PREPARATION
Coming into ceremony with intention and preparation is an essential part of how the medicine will work directly with you. Aside from endless insights and healing, plant medicine also provides a mirror of reflection to oneself, so approaching ceremony with reverence and an openness to transform will help channel in the most valuable experience for you. In other words, the medicine will meet you where you are at. Considering this, mentally and physically preparing beforehand will assist you during your process and also in the integration part of applying new teachings to your life in a positive and empowering way.
INTENTIONS
Take dedicated time from now until ceremony to write down your intentions. The first part of intention-setting will be getting clear on aspects of your life that you are ready to let go of. Be sure to express from the heart fully and openly, in as much length and details as possible. You can always revisit your writing over time as you continue meditating and refining.
INTENTION SETTING PROMPTS
Here are some prompts and questions to help with writing out what exactly you would like to let go of during ceremony:
- What aspects of my life are feeling unhealthy or unbalanced?
- What do I feel my body needs to be changed or transformed?
- Am I holding onto physical pain, illnesses, emotions?
- What relationships in my life are carrying conflict and why? Is there anything on my part that I can shift in order to bring peace to these situations?
- What emotions do I feel most often on a daily basis? Are they negative or positive? What is the source of those emotions? Are they connected to unsettled traumas or negative experiences in the past?
- Am I still limiting my full potential of happiness and prosperity in my life?
- What old resentments or feelings of unforgiveness would I like to let go of? Who can I practice forgiveness towards?
- What are some unhealthy attachments I have in my life that I honestly should let go of? i.e. food, money, drinking or substance abuse, stress, bad relationships, negative repeated patterns, material possessions, etc.
RENEWAL AND INVITING PROMPTS
After writing down in detail what you would like to let go of, we can now move into being specific about what it is you’d like to invite into your life. Aside from shedding away old patterns, the medicine allows us the opportunity of renewal. With new perspectives, reconnection with oneself, and on a higher frequency of love and support, you will be able to truly invite more positive + healthier dynamics into your life.
- How do you envision yourself at your most happy and prosperous?
- What are healthier choices you would like to make in your life pertaining to physical health, emotional health, and good relationships? I.e. meditate, exercise, reducing media, being in nature, finding healthy support groups, healthier diet
- What are all the aspects of yourself that you cherish and why? Take some time to affirm all the beautiful attributes you bring to the world. Self-love is the key to everything.
- What does living a life of peace and balance look like to you? Write in detail.
RELEASING EXPECTATIONS
After writing out your intentions, also be prepared to let go of them. As much as we think we know what we need in our lives, medicine and ceremony may show us something completely different. The process of surrendering is essential, not just for ceremony, but in life. The act of fully trusting your unique path and the wisdom of these medicines, will open up incredible possibilities far beyond what can be conceived of.
FOUR AGREEMENTS
Four Agreements We request that each individual commits to these agreements so that we can collectively hold this space with the highest integrity.
1. Full participation- In coming to the retreat, you are agreeing to stay for the entirety of the retreat. There will be a clear closing of the weekend and a group sharing circle at the end of the last session.
2. Confidentiality- We ask for confidentiality of the location, hosts, and participants involved. Of course, this work is shared only by word of mouth and we ask that you utilize your best discernment in whom you choose to share this sacred work with.
3. Individual Guidelines- You are coming here to do your individual work and yet we are still gathering in community. Because we are in this group setting, we ask that you do your best in keeping a vertical connection with the medicine. This means that there is no casual conversation, touching, or vocalizations throughout the ceremony with any of the participants. If you need anything, the guardians available to support you.
4. Final Say-We ask that in coming and participating, that you trust in the work and those guiding. If an small adjustment and something is asked of you, we ask for a simple agreement.
GROUP PROCESSING
Integration & Embodiment
We will be gathering for integration circles the day after ceremony, in order to process and connect with each other in these powerful and transformative experiences. We'll be sharing together as a family.
The rapid and profound transformations that happen in ceremony provide the opportunity for intensive healing. Integration circles serve as a space to safely process your experience and receive guidance that is crucial in the application of teachings received from the medicine. This necessary way of implementing the teachings of the medicine into our lives results in lasting change that participants can palpably experience on their lifepath. Embodiment is the goal.
DIETA REQUIREMENTS
The recommended dieta, or diet, for Ayahuasca is one that is light and healthy whole foods, with minimum products of animal origin. These are healthy dietary principles that follow guidelines from the native Peruvian Ayahuasca tradition, and they are especially important to cleanse the body before and after the Ayahuasca ceremony. The more disciplined you are with dieta, the more receptive and open your mind, body, and spirit will be to the medicines.
Otherwise, there can be adverse effects of certain pollutants and toxins in the body and mind.
-The following should be avoid for 2-4 weeks prior and after ceremony. We will be following a preparatory dieta of 2-4 weeks before work with the medicine:
- No recreational drugs
- No alcohol
- No sexual contact
- No sleeping pills
Avoid harmful foods that mix negatively with plant medicine 2-4 weeks before and after the ceremony, such as:
- Cheese of any kind, especially aged cheese
- Air-dried, aged, or fermented meats, sausages or salami
- Pork and heavy red meats.
AVOID
- Soy sauce
- Fermented foods
- Tofu or soy products
- Sugar or artificial sweeteners
- Overly salty food
- Spicy food
- Fried food
- Protein powder/extracts
- Processed or smoked meat products
- Excessive Vegetable oils
- Kombucha
- Animal Milk (Almond, coconut, hemp or oat milk is ok)
- Caffeinated beverages (coffee, caffeinated teas)
- Meat (white fish or organic chicken is recommended for protein intake)
USE OF OTHER MEDICINES/ SPIRITS
It’s important to create space for the medicine of Ayahuasca. The spirit of Ayahuasca will be needing a lot of space in your body, mind, energetic field, emotionally and spiritually to be able to interact with you and communicate with you as much clarity as possible. If we are interact with other spirits like cacao, hapé, san pedro, mushrooms, marijuana we are limiting the space for the plants to fully work through systems. Therefore please stop working with all medicines and spirits like cacao, hapé, san pedro, mushrooms, marijuana and other entheogens 2-4 weeks before ceremony.
The preparation prior to the Ayahuasca Ceremony is a very important part of the process. The cleaner your body and mind is the easier it will be for you to navigate through the experience and the more you will benefit from it. Recreational drugs Marijuana, recreational drugs and alcohol should be avoided for at least 2-4 weeks prior to and after the ceremony. Sexual activity Participants should refrain from sexual encounters, masturbation, or the arousal of sexual energy for at least 2-3 weeks prior to and after the ceremony.
MEDIA
Excessive mainstream media should be avoided as much as possible for at least 2 weeks prior to and after the ceremony including, TV, movies, (Western) music, sports, news etc.
NATURE
Medicine and ceremony harmonize the spirit back to the frequency of Nature. Take as much time and opportunity as possible to be in Nature leading up the ceremony. This will help in knowing her frequency well and allowing your spirit and body to drop into calmness.
MEDITATION
Meditation is a powerful tool for calming the mind and cultivating a calm, centered relationship to oneself. Meditation has the ability to improve a person’s ability to focus, maintain clarity, and balance emotions even amidst challenging situations. Disciplining and preparing the mind will help tremendously during ceremony, so creating a consistent practice every day is highly recommended. Meditating 10 minutes prior to going to sleep, and 10 minutes as soon as you wake up (without checking your phone) is the optimum way to create a good meditation practice.
CONTRAINDICATIONS
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. Below is a list of some medical conditions, pharmaceuticals and supplements that are not compatible with drinking Ayahuasca.
Illnesses
The following illnesses carry an extra risk; Kidney and liver disorders, diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure, neurological abnormalities and blood dyscrasia. (Ask your doctor).
Mental illness
If you suffer from psychosis or schizophrenia we advise strongly against partaking in an Ayahuasca ceremony.
Medications
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.
Some Examples;
Psychotropics ◦ Antidepressants (Prozac, Venlafaxine) ◦Antipsychotics (Olanzapine) ◦ Lithium, mood stabilizers ◦ Antiepileptics Stimulants ◦ Amphetamines (Adderall, meth) ◦ Cocaine ◦ Caffeine Herbs ◦ St John’sWort ◦ Kava ◦ Ephedra ◦ Ginseng ◦ Yohimbe ◦ Sinicuichi ◦Migraine medications Ergotamine ◦ Triptans (e.g. sumatriptan or Imitrex) Antiemetics ◦ Metoclopramide Parkinson’s ◦ Levodopa/carbidopa ◦ Pramipexole Ceremonial/Recreational ◦ Phenylethylamines ◦ MDMA, 2C compounds, mescaline, NBOMe ◦ Tryptamines ◦ LSD ◦ Cathinones ◦ Mephedrone, methylone, MPDV Cough & Cold ◦ Dexteromethorphan (Robitussin) ◦ Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) Weight loss drugs/supplements ◦ Phentermine (Adipex) Pain Medications ◦ Methadone ◦ Tramadol
WHAT TO BRING
- All white ceremony clothes and a shawl. White pants and white shirt or white skirt/dress for females.
- Waterbottle. Please try to find something quiet with a retractable or foldable straw. This is will be much easier to use and access during ceremony rather than a screw top.
- Small to medium bath towel.
-Toothpaste that is as natural as possible, no flouride.
- Loose and comfortable clothing. Be sure to pack some loose cotton clothes as well.
- Journal. To reflect and catalog insights, reflections, musings, creative ideas as you are in your process.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Recommended books are linked below individually. Some of the links on www.intikhana.com are affiliate links. That means if you were to use some of the links we provide, we will ultimately receive a commission which we use to help support Intikhana.
- Ayahuasca: Soul Medicine of the Amazon Jungle by Javier Regueiro *required
- Polishing the Mirror by Ram Dass
- The Power of Now by Eckart Tolle
- Animal Medicine by Erica Buenaflor
YOUR FACILITATIOR
Daniela Riojas is a curandera, educator, medicine keeper, and artist originally from the frontera of Tejas y Mexico, currently based in Topanga, CA, traveling internationally. Her Indigenous ancestry is connected to The Coahuiltecans of northern Mexico as well as the Mexica. As a curandera, she communes with Mother Nature and a lexicon of plants, animals, and energies through ancestral practices of channeling and meditation. She has undergone extensive trainings and Master Plant dietas with Indigenous elders who have initiated her into the sacred practice of facilitation and healing in ceremonial space.
She has been under the guidance of elders in Nayarit Mexico (Richie and Xochitl of Nawake Bucerias) as well as elders and curandero/as of the jungles of Peru who are Cocama (Gran Maestra Aime Vargas Davila), Shipibo (Maestra Bawan Kate), Ashaninka (Maestro Miguel Charini) and Mestizo (Maestro Camara Ampi Shirapa). For years, Daniela has been traveling extensively throughout North and South America facilitating plant and animal medicines, and creating ceremonial healing spaces for communities in diverse countries and lands.
Her facilitation consists of sharing traditional and directly received icaros through her diets with Master Plants, within the lineage of Cocama curanderismo. Within this practice is a weaving of Shipibo, Ashaninka, and Nahuatl icaro and medicine as well. A variety of instruments are utilized including, crystal bowls alongside icaro, Native American flute, clay ocarinas, and medicine songs with ukelele and guitar. She also utilizes tobacco extensively and a variety of specially prepared perfumes and agua floridas for these ceremonies.
Daniela Riojas is the founder of Intikhana Medicina, which provides ceremonial healing rooted in Indigenous and Earth-Based practices. The mission at Intikhana is to provide gateways of health and well-being through Indigenous knowledge, plants, animals, music, frequencies, education, and connection to all of the medicine that this beautiful Mother Earth provides.