The mystery behind the death of Ece Gürel, who went missing in the Belgrade Forest: An Ayahuasca ritual?

Landscape architect Ece Gürel, who went missing in Belgrade Forest, was found in the middle of the night on the 4th day of the search, on the verge of freezing to death. Gürel, who was rushed to the hospital, had suffered cardiac arrest and was resuscitated following medical intervention. Ece Gürel, who was later intubated and placed in intensive care, passed away today around 03:00.

While the autopsy report for Gürel is awaited, information regarding her social life has begun to surface. According to her family, while Ece's interest in spiritual matters was known, a message she sent to a friend saying, "I left my soul behind," has raised questions.

WITCHCRAFT INSTRUCTOR

It is also known that she had a social media account where she provided tarot readings for money, and offered services such as lead pouring and cupping therapy. In fact, according to information on Ece's tarot account, it appears she was a student of a person who defines themselves as a "Witchcraft Instructor."

CAUSE OF DEATH DETERMINED

The prosecutor's report included information regarding the cause of Ece Gürel's death.

The report stated, "It was reported that when the deceased was found, she was in a state of hypothermia with a body temperature of 25 degrees, that she suffered a heart attack upon arrival at the hospital and was resuscitated following intervention, that her treatment continued while intubated, that internal organ hemorrhaging began on 06.03.2025 at approximately 16:00, and that she passed away on 07.03.2025 at approximately 03:40; the external examination of the body was completed, and she was referred to the Council of Forensic Medicine for the definitive cause of death along with all documents related to the medical interventions performed."

In light of all this information, a number of allegations have begun to appear on social media.

According to information reported by Sputnik, it was alleged that Gürel, who was known to have an interest in spiritual events, had performed a ritual with a tea called Ayahuasca and aimed to experience a near-death experience (NDE).

So, what is this ayahuasca? Why is its use banned except for medical necessity? What is the DMT (dimethyltryptamine) it contains?

WHAT IS AYAHUASCA?

Ayahuasca is known as a beverage obtained by boiling the branches and leaves of the Banisteriopsis caapi plant, native to South America, and it exhibits powerful hallucinogenic effects. However, due to the dimethyltryptamine (DMT) it contains, its use is banned in many countries except for medical necessity.

Nevertheless, because the compounds it contains alter perception, the concept of time, and awareness, it has been seen as an important part of rituals for thousands of years by indigenous tribes living in the Amazon rainforest. In fact, although ayahuasca has a wide range of uses in religious, medical, social, and artistic fields, its use is banned even in those countries on its own due to its problematic aspects.

"Shamans, in particular, have accepted this beverage as a gateway to the spiritual world and have used it for many purposes such as magic, divination, and the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. In addition, it is known that they also benefited from it in hunting rituals."

However, according to the beliefs of the indigenous people, ayahuasca is a powerful beverage that should only be consumed with respect and under specific conditions. Otherwise, it is believed that its casual use can lead to dangerous and confusing results rather than an enlightening experience.

WHY IS AYAHUASCA BANNED?

The use of ayahuasca, except for medical necessity, is banned in many countries due to the dimethyltryptamine (DMT) substance it contains. One of the most important reasons for this is that the beverage exhibits powerful hallucinogenic effects. Since ayahuasca alters perception, time, and the sense of reality, it can lead to radical changes in the state of consciousness.

This situation can cause challenging and traumatic experiences, especially for those who are psychologically unprepared. Furthermore, unconscious or uncontrolled consumption of the beverage can lead to serious psychological problems such as anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations, and psychosis-like states.

In addition, physical side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and an increased heart rate may also occur. Because ayahuasca offers deep spiritual experiences, it can cause long-term disruption of mental balance in those who are psychologically unprepared.

Intense changes in consciousness can lead to psychological disorders such as depression or anxiety in some individuals. Most countries have included ayahuasca in their list of controlled substances due to the DMT it contains and have banned its use.

THE MOLECULE THAT UNITES SOUL AND BODY: WHAT IS DMT (DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE)?

Dimethyltryptamine is a compound secreted by the pineal gland located around the brain that exhibits powerful hallucinogenic effects. This substance is secreted especially during sleep and corresponds to the dreaming phase.

During this process, the individual experiencing changes in their perception of time is among the most prominent effects. However, DMT is not only secreted during sleep but also at the moments of birth and death.

For this reason, the experience defined as "seeing the light" at the moment of death is accepted as one of the effects of DMT. Furthermore, the region popularly known as the "third eye" actually corresponds to the area just above the pineal gland where this substance is secreted.