A clean, clear body and mind is important when entering your Ayahuasca Ceremony. The commitment and dedication you demonstrate when preparing is also considered part of the ritual and will offer to you profound benefits. We offer the following guidelines to help you prepare for your Journey
The Ritual of Preparation : The Physical Body
Diet / Food
Abstaining from foods that cloud the mind is very important when receiving this medicine. We have also learnt that some foods may “cut” the medicine and therefore you may not be able to receive direct connection with “Her”. The simplest diet is to eat light vegetarian food for 3-7 before and after ceremony, with moderate to low levels of salt, sugar, and fat. Here are some foods to AVOID and also a list of what you Can eat to help you better prepare your physical body.
Avoid (At-least 3-7 days before)
Red Meat / Pork
Alcohol
Sugar / Honey, Salt and Pepper ( light consumption )
ALL Street Drugs ( MDMA, amphetamines, cocaine etc )
Marijuana
Sleeping pills
Spicy Foods
Cold Drinks and Ice Creams
Fried Foods including Fast foods
Processed foods / Snacks and junk foods containing preservatives , dyes, etc.
Fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, Kombucha, kefir, pickles)
Cheese (Including Aged Cheeses)
Caffeinated Beverages. & Dark Chocolate
You Can Eat
Grilled or Baked Chicken or Fish
Quinoa
Brown Rice. Oats, barley, or buckwheat
Fresh Fruits and vegetables, Fresh salads.
Plantains
Legumes, brand and Peas
Ghee, Coconut oil, Olive oil (avoid fried foods )
Organic Eggs ( not on ceremony day )
These are some additional suggestions to support the physical body and promote nourishment for your Nervous system.
Yoga
Breath work
Massages
Infra Red Saunas
Chiropractic Treatments
Acupuncture
Sound Baths
Cold Plunges
FAQs about dieta
What if I am on antidepressants?
Certain antidepressants (as well as other medications) can cause serious side effects with Ayahuasca. We ask you to honestly fill out our intake form and include any medications that you maybe taking. While we can inform you of the basic protocols around many medications, we are not medical doctors and, therefore, strongly suggest that you consult with your family physician OR we can recommend highly trained (psychedelics informed) professionals that can advise you better on this.
We provide you with a list of drugs that are considered high risk when taking Ayahuasca.
Can we use herbs and Adaptogenics?
Most plant-based nutrients can support optimal health. However, we ask you to please discuss with us any that maybe part of your daily routine and we will advise accordingly. St. John’s Wort, for example, is not recommended while taking Ayahuasca.
How long after the ceremony should I continue to do the dieta?
The Medicine, and our communion with the spirit guides of our higher consciousness, continues to work within us in our daily lives long after ceremony night. To keep this communication alive, we suggest continuing to eat a clean plant-based diet for as long as possible. This time maybe a good opportunity to shift out of old patterns and habits into a healthier lifestyle. Remember to make a new habit only takes 7 days of repetition.
The Ritual of Preparation : The Mind & Energetics
Healthy Mind, Healthy Spirit. Although it is not mandatory, it can be very helpful to cultivate a meditation practice.
Meditation can help with focus and clarity, and promote a deeper connection with the medicine during and after ceremony. After all, the ceremony is “one big meditation”. So learning to sit quietly and connect to oneself is an important practice.
Developing a Gratitude practice can be a beautiful way to commune with the Ayahuasca and will be an anchor point durning ceremony.
Going into Nature is a great way to connect to Mother Earth’s Gifts and she will help guide your spirit into Trust and Calmness.
Preparing Your Mind
Our goal prior to ceremony is to create a fertile ground for the Medicine to do it’s work. Many of our problems, stress and illness arise from the incredible amounts of input we have on a daily basis, which often overloads and overstimulates our central nervous system.
What we watch on TV, read in the newspapers, listen to in our music, and do with our bodies often seeds our minds with negativity or overstimulation.
By refraining from certain sensory input, we can create a blank slate in the mind and sensitize our systems to receive the messages of the Medicine.
Things to Refrain From:
All main stream media , news , social media, TV and violent music or movies should be reduced or avoided at least one week before ceremony. You should also avoid reading too much about the experiences of others as this can create a lot of expectation, and sometimes even fear, around the Medicine.
Sexual Activities, including masturbation, or the arousal of sexual energy for at least 1 week prior to and after the ceremony. This helps us to build up our life-force energy, which is critical when entering altered states of consciousness in order to get the most out of our experience.
IMPORTANT
Illnesses
The following illnesses carry an extra risk; Kidney and liver disorders, diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure, neurological abnormalities, stomach ulcers and blood dyscrasia. (Ask your doctor).
Mental illness
If you suffer from psychosis or schizophrenia we advise strongly against partaking in an Ayahuasca ceremony.
Drugs that act to potentiate serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine likely present higher risks. It is the responsibility of all participants to consult with their doctors about the safety of ceasing medication during the week of ceremonies.
The combination of an SSRI- serotonin reuptake inhibitor, and the MAOI present in harmaline or harmine found in Ayahuasca can be potentially lethal as brain serotonin levels may reach dangerously high levels. These medications should be stopped at least 3-4 weeks before and after taking Ayahuasca.
Integration is an extremely important part of working with Plant Medicines. Please see our resource on Integration Coaching.
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