The Audio Long Read ‘People pay to be told lies’: the rise and fall of the world’s first ayahuasca multinational
Sep 12, 2025
Explore the controversial journey of the world's first ayahuasca multinational, led by Alberto Varela. As claims of mind liberation clash with alarming revelations, followers uncover exploitative practices hiding behind a facade of healing. The dark side of sacred plant medicine is laid bare, raising important questions about ethics and safety in such retreats. This deep dive into participant experiences uncovers a world where seekers of truth may have been misled.
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Life-Changing First Encounters
- Dalia's first silent ayahuasca was uneventful but the second transformed her, helping her process grief over her mother.
- She then paid thousands to train with Inner Mastery and quickly built her life around the organisation.
Spiritual Practice Industrialised
- Alberto Varela repositioned ayahuasca for Western markets by stripping ritual context and selling self-realisation narratives.
- He scaled the practice into a multinational model with training, media and even a cryptocurrency.
Communes Of Work And Devotion
- Inner Mastery converted villas into communes where staff and followers lived for a fee and worked long, unpaid hours.
- Dalia and others cooked, cleaned and barely slept while feeling they were building something incredible.