
28. Melissa Ethridge
Melissa Etheridge, the Grammy-winning rock musician, has been open about her transformative experience with ayahuasca, crediting the sacred plant medicine with helping her through deep emotional healing.
After losing her son to opioid addiction, Etheridge sought alternative ways to process her grief and pain. In interviews, she has spoken about how ayahuasca allowed her to access a profound sense of understanding and acceptance, helping her navigate one of the most difficult periods of her life. She described the experience as deeply spiritual, saying, "Ayahuasca opened up a space within me where I could see my pain, but also see beyond it. It gave me peace."
Melissa has since created The Ethridge Foundation. According to the website, "The Etheridge Foundation advances transformative new treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) through two pillars: advocacy and supporting groundbreaking research. We help to fund studies on plant medicine and psychedelic therapies for OUD that use an integrated understanding of factors such as mental health issues, trauma, and chronic pain. We’re working to increase the kinds of treatment resources available for people with OUD so that they can access the support they need for true healing. Our ultimate goal is safe, legal, and equitable access to effective new treatments for all who could benefit."
28. Andre 3000
Andre 3000, the legendary rapper and one-half of Outkast, recently recounted his ayahuasca experience during an interview with NPR promoting his new album New Blue Sun. In the interview, he reflects on how his ayahuasca experience was the inspiration for some tracks on the album, highlighting the way that ayahuasca can help us tap into our creative expression.
"I was actually in Hawaii and it was my second night of the first time I'd ever taken ayahuasca. We did it like a three-night kind of phase. The first night was inviting and beautiful and the most powerful love and connection with all things I've ever felt in my life. The second night was different and everybody knows that aya will do you that way. The second night my stomach was hurting, my mouth contorted like a panther and I actually turned into a panther. And I was doing like GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR — like, that kind of thing.
I actually turned into a panther. It was doing this thing called toning. Toning is another way of purging. And toning is where you make these vibrational noises that you can't control. It started playing me like an instrument. I started as a panther and then it would make me do these long kind of tones and started changing the notes."
"I would tell anybody, don't let anybody force you into doing ayahuasca or nothing like that. You'll know if you want to do it or when you need to do it because it calls you. And I know it sounds bigger than what it is, but it actually is bigger than what it is. But it's so natural. The plants have been here way before we were human. So it's like you're having a conversation with your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmothers."
The Risk and Benefit of Celebrity Ayahuasca Use in Mainstream Culture:
When celebrities share their experiences with ayahuasca, it brings both benefits and risks. On the positive side, their stories help raise awareness about the healing potential of plant medicine, breaking down stigma and opening the conversation about alternative approaches to mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. By hearing well-known figures describe their profound transformations, more people may feel encouraged to explore ayahuasca as a tool for self-discovery and healing. However, there are also risks—celebrity testimonials can sometimes create unrealistic expectations, making ayahuasca seem like a quick fix rather than the intense, difficult and deeply personal journey that it is.
Ayahuasca is not for everyone; individuals with certain mental health conditions or medical histories may not be compatible with the medicine, and it is essential to approach the experience with careful consideration and due diligence. As ayahuasca continues to gain popularity, more retreats are emerging to meet the growing demand. While this provides more opportunities for people to experience the medicine, it also means that not all retreats operate with the same level of integrity, safety, or ethical standards.
It’s essential to thoroughly research and find the right retreat that aligns with your needs and values. Look for places that prioritize safety, have experienced facilitators, offer proper medical screenings, and provide integration support after the ceremonies. Be cautious of red flags such as overly commercialized retreats, lack of experienced shamans, unsafe environments, or facilitators who push participants beyond their comfort levels. A well-run retreat should foster a respectful, supportive atmosphere where healing can take place responsibly and ethically. Taking the time to choose the right retreat ensures a safe and meaningful experience with ayahuasca.
Whether someone is drawn to ayahuasca after hearing about it from a celebrity or has been considering plant medicine for years, the key to a truly beneficial experience lies in choosing the right setting with knowledgeable facilitators who prioritize safety, respect, and integration.
New Life Rising in Costa Rica offers an intentional retreat environment with small groups, integration support, and experienced guides.