Physical Preparation - The Dieta

"The body is a sacred garment. It's your first and last garment; it is what you enter life in and what you depart life with, and it should be treated with honor."

Martha Graham

 

The practices and dietary protocols leading up to a ceremony are known as a Dieta ⁠— and though the word most obviously refers to food intake, the preparatory practices extend to behavioral abstinence and spiritual practices, as well.

The way we physically prepare our body for an expanded state of consciousness is of utmost importance ~ to diet, to cleanse and purify for the specific purpose of enhancing the healing potential of a journey.

Simply stated, it is best to simplify your diet as much as possible in the weeks leading up to the ceremony. Eliminate processed foods, colorings, and preservatives; avoid salty, sugary, and spicy foods; cut out animal products, particularly meat; and eliminate all sexual activity, addictive substances like alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, and recreational drugs. Avoid cannabis and other psychoactive substances for a minimum of one week before the journey.

Try sticking to wholesome organic meals. Drink plenty of water and light herbal teas. Avoid coffee or strong black tea.

If there are questions or concerns, we require that you inform us of all medications you are taking, or have been recently taking, and we highly recommend you speak with your physician. Some medications are compatible with the medicine you are going to journey with and some are NOT.

In appropriate circumstances we will work with members and ceremonial participants in determining if, and in what time frame, they can eliminate their reliance on prescription drugs where possible, particularly if they are on MAOI or SSRI drugs. These medications will interfere directly with the effects of many natural entheogens, and, in some cases, the interaction can have serious health repercussions. Again, it is important to speak with your physician on IF it is safe to stop your medications and if so, how to do so safely.

DO NOT attempt to participate in a ceremony involving the consumption of plant medicines while taking these medications and always consult with us first.  IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL MEMBERS AND CERMONIAL PARTICIPANTS BE 100% TRUTHFUL AND ACCURATE WHEN DIVULGING THEIR CURRENT MEDICATIONS AND PRIOR MEDICAL HISTORY.

 

SEX

The most potential change in behavior suggested before meeting the plant spirits is abstinence from sexual activity, both with others and on your own. 

Sexual activity with yourself is said to deplete the individual of spiritual energy that would otherwise be used in the healing process during the plant medicine ceremony, limiting your ability to dive deep and preventing the medicine from communicating with you clearly.

SLEEP 

Sleep at least 7 to 8 hours for three days before and after the journey and take naps if you feel tired from your activities. Take care to cleanse and purify your physical body so that you feel ready for that your experience, using sage, incense, and salt baths. Go into nature to stay grounded. You want to move stagnant energy out of the body, and on the other hand, you want to quiet the physical system. You want to go into a journey with a sense of vitality, yet rested enough for the experience. It can be helpful to get a massage or go to a sauna to begin the process of relaxation. It is a matter of discernment and balance.

THE DIETA

 

Foods to avoid

o Dairy products (highly mucus forming)

o Red meat (pork, beef, goat, tuna, eel, etc.)

o Processed, canned, sulfured food and chemical preservatives

o Fermented and aged foods such as soy sauce, fermented dairy products, soybean paste, tofu, bean curd, miso soup, teriyaki sauce, shrimp paste and pickled foods

o Sourdough bread

o Processed sweets, chocolate, and anything with refined sugar and products containing sugar (e.g., bread, sauces) unless homemade!

o Artificial sweeteners

o Spicy and excessively salty foods

o Products high in gluten such as cakes, cookies, and white bread

o Various protein- and yeast-based extracts or supplements

o Overripe fruits (e.g., bananas)

o Onions, garlic

o Pineapple

o Papaya

o Avocado

o Coffee

o Black, green, kava, matcha tea

o Alcohol of any type, including wine and beer, even minimal amounts in cough syrups

o All street and recreational drugs, including Marijuana

o Violent films and video games

o Other intense psycho-mental or spiritual stimulation

o Specific medicinal herbs such as: St. Johns Wort, Kava, Ephedra, Ginseng, Yohimbe, Sinicuichi, Kratom

o Any form of sexual contact, including masturbation

Preferred food

• Fresh, locally grown, organic foods!

• Organic fruits

• Organic vegetables

• Organic grilled chicken

• Fresh wild-caught fish

• Organic eggs

• Oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, rice

• Homemade bread, gluten-free

• Raw cashews or almonds, unsalted

• Little salt

• Coconut or olive oil, sparingly

• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated

• Herbal teas

 To prepare carefully, read over, and follow the guidelines:

Specific restrictions with potentially LETHAL interactions:

• Antidepressants: SSRI's, MAOI's, Serotonin enhancing medicines like Seroquel, Antihistamines, medication for colds, sinus problems, hay fever or allergies, sleep aids
• Medicine for asthma, bronchitis or other breathing problems
• Antipsychotics
• Appetite suppressants (diet pills)
• Central nervous system depressants
• Opiates or synthetic opioids, Morphine, Vicodin ...and the like
• Amphetamines Ritalin, Adderall Dexedrine, Benzedrine and the like
• Do not take anything other than an aspirin/ibuprofen within 10 days without consulting us first
• Prescription drugs against high blood pressure, please notify us what kind you are taking
• Anyone taking antidepressant medications will not be permitted to participate
• Antidepressants must be stopped at least 2-4 weeks before the ceremony! Please contact your doctor and inform us
• Women who are pregnant are not permitted to participate
• Dental: Please, do not schedule any dental work or surgery one week prior to and following a ceremony!!

DO NOT STOP TAKING ANY PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR DOCTOR.

 

Clearing out your digestive system from fatty and heavy foods, your circulation from intoxicants, and your mind from impure thoughts, certainly has its benefits. But they don't always come easily.

 

Many of us “medicate” ourselves with unhealthy food; thus removing all those tasty dishes can be irritating. This is part of the surrender and discipline process necessary for making the most of the experience. Plus, the Dieta will make you feel healthier and perhaps better prepared, more ready for challenges, with a clearer mind to focus on your intentions. It also brings an energetic balance to your system, allowing the medicine to do its work more effectively. Some of the items on the list are included for the purpose of bringing you to an optimal physiological and spiritual state to receive the medicine, while others are there for factual health reasons.

At least 8 weeks before:

 

Any medication that has an effect on the serotonin system, including Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and MAOI drugs, should be cleared from your body through a slow weaning process with advice from your doctor, so you are completely off your medication until at least 4 weeks before the actual ceremony.

 

At least 4 weeks before:

 

Eliminate pharmaceutical drugs (prescription & over the counter). This includes allergy pills, hormonal supplements, NSAIDs, and more. Again, always consult with a medical professional and us first.

 

At least 1 week before:

 

Start the DIETA that we have provided you.