Doctoral Dissertation about the UDV is now available

Blog Team

| June 11, 2018

The doctoral dissertation titled, “O exemplo na vida de quem prega: uma análise do CEBUDV a partir dos seus sócios” (“The example in the life of those who preach: an analysis of the CEBUDV from its members”), is now available to read in its entirety. The text is the result of an extensive study about Hoasca Tea and about the Beneficent Spiritist Center União do Vegetal done by UDV associate, Patrick Walsh Neto, from Núcleo Fortaleza (Fortaleza-CE). The dissertation was defended before and approved by a doctoral committee from the Sociology Department of the University of Brasília (UnB), on December 8^th, 2017.

In the study, the researcher mapped out the history of the use of psychoactive substances in the history of humanity, the beneficial aspects of the pharmacology of the use of Ayahuasca (also called Vegetal or Hoasca Tea in the ambit of the UDV), the process of institutionalization of the União do Vegetal and the regulation of the ritualistic use of the tea in Brazil – events that are interconnected by the advocacy of the UDV before the authorities of Brazil and other countries.

Regarding the title, “The example in the life of those who preach: an analysis of the CEBUDV from its members”, the dissertation is a compilation of over 400 pages, with information about different aspects connected to the Vegetal (called Hoasca Tea by the UDV) and the society created by José Gabriel da Costa, Mestre Gabriel, as he is known among his disciples.

Patrick spent the last five years carrying out over 100 interviews with people that knew Mestre Gabriel, second generation mestres from the UDV – formed by the Mestres of the Origin – and other people from outside of the União do Vegetal connected to the legalization of the tea. The researcher also carried out a quantitative survey with over 200 associates from Núcleo Fortaleza.

During the defense, one of the PhDs from the committee identified Mestre Gabriel as a charismatic leader, who was perhaps ignored in other contexts. The research pointed out otherwise: “Mestre Gabriel did not go unnoticed anywhere, even when he wasn’t yet Mestre Gabriel (before encountering the Vegetal),” affirmed Patrick Walsh.

Click here and read the dissertation.