PREPARATION FOR THE TRANSFORMATION RETREAT

GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS A practical and spiritual guide to support your preparation for a transformation retreat with more clarity, safety, and intention.

SHAMANISM

Shamanism is a universal practice that we know dates back at least a hundred thousand years. The word itself is a tune. It comes from a Siberian indigenous culture and is traditionally seen as meaning one who sees in the dark.

The beauty of shamanism is that it is spirit driven. When humans entered this amazing planet Earth, they really had no resources or tools for how to survive. The helping spirits looked down on what was happening in the world, and spirit shared tools and resources — how to talk to the plants and trees, how to make sacred preparations, and how to connect with the spirit of animals to find food.

Many people who participate in transformation retreats report experiences that are hard to describe. "Otherworldly," "spiritual," "transcendent" are just some of the phrases you might hear. An umbrella term for the profound personal revelations someone might encounter during a shamanic journey is "mystical."

What all of these words point toward is the same truth: something in you already knows the way home. The transformation retreat simply clears the path.

WHAT IS THE DIETA?

The dieta is generally recommended for both spiritual and physical reasons. It is important to understand the purpose behind it — not as a set of restrictions, but as an act of love toward yourself and your process.

As you may have guessed, "dieta" is the Spanish word for diet. It refers to the dietary guidelines followed while preparing for a transformation retreat. Here we explore both the practical contraindications and the spiritual purpose behind these guidelines.

The main recommendations from most traditions are flavorless foods — no salt, sugar, or spices, especially hot peppers, onions, and garlic — no sexual stimulation, no alcohol, and no pork, red meats, or cured meats. The dieta usually lasts ten to fourteen days before the sacred circle.

The shamanic reason for flavorless food is that spices and sugars can obstruct the energetic flow of the work. A de-spiced body is seen as a cleaner body, allowing the transformation to move more effectively through you.

Alcohol and processed meats can also load the body with harmful toxins, thought to reduce the shaman's ability to move healing energy through the body.

Think of the dieta not as deprivation, but as preparation. You are making space. You are arriving empty enough to be filled.

SPIRITUAL CLEANSING

Many dieta recommendations help clear your system so that you become more energetically sensitive and better able to receive the healing benefits of the sacred circle.

It is recommended not to eat for at least six hours before the sacred circle begins. A strict fast is not always necessary — small items such as herbal teas are generally fine.

From now until the sacred circle, keep your body as pure as nature intended, so that the work of transformation can offer guidance instead of spending time clearing layers of toxins first.

Consider also cleansing your emotional environment. The conversations you have, the spaces you inhabit, the people you spend time with — all of these leave an energetic imprint. In the days before the sacred circle, choose your environments with the same care you give your food.

RECOMMENDED: AVOID TYRAMINE-CONTAINING FOODS

The beta-carbolines present in the vine block monoamine oxidase (MAO), an enzyme important in metabolism. MAO helps process tyramine. If excess tyramine circulates in the body, blood pressure can rise dangerously.

Foods that may contain high tyramine include:

— Pork and red meat — Aged cheeses — Fermented foods such as soy sauce, fermented tofu, and sauerkraut — Yogurt and alcohol — Protein powders and aspartame — Caffeine — Chocolate and peanuts in large amounts

If you have any doubt about a specific food or supplement, please reach out before the sacred circle. It is always better to ask.

SETTING INTENTION

Please examine your motivation for participating in a transformation retreat. These are not recreational experiences — they are deep personal healing journeys.

A series of spiritual practices will help you spend time with yourself and set a clear intention for your sacred circle. Developing a clear sense of what parts of yourself or your life you want to explore can significantly increase the chance of positive outcomes.

Intentions versus expectations

Do not confuse intention with expectation. You may spend days setting a clear intention, and the journey may still take you elsewhere. Think of intention as a foundation, not a rigid script. The sacred circle is far wiser than our plans.

Some of the most profound transformations happen when the journey takes us somewhere we never thought to look. Stay open. The most unexpected door is often the one that leads home.

Integration is key. Working with plant spirits does not end when the sacred circle closes. A daily spiritual practice is advised to integrate what was opened during altered states of consciousness. What you do in the weeks after the sacred circle is just as important as what you do inside it.

PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

— Sit in silence or meditate: ten to sixty minutes daily helps you observe thought patterns and internal imbalances before the sacred circle. — Limit screen time: reduce overstimulation so you can reconnect with your internal world. — Use technology consciously: avoid violent, sexual, or disturbing content in the days prior. — Keep a dream journal: this can reveal deeper layers of the subconscious. The strongest results appear with consistent practice. — Smudge your home: use white sage, copal, cedar, sweetgrass, or other sacred herbs to refresh your space energetically. — Cook your own healthy food: choosing and preparing your meals mindfully supports self-love and energetic clarity. — Exercise and yoga: these help build the physical and mental stamina needed for a deeply transformative experience. — Creative expression: write, paint, sing, or create to connect with joy, vision, and inner clarity. — Spend time in nature: walk barefoot on the earth, sit beside water, watch the sky. Nature is the oldest teacher and the greatest preparation for any sacred work. — Reduce sexual energy: this is not about suppression but about redirection. Sexual energy is creative life force — conserving it in the days before the sacred circle gives the work more to draw from. — Write a letter to yourself: before the retreat, write honestly about where you are, what you are carrying, and what you hope to release. Seal it. Open it after integration.

SAFETY AND MEDICATION CONSIDERATIONS

Please take note: the dieta is not always mandatory. Many healthy and mentally balanced people may not experience harm by relaxing it. Over time, however, you may notice that your diet and lifestyle directly affect the depth of your experience and your energetic sensitivity.

The sacred circle is generally considered safe, but certain medication combinations require careful attention and must be discussed with the facilitator before participation. This is non-negotiable. Your safety is the foundation upon which everything else is built.

Substances requiring special caution:

— SSRIs: may carry a theoretical risk of serotonin syndrome with serotonergic experiences. — 5-MeO-DMT / Bufo alvarius: may have contraindications with harmala alkaloids. — MAOI medications: combining with the sacred circle can cause severe side effects. — Lithium: reports suggest dangerous interactions. Avoid the sacred circle if you are prescribed lithium. — Heart-rate medications: the San Pedro journey may alter heart rate. — Stimulants: amphetamines such as Adderall or Ritalin should be avoided.

If you are currently taking any prescription medication, supplements, or have any physical or mental health conditions, please disclose this fully during your intake call. There is no judgement — only care for your wellbeing.

THE PURGE

One of the first effects during the sacred circle may be purging — vomiting, diarrhoea, or intense physical discomfort.

A cleansed body often makes this process more bearable. Not everyone purges, and intensity varies greatly from person to person. Traditionally, purging is viewed as one of the most meaningful parts of healing and release — the body letting go of what it no longer needs.

The purpose of pre-retreat cleansing is to clear toxins from body and mind so you can be more open to insight, healing, and wisdom.

Try not to fear the purge. In many indigenous traditions, it is considered a great gift — the moment the body finally says yes to releasing what the mind has been too afraid to let go of. Meet it with gratitude when it comes.

LETTING GO

You may encounter unpleasant or disturbing sensations during your journey. This is natural.

Letting go is essential. Release control and trust that you are being looked after.

Fear can arise when familiar frameworks begin to dissolve. Accepting that uncertainty — rather than resisting it — usually supports the process.

"The fear marks the experience as existentially authentic. A touch of terror gives the stamp of validity to the experience because it means: this is real." — Vayne, 2017

Remember: you are safe. Embrace both the challenges and the beauty of the journey with humility and openness.

A helpful practice when fear arises is to soften your body consciously — unclench your jaw, relax your hands, breathe into your belly. The body leads and the mind follows. When you tell your body it is safe, the experience shifts.

A NOTE ON THE COLLECTIVE FIELD

You will not be alone in the sacred circle. Every person present is holding a piece of the shared field. Your healing contributes to theirs, and theirs to yours — even when you are each travelling deep into your own interior.

Come with respect for this. Arrive having done your preparation. Arrive having set your intention. Arrive ready to be changed.

The Cosmic Family holds space for one another. What you bring into the circle, you bring for all of us.

AFTER THE SACRED CIRCLE — THE INTEGRATION WINDOW

The days immediately following the transformation retreat are some of the most important of the entire process. The nervous system is soft. The subconscious is close to the surface. What you do — and do not do — in this window shapes how deeply the experience roots itself into your life.

— Rest as much as possible in the first 24 to 48 hours. — Eat gently — warm soups, fruits, simple nourishing foods. — Avoid alcohol, stimulants, and crowded or loud environments for at least three days. — Write, draw, or move your body to help process what arose. — Reach out if something feels unresolved, confusing, or heavy. Integration support is available and encouraged.

You are not meant to return immediately to ordinary life as if nothing happened. Something did happen. Honour it.

I hope you enjoy this reading. If you feel something is missing, please let me know. We are ONE.

When we enter the sacred circle and we see love, we realise it was never apart from us — it was always a part of us.

Alex · Discover Your Heart