Hi There,
I am so glad this place is here!

So I have had some pretty wonderful experiences with Vape DMT, as well as with mushrooms and mescaline. I consider myself a respectful and safe user of psychedelics. I have used psychedelics from the age of 16, I am now 46. As I age, usage seems to have revealed itself as a teacher, healer and spiritual aid, (sometimes a trickster, esp if I let my ego take over).

Lately, especially with smoked spice I feel child like, like an innocent bystander who has no idea what is really going on, just going with the flow and enjoying.

I would like to try ayahuasca-alone. I think I can just start out with a low dose to gauge how it will effect me and move up from there if need be, but my friend has me second guessing myself. He says one shouldn't have aya without a shaman. I cannot afford a shaman.

I have read posts where people have done it alone, and they seem fine. I have no one I can tell or ask to be a sitter, no one other than this friend knows I partake, and I can not expose myself.

What do you guys think?

I really don't think a shaman is necessary. It may help to have one around, but I see it in no way as a necessity. I've done aya alone, and I know it's many nexians' preference to do it alone. Usually the only time I even want other people around on aya is once I have my mind blown, I'm usually eager to share, but that's about it. It sounds like you're a responsible person with the proper intentions. I don't think you'll need the shaman

If you've done Vaped DMT, mushrooms, and mescaline, all without a shaman, it stands to reason you can take ayahuasca without a shaman. I would find a sitter who you can trust and has good calming energy, if you can't, oh well I guess.

i think you knew what you would do before posting, of course if you've had that much experience then its safe to say you will be able to handle it.
in my opinion alone the first time with anything is the way to go, i've had many lone journeys and a few with people all at low effective doses to begin with, all very enjoyable in accordance with the spectrum, but work your way up and you'll get there, plus if you really don't like how the first one goes you could always ask your friend lovingly to sit in for you. ah no one can afford a shaman, it would be nice but its not necessary and plus i believe a shaman was once told this by a plant he was in communication with.

trust yourself
good luck & good Ɣibes))))~

Ayahuasca while different, is also very similar to mushrooms and wont throw anything at you that a good dose of mushrooms cant match. If you are confortable with smoking DMT and eating mushrooms alone, you should be fine with ayahuasca.

I think that part of what makes our modern psychedelic culture special is that we dont need shamans. The fact that we do approach these things alone, and removed from the old tribal contexts(which can be as dogmatic as anything else) makes me think that we are truely evolving on some level. I think it is a good thing that we take responsibility for our own experiencial gnosis. I also think that there are levels that you can only attain when you face these things alone. When one works with any one of these things on a personal level alone for a period of time is when the real work happens IMO. I would never ever try to take away someone elses power by telling them they need a shaman to do this.

I think that shamans and guides etc can play important roles, and do serve a purpose..but noone NEEDS to rely on such things.

thanks you guys! and yes "Dream Time" I did fully decide to go it alone before posting, but my friend is persistent and makes his opinion clear when I mention it.
I argue my thoughts on the matter, just wanted some advice from seasoned pros.

My first time with a psychedelic was a serious journey's worth of rue and mimosa, taken by myself. You'll be fine!

A shaman would be a traditional holder of knowledge and wisdom, through experience and the transmission of knowledge. I firmly believe that in the full throws of a trip you are fundamentally alone. From what I have read, and not experienced, the shaman acknowledges this also. That can be a tough lesson for some but is ultimately reaffirming.
If we are fundamentally alone (or 'one with the universe' if that floats your boat) whilst tripping then it stands to reason that for the transmission of experience and knowledge that the internet is the ultimate post-modern shaman. Especially resources such as this site.

If you are going to start small you should be fine. If you are going to try and really charge in definitely have someone who is willing to just watch over you, someone who will keep an eye on you, to keep you from falling or some such(physically hurting yourself). I would agree with Fractal, 'shamanism', as a very loose general term now, is very dogmatic. In my experience they are more ceremonial than Catholics. You can have someone there with you to have an affect on your trip, via chanting, songs, etc... these will have an effect on your journey, for the good and the bad - harmonics and tones inclusive. We may appear to be alone in our subjective reality, but the truth is we are not, we are just as connected as we are separated. Anyway, good luck, and remember just relax as best you can.