The Diet is not a simple diet as it is conceived in the West. Healers prescribe it mainly to people with physical and / or mental health problems. It is considered the main stage of a care process and consists of a set of dietary and behavioral restrictions, accompanied by the ingestion of a master plant for a defined period of time. Its duration varies according to the goal sought or the complexity of the case to be treated.
As the diet progresses, the relationship between the patient and the spirit of his diet plant intensifies. Gradually, the teaching delivered by the master plant helps the patient to understand the true meaning of his disease, promoting a real awareness. In parallel with this work of acceptance, the plant acts directly on the vital energy of the patient and administers to him his healing power. The goal of this treatment is the renovation and harmonization of the various energies that constitute the patient, be they physical, psychical or spiritual. There are two types of Diet, the Healing Diet and the Learning Diet. The Healing Diet is the initial step in making the changes necessary for any future learning.
Healing Diet
The cleansing or healing process is the longest phase and may not have any result at all. This is because different parts of our being are at stake, the physical body, the spiritual body and the mind. The majority of diseases reflect imbalances between these different forms of energy. It is necessary to clean and harmonize them so that the subject can increase his skills, his life force and find his center. The Diet initiates the necessary changes in the life of the subject, so that he raises his consciousness, develops his capacity for love and brings harmony into and around himself. For this it is necessary to obey certain rules of life and accept certain restrictions to find this balance:
Dietary Restrictions
The Diet period is mainly vegetarian with the exception of fish and chicken. The traditional Diet dish consists of grilled fish accompanied with boiled green bananas (boca chico platano). Red meat or pork are prohibited, as well as dairy products, fermented products, industrial foods, salt, hot peppers, sugar, spices, aromatic herbs, garlic, onion, shallot, oils, and most kinds of fruit. Quite simply, it is better to favor “neutral” and bland food such as starchy food, grains, boiled and raw vegetables. Meals are served once twice a day and in reasonable quantities. Sometimes even a period of fasting may be required, to leave the master plant a maximum amount of space. The food then becomes secondary and the patient is fully involved in his Diet process. This practice implicitly leads to overcoming his addictions and changing his relationship with food.
Behavioral restrictions
The use of alcohol and drugs of all kinds (with the exception of tobacco) is strictly forbidden because it can have dramatic consequences on the physical and mental health of the patient.
Medical restrictions
It is not possible to follow medical treatment when starting a diet. By this we mean both chemical drugs but also herbal medicines example St. John’s wort in the form of herbal medicine, or ingestion of aromatherapy etc. Their chemical composition of plants carries the risk of incompatibilities.
Social Restriction
It is strongly recommended during a diet process to isolate oneself as much as possible in a natural, calm, favorable place for self-examination and rest. By penetrating more deeply into his diet, the dieter will be more sensitive to the energies of others which may compromise its connection with his plant. Privileging moments of silence and meditation create conditions conducive to introspection. In the same way the consultation of media such as movies, books, social networks and internet are to be avoided as much as possible. These media, often marked by emotions or conflicting messages, have a potentially negative impact on the diet’s progress.
Sexual Restrictions
The channeling of sexual energy is a fundamental part of the Diet process. Like the tantric system, it is based on the sublimation of energy through its various centers (chakras). To work with the master plants it is essential to abstain from all sexual practices, including masturbation (avoid as much as possible any sexual thoughts). This ascetic approach is nevertheless a prerequisite for the healing energy and the teachings transmitted by the plants to become well rooted. Failure to comply with this rule nullifies all efforts made to date, but it is above all a real danger to the health of the patient. Indeed, the Diet engages our own physical and psychic energy in a subtle and sensitive process. Since we follow a treatment with the master plants, succumbing to a sexual act can destroy our psychic and physical balance, and lead us to madness or even death. Once the Diet is complete, it is “closed” by the healer. A new period of abstinence is also necessary (the post-diet).
THESE RESTRICTIONS MUST BE COMPLETED AT LEAST ONE WEEK BEFORE STARTING A DIET PROCESS. PARALLEL, WE INVITE YOU TO CONSULT IN DETAIL FOOD AND MEDICINAL CONTRAINDICATIONS FROM AYAHUASCA CONSUMPTION.
Post Diet
Post-dieting is a necessary step in order to deeply assimilate teaching and / or healing. It is accompanied by less restrictive measures than the Diet and allows for a smoother transition into everyday life. In this way, energy channeled during the Diet or after work with Ayahuasca takes an active part in the patient’s life. It gives him the impetus to initiate the necessary changes. The duration of the post-dieting can range from one week to one year (in the Quechua tradition) and usually varies according to the type of Diet performed and its duration. In our Western societies, the social context can sometimes be a handicap and we may be tempted not to respect this so important post- dieting period. Keep in mind that this period demands very little compared to the effects that this work will have in your lives and those of your loved ones. Decisive changes that will make you more human than ever.
When we return to our life, relationships, or work, it is not uncommon to experience a shock. A period of rehabilitation will necessarily follow, which is why it is important to proceed in stages to integrate the work done. The goal is not to reproduce our former behavior or fall back into our harmful and limiting trends. The Diet offers us the opportunity to see profound changes in our lives so that they become part of our life. Respect of the post-diet is to take into account the efforts made to bring about a change and see its benefits come alive.
The integration stage begins with progressive rehabilitation. The following scale is given as an indication. It may vary according to the duration and type of diet performed and must be expressly established by the healer.
- As of day two:you can reintroduce a little salt, lemon, sugar and oils. The meal can be more varied with bread, fruit, vegetables, chicken or fish
- As of day four :condiments (peppers, garlic, onions, mustard, …), desserts, chocolate
- After a week:dairy products, fermented products (tofu, cheeses), cold drinks, ice, sorbets
- After two weeks:sexual activity of any kind including masturbation
- After one month:red meats, alcohol in moderation (avoid as much as possible the strong alcohols of the type whiskey, rum, cognac, etc…)
- After two months: pork. This is a special case. Its energy is incompatible with plants, so it is best to banish it completely from ones diet when considering other diets later.
- Taking drugs is strongly discouraged. Since alcohol is also a drug, it must be consumed in moderation.
Don’t forget to read our special chapter providing lots of hints on this subject 10 commitments after diet, retreat and spiritual workshop
Diet of Learning
To take the path of knowledge with a master plant is a way of life. This could be compared in intensity to friendship or even to a relationship. Thus along the path of the subject the relationship with ones master plant evolves as his consciousness and his relationship to the world changes. When the relationship is fulfilled, the presence of the master plant manifests itself as much at the physical, psychic and spiritual levels. It is the step of the stricter “Diet” where the initiate submits to a fast accompanied by meditation in isolation following his healing process. Traditionally apprentices isolated themselves in the forest for a year in a “tambo” (hut), without any contact with the outside, feeding on the bare minimum.
To embark on the path of learning is a decision that must be carefully thought out. The initiate who wishes to become a maestro (master / healer accomplished) must measure the sacrifices to which he will consent and the devotion he will have to fullfill all the rest of his life. To be a maestro is to be a medicine man, fully aware that being a healer implies the gift of self, a discipline of life, and respect for the diet. Non application of these rules will have the same consequences as when a diet process is not respected.The imbalance may be such that some maestros have abandoned their spiritual path or have had to restart from the beginning. Healers may also be confronted themselves with physical and psychological disorders that can lead to madness or even death.
The initiate who wishes to become a maestro will have to choose with care and discernment the referent maestro with whom he will carry out his apprenticeship. It is thanks to a relationship of mutual trust and a convergence of values that the referring maestro can transmit his knowledge in a positive way and guide his apprentice on the path of learning.
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