PREPARATION
IS NOW THE RIGHT TIME?
Ayahuasca is not a quick fix, a shortcut or something to be undertaken lightly. Timing is more important than commonly realized.
One of the ways Ayahuasca catalyzes change in our lives is by giving us a powerful neurological reset. The term most often associated with this idea is neuroplasticity. When our brains and minds are given this opportunity to reset, through temporary plasticity, we should make sure that it is a time in our lives when we can commit to taking care of our new selves.
Ask yourself, what will be going on around me in the weeks leading up to the retreat and in the months after?
Ask yourself, will this be a good time in my life to cultivate new patterns of thinking, acting and feeling while my system is resetting?
THE WEEKS BEFORE YOUR RETREAT
Everyone is different. Intentions vary widely. There is no one way to approach Ayahuasca or personal transformation.
However, with this medicine there is undoubtedly a direct relationship between what we put into the process and what we are able to take out of it. Read more about intention setting, preparing and making a plan for your retreat, here.
There are also some very important safety guidelines to familiarize yourself with regarding other medicines, health conditions and potential risks. Please read about this, here.
“Until you make the unconscious conscious,
it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”
- C.G.Jung
THE WEEKS AFTER YOUR RETREAT
The weeks after an Ayahuasca retreat are an extremely valuable part of the overall process. During the retreat is when we receive our deep clean, our big reset and our new inspiration. In the weeks that follow is when we must take care to protect ourselves from outside influences and create space for new patterns to develop.
A useful analogy would be to imagine the retreat as the time when you go out into your garden to do the hard work of tilling the soil, moving stones, pulling out old roots and then planting the seeds of what you want to grow. The work is hard and sweaty and over in a pretty short amount of time.
Then, a much longer period of time starts when new plants are beginning to sprout and grow. You no longer need to do the same intense type of work that you did during the retreat, but the little vulnerable plants require special care to help them thrive.
During these weeks after the retreat, it is important to be conscious of everything you choose to put into your body and mind. This is your window of opportunity to cultivate new patterns of thinking, acting and feeling while you still have the power of plasticity – your chance to let the new you grow strong roots.
To read more about what to expect after your retreat, click here.
Tarapoto, Peru - hello@amakaya.org