Rapeh or Rap’e is a traditional snuff made from dried and powdered Tobacco rustica, along with a variety of medicinal plants and ashes from all over the Amazonian rainforest. There are hundreds of types of Rapeh, and each has their own very unique effects.
Some rapeh blends are very grounding and typically taken as an adjunct to deep meditation, some are used primarily for cleansing the physical body, some are used for protection and for creating strong energetic boundaries, and others still can be highly psychoactive, eliciting powerful effects similar to Ayahuasca and Bufo Alvarius, taking one a deep spiritual journey.
Using rapeh before ceremonies, such as Ayahuasca, mushrooms, San Pedro, Bufo Alvarius or even breathwork, can help intensify the experience of the ceremony. Using rapeh during the ceremony can help remove blockages, induce releases and bring the person to the height of the experience for a deeper exploration.
Rapeh is taken through the nose – blown into the nostrils by a second person using a Tepi, which is a bone or wooden pipe, or the medicine can also be self-administered with a self-applicator, known as a Kuripe. The effects of rapeh again can be incredibly powerful, or fairly subtle, and the way in which the individual responds to the medicine can also vary greatly. In general, people who are working with Rapeh for the first time should work with a small amount in order to gauge their tolerance, and then slowly work their way up to a therapeutic or ceremonial dose. Used wisely on occasion, a ceremonial dose of Rapeh can truly be one of the deepest, most life changing, and spiritually affirming experiences. Finally, indigenous Rapeh medicina is often used to bring about deeper connection and peace between people within the tribe, to aid in creative endeavors, such as playing music and dancing, to connect with the Earth and with Spirit, to potentiate greater awareness of the mind and body in meditation, as well as to help ground the body and nervous system during intense journeys with Ayahuasca and other plant medicines.
