icaros
An icaro is a sacred song used by Amazonian shamans in healing ceremonies, most commonly in rites that involve ayahuasca. Icaros are believed to originate from spirits, plant teachers, or animal totems and are transmitted to the shaman through apprenticeship and spiritual guidance. In practice, icaro melodies are employed as musical tools to prepare and guide the patient’s experience, diagnose or mitigate illness, protect participants, and call or repel spiritual entities during the ritual.
Icaros vary widely among communities and lineages. They may be taught within a family or ethnic tradition
Performance typically occurs during ayahuasca ceremonies, where the shaman uses icaro to interact with visions, direct