Icaros

Icaros are the sacred songs at the heart of the vegetalismo ceremonial tradition. They are sung by trained facilitators throughout the ayahuasca ceremony — during the opening prayer, at moments of spiritual intensity, when a participant needs guidance or support, and during the closing. They are not composed in the conventional sense; they are said to be received directly from the plant teachers and spirit allies during the facilitator's years of dieta and apprenticeship.

Each icaro carries a specific spiritual function. Some open the ceremonial space. Some accompany a participant through a difficult passage. Some strengthen the medicine, call protective spirits, or close what has been opened. A facilitator's repertoire of icaros accumulates over years of practice and reflects the depth of their relationship with the plants and the lineage.

The word "icaro" likely derives from the Quechua ikaray, "to blow smoke," reflecting the traditional practice of blowing sacred tobacco smoke together with song as part of the healing act. At ECC, icaros are sung in Spanish and the traditional indigenous languages of our lineage — not performed for aesthetic effect, but offered as living prayers in service of each participant's spiritual journey.