14 Keys to a Better Ayahuasca Retreat

Since 2010, the Hummingbird Healing Center in Peru has guided people through a healing and transformative ayahuasca process. Thousands of people have participated, most of whom have completed a 12-day retreat that includes seven ceremonies. Additionally, over 250 people have stayed for three or four weeks for our Immersion retreat program. This is not just a few ceremonies; it was a dedicated healing process.

Here are some things we have learned that have proven to help people during ceremony.

Must I Believe in Spirits?

The short answer is No, you do not. Yet this deserves a bit of exploration.

Ayahuasca is a “Plant Spirit Medicine” tradition. At the core of this tradition is the belief that a dedicated person can form relationships with spirits of specific plants of the Amazon who will teach them to heal people. There is nothing unique about this belief in the world. Indigenous culture world-wide believe all things in nature have a spirit, and that we can learn to connect and communicate with those spirits.

This includes the spirits of the elements Water, Earth, Air and Fire. The spirit of the earth, know by many name such as Pacha Mama, Gaia,or Unci Maka from the Lakota Indians of North America.

Even the Kabbalah, the mystical branch of Judaism, teaches that the physical world represents only 1% of reality. The other 99% is ascribed to the spiritual.

Yet none of this can be proved scientifically. There is no way to prove if any of this is real.

At the Hummingbird Center, we do not think it is necessary for one to believe in these ideas. We do think it is helpful to have some acceptance of concepts of spiritual and energetic realities. Much of what one experience in the altered states possible with psychedelics have no explanation in physical science, and that acceptance can help one come to terms with their experience.

We hold the belief that skepticism is a healthy attitude. That one should never adopt a belief until they have had a personal lived experience related to it. And even after, that it is healthy to hold some personal skepticism about what we personally believe. Consider “The things we know we know, that are not so”.

As you read this article you might find declarations to the non-physical as fact. As objective reality. In almost all “shamanic” healing traditions, these things are accepted as the real world, a natural part of the physical, spiritual and energetic reality we move in. Medicine workers around the planet will hold these things can affect you whether you believe in them or not.

Yet, they cannot prove it. It is okay to not believe. Never allow someone to try ardently persuade you to a belief of something you have not lived.

Why do Medicine Spirits Help Us?

Whether or not one believes it, it is the doctor spirits that heal us during an ayahuasca ceremony. These spirits are from plants, trees, animals, and ancestral healers who lived long ago. They come in many forms and ultimately do the deep healing people experience.

These medicine spirits genuinely want to help us. The ayahuasquero calls them in with their icaros, the sacred songs of healing. The spirits are benevolent and trustworthy. Our job is to allow them to work through us during the ceremony and trust that, no matter how unpleasant the experience may be at the time, it is all for our own good.

What is the Key to Ayahuasca?

The main way we allow medicine spirits to help us is by trusting them and surrendering to the process. This is one of those things that's easier said than done. Few people can do it fully the first time an unpleasant experience arises. We have no trouble surrendering to the beautiful, joyful, and loving experiences ayahuasca can bring. Trust and surrender come into play when we really do not like what is happening.

Having an attitude of willingness can be very helpful. We cannot predict the methods the spirits will use or the experiences a person will have on their healing journey. This is far more up to the medicine spirits than to the ayahuasquero leading the ceremony. If things become challenging, simply tell the ayahuasca in your mind, "If this is necessary to achieve my goal, I am willing."

Suffering stems from resisting what is happening. Allowing the experience to unfold instead of fighting against it or trying to change it makes the process so much easier. With ayahuasca, surrendering truly is the easier path.

Can I Try Changing My Experience?

There's nothing wrong with trying to improve your experience. In fact, it's encouraged because it is one of the ways we learn to work with the medicine. Try doing some quiet breathing exercises. Actively using our imagination is another way. We can also change our body position. Open your eyes for a while and look around. Focus your attention on the energy of the music. Try navigating within a vision. These are all ways we can shift our experience.

This may seem contrary to the idea of surrendering, but it is not. If you are not happy with your experience, try to change it. If, after trying different techniques a few times, it stays the same, that is when we accept that it is happening for a reason and allow it to happen. First, try to change it. If that does not work, trust that it is a necessary part of the healing process and say, "I am willing."

How Similar are People's Experience?

The truly amazing thing about this medicine is that everyone’s experience with it is unique. No two people have experienced the same process. While there may be some common phenomena, the overall process has always been unique to the individual.

The medicine spirits see us clearly and know what we need. Some people experience significant change in the first couple of ceremonies, while others feel they have not benefited at all and found it mostly unpleasant. However, if they maintain a positive attitude, trust the process, and keep moving forward, a shift will almost always happen. There will be a ceremony where it seems like their whole life changes in one night. Yet, everything that came before was necessary for that shift to occur.

When it comes to ayahuasca, comparing your experience to others' is absolutely meaningless. Focus on your goal and trust that the medicine spirits know what they're doing and are doing their best for you.

Does Preparation Really Matter?

It's clear to us that people who follow the preparation guidelines diligently for at least a month before their retreat get better results than those who don't. The principle is simple. The cleaner your body and spirit are when you arrive, the easier it is for ayahuasca to facilitate deep transformative changes.

Preparation mainly focuses on the body, primarily through diet. Eliminating drugs, alcohol, and refined sugars has the greatest impact. It is also important to eat healthy foods and avoid processed foods. It is important to have a well-balanced diet that is suitable for your body type.

Addressing the mind and spirit is also important. Meditation, even for five minutes a day, helps one relax into the ayahuasca experience. Intentionally explore difficult emotions. Gaining skill in sitting with and managing challenging emotional states will greatly benefit your ayahuasca journey. If you have learned that you are neither your mind nor your emotions before coming to ayahuasca, your journey with this beautiful medicine will be much easier.

We recommend people follow all of the guidelines on our Preparing for Ayahuasca web page. Preparing for Ayahuasca

How Will I Understand My Experience?

The experiences we have under the influence of ayahuasca can feel very real. It's important to realize that not everything comes from the spirit of ayahuasca or the doctor spirits. Much of it comes from our own subconscious mind. These experiences stem from our biases, belief systems, and egoic identity. We tend to experience these things in a magnified way, and they can feel significant, as if we need to take action.

Be careful about the meaning you assign to your experience, especially if it makes you feel superior to others or wrongs other people. Sometimes people have an experience where they feel they are being told that ayahuasca does not like them, does not want to work with them, or that they are damaged beyond repair. This is uncommon, but it does happen. This kind of information will never come from ayahuasca or the doctor spirits. Rather, it reflects your beliefs about yourself. Although it is unpleasant to see so clearly, it is ultimately a positive experience because we can decide to change our beliefs and actually do so!

What if I am Afraid or Anxious?

Yes, ayahuasca can be difficult and challenging. It can also be very unpleasant. But there is nothing to fear. If you drink ayahuasca with a true ayahuasquero, a healer, whatever your experience may be, it will be for your own good.

Ayahuasca commonly works by magnifying our "problem areas" as they are being healed. This is not enjoyable. When things get the most unpleasant with ayahuasca, that is when the deepest healing is occurring. It is a time for gratitude, not fear. Give thanks to ayahuasca for cleansing and healing your body. Surrender to the experience and trust the spirit of the medicine.

What if My Experience is Unpleasant?

Not everyone has unpleasant experiences with ayahuasca. Many of our clients have never had a difficult night. Yet, for those who do, there are simple steps that can be taken to make it easier to cope.

1. Sit up. If you are lying down, you will find it much easier to cope if you sit up. People tend to feel the effects of ayahuasca more strongly when lying down.

2. Breathe. Take five or six slow, deep breaths. This oxygenates the body and mind and calms them. Don't just take two or three breaths; take five or six. You will feel much better.

3. Ground your energy. Place your hands on the floor and imagine all the negativity flowing through your hands and into Mother Earth. In your mind, say, "Mother Earth, take all this negativity and transform it."

4. Go to gratitude. Think of something that makes it easy for you to feel genuine gratitude. Hold onto that feeling of gratitude. Not only is gratitude a higher vibration, but we cannot feel fear or anxiety when we are grateful. We recommend preselecting something before you begin the ceremony.

5. Focus your attention on the singing and the icaros. You do not have to pay attention to your experience or visions if you do not want to. Focus on the energy of the music and singing. The icaros are where the healing comes from.

These steps won't make the unpleasantness go away completely, but they will help and make a positive difference.

Are Intentions Important for an Ayahuasca Ceremony?

It's important to have a clear idea of what you hope to receive from each ceremony. When you come to drink the medicine, hold the cup and clearly state your intention in your mind. Ask for what you want. Stating a clear intention informs not only ayahuasca but also signals the creative energy of the universe.

The ayahuasca experience can be confusing. Examining our journey through the lens of our intention often helps bring clarity to it. Consider if your experience relates to your intention in any way. Also, keep in mind that much of a spiritual journey is symbolic and should be interpreted, not taken literally.

Intentions should be broad, encompassing something that, if achieved, will undoubtedly improve your life. Many people want to understand their situation and how they came to be troubled. I always ask if they would rather understand or be free of their troubles. They always choose freedom. Understanding does not equate to healing.

Intentions should be expressed in clear, direct language. Free me from my depression. Open my heart. Teach me to love myself. Help me accept myself completely, exactly as I am. Grant me a direct experience of my true nature.

Ask for what you want directly and simply. You deserve it!

What Will My Experience Will Be?

The spiritual realm is infinite, and ayahuasca has the power to open us to it in ways that few other substances can. Almost any kind of experience is possible, and it's impossible to predict what will happen in any given ceremony. For most people, each ceremony is significantly different from the others.

Our What to Expect in an Ayahuasca Ceremony page has a long list of possible experiences. After 14 years, there is not a single thing I would say people will experience under the influence of ayahuasca. Many things may happen, and you will likely experience a variety of things on any given night. Most likely, it will be a different subset the next night.

Will I Have Visions?

Everyone knows about the incredible spiritual reality one can become fully immersed in with ayahuasca. While most people have strong visionary experiences during ceremonies, not everyone does. It is common for people to attend some ceremonies where they do not have visions. We have had many clients who have never had a visionary experience.

Not having visions does not mean the medicine is not working for you. On nights without visions, people typically gain insight into their lives and a deeper understanding of past experiences. Sometimes, intense information downloads occur. It's important to remember that whatever your experience is on any given night, it's a necessary part of your healing process. Trust that the medicine spirits know what you need and be open to receiving it.

Why is Self-Acceptance Important?

When asked how much they have accepted themselves, many people say, "Not very much." Yet, self-acceptance is fundamental to our emotional and mental health. Many of our struggles simply disappear when we accept ourselves as we are. We worry less about what others think of us and are less likely to be overly critical of ourselves. It becomes easier to like ourselves!

Those who have not accepted themselves often engage in regular negative self-talk. This negative dialogue reinforces the beliefs from which these thoughts arise and perpetuates the cycle.

If we could choose one thing for everyone who comes to our center to receive, it would be an end to negative self-talk and complete self-acceptance. Not everyone who comes here struggles with this, but most do to some degree. This one change can make a huge difference in people’s lives. So much falls away when we accept ourselves and stop the negative self-talk. This one change alone can transform your life.

We encourage everyone to begin practicing self acceptance before coming to an ayahuasca retreat. Here are a couple of links to good articles about this topic, and you can find many good articles and videos about it on the internet.

Self-Acceptance: Characteristics, Importance, and Tips for Improvement

Greater self-acceptance improves emotional well-being - Harvard Health

Who Am I Really?

Until one becomes self-aware and mindful, one's thoughts and emotions seem like reality. Everything that happens within us seems like an accurate reflection of the external world. Everything can seem significant and very real. Yet, thoughts and emotions are simply phenomena that primarily arise from our beliefs. You are not your mind. You are not your emotions.

Ayahuasca helps us see through this illusion. It reveals the mental and emotional patterns that shape our experience of life. It helps us let go of unhealthy, false patterns and choose healthy, true ones. Ayahuasca reveals the contents of our subconscious so that we can take control of our lives. It helps us to become the master of our thoughts and emotions.

There is Nothing Wrong With You

The physical, energetic and spiritual reality of our existence is far more complex than science can measure. There are many things that might contribute to one’s struggles that many would say is superstition and not real. Karma from past lives. Generational trauma. Entities and spirits affecting our thoughts, emotions, and sometimes behavior. Unconscious dark energies that disrupt the flow of our energetic bodies. All of these are possible and can make life more difficult. Yet they are rarely the major cause of people’s problems. Clear all of that, and most people will still have significant struggles in their lives.

Rarely have we seen anything wrong with someone other than the fact they believed there was something wrong with them. Typically in early childhood they were conditioned to believe some form of I am not good enough, I am unworthy, I am less valuable than others, I am not lovable, etc., etc., etc. Some version of “I am less than”. This was learned. Conditioned.

It is not true.

The good news is that this is simply programming, conditioning. We can recondition our minds. We can reprogram our beliefs. Ayahuasca and san pedro radically accelerates this reconditioning process.

We hope you have found this information useful, and invite you to join us at one of our ayahuasca retreats