WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU ARRIVE
An Ayahuasca retreat does not begin on the day of the first ceremony — it begins the moment you decide to come. Many guests describe feeling a connection with the process from that moment on: something has already been set in motion.
Everything we ingest, consume or expose ourselves to leaves an imprint on our body, our energy and our ability to receive. Preparation is not a formality — how you arrive, in body and mind, directly shapes the experience ahead of you.
PHYSICAL PREPARATION
Ayahuasca is sensitive to what we bring into the ceremony: what we eat, the substances we take, the medications we use and how we have lived our lives leading up to the retreat.
It is not about arriving “clean” in some absolute sense — that standard doesn’t exist. It is about reducing unnecessary interference, so that the medicine can work more directly with what truly needs attention. The better prepared you are, the more room the ceremony has for healing rather than clearing.
Preparation goes beyond diet and what we consume. Sleep, relationships, stress levels and time in nature matter just as much — they are harder to measure, but no less important. All of this affects the state you arrive in.
DIETARY GUIDELINES
In the Shipibo tradition, the word dieta does not refer to food alone. It is useful to distinguish between two types of dieta:
- Ayahuasca dieta: a period of deliberate restriction — in food and lifestyle — intended to prepare the body and mind for the work with plant medicines.
- Master plant dieta (dieta de planta maestra): a process during which a person works with a particular teacher plant under the guidance of the Maestro.
The Ayahuasca dieta serves a purpose beyond physical cleansing. How you prepare your body reflects your intention and your respect for the plant medicines. By simplifying what you eat and how you live before the retreat, you help sensitise yourself to the work ahead — becoming more receptive to Ayahuasca and more transparent to the Maestro’s perception.
At Onikano, the approach to diet is grounded and practical. Maestro Niwen Koshi (Heberto García) believes that participants need physical strength to sustain the healing process and that extreme restriction can be counterproductive. The goal is not austerity — it is healing.
At least 2 weeks before the retreat, begin reducing foods that are heavy, stimulating or difficult to digest.
Gradually reduce and avoid 1 week before the retreat
- Fried and ultra-processed foods
- Heavy sauces and strong spices
- Milk and dairy products
- Fermented and cured foods (aged cheese, cured meats, soy sauce)
- Sugar, sweets and industrial pastries
- Coffee and black tea
Avoid completely 1 week before the retreat
- Pork and pork products
- Chilli and other hot peppers
- Alcoholic beverages
- All types of ice cream
Recommended foods
- Vegetables, cooked or raw
- Rice, oats, potatoes, manioc, plantains and other simple carbohydrates
- Fresh fruits and natural juices
- Fish or chicken prepared simply
- Legumes in moderate amounts
- Herbal teas and plenty of water
MEDICATIONS & HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
Ayahuasca contains natural compounds that act as reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). For this reason, it can interact — sometimes dangerously — with certain medications, supplements and substances.
If you are currently taking any medication, research possible interactions, consult your doctor and mention it in your application form. Please do not stop, reduce or change any prescribed medication without medical supervision.
The application form reflects your situation at the time of applying — but medication can change. When you arrive at Onikano, tell the Maestro exactly what you are taking at that moment, so the treatment can be adapted to your current state.
Some medications may need to be discontinued well in advance of working with Ayahuasca. The timeframes below are for guidance only.
Medications with a longer washout period (at least 3 weeks)
- Antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, tricyclics)
- Other medications affecting serotonin
- Antipsychotics and mood stabilisers
- Stimulants or medications affecting dopamine or the central nervous system
- Opioid pain medication
- Herbal supplements affecting serotonin, mood or the nervous system (including St John’s Wort)
Medications that may require a shorter washout period (at least 1 week)
- Antibiotics
- Anti-inflammatory medication
- Respiratory medication
- Benzodiazepines
- Sleep medication
Conditions that require prior assessment
- Serious cardiovascular conditions
- Uncontrolled hypertension
- Epilepsy
- Psychosis
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Cancer or ongoing cancer treatment
- Pregnancy
These conditions do not always mean that participation is impossible, but they must be assessed individually before booking. In some cases, Ayahuasca ceremonies may not be appropriate, but the Maestro may be able to offer alternative treatments through traditional healing practices.
When in doubt, get in touch — many situations can be accommodated with the right preparation and enough advance notice.
RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCES
If you have recently worked with other plant medicines, used psychoactive substances or cannabis, allow at least one week before your first ceremony — and longer for stimulants, opioids, synthetic substances or regular use. This gives your nervous system time to settle before the retreat.
The following substances may create significant adverse interactions with Ayahuasca and should therefore be avoided before and during the retreat:
- Cocaine
- Heroin and other opioids
- Amphetamines and stimulants
- MDMA (Ecstasy), MDA, MDEA, PMA
- LSD
- Synthetic or unknown psychoactive substances
If you have used any of these substances recently or regularly, or have a history of any kind of dependency, please mention it in your application form so your case can be reviewed individually by the Maestro.
SEXUAL ABSTINENCE BEFORE & DURING THE RETREAT
Sexual abstinence is a common requirement in Ayahuasca retreats, although it is rarely explained in depth. This is not a matter of moral judgement or repression, but a necessary condition to preserve the integrity of the process and support the work with plant medicines. What follows is the Maestro’s explanation from within the Shipibo tradition.
Sexual abstinence forms an essential part of the dieta. This includes not only sexual intercourse, but any form of sexual stimulation, including masturbation. To work with Ayahuasca, it is important that the aura remains pure and that the vibration of the body’s magnetic energies is not disturbed.
- During sexual intercourse, the energies of two people unite. When this happens shortly before or during the retreat, the aura carries part of the other person’s energy. This can hinder the connection with the medicine and make it more difficult for the spirits to approach, as the aura must remain pure in order to attract them.
- Masturbation acts differently: it accelerates and stirs the circulation of the body’s energies. This can create blockages, ruptures or holes in the energetic channels. Each medicine has its own magnetism, and when it connects with the magnetism of the body, it raises the person’s vibration. If sexual energy is strongly mobilised during this process, the force of the vibration can double, creating a blockage between the mind and the body.
This explanation does not apply to everyday life — it applies only when a person is within the treatment, with the portals open and the medicine already acting in the body. For this reason, participants are asked to abstain from all sexual activity during the 3 days before the retreat and throughout their entire stay at Onikano.
If you find this requirement difficult to follow, speak openly with the Maestro — he can offer guidance and support.
MENTAL & SPIRITUAL PREPARATION
An Ayahuasca ceremony holds its greatest potential when approached with humility, sincerity and openness. The work begins before you enter the ceremonial space — in how you reflect on what you are carrying, what you hope to understand and what you are willing to release. Clear intentions can be helpful, but it is equally important not to arrive with rigid expectations about what the experience should be.
Before the retreat, take time to reflect honestly on what is calling you to this work. You may ask yourself: What do I truly want to change? What am I avoiding? How honest am I being with myself and the people I love? There are no right answers — only the willingness to look clearly. Keep in mind that resistance to that clarity can often make the experience more difficult.
Ayahuasca does not always respond to our expectations in a direct or predictable way. The medicine brings to the surface what needs attention — not necessarily what the mind wants to address. It will only show you what you are prepared to see. For this reason, trust, patience and surrender are the foundation of the work.
When you enter the ceremonial space, allow yourself to be guided. Do not interfere or resist. You do not need to force visions or search for answers — your only task is to remain open and allow the healing to occur.
Sometimes the experience may be challenging. What people describe as a difficult ceremony is often a profound encounter with something they have been resisting. Remember: no one is forcing you to change. The decision to come here is entirely yours — and it is already a significant act of courage. Honour it by showing up as openly as you can.
Surrender to the experience. Let go of the identities and patterns that have outlived their purpose. Ayahuasca will help you release what no longer serves you — if you allow it. Not without reason is Ayahuasca known as the “vine of the dead”: a medicine that invites the past to die so that something new can be born.
This preparation is not about becoming perfect before you arrive. It is about being honest, receptive and willing to meet yourself with courage and compassion.
Time and again, participants say the experience was nothing like they had imagined — it went far beyond what they had anticipated. The medicine rarely acts the way the mind expects. That is precisely what makes it so transformative. Open yourself to what the medicine may show you.
“Ayahuasca did not give me everything I was hoping for, but it gave me so much more than I could ask for.”
— Consta W, TripAdvisor, May 2025
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