Safety Guidelines

Important Information to Review before joining us in retreat

Safety Guidelines

Before embarking on your retreat journey with us, it is essential to carefully review our health and medical guidelines. Understanding these guidelines is crucial to ensuring a safe and fulfilling experience. 

We strongly advise that you read through these guidelines in detail, taking into account any personal health conditions or medications that may affect your ability to safely participate. Certain medical conditions, medications, and psychological states contraindicate the use of plant medicine, and it is of utmost importance that you disclose any relevant health information to our team.

Your commitment to following these guidelines will help us create a safe, supportive environment where you can fully benefit from the retreat experience. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with these details, and feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.

Medical Guidelines

Some medications and supplements are contraindicated with ayahuasca medicine. Interaction with pharmaceutical drugs, supplements, and medications (including some over-the-counter drugs and certain herbs) can be potentially life-threatening in combination with ayahuasca.. Others are recommended to discontinue because they interfere with the ability of the healers to observe one’s energy field clearly address root cause in the energetic work done in ceremony, and this holds true for certain energetic practices and psychedelic medicines as well. If you have any medical diagnoses we recommend consulting with your doctor to receive their guidance for  tapering schedules. We do not recommend changing or discontinuing use of medications or medically necessary supplements without consulting with your primary care doctor first.

  • Any medication that contains Monoamine Oxidase MAO inhibitors. These medications are known to cause dangerous side effects when  taken in conjunction with this medicinal plant. It is critical that you stop taking these six weeks prior to the retreat date for your system to be cleared of these substances.  
  • Any medication which has an effect on the serotonin system – including Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors  (SSRIs) (i.e. antidepressants such as Wellbutrin, Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, etc). And CNS (central nervous system) depressants, combining these medications with ayahuasca can induce serotonin syndrome. We advise you to stop taking SSRI medications six weeks prior to the retreat date.
  • Other medications you must suspend taking are: decongestants, cold medications, allergy medications,  antihistamines, sedatives, tranquilisers, amphetamines (including Adderall), some hypertensive medications,  sympathomimetic amines including pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, carbamazipine, methylphemidate (Ritalin),  macromerine, phenelanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, asarone/calamus, asthma inhalers, 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 (medicines which have Bromarest-DM or – DX), Dimetane-DX cough syrup, Dristan Cold & Flu, Phenergan  with Dextromethorphan, Robitussin-DM, Vicks formula 44-D; Tylenol medicines, in generals drugs with DM or Tuss in its name.
  • If you have a heart condition or chronic high blood pressure please let us know immediately. Ayahuasca may cause increases in blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature.
  • It can be dangerous to those with a history of psychological ilnesses, Bipolar disorders, Borderline personality disorder, Schizophrenia, psychosis and mania are mental ilnesses that are contraindicated with the usage of this plant medicine.
  • The consumption of Ayahuasca isn’t possible if you suffer from: hepatic conditions, tuberculosis, serious asthma, cancer or any other autoimmune diseases, crohn disease or intestinal ulcers, advanced diabetes, mental illness or having recently undergone surgery.
  • It is extremely important not to be taking any other strong plant medicines close to retreats. Such as Chiric Sanango, Wayra Caspi, Toe, Mushrooms, Iboga, etc. This is because other plants may  interfere with the ayahuasca energy and provoke undesirable reactions.
  • These illegal or recreational drugs are very dangerous in combination with ayahuasca: Cocaine, Amphetamines (meth-, dex-, amphetamine), MDMA (Ecstasy), MDA, MDEA, PMA, Dextromethorphan (DXM), Opiates, Mescaline (any phenethylamine), Barbiturates, Cannabis
  • Herbs: St. John’s Wort (Hypericum Perforatum), Kava, Kratom, Ephedra, Ginseng, Yohimbe, Sinicuichi, Rhodiola, Rosea, Kanna, Boswellia, Nutmeg, Scotch Broom, Licorice Root, Kratom

Diet to Follow

in preparation for the retreat and ceremonies

Please avoid the following for at least 4 weeks prior to your retreat

Pork and pork products (including broths)

Psychedelic and/or psychoactive medicines

Recreational drugs or substances (including alcohol and cannabis)

Pharmaceutical or over-the-counter medications

Please avoid the following for at least 2 weeks prior to your retreat

Red Meat

Sexual activity with self and others

Limit highly processed foods

Limit salt and foods high in salt

Limit processed sugar

Limit foods high in oils

Spicy foods

Please avoid the following for at least 1 week prior to your retreat

Caffeine

Dairy

Refined sugars

Pickled, fermented, and smoked foods

Overly ripe foods

Adrenaline-inducing activities (extreme sports)

Questions about the

Safety Diet

We recommend eating foods that are as fresh as possible and not overripe, preserved, smoked, cured, salted, or spoiled in any way.

We suggest stir-fried, steamed, or raw vegetables. Millet, brown rice, quinoa, and other whole grains, especially sprouted grains, are beneficial.

If you digest raw foods well, emphasize salads, raw fruits, and raw juices. If you digest chicken, fish, and other white meats, small amounts of these foods can be supportive.

Be mindful of your intake of tyramine in certain kombucha drinks or in overripe avocados and bananas.

Salt and sodium are traditionally avoided completely. If you feel your body needs some salt, we recommend Himalayan salt or sea salt.

Salt can block the visual component of this medicine work. In this tribe, we have seen that it affects the absorption of the medicine—both physically and psychologically—making the experience less deep when salty or sodium-laden foods have been consumed.

Smoking cannabis before the ayahuasca session may stupefy and darken the overall experience, acting as a blockage for the visionary plant to manifest in its fullest way.

Given the amplified sensitivity of all participants in an ayahuasca session, cannabis can sometimes negatively affect not just the person who used it, but also other participants’ experiences and the overall energy level of the medicine circle.

Spiritual recommendations in preparation

  • In our tradition it is essential to start working with plant technology leading up to our ceremonies, to prepare our bodies for the medicine. Do three days of bitter baths followed by three days of sweet baths before you come to the ceremony.

  •  We also recommend that you make a spiritual payment before you come to the ceremony. A spiritual payment is a way of making an offering to the Creator with a specific intention. You can do a spiritual payment with the intention of receiving reconciliation and forgiveness, for clarity & guidance about a situation or theme in your life, or simply to prepare you for the upcoming ceremonies.

  • It’s important to start working with your intention in the days leading up to the ceremonies and to cultivate a practice of meditation, yoga, and prayer. Through these spiritual practices, we will be supported to dive deeply into our healing, growth, and evolution. The ancestors teach that the more we open our hearts and ready our spirit the more we will receive.

Download our booklet for making sweet and bitter baths, perform spiritual payments and more!

The Plant Bath Guide

"An essential tool to cleanse the subtle body and prepare for ceremony."

DOWNLOAD NOW