Preparing the mind, body & Spirit for ayahuasca
In many ways, the Ayahuasca ceremony begins the moment you say “yes.”
That “yes” is not just a date on the calendar — it’s an energetic contract, a signal to your higher consciousness that you’re ready to meet yourself more fully.
From that moment, the medicine starts to move. It begins preparing you in ways you might not even realize are part of your preparation. Old emotions may rise to the surface. Relationships or situations you thought were resolved may suddenly ask for attention. Your dreams might become vivid, and synchronicities more obvious.
Feelings of resistance, heightened sensitivity, and unexpected waves of clarity are also signs that your Ayahuasca preparation has already begun.
So how do you consciously work with that process — and prepare your mind, body, and spirit to make the most of this sacred experience?
Preparing the Body
Your physical preparation — often called the Ayahuasca dieta — isn’t just about avoiding certain foods or substances. It’s about clearing the noise so your body becomes a clean, receptive vessel for the plant medicine.
Eat light, whole foods. Hydrate deeply. Simplify your intake. Move your body in gentle ways that help you feel grounded and strong.
In some cultures, namely Peru, longer and more restrictive dietas are common when working with the medicine. However, the indigenous peoples there are not experiencing the same level of mineral depletion found in modern Western diets, so that type of restriction may not always be ideal for everyone.
At Open Paths Retreat in Costa Rica, we recommend 5–7 days of eating as clean and natural as possible before arrival. The focus is on nourishment rather than restriction. In the final three days before ceremony, we suggest minimizing oils, fats, spices, salt, and processed foods to help your body arrive clear and ready.
Preparing the Mind
The mind is often the loudest part of us before ceremony. It wants to know what will happen, what it will look like, what it will fix.
Preparing the mind for Ayahuasca is about shifting from control to curiosity — softening the edges of certainty so you can meet the unknown with openness.
You can support this softening with simple practices:
Create moments of stillness so the mind can settle — perhaps a quiet walk or time in nature without distraction.
Journal what comes up.
Set intentions that are heartfelt but open-ended.
The most powerful intentions are often questions:
“Show me what I need to see.”
“Help me remember who I truly am.”
This kind of mental preparation softens the grip of expectation and allows the experience to meet you where you are.
Preparing the Soul
Before my first Ayahuasca ceremony, I had just come through two years of cancer treatments. The desire to release the trauma from that time is what called me to the medicine. Interestingly, even before the treatments began, I found myself naturally “cleaning house” energetically — making amends, forgiving, letting go, and speaking truths I had long held back. No one told me to do this; it arose naturally as my soul’s way of preparing for transformation.
This same kind of inner clearing can be deeply supportive before entering ceremony work.
The soul prepares through surrender.
“Surrender is faith that the power of love can accomplish anything even when you cannot foresee the outcome.”
— Deepak Chopra
Spend time in reflection, prayer, or nature. Listen for guidance in your dreams or synchronicities. Offer gratitude for what’s unfolding even before the ceremony begins. The soul’s preparation is about trust — trusting that what is coming is for your highest evolution.
Integration & Closing
Preparation is not about perfection — it’s about presence. The mind, body, and soul each play their part in opening the path for the medicine to work through you.
When you approach Ayahuasca with reverence, humility, and a willingness to surrender, you align yourself with wisdom that lives far beyond words or understanding. Trust that what unfolds is exactly what is meant for you.
The ceremony begins the moment you say yes — and continues long after you return home, in how you live, love, and listen to life itself.
Click here for more information about our upcoming Costa Rica retreat.
