Guiding principles on the Ayahuasca Journey
The Map is not the territory but it is a powerful tool to ease the Journey.
I dedicated my life to mapping the road of self discovery through the Healing Arts.
My exploration and worldwide studies over the last 20 years, allowed me to experience and work with different healing systems and technologies.
I believe in bringing together the east and west through blending ancient practices and modern technology.
My wish is to expand the current western healing paradigm by integrating ancient, proven practices such as the sacred Ayahuasca Journeys to expand our awareness and unlock human potential.
I offer this Map with a pure intention to support others on this Journey of healing and self discovery with the Mother Ayahuasca.
1. Commitment
My experience is that the Ayahuasca comes into your Life and calls you. Maybe you read an article about it, meet people who already have experiences with it or hear about it in casual conversation, it can happen in many ways, reading about it right now can be a sign, a form of communication.
The important thing is that everyone has to make their own decisions. We respect each other's paths with or without the use of this medicine. This is the beginning of taking responsibility and make a decision for yourself based on your own feelings and intuition.
Educating yourself and doing your own research on this topic will assist you make an informed, responsible decision.
The Mother Ayahusca is a natural and safe medicinal plant, however there are some contraindications that we have to be aware to avoid possible complications.
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Taking responsibility
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Making your own decisions based on your own feelings
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Gathering information, research
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Contraindications (click here)
“Making an informed, responsible decision and commit to change is the first step on the Journey”
“An experienced guide is our most important and useful resource on the Journey”
“You always get what you ask for just not always the way you expected it”
2. Choosing a Guide
An experienced guide, mentor is a seasoned traveler on the path who is a symbol of guiding principles.
The purpose of the guide is to make the Journey easier and faster by offering tools, courage and companionship, helping the traveler to move through the emerging obstacles and creating a safe place without judgement where we can always be vulnerable, honest and center yourself regardless of the circumstances.
It is my experience that a guide is the most important and useful resource on this Journey.
The biggest risk not having a guide is to stuck in fear and negative discomfort that can result abandoning the healing journey and not receiving the gifts. The support and comfort of a guide can greatly reduce the discomfort that surfaces during this transformation process.
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The guide is an experienced traveler
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Assures a faster and more pleasant Journey
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Creating a safe place, container
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Providing guidance, resources and companionship
3. Preparation - Clarifying personal intention
Once you have made your decision and have chosen a guide, it is time for you to prepare for the ceremony.
Personal Prayer
A pure intention is a must to work with this powerful medicine. Clarifying your intention is very important as this is an opportunity to focus your energy into a specific area what you wish to change.
The more clear and specific you are with your intention the more precise the outcome will be for you.
Think you are in a presence of God and you can ask for anything and it is assured that your wish will be granted – what would you ask for for yourself and for the world?
Keeping a Journal
Journaling is another powerful ally on our Journey.
Journaling is a great tool to cultivate awareness, self reflection, and introduce a mindfulness practice into our everyday life.
Keeping a Journal and dedicating it to the healing Journey helps us to see our inner landscape, appreciate how far we have come and acknowledge what needs to change.
The journal can be a true mirror to us reflecting both of our Shadow and our Light our gifts and challenges.
Dieta - purification
At least one week before the ceremony avoid, meat, fat, dairy, strong spices, heavy meals, mind altering substances (drugs, alcohol, marijuana) and sexual activity.
The purpose of this cleanse is to purify yourself and experience possibly less discomfort during the Journey.
Avoiding distractions such as food and mind altering substances you will conserve your energy and bring your focus inwards to prepare for the Journey.
Writing your personal Prayer
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Why do you want to undertake this Journey and what are you hoping to get out of it?
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What do you want to change in your Life and why?
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What do you want to let go of?
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What do you want to receive more of?
Journal - true mirror
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Write down what are you thinking about
Write down how are you feeling
Write about what happens in
your life
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Write without censorship
Write on a regular basis
Observe recurring themes
Read your Journal back
Diet - purification
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Avoid meat, fat, dairy, spices
Mind altering substances
Sexual activity
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Rest, reflect, focus inwards
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Ceremonial Circle Energetic portal Safety and protection
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Sacred Songs Surgical Instruments Sit up, breathe, surrender
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Timing and location
4. The Ayahuasca Ceremony - Initiation
When you are choosing your circle it is important to consider where and when the ceremony is going to take place, how many and what kind of people are going to participate, who is gonna lead the ceremony and where is the medicine coming from.
The ceremonial Circle
Gathering together in a circle to heal is an ancient tradition. In a circle we create an energetic portal through our love, community and healing intentions that allows us to connect with our divine consciousness. This sacred space provides safety and protection so we can fully open and receive deep healing, insights and understandings.
The circle is traditionally led by an Ayahuscero (an Ayahusca shaman) but in certain traditions like the Santa Daime the ceremony is led by a circle of singers and musicians.
Sacred Songs
Scared prayer songs, hymns, Icaros are important part of the ceremony and they serve as surgical instruments to facilitate healing and transformation.
Location and timing
Usually the ceremony starts in the evening, in the dark hours and takes place somewhere in nature in a remote, safe, womb like environment. Most ceremonies last overnight and have a specific structure depending on the tradition.
During the ceremony is good to stay seated, focus on your breathing and surrender to the process.
When choosing the time of the ceremony remember to take time for yourself before and after for a proper preparation and integration.
5. The 3 waves of Integration
It is my experience that the healing Journey takes time and includes an active integration process. This process happens in cycles and follows a certain rhythm that we can utilize and follow.
Your Guide is your ally
During the integration process the guide is an invaluable tool to support with regular integration sessions.
It is my belief that without proper integration we miss great healing opportunities, get stuck and experience unnecessary pain and discomfort during the Journey.
You are the Healer
I believe that the medicine or the ceremony itself doesn't heal you. Only you have the power to heal yourself. You are your healer. The Mother Ayahuasca simply helps you to 'see' where you got stuck, sidetracked and illuminates your way back to your higher expression.
You have to take action and dedicate yourself to your transformation. Through this participatory process you recover your gifts, your heart, your power, freedom and confidence.
Integration process
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Participatory process
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Takes dedication and work
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You are the Healer
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Your guide is the biggest ally
“Practicing new awareness and embody teachings and gifts you received in your healing Journey”
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Oppenness and Sensitivity
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Need for quiet, natural, nurturing environment Withdrawal, grounding
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Self care and diet
“Only you have the power to heal yourself through a creative process of self transformation”
First week of integration
It takes about 3 days for the Mother Ayahusca to fully leave your physical body. During the first week your energetic body (aura) is fully open and expanded then you return gradually into your physical body and start grounding back into the Earth.
During this time you are extremely sensitive on all levels and beyond your five senses. You are wide open and easily absorb any energy from around you.
Therefore it is outmost importance that you surround yourself with a quiet, natural, nurturing environment and are conscious of the energies around you. This includes people, places and activities.
Self care is vital. It is a good idea to receive a healing session, swim in the ocean, participate in a sweatlodge or do yoga to return, ground and center yourself.
One week after the ceremony you can slowly return to your normal diet but keep avoiding mind altering substances and sexual activity during the next 4 weeks of the integration process.
1. First wave of integration
The first 4 weeks are usually the most intense when our challenges emerge with a great force and play out in our everyday lives.
This is also the time for us to see how do we limit and sabotage ourselves and perpetuate old, unconscious patterns, behaviors.
Commitment to truth and radical honesty is needed to see what needs to change, transformed and let go. This is a great opportunity to become aware and let go old patterns, beliefs, behaviors that are not serving us anymore and release painful memories that attach us to the past.
Grief and sadness, feeling down and a sense of loss, loneliness often part of these first few weeks.
What we really experience is a death of an old self, an old aspect of us who is ready to transform and expand.
Presence and awareness is the key during this time.
Having weekly sessions with our guide and journaling will support us to release emotions, practice mindfulness and stay centered during this turbulent time.
Ideally you want to withdraw during this transition time, reflect, introspect, nurture and nourish yourself receive lots of receive support, guidance, healing sessions that facilitate letting go.
The key here is gentleness and surrender and the process. Spend lots of time in nature, in silence, limit any kind of distraction and observe your internal landscape.
The more you are distracted from this process, the more likely is to miss great insights and opportunities for healing and letting go.
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Challenges emerge and play out
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Emotional overwhelm Sense of loss
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Radical honesty Introspection Practicing mindfulness
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Receiving support Personal Guidance Gentleness, nourishment
“Dying to the old Self
Letting go of what was
Dropping into presence”
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Stabilization Breakthroughs Confidence and clarity
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New Self emerging Start embodying teachings in your life
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Receiving gifts Sense of connectedness Personal support
“New Self emerging
Centering”
2. Second wave of integration
During the second and third month after the Ceremony most people stabilize and experience some positive breakthroughs, physical changes in their everyday lives.
There is much more clarity and confidence and a feeling of lightness like leaving some burdens behind. Generally feeling more relaxed and present with a sense of appreciation and gratitude.
The grounding continues and we feel more balanced and connected to ourselves and Mother Earth.
During this period a stronger sense of inner peace can arise that is a result of deeper understanding, acceptance,forgiveness leaving the past behind.
A sense of a new self is starting to emerge, a new way of being as we practice and embody what we learn through the Journey.
Keeping a daily journal is still very important and practicing self reflection as well as having regular sessions with your guide at least every two weeks during this period.
We are still receiving many gifts, teachings and insights through these weeks and have an opportunity to deeply look within, heal and really let go.
It is important to keep your focus still on your healing process while slowly integrating back to your everyday life
3. Third wave of integration
In the 4-6 months after the Ceremony we experience more stability and clarity in general. Our talents start to manifest and a deep need arises to go beyond the self and share our gifts with the world.
At the same time the third wave of integration often brings up a deeper layer of an old pattern, behavior that we worked with previously. It is important to remember that this is not a regression but part of a deeper healing, letting go.
It is vital to keep trusting in the process instead of doing the blame game and feel guilty about the perceived regression or failure.
Journaling and continuing the integration sessions at least once a month during this period provides ease, comfort and clarity.
By this time the sign of transformation is visible in our lives, health, work and relationships and we feel a sense of release and achievement after a work well done.
As a result of our Journey we are coming to a sense of connectedness, peace, flow, ease and simplicity in our everyday life.
The Journey keeps unfolding in the next 6 months giving us opportunity to an even deeper letting go and the full embodiment of the our true connected Self.
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Stability and clarity Sense of connectedness Flow, ease, simplicity Presence, inner peace
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Gifts arising Being in service to the world
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Old pattern arising for deeper healing and let go
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Deeper integration Introspection and support
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Coming home Sharing your gifts Being and example
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Fundamental life changes as a result of committed healing work
6. The Rewards - gifts of the Journey
The last part of the healing Journey is the return, coming back home from the journey, bringing your gifts back and sharing it with others. This generally means bringing more harmony and healing to the world, your life and personal relationships by practicing what you have learned from your Journey.
Remember that you get out what you put in. If you don't receive fully what you asked for it is likely that you haven't completed fully the Journey yet or got stuck somewhere in the process. A sign of this can be feeling confused, afraid or holding blame for others or the medicine for your problems.
I want to emphasize again that just by participating in an Ayahusca ceremony will probably not be sufficient to achieve the these results. My experience is that people in general who succeed usually receive great deal of personal support.They put their healing work as an absolute priority and willing to dedicate themselves fully to the transformation process.
As a result of this conscious, committed healing work, and undertaking this Journey most people experience a fundamental change in their everyday life. This many times includes change of location, home, career and personal relationships. The following are examples of what is possible due to this dedicated healing work.
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Increased self confidence, feeling more authentic and real
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Strong inner guidance, intuition
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Feeling safe and welcomed in this world
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Less fear and judgement, embracing change
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Attitude of gratitude
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Feeling more relaxed, more at ease, inner peace
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More present in the moment, mindfulness
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More acceptance with the self and others
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Better relationship, better communication with love and honesty
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Deeper level of trust in the self and in life in general
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Experience of more simplicity, ease and flow in life
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Sense of purpose, need for being in service to the world
Thank you for Undertaking this Journey.