Currents, Fluids, and Forces: The Origins of Santo Daime Theories of Healing - Matthew Meyer

Santo Daime and Uniäo do Vegetal are characterized as complex syntheses of folk Catholicism, indigenous shamanism, and European spiritism. The use of Ayahuasca acts as a central pivot point attracting contemporary interest while bridging individual autonomy with hierarchical holism within the religious groups. This discussion explores the esoteric origins behind these practices, looking at how specialized concepts like currents and forces are utilized in their theories of health and healing. Ritual practice at Santo Daime functions as a mechanism for easing tensions within Brazilian culture between individual autonomy and communal structures. The core notion of a current joining the participants makes use of complex esoteric language and moral decrees that reinforce the necessity of collective intentionality for health and divine favor. These rituals interpret illness as a consequence of disharmony and moral transgression, positioning the act of drinking as a process of divine realignment.