Preparation & Safety Guidelines

Please consider…

A retreat initiates a much longer commitment to healing, integration, and increasing awareness. After transitioning back home, it is necessary to process and integrate the lessons learned during the retreat into day-to-day life.

You are not a passive recipient of healing but an active and willing partner. The significant healing that can be achieved from taking part in a retreat is the beginning of a much longer process that can accelerate one’s spiritual development and re-awakening. Before booking a retreat, it is essential that you are fully and passionately dedicated to changing your life. You will typically be returning back after a retreat with an increased level of awareness and it is important that you understand what this entails.

Having an increased level of consciousness means you become more aware of patterns and beliefs that no longer serve you and that which is no longer beneficial in your life. You will be presented with ongoing choices to change various aspects of your life with increased awareness, moving away from charged reactions and towards consciously responding to life. You must be resolutely prepared to commit over the long term to your integration process after the retreat.

When working with ayahuasca, it is important to not hold on to expectations. Healing and transformation often unfold differently from what we expect them to look like. Our tendency is to avoid painful experiences we think of as negative, to shy away from situations that may be hurtful, and to suppress our real feelings. When we accept the unacceptable instead of pushing it away, we discover that the flip side of psychological and emotional pain is personal growth – and that our pain is simply our healing wanting to break through.

Physical Safety

If you have any heart, liver, kidney, or other serious medical problems, you should inform us prior to booking and discuss your situation with a doctor who is aware of the issues which may be raised.

If you have a serious cardiovascular disorder, you should not take ayahuasca, as it slightly increases blood pressure. No alterations in liver function and other biochemical parameters have been observed after the administration of ayahuasca in the laboratory. Only a modulation of the immune system has been detected, but this is temporary and does not seem to have clear effects on health.

It is very important to consult with a physician if you are taking any medication regularly, or if you would need to take medication during the workshop. The use of antidepressants and other psychotropic drugs may well be contraindicated, as well as the use of drugs metabolized by certain cytochromes. Not only psychotropic drugs may be contraindicated – so might any drug capable of interacting with MAO (MAO-Is: Monoamine oxidase inhibitors). It is very important to consult a specialist.

If you have a chronic illness, it may be dangerous to stop taking your medication for some time with the intent to take ayahuasca. Please speak with your prescribing physician prior to changing your pharmacological protocol and inform us if you are taking medication so that we can check for contraindications.

Certain alkaloids interact with the serotonergic system in different ways: the beta-carbolines (harmine, for example) are inhibitors of the MAO enzyme, which has a role in the degradation of serotonin and other neurotransmitters. Please see our medical guidelines for more information and contact us if you are interested in attending a workshop but currently taking medication.

Psychological Safety

It is also important to take psychological safety into consideration. People with personality disorders or a history of mental disorders (such as borderline personality disorder, bipolar, schizophrenia, etc.) are at risk if they use ayahuasca. Ensuring a controlled context in which to work, as well as adequate integration of the experience during and at the end of the workshop, are keys to reducing risks. Working with highly experienced healers and facilitators to ensure that issues are dealt with in a professional, caring, and controlled manner is also a critical factor in reducing risk. We treat the safety of our guests as of utmost importance and ensure that all measures are adopted as and where necessary.

Respecting the Diet: Before and After a Retreat

The most fundamental restrictions before and after a workshop are street drugs (cocaine, ecstasy, heroin, etc), cannabis, alcohol, and pork.

For the safety and well-being of all participants, if we suspect that street drugs have been taken or if it is clear that alcohol has been consumed immediately prior to arrival at the retreat, we reserve the right to refuse admission to a workshop.

Pre-Retreat Guidelines

8 days prior, abstain from:

  • Pork

  • Alcohol

  • Cannabis

  • ALL street drugs (cocaine, MDMA, amphetamines, etc.) – obligatory for your safety and for the possible energetic impact on other guests

  • Sexual activities of any kind, including masturbation

3 days prior, abstain from:

  • Refined sugars

  • Red meat

  • Junk foods

Additional Guidelines:

  • IMPORTANT: Please contact us if you are currently taking any medication or supplements.

  • Not compatible with pregnancy

  • Avoidance of synthetic soaps, perfumes, toiletries, etc.

By eliminating the above from your diet, you will prepare your body physically for the journey, and perhaps also reduce the amount of “purging” needed to clean your physical body.


Post-Retreat Guidelines

3 days after, abstain from:

  • Spicy foods

  • Ice, ice cream, ice-cold drinks

  • Carbonated drinks (including diet sodas, energy drinks, non-alcoholic beer)

  • Red meat

  • Dairy products

  • Fermented foods

  • MEN: Sexual activities of any kind, including masturbation

8 days after, abstain from:

  • Alcohol

  • Pork

  • Cannabis and all plant medicines

  • ALL street drugs (cocaine, LSD, MDMA, amphetamines, etc.)

  • Refined sugars

  • Junk foods

  • WOMEN: Sexual activities of any kind, including masturbation

Note –  The most fundamental restrictions after a workshop are street drugs like alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, etc., and pork. If a guest decides to not adhere to this critical advice after leaving the retreat, we cannot be held liable for the consequences (which can be severe psychological and energetic damage).

Advice on drugs and medications to avoid when working with ayahuasca:

  • It is important to suspend any kind of psycho-pharmacy and pharmaceutical depression treatments under the supervision of your doctor between 14 to 35 days before e retreat.

  • Guests/volunteers with hepatic conditions must first consult with a doctor before attending the retreat.

It is not safe if you take the following medications or have any of the following health conditions: 

  • Any medication that contains Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI’s) – these are known to cause dangerous side effects when taken in conjunction with ayahuasca. It is critical that you stop taking these medications under the supervision of your doctor and allow plenty of time for your system to be cleared of these substances before working with ayahuasca.

  • Any medication which has an effect on the serotonin system, including Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) (i.e. antidepressants such as Wellbutrin, Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, etc). Combining these medications with ayahuasca can induce serotonin syndrome – far more severely than with foods containing tryptophan, and with potentially fatal results. We require guests to discontinue taking SSRI medications under the supervision of their doctor prior to applying for a retreat to allow the system to clear in time. Some of these drugs may cause side effects when discontinued, and plenty of time should be allowed for these to subside. Do not abruptly stop taking any medication without discussing the matter with your doctor. Please note that the herbal antidepressant St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum) also must not be taken within 2 weeks of working with ayahuasca.

  • Other medications that must be discontinued are decongestants, cold medications, allergy medications, antihistamines, sedatives, tranquilizers, amphetamines (including Adderall), some hypertensive medications, sympathomimetic amines (including pseudoephedrine and ephedrine), carbamazepine, methylphenidate (Ritalin), macro marine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, tryptophan, asarone/calamus, some asthma inhalers, and diet pills.

  • It can be dangerous to those with a history of psychological problems.

  • If you are pregnant, we will not be able to accommodate you for a retreat.


These drugs and medications are potentially dangerous:

  • Other MAOIs

  • SSRI’s (any selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor)

  • Antihypertensives (high blood pressure medicine)

  • Appetite suppressants (diet pills)

  • Medicine for asthma, bronchitis, or other breathing problems; antihistamines, medicines for colds, sinus problems, hay fever, or allergies (Actifed DM, Benadryl, Benylin, Chlor-Trimeton, Compoz. These include Bromarest-DM or -DX, Dimetane-DX cough syrup, Dristan Cold & Flu, Phenergan with Dextromethorphan, Robitussin-DM, Vicks formula 44-D several Tylenol cold, cough, and flu preparations, and many others — any drug with DM or Tuss in its name.)

  • CNS (central nervous system) depressants

  • Antipsychotics

  • Barbiturates

Illegal or recreational drugs that are very dangerous to combine with MAOIs:

  • Cocaine

  • Amphetamines (meth-, dex-, amphetamine)

  • MDMA (Ecstasy)

  • MDA

  • MDEA

  • PMA

  • Dextromethorphan (DXM)

  • Kratom

  • Kava

Note about interaction with cannabis:

Smoking cannabis before the ayahuasca session may possibly stupefy and darken the overall experience acting as a blockage for the visionary plant to manifest in the fullest way.

Some specific pharmaceutical drugs that should not be combined with MAOIs (some are mild risks, others serious):

  • Actifed

  • Adderall

  • Alaproclate

  • Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin)

  • Amantadine hydrochloride (Symmetrel)

  • Amineptine

  • Amitriptyline

  • Amoxapine (Asendin)

  • Atomoxetine

  • Befloxetone

  • Benadryl

  • Benylin

  • Benzedrine

  • Benzphetamine (Didrex)

  • Bicifadine

  • Brasofensine

  • Brofaromine

  • Bupropion (Wellbutrin)

  • Buspirone (BuSpar)

  • Butriptyline

  • Carbamazepine (Tegretol, Epitol

  • Chlorpheniramine

  • Chlor Triton

  • Cimoxetone

  • Citalopram

  • Clomipramine (Anafranil)

  • Codeine

  • Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)

  • Cyclizine (Marezine)

  • Dapoxetine

  • Desipramine (Pertofrane, Norpramin)

  • Desvenlafaxine

  • Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)

  • Dextromethorphan (DXM)

  • Dibenzepin

  • Dienolide kavapyrone desmethoxyyangonin

  • Diethylpropion

  • Disopyramide (Norpace)

  • Disulfiram (Antabuse)

  • Dopamine (Intropin)

  • Dosulepin

  • Doxepin (Sinequan)

  • Duloxetine

  • Emsam

  • Ephedrine

  • Epinephrine (Adrenalin)

  • Escitalopram

  • Femoxitine

  • Fenfluramine (Pondimin)

  • Flavoxate Hydrochloride (Urispas)

  • Fluoxetine (Prozac)

  • Fluvoxamine

  • Furazolidone (Furoxone)

  • Guanethidine

  • Guanadrel (Hylorel)

  • Guanethidine (Iselin)

  • Hydralazine (Apresoline)

  • 5 Hydroxytryptophan

  • Imipramine (Tofranil)

  • Iprindole

  • Iproniazid (Marsilid, Iprozid, Ipronid, Rivivol, Propilniazida)

  • Iproclozide

  • Isocarboxazid (Marplan)

  • Isoniazid (Laniazid, Nydrazid)

  • Isoniazid rifampin (Rifamate, Rimactane)

  • Isoproterenol (Isuprel)

  • L dopa (Sinemet)

  • Levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa

  • Linezolid (Zyvox, Zyvoxid)

  • Lithium (Eskalith)

  • Lofepramine

  • Loratadine (Claritin)

  • Maprotiline (Ludiomil)

  • Medifoxamine

  • Melitracen

  • Meperidine (Demerol)

  • Metaproterenol (Alupent, Metaprel)

  • Metaraminol (Aramine)

  • Methamphetamine (Desoxyn)

  • Methyldopa (Aidomet)

  • Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

  • Mianserin

  • Milnacipran

  • Minaprine

  • Mirtazapine (Remeron)

  • Moclobemide

  • Montelukast (Singulair)

  • Nefazodone

  • Nialamide

  • Nisoxetine

  • Nomifensine

  • Norepinephrine (Levophed)

  • Nortriptyline (Aventyl)

  • Oxybutynin chloride (Ditropan)

  • Oxymetazoline (Afrin)

  • Orphenadrine (Norflex)

  • Pargyline (Eutonyl)

  • Parnate

  • Paroxetine (Paxil)

  • Pemoline (Cylert)

  • Percocet

  • Pethidine (Demerol)

  • Phendimetrazine (Plegiline)

  • Phenergan

  • Phenmetrazine

  • Phentermine

  • Phenylephrine (Dimetane, Dristan decongestant, Neo-Synephrine)

  • Phenylpropanolamine (in many cold medicines)

  • Phenelzine (Nardil)

  • Procarbazine (Matulane)

  • Procainamide (Pronestyl)

  • Protriptyline (Vivactil)

  • Pseudoephedrine

  • Oxymetazoline (Afrin)

  • Quetiapine (Seroquel)

  • Quinidine (Quinidex)

  • Rasagiline (Azilect)

  • Reboxetine

  • Reserpine (Serpasil)

  • Risperidone

  • Salbutamol

  • Salmeterol

  • Selegiline (Eldepryl)

  • Seroquel (Quetiapine)

  • Sertraline (Zoloft)

  • Sibutramine

  • Sumatriptan (Imitrex)

  • Terfenadine (Seldane D)

  • Tegretol

  • Temaril

  • Tesofensine

  • Theophylline (Theo Dur)

  • Tianeptine

  • Toloxatone

  • Tramadol

  • Tranylcypromine (Parnate)

  • Trazodone

  • Tricyclic antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Elavil)

  • Trimipramine (Surmontil)

  • Triptans

  • Vanoxerine

  • Venlafaxine (Effexor)

  • Viloxezine

  • Yohimbine

  • Zimelidine

  • Ziprasidone (Geodon)

Also, avoid the following herbs:

  • St. Johns Wort

  • Kava

  • Kratom

  • Ephedra

*** with kind permission of “Temple of the Way of Light”, Peru