A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Cup

When this journey begins, and we meet Ayahuasca for the first time, we cannot but bring in our expectations, yet as the sacrament unfolds within our consciousness, we realize that it might have a completely different intention and that instead of expectations, we are asked for… acceptations. Allowing the depth to come to the surface and the superficial to affect our depth. Integration means -- making whole, allowing all of our different parts to come and support each other in harmony.

At first, we are overwhelmed by the experience. So much has occurred, yet so little, we find, that we can articulate or even remember. Often, there is much conflict that arises as we dive deeper into ourselves. On one hand, so much beauty and expansion, Divine visions, and Angelic presence, and yet, on the other, fear, pain, and even trauma coming from our distant past. We get a glimpse of untold treasures lying dormant within our consciousness. We have touched places within our hearts that have been forgotten or even never touched. We face our greatest fears and explore our greatest strengths. Most often, having both within the span of one short weekend.

This journey may have taken you to the depths of your soul and deeper into your
consciousness. Introducing you to a new way of seeing the world and your human
existence. Often, different layers of pain are revealed to us: childhood wounding, pre-verbal trauma, abuse, and other painful experiences. These can be experiences we are aware of, yet at times, they are “new” information we may need to process.

As we partake in the Sacrament, we quickly realize that we come in contact with direct experience. The visions, the sights, the expansion of our senses, the profound realizations, and the depth of our truth are hard to ignore. It is a courageous journey that brings about a profound transformation in our relationship to ourselves. It brings about a sense of radical sincerity and the opportunity to relearn how to define the meaning of our lives.

When faced with such a profound shift in reality, we have to remember that integration is an innate human capacity, and all we are asked to do in order to support this process is give it the proper setting and atmosphere to occur on its own. Give ourselves the space and time to allow these seeds of profundity and wisdom to grow and blossom from the inside out. Integration, however, is not a passive process; we are asked to be active participants in our own growth and healing process.

Participating in a sacred ceremony with Ayahuasca is a potentiating spiritual practice that activates and accelerates evolution and growth, provided your intent and approach to this practice are sincere. The ritual experience itself is only one component of walking this path, no matter how powerful or profound. Dedication to the integration period afterward is as equally important to the process of holistic spiritual transformation. 

To understand this profound process of integration, we have to make an important distinction about working with Ayahuasca. Opening this door of awareness to the astral and the opportunity to explore our consciousness in this way is regarded as a profound and serious spiritual endeavor. It should not be related to as a recreational experience or a short visit to the Angelic realms. When we truly understand the gravity of this process, we understand it requires our time, presence, and conscious preparation in order to grow and evolve.

The study of our inner world and reality is a delicate one. Often requiring years of practice, study, and dedication. The same as any other spiritual path or religious practice. Drinking the sacrament alone will not suffice to support our spiritual growth and integration of spirit. Along with ceremony and sacrament, the path requires reflection, meditation, therapy, and guidance. Understanding this prior to beginning our journey with the sacrament is of utmost importance. 

 

Having a Strong Why

Before joining these sacred ceremonies, meditate and inquire within. Why am I wishing to participate and bring about such a transformation within myself? Having a strong why, a compelling reason, will be the strength you draw to make the conscious effort and action that is required before, during, and after you partake in the sacrament. Understanding this is a long-term commitment to spiritual growth that will bring about profound shifts in your relationship with yourself. Your strong why will become the courage you’ll need to face your fears, illuminate your shadows, and the anchor that will ground you to sustainable and continuous action to support you in integrating these teachings into your life.

Our why and our intentions are crucial for this profound, lifelong journey of self-discovery and personal transformation. It is the underlying force that keeps us sincere and focused on the transformation that will keep on occurring as we walk this path to fall in love with ourselves. Accepting the different fragments of our mind, spirit, and soul that will be revealed to us during the rituals and as we partake in the sacrament. Our focus on our strong why will allow us to have the courage to witness the patterns of behavior, the unconscious tendencies, and unhealed parts of ourselves that Ayahuasca, as a wise and loving teacher, will reveal to us step by step upon this path.

 

Within Ceremony

Focus. Hold on to your why and your intentions. As you approach to receive your sacrament, remember that receiving this cup is an act of permission. Permission for yourself to trust and surrender, and permission to the world of Spirit to guide and direct you. Though you have your intentions, try not to have an agenda. How things will come to be is mysterious and full of unexpected twists and turns. Often, we find our intentions are fulfilled but in a completely different way than we could have imagined. Often, Ayahuasca plants seeds of wisdom and truth that might take time to be revealed. It could be hours, days, months, and even years for some of these teachings to take root and blossom into an integrated experience.

During the ceremony, a lot can happen. There are many teachings, and many experiences that are often challenging to put into words. It is recommended to keep a ceremony journal and write, even if in short form, during the ceremony; however, don’t get lost in writing, not allowing the direct experience to expand your heart and leave you situated in your descriptive mind. Remember that you are receiving the guidance and teachings even if you can’t “hold on” to them in your conscious mind. These are seeds of consciousness that will be embedded into your “blood”, into your spiritual DNA, into your subconscious knowing, and your awakening soul. 

Try to avoid distractions; witness your mind as it tries to escape. Try, without judgment, to observe your own patterning and the places within you that try to resist or escape. Witness your thoughts and feelings; try not to interpret or give them immediate meaning. Seeing is often freeing, which means what we see are patterns or pain leaving our consciousness. Trying to give an immediate interpretation often limits what Ayahuasca has in store for our evolution and growth. Trust the process, wait, observe, and listen. Allow questions to arise without the need to find an instant resolution. More often than not, the answers will follow later in the form of a teaching, a prayer, or a song. 

Try to notice the physical changes in your body, the change in temperature, the tension in your shoulders, the shaking of your hands, or other unexplained physical phenomena. Try to slow down your breath, relax your muscles, and allow your body to surrender and trust. Your body speaks to you and is helping guide this process, learn to listen to its needs, to its language. 

With time, as your body becomes more comfortable in its experience of the sacrament, you might be able to notice more of the subtleties of the mind. The natural tendency to judge others, the more subtle resistance to change, the inner dialog and your mind’s language, and eventually, the conflicting patterns that govern your state of being. 

Once you learn to observe yourself with sincerity, equanimity, acceptance, and love, your heart will take the front seat, and your journey into the realms of spirit will begin. You’ll be centered and able to soften enough to listen to the whisper of your guiding soul.

During the ceremony, the sacrament allows for the space to think between our thoughts, feel between our feelings, and sense between our senses. Brief moments of clarity and understanding. Our hearts expand, and the meaning we give our lives becomes crystal clear. There’s a profound sense of knowing and remembrance. These are the moments when our healing occurs and our soul finds its way back home, touching the infinite realms of divinity and allowing for transformation to occur. The language of the soul is one of gratitude; try in those moments to pray for yourself and others, to express gratitude, and to appreciate yourself and the totality of this journey.

 

Ceremony Begins When Ceremony Ends

We often say that once our final prayers are said and the ceremonial circle is closed, it is as if a clock starts ticking… tick tock… tick tock… every second that passes, this profound journey begins to fade away and soon enough remains but a faint memory of a distant dream. This profound clarity we just experienced will soon be clouded with our day-to-day responsibilities, duties, kids, social media, and to-do lists...

First, it is important to understand that it takes about 72 hours for the sacrament to completely leave our bodies. Within these days you might still have strong dreams, profound insights, and inner guidance. Other than the rapid spiritual expansion and changes, and due to the biological and chemical process that is involved in taking the sacrament, expect a drop in serotonin, which means it is likely that you will be more sensitive, moody, tired, gloomy, and irritable. We highly recommend not making any profound life changes such as relationship choices, moving to another home or country, or having life-altering conversations. Wait… give yourself the proper time to center and ground. We often call this period of time “ceremony blues”; it is a short window of time the body, mind, and heart require in order to integrate, heal, and recover.

These three days, post-ceremony, are an invitation to slow down, relax, and dedicate time to self-care and introspection. Taking time to replenish your body will greatly support you in this process of integration. A massage, a hot bath, eating nourishing whole foods, lots of hydration, and lots of sleep will allow your body to rejuvenate and recover. 

We close our ceremonies with a powerful prayer, calling for Health in the Body, Peace in the Spirit, and Love in the Heart. Three powerful pillars to support the integration of our work. Let’s explore each one of these powerful gateways that guide this process and lead us to our spiritual growth.