If you’re around spiritualist circles, then you’ve probably heard about ayahuasca. Or you’ve contemplated the idea of trying it one day. An ayahuasca ceremony can truly be life-changing but being prepared is very important if you want it to be for the right reasons. This is why it’s essential to know what you can expect during your experience and what you should do if you want the ceremony to have the desired effect. Here are 10 things you should know before partaking in your first ayahuasca ceremony.

Respect Dietary Guidelines

One of the things you should look for when choosing a center for your ayahuasca ceremony is if they have dietary guidelines and a menu. If they don’t, then this is a major red flag.

The Ayahuasca Church of Mother Earth offers three-day retreats where they’ll give you strict dietary rules and will offer a diet conducive to a great experience. For instance, things like alcohol, fermented foods, and meat aren’t recommended when you’re going to have an ayahuasca ceremony. You should also refrain from eating food in the morning if you’re going to have a ceremony during the day. If you want to know more about the Ayahuasca Church of Mother Earth’s retreats and what their program looks like, you can check their website to learn more.

Expect to Purge

While some people go through the ceremony without purging, you should prepare to do so, especially if you had harmful emotional thought patterns or bad habits. When you purge, things your body no longer needs will be expelled from you. This is a necessary part of the ceremony and you’ll feel a great sense of relief once this is done. There are some things, however, that you can do to balance yourself before the ceremony and prevent purging, such as meditation, yoga, and following a strict diet.

Leave Recreational Drugs at Home

You should know that ayahuasca and recreational drugs don’t mix well, even with mild natural ones like cannabis. Also, you shouldn’t use ayahuasca as a recreational drug either. So, if you thought it would be cool to have an ayahuasca trip on a Saturday night with your friends, this really isn’t its purpose and it should be respected for its shamanic properties first and foremost.

You Need to be Thoroughly Prepared

Before you embark on this journey, you have to make sure that you are spiritually, emotionally, and physically ready. Know that you’ll be confronted with aspects of yourself and the higher mind you never knew existed. That’s why it’s always better to have your first experience at a retreat with a proper guide that will allow you to navigate the waters and make sure that you get what you need from the experience.

Meditation can Help A Lot

Any practice that will allow you to process intense emotions without being overwhelmed will help you integrate your experience better. You also have to let go of any tendency to over analyze things. You’ll be able to better accept what the experience brings and what it’s trying to tell you.

This Might not be the Right Time in your Life to Take Ayahuasca

You have to be in a fairly stable mental state in order to enjoy your ayahuasca experience. While it can be helpful to cure things like mild anxiety or some forms of addiction, it is not recommended if you’re currently using medication like antidepressants, for example. If your mental or emotional health is fragile at the moment, then it might be better for you to correct these issues first. You could also talk to the people who are in charge of the retreat to see if it would be a good time to try.

Have Intentions, but no Expectations

Those who have clear intentions on what they wish to get from their ayahuasca experience usually have great results and tend to enjoy their experience more. However, know that this is truly a journey to the center of yourself that could take you places you never expected, so be prepared for that.

The Experience is Longer than Many Expect

The length of the ayahuasca experience differs depending on the individual. However, the average time is between four and six hours. Also, know that it can be very difficult to keep track of time during this period and it could feel much longer. And expect to feel ups and down during this period. The downs might feel uncomfortable at times, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be beneficial.

Make Sure that you’re Surrounded by the Right People

This is another reason why it’s highly recommended that you have your first experience at a retreat. It’s essential to have a sitter with you when trying ayahuasca for the first time. It’s also important that they are recognized or respected, whether they have a background in psychology or they are shamans with years of practice. Also, try to look for people you actually feel an affinity with, and you can trust. This is a very important journey you’re going to take into the center of the unknown, so it’s important that you have someone you can trust guiding you by the hand.

The Effects of the Ceremony Could Take Some Time to Process

If you think everything is going to be normal the next morning, you are sorely mistaken. It can take quite some time to truly process what happened during that ceremony, hence why it’s so important to go with a retreat if possible for your first experience.

People there will be able to support you and help you integrate the experience. The effects of ayahuasca on your soul can be profound and change your whole perspective on life and yourself, so having the right people around you to help you understand what is actually happening and the meaning behind it is especially important.

Conclusion

Ayahuasca can truly change your life, and it’s important that you know everything there is to know about it before you take the jump. Make sure that you choose the right people to have your first experience with and make sure that you are ready mentally before you go.