About
What is Rapé
Rapé is a sacred snuff made of tobacco, ashes and other plants, seeds, flowers, herbs etc. Each blend carries a unique intention for invoking different energies, emotions, and states.
Rapé originates from its use in spiritual practices in the Amazon jungle. For thousands of years tribes have worked with tobacco as a spirit and medicine, and consider it to be one of the earth's greatest and powerful healing plants. The intention of using rapé can be many, but set and setting is always essential, done with pure intentions in a ceremonial space, and should be done with respect for the medicine and ritual. It can also be used in combination with other medicines to guide energies.
The finely powdered snuff is made during a long ritual process to invoke the medicine and the spirits of the plants. It is blown up the nostrils, where it gets absorbed through the sinus and puts you in an opening state.
Most times rapé brings you into a deep meditative state. Rapé clears and focuses the mind and thoughts. It centers and grounds your energy, opens up your physical and spiritual senses and awareness, purifies your body and energetic fields and connects you to spirit. If you focus on the intention you set, you may receive guidance, answers and clear messages.
When Rapé enters your nose, it enters the bloodstream and increases the production of dopamine, acetylcholine, and epinephrine. This causes you to feel relaxed and calm, yet aware and alert. Close your eyes, breathe slowly, and connect to your intention. You might experience some discomfort in your nose, watery eyes and extra salivation. Rape is a purgative for some so vomiting, or the need to have a bowel movement is a normal part of the process as one of the purposes of Rapé is to cleanse and purify the mind and body.
You can use a special blowpipe for serving yourself called a kuripe, or a larger blowpipe called a tepi to serve another. Please reach out if you would like an introduction in connecting to this sacred medicine, we are happy to provide guidance.
About the Founder
Vashek is a multi-instrumentalist and medicine man born in Czech. He has been studying and working with sound and plants in ritual throughout the world for more than 12 years of nomadic living. Inspired by traditional shamanic styles, nature, his journey through inner outer worlds and medicine ceremonies- Vashek combines voice, throat singing, didgeridoo, flutes, guitar and more with live looping into his own unique form ranging from medicine songs to mystic and experimental shamanic sound. Vashek works with open compositions, giving space for states of improvisation and unfoldment into the present moment, and is inspired to encourage connection with nature, intuition and deeper self through his work with sound. He is the maker of Haux Rapé, has years of experience with holding sound journeys and medicine ceremonies, and passionately continues to deepen his practice.
Read more about his work here