Ayahuasca, the Dieta, the Ceremony, the Purge, and the Integration
- 9 hours ago
- 8 min read
Aaron Eschenburg is an Ayahuascero and Astrotheologer. He is the Founder and creator of Ancestral Herbs, a natural plant medicine company, and MiTranscendance Entheo Religious Society.
I’m Aaron Eschenburg, an ayahuascero who has been making and serving this sacred psychedelic brew with Indigenous Peruvians for many years. The resurgence of psychedelics has led to a great deal of information being shared, mostly from the point of view of participants who have attended a ceremony or two, but rarely from facilitators who work with these plants regularly. So, I wanted to take this opportunity to open Pandora’s box and unwrap some of the mysteries surrounding the ceremonies.
The dieta
The dieta is simply a diet that we follow leading up to the ceremony. Metaphorically, we are planting a seed during the ceremony that we want to grow strong and bear fruit. The dieta is part of the preparation, during which we till the soil to make sure that when we plant our seed, it has an appropriate environment in which to grow and sustain itself. It is like weeding the garden before planting flowers and vegetables.
We avoid drugs, alcohol, and anything that will alter our perception of reality. This certainly includes watching television, the news, social media, politics, and trending topics. The world will tell you who to be if you don’t have a firm sense of self. Creating a clear separation from societal expectations is crucial. We cut out porn, masturbation, and even intimate connection with our partners two days before and two days after the ceremony.
We have specific foods that we cut out to help prepare our gut to receive the medicine. During the week leading up to the ceremony, we taper off caffeine because we want the mind to rest. A restless monkey mind that is constantly chattering gets in the way of the process, like clouds blocking a beautiful sunset. We avoid fermented foods, processed foods, sugary snacks, foods on the other side of their lifeline, spicy foods, and oils. We want to eat healthy, fresh, living fruits and vegetables. Chicken and fish are fine, but we avoid heavy red meats.
On the day of the ceremony, we want to be fueled and strong, open and clear. We have a healthy breakfast and a substantial lunch, as we fast from 4 p.m. onward. We want to avoid caffeine, sugar, nuts that can get caught in our throats, and bubbly sodas that can cause a bloated stomach. Enjoy spending time meditating on your intentions, journaling, or reflecting on why you are joining the ceremony.
An ayahuasca ceremony is very different from LSD, mushrooms, peyote, Bufo, or smoking DMT, even though the psychedelic compound in ayahuasca is DMT. Smoking DMT can be compared to going to Las Vegas or New York City, with lots of lights and colors moving at a fast pace. Drinking ayahuasca is like a slow drip of taffy stretched out over time, weaving in and out of being present in the space, completely immersed in and in awe of the medicine.
Unlike with other psychedelics, many people have attended ceremonies where, for one reason or another, the medicine does not work. There can be a wide range of reasons for this. The diet most certainly plays a role, especially the mental diet. A feather in the wind lacks direction and can be blown wherever the wind takes it. A person running toward their destination like a Heisman Trophy contender can never stop and appreciate the beauty all around them because they think there is a prize at the end of the tunnel.
It is like rushing to hear the last note of a song. “When is my experience going to start? What is going to happen? I want to see my dead relative. I want to heal. I need this. I want that.”
We can get in the way. We don’t always get what we want, but we always get exactly what we need. Even in those ceremonies where nothing seems to happen, there are many great takeaways.
"It is so important to simply breathe without thought."
The ceremony
Ceremony means celebration. We are always celebrating this life. In an ayahuasca ceremony, we slow down and truly get to go within and appreciate our lives, perhaps for the first time. We can go to the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Barcelona, Greece, Rome, Paris, or Egypt. We can swim with dolphins, jump out of an airplane, and see all the beautiful sights of the world, both natural and man-made.
When we put that cup of medicine to our lips, we get to go within ourselves and truly explore the fabric that unifies our physiology with the collective consciousness that many cultures and religions call God. We get to explore our connection with this intelligence and experience the recognition that this unified energy is choosing to exist within us, which is life itself. It is healthy self-exploration and love, a conversation with God or “source energy.” This medicine is intelligent.
We generally cut old vines to prepare the medicine and never cut vines that have grown for fewer than 14 years. The B. caapi ayahuasca vine contains harmine alkaloids and holds the wisdom and knowledge. The chacruna leaf contains DMT and creates the visions from the wisdom and knowledge of the vine.
This is why smoking DMT is not the same as a proper ayahuasca ceremony. Fifteen minutes of intense visuals cannot compare with six to eight hours of self-reflection, exploration, connection, divine wisdom, teachings, and understanding that come with the vine. This medicine wants the best for you, the best for your heart, mind, and body. It wants you to be strong, like the unconditional light of the sun, fueling you so that you never dim your own light.
With mushrooms and LSD, we can distract ourselves with the external world. During the ceremony, the space is lit by moonlight and candlelight, and it is dark.
"We operate in the shadows to find our own light."
The ceremony starts late at night. The sun is down, and the lights are low. We want the brain to switch from producing serotonin to producing melatonin. There is no rushing healing. Surrender is imminent. Surrender your mind, your heart, your ego, your attitude, your wardrobe, your comfort, your rightness, your wrongdoings, your grudges, the chip on your shoulder, the hate and resentment, the misunderstandings, the routine, the bad habits, the self-sabotage, the line in the sand, and the belief that we know everything. When we truly surrender to this medicine, it starts to work. Just lie down, close your eyes, and breathe. Grandma is going to bring you some soup that heals your soul.
While working within the realm of the medicine, it is not always butterflies and rainbow prisms of geometry. We can confront our shadow and the things in life that we avoid facing. It is part of the reason it is called the vine of the dead. It is not that we feel as if we are dying or have died, but that we can have self-revelations and breakthroughs similar to those experienced by someone who has had a near-death experience.
Life can change through choice. After a near-death experience or an ayahuasca ceremony, the participant is generally filled with so much love and gratitude for this one and only life that they choose to change and become filled with great ambition and perseverance. Unlike a near-death experience, the ayahuasca participant knowingly chooses to put themselves in that situation because they want and anticipate the change that is to come.
We encourage guests to walk toward the shadow instead of running from it. The shadow may be like the training wheels on our bicycle that need to be taken off so we can ride freely. However, we have been avoiding this because we know the possibility of falling is greater without them, and that will hurt.
So, we avoid the potentially hurtful experience. But not here. We embrace it with loving arms, saying, “Thank you for keeping us safe for so long, but we no longer need your help.”
Lying on the beach and allowing the waves to wash over you is welcome until the water reaches your head and you need to sit up before you drown. Ayahuasca is the same way. Rest, breathe, be grateful, lie down, and enjoy it. But when the waves feel like they are taking you under, sit up. You are about to purge.
The purge
The purge comes in many forms, such as tears, laughter, vomiting, or using the toilet. The purge is welcomed and is different from being sick with a stomach bug or hungover from consuming too many spirits. Many people feel apprehensive about the physical purge until they have sat with the medicine. It is a very cathartic aspect of the whole ceremony.
Most people will vomit, expelling energy and removing toxins from their gut. The most common words I personally hear after someone purges are a soft, humble “thank you.” It is as though a huge emotional, energetic, and even physical weight has been lifted from them. There is no need to hold it in, hold back, or feel insecure about allowing yourself to let go within that sacred container. We heal individually, yet we heal together.
During the ceremony, we are not distracted by our open eyes, but rather by our chattering minds and open ears. We will hear many noises outside ourselves as we try to rest and connect with this great energy.
People may be crying, while others may be vomiting. The facilitator may be beating a drum, singing, or playing beautiful prerecorded music that has been intentionally crafted by musicians who channel the medicine through them. The songs are the guardrails on the ayahuasca highway that guide the whole journey, while the other noises in the room can act as distractions that prevent participants from reaching their goals and destinations.
Remembering not to stop at every barking dog on the way to the beach will help you reach your destination. Stay in your own lane, as we say. You may hear someone crying or purging and think they are having a difficult experience, but it may be the most cathartic release they have ever had.
The purge is nothing to be afraid of. It should be embraced, just like the shadow. Nature teaches us to let go, as shown by flowers and trees every year. Trees let go of branches that took years to grow.
The integration
Taking time to integrate the experience is fundamental. It means truly slowing down to absorb the experience instead of jumping back into our old lives and routines too quickly. It means being curious about life, relearning ourselves, and meeting ourselves again in this world with a new perspective.
Maybe some of the things that were removed during the dieta will remain absent. Maybe coffee is replaced with tea. Some people quit smoking, drinking, or using other substances they used before the ceremony. Maybe the old routine no longer makes sense for the person they are now, so taking the time to listen to what stays and what goes is important.
The ceremony is like soul surgery, and we are extremely sensitive and open afterward. The ceremony is beautiful, fun, and hard work, but the real work begins when we walk out the door.
We can be filled with so much insight and inspiration that we may be eager to tell our spouse, partner, friends, family, and coworkers what we saw or share parts of our experience. It is important to remember that it was a personal experience meant for you. Other people, even if they love and support you, may dismiss it.
If an individual has not integrated their experience, they may believe the other person and begin to dismiss the magic as well. People told Walt Disney that he was crazy because he wanted to build a magical fantasy theme park in the swamps of Florida, and if he had believed them, we would not have Disneyland.
We are all creating our own Disneylands. Be bold in your vision and creative conquest. Reach out to an integration specialist if you need help navigating the experience. We are never alone on our journey, and talking to others who are immersed in the medicine world can help shine a light.
Follow me on Instagram for more info!
Read more from Aaron Eschenburg
Aaron Eschenburg, Ayahuascero, Astrotheologer
Aaron Eschenburg is an Ayahuasca Shaman and creator of the natural plant medicine company Ancestral Herbs. Being hit by a drunk driver at 21 spiraled him into a journey of exploring alternative medicines to get away from the side effects of pharmaceuticals. Astrotheology and plant medicines then came into his life at the same time, creating a better understanding of humanity's relationship with our living planet, solar system, and the universe. He now dedicates his life to helping others explore the options of natural healing, entheogenic practices, and embracing the Aquarian Age.
