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El Mundo Magico

 Sachamama Ethnobotanical Garden

Cumaceba tree [Cesalpina equinata], another palo maestro in Sachamama

Photo courtesy Paola Garavaglia - Copyright © Paola Garavaglia

Dieting plantas maestras in Sachamama

Restrictions of the Plant Diet

What you must not do...

All dieteros must refrain from pork meat, read meat, sexual activity, coffee, stimulants, alcohol, oil, fats, salt, sugar, sweets, spices and - where the case - pharmaceutical drugs, for the entire period of their training. Also, they shouldn't expose themselves to direct sunlight and rain.

The ayahuasca has the faculty to teach and heal one, on condition that is mixed with the barks of palos maestros ("teacher trees"). The main difference between ayahuasca and most of the other teacher plants taken during the diet, is that most palos and plantas on their own can still give one the mareacion (e.g. the dizziness caused by the intoxication with plants), may offer guidance in dreaming, but they don't provoke the strong and intense vision patterns given by the ayahuasca brew. The plants on their own - at least in the initial phases of the apprenticeship - are much more gentle in nature than ayahuasca!  This is true for the normal apprenticeship as done in Sachamama. It's not an absolute rule. There are in fact very strong plants (like Uchusanangu - Tabernaemontana sp.) which only very experienced shamans may safely try. This - you can be reassured - won't apply in your case!!!

Dieteros are also required not to drink ayahuasca with another maestro outside of Sachamama, for at least a week after the end of their apprenticeship period, of whatever length this may be. This is because the different plant ingredients that make the ayahuasca brew - which virtually change from one maestro to another - and the different energy of another maestro may interfere and alter the special tuning that one has achieved during the diet.

Finally...remember: all curanderos in the Peruvian Amazon agree on one thing, that the most important thing in the 'diet' is "dietar la mujer"...e.g. refraining from sexual activity!

For more insights into Amazonian vegetalismo read our interview to don Francisco, at the link:

Conversations with Sachamama

Back to: Plant Teachers Diet in Sachamama Garden

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