It is often said that ayahuasca can heal various psychological, emotional, and even physical ailments. However, in my view, this is a false belief. Ayahuasca does not heal; rather, it opens vision. It allows us to “see,” but it does not cure. The Indigenous peoples of the Peruvian Amazon understand this well, particularly the Shipibo-Konibo (Ucayali and Loreto regions), who traditionally heal themselves through what they call the “diet.” Those who are ill traditionally go to a shaman, who prescribes plants to be “dieted” in order to treat ailments that are both physical and non-physical. This is why we recommend the practice of the “diet” in our center, so that therapeutic care can be optimal.
The “diet” consists of the daily ingestion of a specific plant prescribed by the healer according to the patient’s needs. It is taken in the morning on an empty stomach and in the evening before going to bed. This practice is accompanied by strict dietary, social, and sexual restrictions. The main dietary restrictions—though others may apply—include the absence of salt, oil, dairy products, and red meat. The aim is to weaken the patient’s body and mind so that the “dieted” plant can penetrate the body and exert its effects. Isolation is also required, including a ban on using the Internet. However, it is possible to read certain books and listen to certain types of music. During this period, the only outings permitted are short walks in the surrounding mountains.
The consumption of the plant to be “dieted” takes place daily for an average of two weeks. At the end of this period, the patient enters a second phase known as the “post-diet,” during which they participate in ayahuasca rituals with their healer—on average two per week—in order to activate the effects of the “diet” and observe the results. At this stage, salt and oil are gradually reintroduced into meals, very progressively. These dietary changes are intended to help the patient regain strength, even though the diet remains very frugal until the end of the process. Indeed, the body becomes highly sensitive, and it must be maintained in this same vibrational state until the end so that the “dieted” plant can have its maximum effect and sufficient time to establish itself in the person’s body.
The ideal duration for undertaking a “diet” is one to one and a half months, although it may extend over a longer period (up to three months). For those who have limited time, it can be done without a post-diet for a period of ten days to two weeks, with daily consumption of the prescribed plant.
The choice of plant varies according to the individual and the ailments from which they suffer. All the plants offered originate from the Amazon. Some are recommended in cases of depression, to heal childhood wounds, to open the heart, to bring light, and so on. Others work on lack of energy, lack of courage, lack of self-confidence, fear of self-assertion, and related issues.
How does the diet work
Most of us are conditioned by beliefs that are not always accurate, instilled in us from childhood within the family and at school. Many have experienced trauma in childhood and adulthood. All these events create false beliefs within us that we unconsciously align with, and that prevent us from understanding certain behaviors that cause us suffering. The plants that act during the “diet” then work to realign the person emotionally and psychologically.
In other words, they make us aware of our false beliefs and toxic behaviors and bring about a change within us that happens very gradually. This realignment involves an energetic cleansing carried out by the plant and made possible by a drastic diet that cleanses the body of all impurities. Isolation also plays a role, as it brings us into contact with ourselves without any possibility of escape, allowing us to confront our deep personal issues. Some people, who require more intensive energetic or physical cleansing, will need to take plant baths before bedtime or plant-based purgatives taken on an empty stomach.
This process of realignment happens progressively and subtly during and after the “diet.” After some time, one realizes that one no longer thinks as before. One feels in one’s place. One feels stronger, calmer. One feels energetically cleaner. One has more self-confidence. And it is precisely on this essential point that all the plants prescribed during the “diet” work: self-confidence, which is the key to becoming fully oneself and freeing oneself from the fears that limit us.
Some very sensitive people feel the effects of the plants quickly. Others, who are more mental, have more difficulty, especially if it is their first time. This is why it is better to prioritize the necessary duration of the treatment. Therapy often takes place through very significant dreams, even lucid dreams in some cases. Some people will have disturbed sleep due to heightened sensitivity and a deeper understanding of things.
The more one “diets,” the more one realizes that the therapy does not occur simply through contact with plants considered from the perspective of their chemical components, but rather through a relationship that is established between the human patient and the plant they ingest daily—a plant endowed with a spirit and a consciousness that interact with the person in order to heal them, put them in their rightful place, and awaken their consciousness. It is therefore a very powerful experience, whose full scope is not necessarily felt during the first “diet.”
This work also relies on the complementary action of ayahuasca rituals and the healer, as you can read about in the sections dedicated to these subjects.