Ayahuasca is an Amazonian plant medicine that has been used in a sacred context by indigenous and mestizo healers in Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil for hundreds, and possibly thousands, of years. Made from the mixture of 2 (or more) plants found in the Amazon jungle – the ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi), and the chacruna leaf (Psychotria viridis), which contains the powerful psychoactive dimethyletryptamine (DMT), it is a brew capable of inducing altered states of consciousness. The word ayahuasca is based in the Quechua language and translates to “vine of the soul” or “vine of the spirits”. It goes by many different names according to region, such as oni, caapi, natema, yajé, yagé, nepe, shuri, kamalampi, kaji and others throughout the Amazon Basin1. Traditionally, ayahuasca has been used in a variety of contexts: as a therapeutic tool to diagnose and treat illness; as a means of shamanic communication; and for the communal purposes of hunting magic, warfare, and collective ritual. While the true origins of ayahuasca have been lost to history, with no written records prior to the 16th century Amazon invasion of Spanish conquistadors, archaeological evidence suggests its use stretches back at least two millennia. Its practice and spread since appears to be as complex and diverse as the people who use it, embodying and blending various cultural frameworks, spiritual belief systems, economic and political landscapes, and social hierarchies. Today, it is the foundation for the traditional medicine systems of over 75 different cultures in the Amazon, and has spread to various regions across the globe, offering healing for many illnesses and dis-ease where modern medicine has failed.
Indigenous communities have found these plant medicines because they are a vehicle to connect to the spirit world. They enter a celestially altered state to bring information and healing from the invisible to the visible world. These are not hallucinations; instead, they are opening their senses to perceive the more subtle dimensions of existence
Yes, we are fortunate to offer Ortiga, a class of stinging nettles from the Amazon, during our ceremonies at Blue Spirit. This powerful healing plant is deeply rooted in the Inga tradition and is a key element in the Yage tradition.
During the initial part of the healing process in ceremonies, Ortiga is gently applied to the body. This plant works on the spiritual, emotional, and physical levels. When its thorns touch the skin, they deliver ancestral wisdom from the grandfathers and grandmothers, which is absorbed through the pores. Ortiga helps clear out stagnation and old memories that are stored in the body.
The subtle body, which connects the physical body to the spirit, often holds karmic imprints, traumas, and thought patterns. Ortiga is one of the most powerful tools to release this energetic stagnation. Additionally, it promotes physical healing by oxygenating the blood and reducing inflammation. As one of our most cherished plant allies, Ortiga’s spirit guides its sacred use.
In this lineage, we recognize four types of visions. The first is the type most people think of when they hear the word “vision”—sacred geometry, encounters with ancestors, spirit guides, divine beings, animals, or other elements that bring clarity and guidance.
The second type involves auditory guidance. Here, we may receive consultations from spirit guides, the medicine, teachers, or our own intuition. These messages are meant to help us walk forward in life with truth and love.
The third type is what we call celestial surgery, which can manifest as physical sensations such as pain, heat, cold, or movement of energy. These sensations indicate that the medicine’s healers are performing a spiritual surgery, healing an energetic imprint in the subtle body or preventing one that may manifest in the future.
The fourth type occurs when none of the above experiences happen, and we don’t feel the effects of the medicine in the traditional sense. In these cases, the medicine may induce a sort of amnesia, allowing it to work in the background, going back to the origin of our spirit in nature to heal something deep that has been weighing on us.
So, yes, everyone experiences visions in some form. Each reaction is a type of vision. With time, patience, and dedication, the path unfolds further, and the depth of these visions continues to expand, allowing for deeper connection and study with the medicine.
The most important thing is to listen to your heart and see if you feel called to work with plant medicine. This is just one of many paths, all of which lead to the same destination: existential liberation.
Each of us is unique—we carry different lineages, face different blocks, and require different tools to support our awakening. Plant medicines are particularly powerful in their ability to assist in our healing journey.
If you feel this call, it’s likely your spirit is signaling that this may be helpful for your next steps in awakening. You are also free to try the medicine and see if it resonates with you. If it doesn’t, there are many other paths to explore. However, it’s essential to experience plant medicine within an authentic lineage, where you’ll be held safely and receive proper support.
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.
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.
in preparation for the retreat and ceremonies
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
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
Caffeine
Dairy
Refined sugars
Pickled, fermented, and smoked foods
Overly ripe foods
Adrenaline-inducing activities (extreme sports)
We recommend eating foods that are as fresh as possible and not overripe, preserved, smoked, cured, salted or spoiled in any way. We recommend 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 intake of Tyramine in certain Kombucha drinks, or in overripe avocados or bananas.
Salt and sodium are traditionally avoided completely. If you feel your body needs some salt then we would recommend Himalayan salt or sea salt. Salt can block the visual component of this medicine work. In this tribe we have seen it affects the absorption of the medicine, physically and psychologically, is not as deep when we have consumed salty or sodium-laden foods.
Smoking cannabis before the ayahuasca session may possibly stupefy and darken the overall experience acting as a blockage for the visionary plant to manifest in the fullest way. Given the general amplified sensitivity of all participants of ayahuasca session, cannabis can sometimes negatively affect not just the person who used it, but also potentially other participants’ experiences as well as the overall energy level of the medicine circle
In ancient times, women understood that their menstrual cycles were intimately connected to the phases of the moon, sharing a 28-day rhythm. In honoring the moon, they recognized this cyclical bond. Within these traditions, when women were menstruating, they would gather in sisterhood to support one another. They would sing, dance, and reflect upon the teachings, guided by the wisdom of their elders. In reverence for this natural process, they began referring to menstruation as “the moon.” As women, we are fortunate to experience this monthly time of cleansing and introspection. Through the nature of our cycles, we are inherently connected to the rhythm of life, allowing us to more readily embark on a spiritual path.
In many indigenous cultures, a woman’s menstrual cycle is honored as a ceremonial time. It is viewed as a gift from Mother Nature, a sacred period of connection, growth, and purification. During this time, medicine women traditionally would refrain from participating in intense rituals, such as plant medicine ceremonies, and from engaging in daily activities like cooking and cleaning.. The menstrual cycle is considered a time for rest, purification, and prayer—a ceremony in its own right. Recognizing the womb as a portal for life, it is treated with the utmost reverence and care during this sacred moment.
In our tradition, menstruation is regarded as a profound period of purification for women—encompassing physical, energetic, and emotional dimensions. Yagé (Ayahuasca) is similarly recognized as a powerful cleansing medicine, often inducing purging, diarrhea, and temporary physical weakness. The concurrent undertaking of these two potent purification processes is considered excessively intense, akin to subjecting oneself to dual, rigorous cleanses simultaneously. Consequently, women are advised against consuming Yagé during their menstrual cycle. This guideline is rooted in extensive observation and study by our community elders, who have consistently noted that combining menstruation with Yagé frequently leads to considerable physical and emotional strain. In respect for these natural processes and the potent energies at play, this tradition is maintained to safeguard the well-being of all participants.
We offer several retreats throughout the year, and we recommend that you join us when the likelihood of your menstrual cycle coinciding with the ceremonies is minimal. Our ceremonies are held on Mondays and Tuesdays on our Blue Spirit retreats, so we advise you to plan around your cycle to ensure it does not overlap with these days. If your cycle changes closer to the retreat and coincides with the ceremonial days, we can offer a refund so you can attend a future retreat.
When my moon arrived the night before the first ceremony, I initially felt a wave of disappointment. I had come to view my menstrual cycle as a sacred time, yet the old feelings of “inconvenience” resurfaced. However, after speaking with female facilitators and reflecting, I began to understand that the plant’s spirit works in mysterious ways.
Instead of participating in the Ayahuasca ceremony, I was guided to a Moon Ceremony led by medicine women. This sacred gathering taught me about the deep spiritual reverence for the menstrual cycle, honored as a ceremony in itself. Surrounded by supportive women, I received a transformative three-part ritual involving sacred plants and a journey with mushrooms, which offered profound healing and insight.
Most people don’t go on an ayahuasca retreat with the intention of having to miss an ayahuasca ceremony and I was no exception. This change of plans however ended up being a very happy accident. The combination of my moon cycle, the mushroom medicine, and powerful female guides, created an incredibly sacred experience. I had an even more profound journey during the moon ceremony than my first night with the ayahuasca. Sathya and the team created a beautiful serene and safe space that allowed me to go deep. My journey was accompanied by beautiful guitar music, a comfortable setting near a fire, singing and shamanic cleansing. Next time I return, the sacred moon ceremony will be the main event.
We understand the complexities involved in organizing one’s life to participate in a plant medicine ceremony. However, please be aware that if your menstrual cycle begins unexpectedly and overlaps with the ceremony days, you will not be able to participate in the Yagé ceremonies with Taita. In such cases, wel hold a separate moon ceremony for you, where an alternative medicine is offered, usually mushrooms. This ceremony will be conducted with the intention of empowering you and supporting your connection to your sacred time of menstruation. As women, our relationship with our menstrual cycle offers a profound opportunity for deep transformational work.
In our tradition, we recognize that a woman’s energy is exceptionally powerful, particularly during her menstrual cycle when her auric field expands significantly. While this expanded field is imbued with healing energy, it can create interference when it intersects with the potent energies present during ceremonies. In some cases, this interference has been observed to obscure the vision of the Taita or other participants, potentially leading to challenging or confusing experiences for those involved. To ensure the safety and clarity of the ceremonial space for all participants, women within this lineage do not participate in ceremonies during their menstrual period.
Absolutely, your experience within the Moon Ceremony can be just as profound and transformative. Mushrooms, like Yagé, are traditionally recognized as powerful healing earth medicines.While mushrooms do not induce the physical purging that Ayahuasca does, they can facilitate a potent experience of transformation and self-discovery, especially during the sacred time of bleeding.They offer a unique and deeply insightful journey.
The Moon Ceremony is held with the sacred intentions of womanhood and draws upon the ancient teachings of the women elders from the Muisca tribe, who guide women to live in harmony with their natural cycles. This ceremony provides a rare opportunity for modern women to reconnect with their inherent rhythms and embrace the wisdom of their bodies. Sitting in a sacred circle with other women becomes a powerful space for healing. It involves as much intention, depth, and transformative potential as the Ayahuasca ceremonies and can sometimes be exactly what a woman needs at that particular moment in her life.
Moreover, being in community and participating in other various activities with Taita has led many women to experience profound and tailored experience. They find a sense of renewal and empowerment that continues long after the retreat. Many women who attend the Moon Ceremony find it to be a deeply rewarding experience and choose to return for future retreats, drawn by the beauty and power of these sacred gatherings.
