Dieta

Preparing for your sacred plant medicine Ceremony

Well done for committing to embark on this ceremony and for taking on your transformation not just for yourself but for the earth and all our relations. Soon we will meet in a sacred ceremony, and in this space, we will commune with one of nature’s master plant teachers and healers. This document is specifically focused on preparing you to meet the medicine we know as Mother Ayahuasca however, the principles of mindful preparation and cleansing of the body also pertain to working the Psilocybon and San Pedro. 

Your journey has already begun.

While you will most likely have done research leading up to your decision to embark on this magnificent journey, the reality is that much of the information presented on mainstream public platforms about plant medicines can overcomplicate our expectations and even heighten our fears. This is understandably a potent medicine that needs to be approached with care and responsibility. It is important, particularly for first-timers, that we do a one-on-one coaching preparation session to address any questions, create our container, and set our intentions for the ceremony. Please schedule a time with me if this has not been done already. Sessions are done on Zoom, WhatsApp video, or in person as preferred.

The following guidelines and stage-by-stage preparations are to be followed to prepare your body and mind to meet this beautiful medicine and to ensure your safety on this magnificent adventure.

Ayahuasca, the ancient mother of all teacher plants, speaks, inspires, enlightens and heals.

Three Weeks Prior to Ceremony

MEDICATIONS & AYAHUASCA

Firstly, please be aware that certain chemical substances do not mix with the MAOI component of Ayahuasca and should be avoided. It is vital, in this period, that we ascertain if there are any contradictory medications you are taking that you might need to wean off before the ceremony. If are you on any mood or mind-altering medication – or any other kind of medication or medical treatment – we will need to know ASAP to prepare and clear you. Most mood-regulating medications such as anti-depressants and even certain herbal remedies do not mix with Ayahuasca and generally require at least 14 full days to completely leave your system. It is essential therefore that you accurately fill out our participation form at your earliest convenience so that we can take the correct course of action. We also need to know if you have a history of depressive disorders, psychotic episodes, or suicide idealisation so that we can provide the appropriate support. If you do have any previously diagnosed medical conditions that bring up any concerns around your participation in this ceremony it is strongly advised that you first consult your doctor or a certified medical practitioner before attending. While you will be expertly guided and supported in this process, your safety and well-being from a medical point of view is ultimately your responsibility.

 

 

 

The best way to prepare for this journey is to think of it as a deeply physical meditation or prayer that we will be entering into, where there is a strong possibility of communing with an aspect of the spirit realm. On one hand, our preparation involves a practical cleansing of the body to ensure its readiness to receive this medicine. On the other hand, it is also a spiritual practice that aims to lighten our vibrational space and cultivate an open heart and mind. This allows for healing, transformation, and a deeper connection to the divine. Nothing can ultimately prepare us for this journey even though our minds may have a natural inclination to anticipate the experience. The reality is that since each person will have a distinct and unique journey, we can only approach the teachings and insights with reverence, humility, and acceptance. The most important thing to know is that you will be guided and safely held in a container of love and experience. Keep in mind this is also one of the oldest and wisest divination and healing plant teachers known to humankind so she knows what she is doing. 

Two Weeks Prior to Ceremony

It is ideal to start your dieta cleanse process two weeks before the ceremony. This is a time when we encourage our body and mind to enter a reflective state. The dieta helps facilitate this process. Be aware that we are wanting to cleanse and prepare the body for the medicines and ceremony experience – not shock or weaken it. This is the most ideal time to start removing things from our diet that may require some adjustment. Intuitively, we should begin by eliminating foods that make us feel heavy in our bodies, such as processed foods and those with additives. We also want to start reducing our sugar and salt intake. As a rule of thumb, a diet of fresh vegetables, fruit, and lots of water is always the most optimal. It is recommended to gradually reduce your coffee and caffeine intake, as headaches are a common side effect of caffeine withdrawal for regular users. You do not want to be sitting with a pounding headache during a ceremony. This is an ideal time in general to reflect on your consumption habits and ask if they are serving you and your life.

One Week

One week before the ceremony is when you should start your dieta in earnest. If you start now you are still comfortably on your way to being fully prepared for the ceremony. Be sure to get plenty of sleep and drink more pure water than you usually do. When you decide to meet with this holy mentor, she commences to collaborate with you from the very start. Become aware of your spiritual yearnings and of your own sacred identity and connection with divinity, as well as with nature. Before you sleep each night, think about what has come up for you in the day. Sleeping and dreaming are part of the preparation.

The following foods and drinks need to be removed entirely from your diet: Fried foods and red meat. Small portions of chicken and fish are permitted before the ceremony and gradually reducing meat intake near the ceremony. Pork needs to be avoided for as long as possible before and after the ceremony. All fermented foods and drinks, such as pickles, herring, anchovies, old cheese, and kombucha, are included. Alcohol.  Refined sugar-based foods and drinks. Stimulants: Coffee, caffeine drinks, diet drinks. Protein extracts or supplements.  Foods containing MSG (Monosodium glutamate). Aspartame (Nutra-sweet products), food containing Brewer’s yeast or any yeast extracts, breads. Spicy food, red pepper, chilies. Processed foods, cold meats, biltong, dairy products

MARIJUANA: Those who are frequent users of marijuana are respectfully requested to stay away from it from about a week before and until the end of the ceremony. We feel Ayahuasca needs to work in a marijuana-free environment. The combination of the two can be mischievous and in extreme cases can induce psychosis. Marijuana has its potent place in the constellation of healing but will not be permitted in this ceremony. You are welcome to continue using pure CBD oils for pain and sleep purposes up until the day of the ceremony. Either way please keep me informed of medications that you are using. 

SEX: Please refrain from engaging in sexual activity (including masturbation) for at least one week before and after working with the Teacher Plants. There are many reasons for this – both spiritual and practical. The main reason is simply that you do not want to deplete your energy, known as ‘kundalini,’ which is necessary for your journey. Sexual abstinence is a very powerful spiritual practice and it deepens your medicine experience

Three Days to 48 Hours  

This is the critical part of the dieta. If you have not started your cleanse yet or you are late in booking, you still have time but you have to start right now. The downside of starting this late is that you could experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms if you are a frequent user of substances like caffeine, alcohol, marijuana or recreational drugs. If this is the case for you, it is advised that you rather defer to a later date. On the other hand, if you are someone who is healthy and already eats cleanly, it is no problem to begin your cleanse three days to 48 hours before the actual ceremony. In the last 3 days before ceremony it is encouraged that you remove salt and sugar entirely from your diet. Reducing sugar and salt will heighten the effect of the Teacher Plant. 

Please Note

Recreational Drugs:  You will be risking your life or your sanity by consuming chemical drugs (cocaine, LSD, ecstasy, heroine etc) three days BEFORE or AFTER a ceremony. Under no circumstances take any recreational drugs while still under the effect of this Teacher Plant.

Alcohol: You must abstain from alcohol at least from the 48 hours BEFORE the ceremony and AFTER.

Medications: Any antihistamines at least 48 hours prior to and after the night of ceremony, certain painkillers, ventolin inhalerscannot be consumed from the morning of the ceremony. Cough syrup.  Steroids and muscle building formulas with creatine in them are strictly prohibited. Blood pressure medications and diet pills.

Please message me if you are unsure about anything. If on the day of ceremony you are in any way under the influence of alcohol, marijuana or recreational drugs, you will not be permitted to attend the ceremony and you will forfeit your payment. It is vitally important that you get in touch with me if you have any concerns or questions around this. It is my priority to create an optimal and safe environment for our journey together and to honor the lineage of this extraordinary and ancient medicine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Day of your Ceremony

Please note that for individual and couples private ceremonies mattress, bedding, bucket, drinking water and toilet paper will be provided. All you need to bring is comfortable cloths to journey in that is appropriate for the weather. For group ceremonies however, unless these are provided by the specific venue, this is your responsibility to organise and bring.

Generally, one should not eat 5 hours before a ceremony. The drinking of liquids is to stop 2 hours before ceremony. If the ceremony takes place in the morning, you can eat a light but substantial meal the night before taking the sacrament, but nothing in the morning. If the ceremony takes place in the afternoon, you may have a breakfast of fruits, porridge or cereals. By this point your body should be prepared and ready to receive the medicines.

Cigarettes (commercial) generally inhibit the work of Ayahuasca. While natural tobacco is traditionally used as a smudge by curanderos, our ceremonies are held as smoke-free environments for participants. For those who would find it hard to get through the night without a cigarette, there will be a designated smoking zone and we also encourage you to bring along rolled, natural tobacco.

We endeavour to arrive at the ceremony in a calm state. Slight fear or apprehension is normal in the days or hours approaching the experience – especially if it is your first time. There will be time to acclimatise to the new surroundings, to meet the other participants and to set up your personal nest. Once everyone has arrived and the space is prepared we will start to build our sacred container. We will do this by creating the agreements of our sacred container and how we will be holding space with and for each other. We will each check ourselves into the space by speaking with the sacred talking stick. I will then talk about navigating the Teacher Plant. By this point, we will be fully at ease and ready to journey. The ceremony officially begins when you approach the altar and partake in the sacrament – just like other spiritual travelers have done throughout history. Before this happens, or shortly after, check that you have water, a bucket and tissues nearby. It would also be good to go to the toilet so that you can be undisturbed for 3-4 hours.

I will begin the opening rituals and we will all drink into the sacrament. After receiving the sacrament, remain seated, relaxed, and silent – with your eyes closed. Focus on the music, quieten your mind, and surrender to the work of Mother Ayahuasca. Usually, it takes between 30 and 80 minutes to feel the full effect of the plant in the case of Ayahuasca. It is, however, completely different for each person particularly in your first time experience. It is suggested that you keep your eyes closed as much as possible as you will be guided through visions and intuitions. Make allowances for everything inside and outside of yourself. The experience will most likely not be what you expected but everything you experience is ultimately your journey you need. If you need water, drink in small sips only. Within about 40 minutes, you will begin your own mystical experience – surrounded by new, communicative dimensions created by Mother Ayahuasca to address your known and unconscious circumstances and needs. You will not lose consciousness or control. You will always know where you are. The ceremony is always performed within a deeply spiritual and ritualised context and will unfold over the next 4-6 hours. The sacred space is created by chants and medicine songs, which direct the energies of the ceremony, ensuring an atmosphere of inspiration, safety and healing. The chants establish the frequency of the space and generally invoke the energies of divinities, healing and cleansing etc. When I feel that the main waves of the medicine have subsided, I will conclude the ceremony with a ritual and sealing. There will be some delicious food waiting to ground us back into our bodies.