Dear participant,thank you for booking on the Taita Inti retreat. To help you benefit the most from the retreat, we need you to follow the information provided within this document, there are some instructions within here that you need to follow from today onwards, such as guidance towards your diet.
There is also information provided that is not just guidance, but safety for your health such as medications you may be taking, so it is very important that you take no te and follow these instructions from this day onward.
Welcome to Taita Inti and we hope to see you soon.
The Ayahuasca tea (made up of two plants: Ayahuasca and Chacruna) works with your body in strong biochemical and energetic ways. So everything else put in, on, or around your body (especially food) must be considered in terms of how it harmonises or clashes with these natural medicines, and the work they are trying to do inside your body and your energy field.
In order to maximize your healing and avoid any negative experiences, we follow and provide a strict Ayahuasca diet. We need you to be as clean as possible for the Ayahuasca tea to work inside you to its greatest capacity. By eliminating certain things from your diet, what you’re doing is cleaning your body, physically and energetically, so that the plants can work and heal you to their fullest.
These guidelines also apply to post-diet, the period in your life after your Ayahuasca retreat. From the perspective of this shamanic tradition, each plant represents and holds a different spirit, and in traditional thinking the work with Ayahuasca is not considered finished until many months after the actual ceremony.
By working with the plants we not only access the biological healing properties of the plant on a physical level, but also commune with the nature spirits who work through them. These plant spirits must be totally respected within the body. Following the Ayahuasca diet can go a long way in demonstrating respect to these spirits.
This is not something to take lightly. A person can get very ill or experience a wide array of unpleasant experiences, physically, energetically and spiritually if they disrespect the plants, or disregard the guidelines of the retreat.
If you cannot follow the Ayahuasca diet outlined on this page, then it is very likely that our retreat is not for you. However, if you can, then you can prepare yourself for some of the deepest healings, teachings, realisations and transformation that no words can ever fully describe.
We will provide all your food during your Ayahuasca retreat, your diet will be locally sourced and mainly consist of fresh vegetables.
All of the following should be thought of as a “minimum” – the more you can prepare yourself and your body before your retreat, the more effective your retreat will be!
4 weeks before drinking Ayahuasca avoid:
– Any recreational (non-prescribed) drugs including cocaine, marijuana and alcohol.
2 weeks before drinking Ayahuasca avoid:
– Fried foods or excessive oil
– Spicy foods especially any chilli
– Fermented food – soy sauce, pickles etc.
– Caffeine
– Non-fresh (canned or packaged) meat or fish products
– Liquid and Powdered protein extracts
– Brewers yeast or yeast-based supplements
– Dairy products – yogurts, yogurt based smoothies, milk etc.
– Overripe fruits
– Acidic fruits – oranges, pineapple, grapefruit etc.
– Acidic drinks – orange juice, pineapple juice, coke, fanta etc.
– Processed sweets and refined sugar
– Excessive amounts of table salt
– Pork and food that contain pork, fat pork and red meat
48 Hours before NO SEX or MASTURBATION
This can make some people’s jaws drop, we understand! However, there are some very important reasons for this and these are…
During your retreat with us, the Ayahuasca Tea that you will be drinking will be opening you deeply and energetically, so as to really make space for the plants within you to do their work, heal you, and share all of their gifts with you.
When you connect with another person in a sexual way, you share very deeply with that person. There is a great deal of energetic “give-and-take”, even between people who have never sat with the medicine before, and who may not be as open as you will be following ceremony. The openness that you will experience may cause you to “take on” energies from another person which may not be in line with your own healing and transformation.
So, to maintain the integrity and the momentum of your healing (which continues far longer than the time you spend with us) it is very important that you keep your energy to yourself. Additionally, it is recommended that men and women avoid all forms of pleasuring themselves for the same time period, as there is great power in reserving the sexual energy to increase and strengthen your healing process.
This abstinence is also important because it really helps give you space to be able to work with yourself, as not to bring your focus externally, but really to hold the space for you. To help you concentrate on your inner journey, the healing journey which led you to this sacred medicine.
===========
This time is also an excellent opportunity for you to cut anything else out of your life which you may feel is not in line with your highest truth and potential.
IMPORTANT: Our healing work is based on traditional Amazonian shamanic plant medicine. The medicine Ayahuasca is biochemically and energetically very powerful, and it does not mix well with all other substances.
Many Pharmaceutical drugs, natural supplements and herbs are not compatible with Ayahuasca and some medical or psychological conditions are also not appropriate for treatment with this medicine. For this reason, it is our policy that all participants in our ceremonies be free of pharmaceutical intervention for 30 days prior to joining one of our ceremonies.
It is the responsibility of all guests to consult with their doctors about the safety of ceasing medication within the timeframes required by our guidelines to partake in our ceremonies.
If you need to stop taking any medication prior to your Ayahuasca experience, please consult with your doctor about stopping such medications, as well as informing us of your process. If your doctor is unwilling to assist you due to his or her own bias, you have the right to seek a second opinion from another physician.
Full disclosure of medical conditions past and present are mandatory at the time of application, and it’s very important that you understand our participant guidelines.
Below is a list of SOME medical conditions, pharmaceuticals and supplements that are not compatible with drinking Ayahuasca.
Psychological conditions such as Schizophrenia, bipolar and psychosis
Heart conditions
Epilepsy
Liver and Kidney conditions
Diabetes
Pregnancy
Pharmaceuticals and Supplements
Different substances require more or less time to leave the body, so please consult your doctor to establish how long your particular medications will take to clear from your system.
IMPORTANT
It is vitally important that you are honest with us and with yourself about your medical history. There can be serious consequence of mixing Ayahuasca with pharmaceutical medications, and it is imperative that you take caution and undertake this healing journey with a full respect for this fact.
Below is a PARTIAL list of medications which are NOT to be present in your body during and before your encounter with Ayahuasca:
SSRI’s (any selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor)
amphetamines (meth-, dex-, amphetamine)
antihypertensives (high blood pressure medicine)
appetite suppressants (diet pills)
medicine for asthma, bronchitis, or other breathing problems
antihistamines, medicines for colds, sinus problems, hay fever, or allergies (Actifed DM, Benadryl, Benylin, Chlor-Trimeton, Compoz, etc.) CNS (central nervous system) depressants
Antipsychotics
Alcohol
Specific DrugsParnate
Paroxetine (Paxil)
ActifedPhenergen
Amantadine hydrochloride (Symmetrel)Phenelzine (Nardil)
Amoxapine (Asendin)Procainamide (Pronestyl)
BenadryProtriptyline (Vivactil)
BenylinPseudoephedrine
Bupropion (Wellbutrin)Quinidine (Quinidex)
Buspirone (BuSpar)Salbutemol
Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Epitol)Salmeterol
Chlor-TrimetonSelegiline (Eldepryl)
Clomipramine (Anafranil)Sertraline (Zoloft)
CocaineTegretol
Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)Temaril
Cyclizine (Marezine)Tranylcypromine (Parnate)
Desipramine (Pertofrane)Tricyclic antidepressants (Amitriptyline,
Dextromethorphan (DXM)Elavil)
Disopyramide (Norpace)Trimipramine (Surmontil)
Doxepin (Sinequan)Yohimbine
EphedrineHerbs and supplements
Flavoxate Hydrochloride (Urispas)
Fluoxetine (Prozac)St. Johns Wort
Imipramine (Tofranil)Kava
Isocarboxazid (Marplan)Ephedra
Levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa)Ginseng
Loratadine (Claritin)Yohimbe
Maprotiline (Ludiomil)Sinicuichi
Meperidine (Demerol)
Methylphenidate (Ritalin)
Nortriptyline (Aventyl)
Oxybutynin chloride (Ditropan)
Orphenadrine (Norflex)
If you have any questions or concerns, or want any clarification in any way about your current medical status and if you are suitable to take Ayahuasca and attend one of our Master Plant retreats, please speak to your doctor and contact us directly.
At the end of the day, we’re here to help you, so please just disclose everything to us about your current medical status and any medications you are taking, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your specific situation, if possible
You must not take recreational drugs of any kind 6 weeks before your retreat.
The use of drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, ecstacy, mdma, lsd can greatly affect your ceremony and can even lead to mental health conditions.
If you are having any difficulty with this part of the preparation then please let us know immediately.
If you have taken or will be taking any other plant medicines 8 weeks before your retreat, please inform us. Some plant medicines are fine to be taken during this time however, some are not, such as iboga, which is recommended to have at least an 8-12 week period gap before taking any other plant medicines.
Apart from your clothes there are a number of items that you will need to bring to the retreat as standard, some other items are optional, so we have divided these items into sections below.
Make sure you bring:
yoga mat
sleeping bag
small pillow for use during the ceremony
1 litre bottle for water
bath towel
small flash light
money to pay for the balance of the retreat
Bedding Linen (Bed sheet, blanket/duvet cover, pillow case) – For some retreats only.
Optional items to bring:
a writing journal
art supplies such as paints, crayons or pencils and paper plug adapter
What type of clothes should I bring?
Please read up on the local temperature of the region in which your ceremony will be held. Your body can change in temperature during the ceremony, so it’s good to bring different layers of clothes that you can wear, so you can take off and put on clothes to help you adjust to the correct temperature.
Remember to bring some easy to slip on footwear such as sandals / flip-flops or sneakers.
What else should I bring?
If your retreat is in a hot country or in summer time you may want to bring the following:
mosquito repellent spray
anti-histamine creams (like Benedryl in oral form) in case you have allergic reactions to
insect bites
sunscreen and after sun lotion
antiseptic cream
Your preparation for the day of the retreat is equally as important as the weeks leading up to it. We have prepared below a list of essential tips to help make this day straight forward for you.
•Wake up on the right side of bed… Remember your intentions for today and set yourself in a calm state of mind. Let any struggles of your life not affect your mood. Today is a day for calm.
•Are you doing Kambo today? If you are… then no breakfast, you can have water or tea to keep you hydrated, but nothings else, no smoothies, no juices, no solid foods.
•If you are not doing Kambo today then have a good light breakfast, have items that will give you a slow release of energy like porridge with honey, boiled eggs, fruit smoothie.
•Lunch… Have a very light lunch such as a salad or soup or smoothie. After 2pm, please do not eat any more food. Make sure you drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.
•When you arrive... Firstly… leave your expectations and your ego at the door; these will only lead to disappointment. We want your time with us to be fulfilling for your soul, so we ask you to keep an open mind and an open heart.
And then… below is a brief outline of how the first few hours usually plan out.
•Registration – Booking form check, balance payments.
•Introduction - Rules of the house, retreat itinerary, introduction of staff and facilities.
We do our best to make sure you are able to get the most out of every retreat and we ask that you follow our few basic rules below to help us and help yourself.
No drugs! There is a strict no drugs policy; this includes both recreational drugs such as cocaine, cannabis etc. and any prescription medication either. This applies to drugs or medicines in any form, from tablets, to injections, to patches etc. If you are unsure, then please ask us. Many drugs or medications can have severe side effects if taken alongside Ayahuasca and other plant medicines. We also have the right to refuse you further participation if we have reason to believe you are or have been taking drugs prior to or during the retreat.
No touching! Please refrain from touching and hugging other people. Please understand that everyone is in a process and therefore it is important that you keep this process with you and without projecting your energy to others. As your energies are in an open state, it is easy to transfer energies from one person to another; this is why we ask that you refrain from touching others, especially during the ceremony.
It is important that during the Ayahuasca ceremony that you don’t talk with other participants. Again, this is a journey that you take for your own personal betterment and it is important that you remember this is your process. If you have questions during the ceremony or need help or support, please call Naysha or one of the assistants and they will assist you with any question or need you have. There will be plenty of time to talk with fellow participants after the ceremony; it also takes you away from your journey and process.
Boundaries! Again, just like no touching, it’s important to remember your boundaries with other people. Many people like to have their own time in peace so they may reflect on the night’s events and have time to process this. So please respect other people’s space and be aware of situations when someone may not always be responding back to you in a way that makes you feel comfortable.
Keep it clean! Please do clean up after yourself, its helps us all to keep the place neat and tidy. If you use a cup wash it. It you use the bathroom; please clean up properly after using it.
For your wellbeing and the integration of your healing, we suggest that you continue to keep your body and habits as clean as possible. The healing process with these medicines does not stop after their effects are no longer noticeable in your consciousness! The spirit of the plants will be with you for a long time after your retreat, and you can greatly help the process of your healing and transformation by adhering to the following schedule:
For 10 Days, avoid:
– fried foods
– processed sugars
– frozen or icy cold foods/drinks
– avocados
– Acidic fruits – oranges, pineapple, grapefruit etc.
– Acidic drinks – orange juice, pineapple juice, coke, fanta etc.
SEX
For 2 Weeks, avoid:
– fermented foods
– red meat
– coffee
– dairy
– citrus – fruits and drinks
– raw nuts
For 1 Month, avoid:
– alcohol
– pork
