CONSCIOUSNESS AND SHAMANISM is the result of the author's Ayahuasca voyage in 2004 to Ecuador, where he was drinking the sacred brew in the presence of an experienced Shuar shaman. He puts up the hypothesis that when the traditional Ayahuasca brew is ingested, it is not, or not directly, the plant's DMT that causes the spiritual voyage, as it is assumed in the overwhelming part of the literature on shamanism and entheogens, and especially by the McKenna Brothers and Rick Strassman, but the shaman's superconsciousness impacting directly upon the consciousness of the shaman's client, the seeker of truth who comes to drink the brew. The author explains in this paper the various theories of causation, reports his own Ayahuasca experience in all detail, and cites the few research results from other consciousness researchers (Narby, Leadbeater, Villoldo) that seem to corroborate his hypothesis. He brings forth other examples that sustain his theory, taken from former experiences with Filipino spiritual healers, homeopathy, medical hypnosis and Bach flower treatment. The author counters the plant chemistry causation theorists with the possibility and even probability that the shaman's directed superconscious intent impacts first on the plant's consciousness matrix and uses this matrix as a transmitting and amplifying agent of his powerful thought forms. This might be accomplished in practice via the creation, by thought energy, of elementals that in last resort effect the alteration of the client's consciousness during the trance. The author calls this a multi-causative theory of causation versus the reigning single-causative theory that holds it was solely the plant's or the brew's DMT that causes the consciousness-altering effects. He also brings forth evidence from the experience itself that appears to strongly corroborate his conclusions.
About the Author: DR. PIERRE F. WALTER is an author, international lawyer, researcher, corporate trainer, and lecturer. After finalizing studies in German Law, International Law and European integration with diplomas obtained in 1981 through 1983, he graduated in December 1987 at the Law Faculty of the University of Geneva as 'Docteur en Droit' in international law. 
 The doctorate was funded by scholarships from the Swiss Institute of Comparative Law, Lausanne, and from the University of Geneva, as well as a Fulbright Travel Grant for an assistantship with Professor Louis B. Sohn at UGA Law School Department of International Law, Athens, Georgia, USA, in 1985. Pierre F. Walter also served as a research assistant to Freshfields, Bruckhaus, Deringer, Cologne, Germany in 1983 and to Lalive Lawyers, Geneva, in 1987.
 Pierre F. Walter writes and lectures in English, German and French languages; he has written more than ten thousand pages embracing all literary genres, including novels, short stories, film scripts, essays, selfhelp books, monographs and extended book reviews. Also a pianist and composer, he has realized 40 CDs with jazz, newage and relaxation music.
 Pierre F. Walter's professional publications span the domains International Law, Criminal Law, Holistic Science, Psychology, Education, Shamanism, Ecology, Spirituality, Quantum Physics, Systems Theory, Natural Healing, Peace Research, Personal Growth, Selfhelp and Consciousness Research. 110 Book Reviews, forty audio books and more than one hundred fifty video lectures were realized in the years 2005-2010. Besides, Pierre F. Walter is author and editor of Great Minds Series (2010), Scholarly Articles Series (2011) and Essays Series (2012).
 Pierre F. Walter publishes via his Delaware firm Sirius-C Media Galaxy LLC and the imprints IPUBLICA and Sirius-C Media (SCM).