Ordeal Medicine: Kambo

The following features an excerpt from Jessica Johnson's article, "The Frog That Heals" from our Fall 2022 Spiritual Journal. To read Jessica's full account of her first experience with Kambo medicine and ceremony, click here to read her article starting on page 56 of the digital edition, or order your print copy here.

Kambo has been around for over 2,000 years. It’s an ancient Amazonian medicine involving the application of the secretions from the Peruvian frog known as Kambo. This practice was first reported in the West in 1986 by neuroscience researchers working with the Matses tribe. It was noted that the Matses would use Kambo secretions before embarking on multiple-day hunting trips. These secretion treatments were known to give the tribe members increased stamina, visual acuity, hearing ability, and a reduced need for food and water. It was also used to cure various illnesses in the village when needed. By working closely with Matses tribal members and partners, the Kambo Frog Detox Foundation was established and is now able to help bridge the gap between Western science and Amazonian Shamanism. This bridge that was built between these two healing realms is what brought Kambo into my life and heart forever.

I have read that Kambo is considered an “ordeal medicine,” which means that the experience of it is an active healing process. Consciousness, choice (free will) and prayer are often involved in what leads one into this healing process which entails facing some of our biggest fears during a first Kambo application. Disease and illness occur in places of the body we are often unaware, otherwise known as our shadows. This can be physical or emotional disease. This is why medicines like Kambo help us heal our shadows. Kambo is a revealer and a healer by bringing light to dark places within ourselves.