How to Prepare for an Ayahuasca & Master Plant Dieta Retreat

Ayahuasca is the grandmother of all plant medicines.

She is ancient, wise, loving, and very honest.

She will show you what needs to change.

She will release what no longer serves you.

She will teach you, sometimes gently, sometimes very directly.

Ayahuasca can be rough. It can bring you face-to-face with parts of yourself you have ignored, avoided, or forgotten. But underneath it all, the work is always about love. Deep, unconditional, endless love.

Ayahuasca works like an onion. She peels away layers of you, one by one. Even if you come in wanting to heal one specific thing, the medicine knows which layer needs attention first.

She works intelligently, not according to the ego’s agenda.

This is why preparation for an ayahuasca retreat or master plant dieta is so important.

Why Preparation for Ayahuasca Matters

Preparing for ayahuasca is not just about food restrictions. It is about creating space, in your body, mind, nervous system, and energetic field.

Good preparation helps you:

• Reduce unnecessary physical discomfort

• Feel emotionally safer and more grounded

• Build a relationship with the medicine before ceremony

• Enter ceremony with trust instead of resistance

Good preparation deepens your relationship with the medicine before the first ceremony.

This is not a checklist, it's care.

Ayahuasca Dieta: What to Avoid & Why

Ayahuasca contains natural MAO-inhibitors, which means certain foods and substances do not combine well with the medicine. Ignoring this can make ceremonies much harder than necessary.

Foods & Substances to Avoid Before Ceremony (ideally 1–2 weeks):

• Alcohol & Sex

• Recreational drugs (including cannabis)

• Red meat and pork

• Fermented foods (aged cheese, soy sauce, miso, kombucha, sauerkraut)

• Processed foods and refined sugar

• Excessive salt and spicy foods

• Caffeine and nicotine

• Overly ripe fruits

What to Eat Instead

• Fresh vegetables (steamed or lightly cooked)

• Rice, quinoa, oats

• Light soups

• Fresh fruits in moderation

• Plenty of water and herbal teas

Eat simply and mindfully. This is a way of showing respect to the medicine and to yourself.

Medications & Health Considerations

This part is very important.

Certain medications do not mix safely with ayahuasca, especially:

• Antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs)

• Anti-anxiety medications

• Some blood pressure medications

• Certain asthma or cold medications

• Appetite suppressants and stimulants

Never stop medication suddenly without medical guidance. Always inform the retreat facilitators honestly and in advance and consult your own doctor when you want to quit or reduce your medications. Safety and transparency protect your experience.

Physical & Mental Health

Extra care is needed if you have:

• A history of psychosis or bipolar disorder

• Serious cardiovascular conditions

• Severe neurological disorders

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding

A responsible ayahuasca retreat will always prioritize safety, transparency, and prioritize medical screening.

Mental & Emotional Preparation

Journalling Before an Ayahuasca Retreat

Daily journalling helps bring unconscious material to the surface and clarifies why you feel called to work with the medicine.

Journal prompts to work with:

• What am I ready to release?

• What patterns keep repeating in my life?

• Where am I not being honest with myself?

• What does healing truly mean to me right now?

• What am I afraid to see, and why?

Bring your journal with you. It becomes an important integration tool.

Grounding Practices Before Ceremony

Ayahuasca works deeply on the nervous system. Grounding practices help you stay present and embodied.

Helpful daily practices:

• Meditation or breathwork

• Gentle yoga or stretching

• Walking barefoot in nature

• Reducing screen time and stimulation

• Spending time in silence

The calmer your system, the more clearly the medicine can work.

How to Set an Intention for Ayahuasca

Intention is essential.

Ayahuasca listens, very closely.

An intention is not a demand. It is a respectful conversation with the medicine.

When to Hold Your Intention

Your intention should already be alive in you before ceremony:

• Hold it during the days leading up

• Carry it with you during your plant bath

• Bring it consciously into the ceremony space

• When you drink the medicine, connect to it

Keep it with you until you feel the medicine begin to work

Once the medicine arrives, you surrender, but the intention has already been received.

How to Phrase an Intention

Clear, humble intentions work best. I recommend starting with:

• “Show me how…”

• “Please help me release…”

• “Please be gentle with me when you show me…”

Examples:

• “Show me how to love myself more deeply.”

• “Please help me release what no longer serves my growth.”

• “Please be gentle with me when you show me the root of my fear.”

• “Show me what I need to see for my healing.”

Avoid rigid expectations. The medicine knows exactly where to guide you.

Book a Discovery Call

One Ceremony Will Not Fix Everything

Ayahuasca is powerful, but healing is a process.

One ceremony rarely “fixes” everything. Most people need multiple ceremonies, time, and integration to truly change deep patterns.

Be cautious of anyone who promises:

• Instant healing

• Guaranteed results

• “One ceremony is enough”

True facilitators respect the long path of growth.

What an Ayahuasca Ceremony Can Look Like

Every ceremony is different.

For every person.

Every time.

The same medicine and the same dose can create completely different experiences. Body size does not determine depth.

Ayahuasca is also not only about visions. Sometimes there are no visuals at all. The medicine may focus on:

• Nervous system regulation

• Emotional release

• Physical cleansing

• Energetic realignment

All of this is valid and meaningful work.

Integration After Ayahuasca & Master Plant Dieta

The ceremony is only the beginning.

Integration is where the real work happens.

Integration means allowing the insights to slowly shape your daily life.

Helpful integration practices:

• Journalling and reflection

• Meditation and gentle movement

• Time in nature

• Community or integration circles

• Making small, conscious life changes

Food & Lifestyle After Ceremony

Integration is also physical. After a retreat or dieta, it is very important to continue dietary care.

For several weeks after ceremony, avoid:

• Alcohol

• Sexual activity

• Spicy foods

• Pork and heavy meats

Breaking your post dieta too quickly can disturb your nervous system and make integration more difficult. Give the medicine time to settle fully into your body and life.

Choosing a Safe Ayahuasca Retreat

Please do your research.

Red Flags

• No medical screening

• No video call

• Unexperienced Maestros, a real Maestro did many dietas and often started his journey on an early age and comes from a lineage of Shamans.

• Unclear facilitator experience

• Pressure to drink or to take more medicine

• Medicine bought on the street or from shops

• No integration support

• Groupsize, you don't want to be in a ceremony where 20 or more people are there.

• The price of the retreat is to high. Who do they want to heal? Themselves or the guests?

• The price of the retreat is to low. This is often an indicator, that they want to fill up spaces and/or the Maestro and facilitators are maybe not paid properly, or they want to earn a quick dollar.

What Truly Matters

• Experienced, grounded facilitators

• Transparency about the medicine

• Proper preparation and aftercare

• Respect for tradition and safety

Where the medicine is made matters.

Who makes it matters.

The intention behind it matters.

Here, at The Garden of Peace, where I currently work, the Maestro prepares the medicine with love and intention, right where the ceremonies take place. This ensures safety, clarity, and energetic integrity.

Why Choose a Master Plant Dieta at the Garden of Peace

A master plant dieta is not just a retreat, it is a deep, disciplined relationship with a plant teacher. This kind of work requires time, silence, respect, and a very stable and safe container.

At the Garden of Peace, the environment fully supports this depth of work.

The land itself is quiet, held, and deeply connected to the plants. The Maestro has walked this path for many years, having done many dietas himself from a young age and coming from a strong lineage. The medicine is prepared on site, with care, intention, and respect, never bought, never rushed, never disconnected from its roots.

During a master plant dieta here, you are not just drinking medicine. You are:

• Living close to nature

• Entering periods of silence and introspection

• Following a strict and supportive dieta

• Being guided with presence and care

• Given space to truly listen, to the plant, and to yourself

My role in this process is to walk alongside you.

I support you before, during, and after the dieta, with preparation guidance, grounding, emotional support, and integration. I am there to help you navigate what comes up, to remind you to stay connected to your intention, and to help translate your experiences into real-life changes.

This is not about rushing healing.

It is about depth, safety, and honesty.

If you feel called to do a master plant dieta, this is a place where the work is taken seriously, held respectfully, and guided with love.

Ready to Walk This Path With Support?

If you feel called to work with ayahuasca or Master Plants in a safe, grounded, and deeply supported way, you are welcome to find out more HERE..

What I Offer:

• Ayahuasca retreats

• Master plant dietas

• Careful preparation guidance

• Integration support after ceremony

My next Ayahuasca and family Constellation retreat is in April 2026.

Spaces are kept small to ensure safety, presence, and personal attention.

Let’s explore your journey with honesty, care, and love.

If you feel the call and want to know about more about this retreat, you can read all about it HERE.

Or book a Discovery Call

Let's have a chat

I’m happy to guide you honestly and walk this path with you ,step by step.

With all my love,

Marije