What is a Shipibo Ayahuasca ceremony like?

🌿 Preparation

1. Diet (Dieta): Before the ceremony, participants often follow a special diet:

   • No salt, sugar, alcohol, drugs, spicy food, sex, or pork.

     • In addition, foods containing tyramine should also be avoided:

       🧀 Cheese (especially matured)

       🥩 Meat and fish (fermented, matured or dried)

       🥒 Fermented and pickled foods

       🍷 Alcoholic drinks

       🍌 Certain fruits (overripe bananas & avocados, citrus fruits)

       🍫 Other (chocolate, nuts, caffeine)

   • This serves to energetically cleanse and prepare the body and mind.

2. Setting an Intention: Participants reflect on an intention or a question for the ceremony. The Ayahuasca journey is often seen as a sacred dialogue with the plant.

   
   

🌙 Structure of a Shipibo Ayahuasca Ceremony

Maloka

1. Evening Gathering: Ceremonies begin after nightfall (around 8–10 p.m.). Everyone sits in a round space—traditionally a Maloka—usually in a circle, each person on their own mat.

2. Opening by the Curandero / Curandera: An experienced healer (usually a Shipibo Curandero or Curandera) leads the ceremony. They open the sacred space with a short prayer and incense (e.g. Mapacho, a strong Amazonian tobacco).

3. Drinking the Ayahuasca:

   Each participant is called forward one by one to receive a cup of Ayahuasca from the healer. The brew is bitter-sweet and sometimes thick in texture.

4. Waiting for the Effects: After drinking, silence sets in, the lights are turned off, and the effects begin to unfold slowly (usually after 20–60 minutes). Many experience visions, emotions, or physical reactions (such as vomiting, shaking, sweating, yawning, or crying – all part of the cleansing process).

5. Icaros – Songs of Healing: The healer sings so-called Icaros—traditional healing songs that come from the spiritual world. These songs guide, cleanse, and protect the energetic work with Ayahuasca. In our lineage, the healer sings directly in front of individuals when performing healing work.

6. Energetic Work: The healers work with the participants’ energies—often using tobacco, sage or cedar smoke, hand movements, breath, and song.

7. Duration: The ceremony typically lasts 4–6 hours, often continuing deep into the night.

   
   

🌄 After the Ceremony

• Music & Relaxation: After the ceremony, soft music is often played, and quiet conversations may arise. The often intense atmosphere becomes more relaxed.

• Integration: On the following day, there is a sharing circle where participants talk about their experiences.

• The integration—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—can take days or even weeks.

  
  

✨ Unique Aspects of the Shipibo Tradition

• Geometric Patterns (Kené): The visions and healing songs of the Shipibo are often connected with their famous geometric designs. These patterns symbolize spiritual energies and healing information.

• Ayahuasca as “Medicine”: It is not seen as a drug but as an intelligent, healing plant with its own spirit. It is to be respected and honored. Drinking Ayahuasca without clear intentions and a sincere

  desire for healing is generally not permitted.