Planning Your Trip
What to Bring: Packing List
Clothing:
For the jungle: keep in mind it’s going to be hot and humid, sometimes getting quite chilly at night.
At least 2 pairs of shorts
Several lightweight t-shirts or shirts
Comfortable, loose-fitting ceremony clothes
At least one pair of lightweight comfy pants or skirt
One sweater or sweatshirt (in case you get cold)
Comfortable clothes for yoga
Light rain jacket/poncho
Walking shoes
Sandals/flip flops/slides
For the mountains: it may be warm during the days, but it can get very cold at night. Pack layers!
At least 1 pair of shorts in case you get warm during the day
At least 2 pairs of comfortable pants
Several lightweight t-shirts or shirts
Comfortable, loose-fitting ceremony clothes
At least one sweater or sweatshirt
Comfortable clothes for yoga
Light rain jacket/poncho or umbrella
Warm jacket
Warm hat, gloves, scarf
Walking shoes
Sandals/flip flops/slides
Other:
Water bottle (important for ceremonies; ideally not glass, opens quietly)
Hat for sun protection
Flashlight or headlamp (& batteries if needed)
Journal or diary and pen
Natural toiletry products (no harsh or strong chemicals; non-fluoride toothpaste, etc.)
Feminine products (even if you’re not expecting... bring more than you think!)
Lighter (you can enter Peru with one)
Extra cash: the Peruvian currency is soles (there will be no opportunities to use an ATM after we pick you up for the retreat)
Suggested/Optional:
Creative materials (sketch pad, colored pencils)
1-2 spiritual books
Sunglasses
Towel (the center does provide towels)
Swim suit (in the jungle for plant baths)
Natural mosquito repellent (link)
Note: we will supply mapachos (jungle tobacco)
Pre-Retreat: Preparing to Drink Ayahuasca
Diet
While your diet before the retreat isn’t the most important part of coming to work with ayahuasca, there are some foods you should avoid and some you should completely abstain from for at least a week before you come. You will feel best prepared for ceremonies if you eat light, healthy, natural foods as much as possible before the retreat.
Eat Sparingly:
You don’t need to cut out salt, but try not to oversalt your food
Processed foods
Very sugary foods, snacks, treats
Dairy
Red meat (best if you cut this out for the week prior)
Caffeine (if you drink coffee daily, it would be a good idea to wean yourself off before coming so you don’t go through caffeine withdrawals at the retreat as there will be no caffeine provided)
Avoid/Abstain from Entirely:
Pork and pork products
Very hot, spicy foods (some spice is okay unless it burns your mouth)
Fermented foods (kimchi, cheeses, sauerkraut, kombucha, etc.)
All energy intensive substances: alcohol, cannabis, any recreational drugs, LSD, mushrooms, ecstasy, any pharmaceuticals that aren’t needed (see below)
Chemical recreational drugs such as cocaine, ecstasy, MDMA, heroine etc. need to be discontinued for at least 2 weeks before and after drinking ayahuasca
So What Should I Eat?
Focus on a fresh, light, healthy, whole foods diet.
Here are some suggestions:
Greens, fresh salads (use non-vinegar dressings: olive oil, lemon juice, almond butter, dash of honey)
Chicken, fish, eggs; chicken soup with hard boiled eggs is a favorite
Whole grains such as rice, quinoa, lentils
Vegetables: fresh or steamed are great
Lemon water
Liver-cleansing herbs: turmeric, ginger, burdock, milk thistle, agrimony, oregon grape
Fruit juices
Superfoods like avocado, blueberries, and nuts
Hydrating foods like oats or chia
Broths
A note on cannabis/marijuana:
Heavy marijuana use can potentially lead to difficulties connecting with ayahuasca. Often people who have been using marijuana regularly for several years can need a few ceremonies to begin to feel the effects of ayahuasca. We recommend that heavy, regular marijuana users discontinue use for at least 1 month (ideally 3 months) before drinking ayahuasca, and that moderate-to-light users discontinue use for 2-4 weeks, to allow for a greater probability of connecting with ayahuasca.
Mental and Energetic Preparation
You are preparing to go on a deep healing journey. It will benefit you to rest, relax, and take care of yourself whenever you can in the weeks leading to the retreat. Beyond the foods listed above, be mindful of everything that you consume, including movies, television, mainstream news, and mindless scrolling.
Take this time to go for nature walks, practice yoga, stretch, meditate, and dig into any hobbies that interest you. Listen to soothing music (here’s a link to Britt’s Medicina playlist on Spotify). Take a bath. Treat yourself well!
Suggested Daily Activities
Morning:
Take 10 deep breaths immediately upon waking
Spend 5-10 minutes writing down your dreams in a dream journal
Say to yourself in the mirror “I love you” 10 times (this one’s powerful!)
Go outside, bare feet on land; get some sun on your face (or any time of day that you can)
Throughout the day:
Take a 15-minute walk after each meal
Do mini check-ins throughout the day to pause, check in with yourself, and see how you’re feeling (you can use the Triple Flame app or just when you think of it)
Sing, hum, allow yourself to make sounds (maybe in the shower or on your walk)
Hydrate: drink plenty of water, tea
Once daily:
Stretch, move your body. If you’re new to yoga, you can try Yoga with Adriene on Youtube
Take 5 minutes for a breathing exercise (you can use Wim Hof’s app, or this Owaken practice on Youtube)
Bedtime:
Don’t look at electronics for 1 hour before bed; read, breathe, meditate, or listen to podcasts instead
It can help to “brain dump,” or write down everything that’s on your mind at bedtime before meditating
Meditate:
It can be very handy to have some meditation experience before entering a ceremony. Insight Timer is a free app that has many lovely meditations. We suggest yoga nidra before bed, and waking up with gratitude or affirmations (it might feel cheesy, but our brains are most malleable when we wake up & go to sleep and these good words can seep into the subconscious easier). Some of our favorite meditation teachers are Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield.
You can try some of Brittany’s meditations here:
Gratitude Breathing (link)
Yoga Nidra with Affirmations (link)
Avoid Sex
Sex (even with yourself) is a powerful energy exchange and/or release. Do your best to abstain from any type of sexual activity for at least one week (preferably two) leading up to the retreat so all of your energy is focused on you and your healing.
Expectations
Our advice is to come with no expectations about ayahuasca. Easier said than done! We know there is a ton of information out there, including documentaries and YouTube videos. However, if you can come with as few expectations as possible, you will be more open and accepting of your unique personal experience, which will be exactly what you need.
Intentions
You may want to consider any intentions you have before coming. What is calling you to the medicine? What are you asking for? Healing? Clarity? Direction? Ayahuasca will give you what you need, and only what you can handle, but we’ve seen the best results when people meet it halfway. An intention can help you get clear about what you want from the experience. Take your time pondering your intention(s); you may find it useful to think about your past experiences and everything that has brought you to this moment, this version of you. But don’t stress if you don’t come up with a concrete intention.
Medication
Prescription Medications
Very important! Many prescription medications do not react well with ayahuasca and can lead to serious and potentially fatal consequences. If you are taking any medications, it is essential that you consult with your doctor about stopping these, and, with your doctor's advice, discontinue any pharmaceutical medications for the advised time period before drinking ayahuasca.
Drinking ayahuasca alongside MAOI and SSRI medications can be potentially life-threatening, and these need to be discontinued for 6-8 weeks before your first ceremony, depending on which type of medication you are taking. These medications usually need to be decreased gradually under a doctor’s supervision. Other prescription medications can have serious side effects alongside ayahuasca and must be discontinued for 2-6 weeks, depending on the medication. Most medications must also not be taken for a period of time afterwards. Please let us know if you have any questions regarding your prescription medications at any time.
Over The Counter/Non-Prescription Medications
Most over the counter and non-prescription medications need to be discontinued for at least a week before drinking ayahuasca. Please let us know if you have any specific questions or concerns, and consult your doctor for further advice around discontinuation.
Herbal Medicines
Some herbal medicines need to be discontinued for at least a week before and after drinking ayahuasca. Please consult with your herbalist for further advice or notify us of your concerns or questions.
Other Plant Medicines
We recommend that you do not partake in any ayahuasca ceremonies before your retreat. We are unable to guarantee the safety or efficacy of any other ceremony. We also recommend that you do not use other psychoactive plant medicines such as mushrooms, iboga, San Pedro etc. in the lead up to your retreat to allow for some space for the ayahuasca to work effectively and to avoid complications with these medicines.
Our exception is if you wish to drink wachuma (a.k.a. San Pedro) with one of the practitioners recommended below. This is fine, either before or after your retreat, but please leave 4-5 days between the wachuma ceremony and your first ayahuasca ceremony.
Wachuma/San Pedro Recommendations
These are the practitioners who we know and trust if you are interested in working with Wachuma, also known as San Pedro:
Beginner-friendly ceremonies in a beautiful garden. Gentle hikes to the Temple of the Moon next door.
Post-Retreat
To have a comfortable integration after the retreat, please follow the pre-retreat guidelines and avoid the same foods, drugs, and activities we outlined for a period of time. These rules are to protect you and to help you best process all the healing work from the retreat.
If at all possible, lay low for at least three days after the retreat. You may need time to rest and recover. It’s best not to have any activities planned directly after your stay with us that require a lot of energy.
Included in the price of our retreats are two follow up integration meetings with each of our guests (one and three months after your retreat), conducted over Zoom, Google Meet, or other video chat platform.
No matter what happens during your retreat, integrating your experiences with ayahuasca into your daily life back home will be essential for the medicine to have a lasting, positive impact on your life. As such, Sowa Charana prides itself on offering the highest quality post-retreat support.
Every member of our team has gone through the process of integrating back into our lives back home several times. Through trial and error, we have each cultivated our own ways of navigating that process with self-compassion and care. We’ve had our share of great experiences and our share of challenging experiences with integration. Between the four of us, we’ll be there to help support you in a way that is tailor-made to your process, experiences, personality, lifestyle, and needs.