Ayahuasca Integration Guidelines

Integrating Ayahuasca Experience into Everyday Life 

The changes don't end when the ayahuasca retreat is over; in many aspects, the real work begins after the retreat. The experience gained during the retreat becomes valuable as it integrates into everyday life.

Remember, it's not just about what you realized, but how you apply it.integration of ayahuasca retreat into daily life

What to do after the retreat?

Recommendations:

  • Apply the tools you developed during the retreat. 
Recall the Ayahuasca experience, the sensations in your body, the emotions. Extract and solidify them in your daily routine. If you made any notes during the retreat, reread them frequently to stay connected with the experience.
  • Listen to your body and its needs.
Maintain a high level of energy. Rest and sleep when needed. Notice any discomfort in your body. Practice techniques that support your well-being, especially those you discovered with Ayahuasca. Since your sensitivity increases after the retreat, you may discover new bodily needs that don't align with your previous lifestyle. Be open to changes and explore them. It's your chance to readjust your way of life to achieve greater health and well-being.
  • Spend time in nature. 
Listen to the sounds of nature. If you're in a bustling city where the noise overwhelms you, play recordings of jungle sounds - some are so immersive that they create an environment conducive to reconnecting with your body and reminiscing about the retreat experience. Many forgotten moments will come flooding back.
  • Practice mindfulness and attentiveness in everyday actions.
Be aware of your body, thoughts, and everything happening around you. By maintaining mindfulness, you'll easily notice how you interact with the environment and identify areas for growth.
  • Monitor your reactions.
 Certain habitual responses will fade away, and it's crucial to consciously discover new, more effective reactions during those moments. Perhaps Ayahuasca has already shown you these responses, and it's simply a matter of recalling and applying them. When old habits crumble, the pendulum of habit sometimes swings to the opposite extreme. For instance, if you previously didn't outwardly express irritation towards others' actions, you might feel the need to openly express it. Both extremes don't define you. Strive not to get stuck in the opposite extreme but find a "point of equilibrium" where you completely liberate yourself from any manifestation of that habit. The guiding principle for this equilibrium is usually a calm and harmonious bodily sensation.
  • Engage in self-reflection.
Allocate time to review the events of the day. This helps identify ineffective reactions that may have gone unnoticed in the moment and increases behavioral flexibility.
  • Listen to your sensations and intuition. 
These are deeper, embodied sources of knowledge and intentions not bound by thoughts. By following them, you'll break free from the mental patterns that support your habitual way of life and start noticing new paths. When there are no clear sensations from the source, the practice of "doubting all thoughts" and mindfulness can be extremely helpful.
  • Embrace a creative approach to life. 
Discover new ways to act and respond in accordance with the newfound knowledge and tools acquired through the plants.

ayahuasca retreat integration, digital art

What not to do?

Safety

The plants you worked with during the retreat will continue to unfold even after the retreat. For at least 2 months after the retreat, please:

  • Avoid using narcotics and psychoactive substances.
  • Avoid consuming psychoactive plants, as they may not be compatible with Amazonian plants.
  • If you feel the need to take pharmaceutical drugs, consult with us regarding their compatibility with ayahuasca and other plants you used during the retreat.
  • It is also advisable to eliminate pork and alcohol from your diet.

Precautions

During the initial period after the retreat, your mind is susceptible and open. This is a wonderful time to integrate new experiences and make changes in your material life. However, to avoid absorbing negative influences, please take the following precautions:

  • Try to avoid large recreational events where emotions are heightened (stadiums, concerts, festivals, landmarks, etc.). Such events can deplete much of the energy you accumulated during the retreat. Preserve that energy, as it directly affects your ability to be mindful and make changes.
  • Avoid group activities that may affect your mental state and energy. Exercise caution with esoteric movements, especially those cultivating strong emotional states (including "love"). In such groups, there is often deliberate creation of emotional attachment with the aim of establishing psychological dependence on the group or its leader. Keep in mind that most movements with group activities and practices have the ultimate goal of gaining material and/or energetic resources for those in charge, and you are now a "tempting morsel" to them due to your heightened energy levels.
  • Be selective and critical of information, especially advice and practices. When conflicts arise between external information and the knowledge gained from ayahuasca, try to recall the ayahuasca experience with your body - you will likely notice that it harmonizes more with your well-being.
  • Minimize physical contact, especially in the first week, particularly with unfamiliar or less familiar people, to avoid negative influences on your energy (touch, hugs, massages, etc.).
  • Avoid toxic relationships.
    • If you feel fatigue or unpleasant sensations in your body after interacting with someone, rinse your hands or head with water, and if possible, take a shower or use other practices to cleanse yourself from their energy.
    • If you experience recurring unpleasant sensations after interacting with a specific person, reassess your interaction with them and try to identify and eliminate actions that drain your energy or accumulate negativity.
    • If you cannot make the interaction constructive, consider the possibility of ending it.
  • Avoid overeating and excessive sexual activity. The cleaner your body remains and the longer the quality of your sexual energy is maintained, the longer the plants will continue to reveal aspects of yourself.
  • Refrain from sharing stories about your acquired experience or yourself in general. The new experience may continue to unfold for a long time, and stories about it will solidify your image in the eyes of others, causing your mind to perceive it as a completed action. This can hinder or even halt the process. Listen to your body - it will guide you on when, to whom, and what information you can share.
  • Avoid comparing people and yourself. You haven't become better or smarter than others.
  • Avoid excessive activity. After the retreat, you are filled with energy and may feel like you can move mountains. However, if you take on everything and help everyone without keeping track of your "expenditures," your energy will quickly decline, making it difficult to integrate your insights and experiences from the retreat into your everyday life.

In conclusion...

The Ayahuasca retreat serves as a powerful catalyst for change, but the real magic begins when you actively implement these changes into your life.

We wish you countless new discoveries and opportunities!

The Mariiri - Home of Ayahuasca Team

Merging Ayahuasca Experience with Everyday Life, photo, digital art