The Fellowship of the River: A Medical Doctor's Exploration into Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine

When I say this book changed my life, I am not exaggerating. I mean it deeply and profoundly. First, it gave me comfort and understanding about some of the things I was experiencing that were hard to put into words. Joe has a way of putting big spiritual concepts into clear, sensible language and it isn't just educational content - it is sincere, human sharing from personal experience. It is spiritual but it is also grounded. In reading this book, I felt less alone and it helped me understand more about my unfolding relationship with Ayahuasca and plant medicines, in general. It came to me at a time when I really needed that. I have gifted this book to others more than any other book. After reading this book, my community connections opened up and I met Joe and eventually began working with him. Now I work with Joe and his non-profit Modern Spirit and support his course based on the book, The River Course. (It is worth mentioning that if you liked the book, you might also enjoy the course!) I now know and love several of the people in the book. It impacted my life and then it somehow became interwoven with it. Life is so mysterious! For me, there is a pretty clear distinction: my life before The Fellowship of the River and my life after The Fellowship of the River. Thank you, Joe! It is a truly beautiful and meaningful book.

I read Dr. Joe Tafur's book "The Fellowship of the River' several years ago, as I began to explore healing with sacred plants as a patient and as a physician. I love the way he blends science, spirituality, modern medicine and Amazonian medicine into a cohesive collection of case studies and information. I first learned about teh default mode network (DMN) through this book - and now I hear about this at almost every psychedelic or consciousness conference that I attend. I have recommended this book to many other physicians or colleagues who have a curiosity about psychedelic medicine, Amazonian medicine, and/or trauma healing. It is an easy read and is very accessible to those without prior knowledge of any of the above topics (ie, you don't have to be a doctor or scientist to understand it - the language is clear and straight forward).. Dr. Tafur is an excellent writer and I look forward to reading his next book. Thank you Dr. Tafur.

This book takes a topic that is notoriously difficult to write about clearly and makes it accessible, but with enough depth to warrant a few separate reads. I read it before any experience with ayahuasca, again following a retreat, and few weeks later as a mental health clinician eager to more fully understand the intersection of traditional western health care and Amazonian shamanic healing. Each reading was both rich and clear, meeting me as a reader as my intention around the material changed. I also found the author's approach to the topic very grounded and his recounting of his vocational journey as a medical doctor relatable and honest. Even those not interested in exploring Amazonian plant medicine will enjoy the biographical aspects of this book as the story of person who took risks to follow a vocational path with great personal meaning instead of following a safer and more conventional path. I would recommend this book to any medical clinician or patient curious about the process of healing in other cultures or anyone interested in psychedelics as healing medicines. Fascinating, no difficult-to-swallow or un-nuanced approaches to spirituality, and very readable.

A good synthesis of traditional and non-traditional medicine, demonstrating how much we in the west have yet to learn from indigenous peoples.

This book was a wonderful and life changing read. Actually I’ve read it twice. The writing was heartfelt and meaningful. Dr. Tafur is committed to helping the reader understand his path with the spirit world and plant medicines and their value in contemporary culture and healing. He makes clear connections to science and builds his case as an allopathic physician and a gifted healer. This world was new to me and I am grateful to have been introduced with such an important book. I highly recommend this read and look forward to his next book.

Dr. Tafur’s book offers a brilliant first-hand exploration of Ayahuasca and indigenous medicine and its many applications for healing in our modern culture. If you are interested in the holistic healing power of psychedelics this book is a must read. It is filled with information and case studies, and is also a fun and adventurous read (it kinda made me feel like I was traveling to the Amazon). Riveting and relevant book.

This book is so eloquently written in a way that bridges spiritual and physical healing. Especially as it relates to the shortcomings in Western medicine. Dr. Tafur uses his training as an MD to to enlighten us and help us think bigger about healing. He presents stories like case studies with added care and softness about each individual. I really appreciated this. This book was so moving and each story he shared in this book was impactful. It was also very educational as he explained the science behind what was happening in these spiritual healings for the different cases. I’m deeply grateful for this book. It was very enlightening.

A brilliant and accessible exploration of the power indigenous medicine has to offer. This isn't a collection of stories detailing wild visions and crazy trips (which so many recent offerings about Ayahuasca seem to focus on) but rather the importance of understanding the connection between emotional awareness and physical/mental health. Dr. Tafur shines a critical but fair light on the gaps in modern, western medicine and challenges the reader to question many assumptions we all have on what we consider "medicine" and "healing". This criticism comes not from some wandering psychonaut, always on the hunt for the next new high, but from a trained and practiced physician - one who has lived the American "hospital culture" from academia to private practice and everywhere between. Who better to offer new (and ancient) solutions to the plague of dis-eases like depression, PTSD, and chronic illness that are sweeping through our communities? The accepted paradigms of health and wellness have become, at best, band aids - Dr Tafur presents a new path that is open to all, but not all are ready for.

La ciencia y el chamanismo interactúan divino ennla narración, buena lectura para todas las mente logicas que han abierto la puerta de lo místico.

As I'm doing my first Ayahuasca ceremony 3 weeks from the day I bought the book, I wanted to read more about it. This book was absolutely perfect. It confirmed me in my choice by explaining Ayahuasca through the exact things I've been learning about the last 5 years: Epigenetics, the HPA-axis, the emotional body and the general holistic way the body works. It doesn't go into too much detail, but it makes a lot of sense if you are already familiar with those concepts. However, this book is not just about Ayahuasca. It really gave me a great view on Amazon Plant Medicine in general & shamanism (which both are very wonderful to learn about). I'm doing my ceremony in Amsterdam. Even though it is with guidance and the reviews there are excellent, this book made me wishing I actually went to the jungle and an actual shaman to undergo this experience. Maybe later:)

As a fellow passejero with la madre and la medicina I can't recommend this book highly enough. Great insight into the spiritual and medical sides of expanding one's conciousness and connection to fellow journeyers path to healing.

Very useful if you're considering or planning to do an ayahuasca retreat

The stories, and scientific information blend together seamlessly to provide valuable insight into the Power of traditional plant medicine. Was very captivating.