Plant Dieta
Plant dietas are an integral part of Amazonian shamanic practices. These dietas involve a period of isolation, during which a participant consumes a specific plant or a combination of plants chosen by the curandero, in combination with food restrictions and restrictions on all types of sexual activity. The purpose of the dieta is to establish a strong and direct connection between the participant and the spirit of the chosen plant and initiate profound healing and transformation.
The process of selecting the right plant for a dieta is by the curandero’s knowledge and guidance based on what is investigated and seen in an Ayahuasca ceremony. The Curandero chooses plants that possess the necessary medicinal attribute to address the participant’s specific needs in that specific moment in time. More experienced dieter’s may choose their own plant with which to undertake a dieta.
During a dieta, participants typically isolate themselves in the jungle or a secluded area. At Yachay Wasi, each dietero has his or her own private Tambo where they undertake their dieta. Following the dietary restrictions, which exclude all spicey, oily, salty, sweet and acidic foods, stimulants, and even social interactions, helps the dietero to increase their sensitivity by minimizing external distractions and allows one to open up to the subtle energies of the plant, which facilitates the learning and enhances the connection with the plant spirit.
The restricted diet, combined with the plant’s effects, purifies the participant’s body, mind, and spirit, thereby facilitating deep healing and self-discovery.
Participants often receive insights, visions, and teachings from the plant spirits during the dieta. These experiences can provide profound understanding of one’s life, purpose, and the nature of reality.
After completing the dieta, participants work to integrate the experiences and lessons learned into their daily lives. This can involve incorporating new habits, attitudes, and ways of being, and one of the most important aspects of the integration is maintaining a very clean post-dieta, meaning, a shedding of old self-limiting habits and behaviours which no longer serve one’s highest purpose.
We recommend during and after a retreat or dieta, that the dieter develop a discipline or practice such as yoga, meditation, writing and/or a form of artistic expression as we find that these practices are exceptionally powerful in that they allow the participant to develop a stronger connection with the body, a very important aspect of healing. In addition, artistic expression helps us to integrate our lessons, experiences and stay centred.
All guests visiting Yachay Wasi for an Ayahuasca retreat or plant diet remain on dieta which drives the healing, purification and transformation to profound levels. The importance of the dieta cannot and should not be underestimated, as the dieta is where the hard-resets, rewiring and reconnecting are really happening between the ceremonies, the absolute pre-requisites for permanent change.
What is also important to note is that the dieta is a sacred process, an agreement between the chosen plant spirit, the curandero and the patient. The patient agrees to adhere to the restrictions of the dieta, the curandero agrees to facilitate the dieta between the plant and the patient, and the plant spirit agrees to purify and teach the patient, therefore it is imperative that the dietero honours the strict rules of the dieta, as a dieta broken earlier than the agreed time may have implications on the health and well-being of the patient.
Quite often the dieta can be a difficult journey as one is confronted with strong emotional upheavals, trauma and shadow aspects, yet when one passes through the “pruebas” or tests that the plants bring up, a new found strength and peace may certainly follow.
Understandably, due to the time limitations of our occupations and other aspects of our lives, not all guests are able to participate in a plant dieta for 14 days or more, so if you’d like a custom program to suit a shorter time frame, please contact us and we will be happy to tailor a program for you.
14-day plant dieta
USD $1650
(Includes 2 Ayahuasca ceremonies, plant baths, other medicinal treatments as needed).
14-day Ayahuasca retreat
USD $1850
(Includes 6 Ayahuasca ceremonies, dieta, plant baths, other medicinal treatments as needed).
21-day plant dieta
USD $2350
(Includes 3 Ayahuasca ceremonies, plant baths, other medicinal treatments as needed).
30-day plant dieta
USD $3150
(Includes 4 Ayahuasca ceremonies, plant baths, other medicinal treatments as needed).