Product Description

The story of Santo Daime--a new religion that blends elements of Christianity with older Amazonian indigenous spiritual practices--and the ecologically sound and spiritually centered utopian community it has inspired. * A true story of a classical spiritual encounter, as well as an intimate account of the genesis of an important religious tradition that continues to grow worldwide.

Alex Polari de Alverga spent years as a political prisoner during the rule of the military junta in Brazil, enduring torture, brutality, and deprivation. On his release from captivity and in search of something to restore his spiritual connection to life, he had a transformative encounter with one of the two revered founders of Santo Daime, Padri-ho Sebasti‹o Mota de Mela. Santo Daime--an Amazonian religion, born out of jungle entheogens, mediumship, and healing, that is a potent and unique synthesis of Christianity and indigenous practices--provided Alverga with an alternative to his disillusionment with modern society. His quest for spiritual initiation eventually led him deep into the heart of the rainforest to Mapia, one of the spiritual centers of Santo Daime, where he became a teacher and leader of the Daime community.

Forest of Visions is a story of a classic spiritual encounter comparable to the Tibetan Saint Milarepa's search for his teacher Marpa. It is also an intimate account of the genesis of an important religious tradition that from modest beginnings in Brazil has now spread throughout the world and continues to grow. It provides an inside look at the spiritually centered village of Mapia, a model for communities in the 21st century.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #508507 in Books
• Published on: 1999-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Part biography, part document of spiritual wisdom, Forest of Visions is a fascinating story that satisfies on many levels. Author Alex Polari de Alverga spent years as a political prisoner during the military's rule of Brazil. Here he recounts his spiritual transformation after release under the tutelage of Padrinho Sebastião Mota de Mela, one of the founders of the Santo Daime religion. Forest of Visions is also a study of the inner workings of their utopian community of 500 souls in the heart of the Amazonian rainforest. The Santo Daime is a Christian/indigenous synchretic religion that centres around the drinking of a sacramental psychedelic tea called Ayahuasca as a shortcut to spiritual revelation and growth. After years of study, the Brazilian government decided that Ayahuasca was of positive benefit to society and church members, and so declared it wholly legal. There are now approximately 50 Santo Daime churches around the world, including the US, Japan and Holland, with various legal statures. The forward by Stephen Larsen, author of The Shaman's Doorway and the preface by Jonathan Goldman provide an informative transition from our world to the realm of this mysterious and unique Amazonian cult. --P. Randall Cohan

Charlie Tilt, Talking Leaves, Summer/Fall 1999
. . . moving and often poetic writing. The book is a saga and a memoir, with the added benefit of giving us insight into the spiritual path the Daime offers.

Eliezer Sobel, The Quest
Alex Polari de Alverga has provided a moving firsthand account of an unusual and compelling contemporary spiritual phenomenon.

Customer Reviews

Ayahuasca experience
I found this book wonderful, but sometimes a little OTT in terms of how the author feels about the plant and the church. The text is, in the main, rapture. As if immersion in the practice can be quite blinding, as if ecstatic communion with the divine may, in some cases, hinder decision/judgement generally.
A descriptive text would be more useful to the un-experienced, I reckon, because I was put off a bit by the worship.
I wrote about my experience with ayahuasca here kaetiekalfou(dot)eponym(dot)com

I will try to contact Alex and your Daughter.
Sorry to use this space to talk. Your daughter is with good and experienced people and I'm sure is very well cared for. I will try to send word to have them contact you with more news. Please take heart, I am sure she will be fine.

I need to get in touch with Alex Polari de Alverga
My daughter is in the Amazon and she is very ill. He and his wife are taking care of her (via letter I received). I still have not heard from her-it has been 6 weeks. I am worried sick. Please, can you get a message to him for me. Her name is Tammi Morgues. I need news-have no way of getting it-I understand the phone there is broken and she is too weak and bed-ridden..Please