functions within rituals led by shamans or *tabaqueros* include:

1. Energetic cleansing and purification: Mapacho smoke acts as a cleansing agent. It is commonly used via the *soplada* technique (in which the shaman blows smoke over the patient's body) to dispel dense or negative energies. It is also used to smudge and purify the space where a ceremony is to take place.

2. Spiritual protection and shielding ("defenses"): In the Amazonian worldview, it is considered a powerful protector. It is used to ward off evil spirits or prevent the absorption of toxic energies (such as witchcraft or harmful intentions). Shamans often smoke it to create a protective "shield" around themselves and their patients before interacting with spiritual forces or treating ailments.

3. Physical medicine and purging rituals: Treatment of localized ailments: Smoke is blown over the body to alleviate conditions traditionally known as *mal de aire* (illness caused by "bad air" or wind) or *mal de ojo* (the evil eye). Purgative ingestion: In controlled settings and following strict preparatory diets (involving fasting, abstinence, and the elimination of fats), mapacho leaves are boiled for liquid consumption. This practice induces emesis (therapeutic vomiting), which is considered a profound purification on both an organic and mental level.

4. Connection and focus in sacred plant ceremonies: It serves as a channel of communication with ancestors and allied spirits. Furthermore, it is a fundamental companion in rituals involving other plants (such as ayahuasca). The smoke helps participants "anchor" intense visions, maintain focus, balance altered states of consciousness, and stabilize bodily energy. Safety note: Due to its high chemical potency and its ancestral medicinal and spiritual role, its use always requires expert guidance, respect for tradition, and a clear intention.