Preparation with the Diet Chapter 5

Ceremony Preparation Diet

What You Should Expect from a Space Holder

As you prepare for your upcoming sacred experience with the beautiful plant spirits, and to honour the profound journey you are about to undertake.  Because of the powerful nature of these plants, a strict cleansing diet is necessary. This diet serves multiple purposes: it shows respect to the plants, ensures your safety, and allows you to receive the fullest and most profound healing possible.

The reason for this diet is that certain foods, drugs, medications, and alcohol can dangerously interact with the plants. Combining them may cause severe reactions or hinder your healing process.

Part of your commitment to the plants and the ceremony is to follow this diet and cleanse your body beforehand. Within our everyday consumables—food, alcohol, and even substances we might be addicted to—often lie blocked emotions and negativity. These can manifest as physical or emotional disease if left unaddressed.

Please be prepared for possible withdrawal symptoms, particularly if you consume coffee or sugar regularly, as the cleansing process may bring hidden emotions to the surface.

Please note that no mobile phones or electronic devices should be permitted in any ceremony room. The ceremonies are deeply sacred healing spaces and must be treated with respect and reverence.

The nature of these plants is to invite you to look inward—often to face and heal past wounds and personal challenges. This process requires courage, honesty, and a willingness to work deeply on yourself. If you are not willing to engage in this inner work, the experience may not be right for you at this moment. It requires a commitment. It requires discipline.

While the plants can help clear future blockages and offer prophecy, this healing only unfolds when you open yourself fully and allow the plants to guide you inward.

The shamanic diet you will follow is thoughtfully designed to keep you safe, to heal, cleanse, and free your body from heavy energies and blocked emotions. It is not meant to cause suffering, but rather to be welcomed as a sacred form of self-healing and a sign of respect—to yourself and to the plants.

Coffee is not permitted on the diet; however, we do allow up to three weak cups of tea per day to help ease your cleansing process. Please do not overcompensate for the absence of coffee by drinking excessive amounts of tea. Remember, the diet is about balance and moderation—not replacing one habit with another.

If you take sugar in your tea, we recommend swapping it for honey or stevia. Moderation means moderation—not a free pass to continue your usual intake. Many foods that are allowed in small amounts can still interact negatively with the plants if consumed in large quantities, so please be mindful and cut down accordingly.

Embrace this diet with love and gratitude, as part of your deep healing journey. That it is.

Important: Diet and Substance Guidelines

The diet MUST be followed preferably for a three weeks, but at minimum of seven full days prior to the ceremony. This preparation is essential to ensure your safety, enhance the healing process, and honour the sacred medicine.

All non-prescription drugs must be stopped at least THREE WEEKS prior to your ceremony. After the ceremony, Class A drugs should not be taken for at least three weeks, and ideally, no alcohol should be consumed for three days following the experience.

Here are the dietary guidelines into two categories for clarity:

·         NO — Absolutely Not Allowed: This means NO, under any circumstances. These foods, substances, and medicines are strictly forbidden to avoid dangerous interactions with the plants.

·         In Moderation: These foods and drinks can be consumed but only sparingly and with care, as large amounts may interfere with the medicine’s effects.

Please take these instructions seriously for your own well-being and to receive the full benefits of the sacred plant medicine.

THE NO CATEGORY

(Absolutely no consumption under any circumstances)

• No alcohol

• No St. John’s Wort (for two weeks prior)

• No gravy, stock cubes, shop-bought stock, packet soups, miso soup, or pot noodles

• No frying with oils

• No hard or aged cheese

• No shrimp paste

• No processed ready-made meals

• No soya products or tofu

• No sugar

• No fizzy drinks (including “sugar-free” versions)

• No fermented foods

• No vinegar or pickled foods

• No pork

• No hot spices

• No adding salt to food

• No red meat or venison

• No brewer’s yeast or yeast spreads (e.g., Marmite)

• No coffee

• No excessive grapefruit or overripe fruit

• No sex

• No prescription drugs (please inform us if you are taking any)

• No supplements (unless medically necessary—please inform us)

Herbs to avoid 48 hours before and after the ceremony: Betel, Boswellia, Carrot seed, Chamomile, Cowhage, Curcumin, Dill seed, Ephedra, Fennel seed, Fo-Ti, Ginseng, Horny Goat Weed, Kanna, Kava, Kratom, Liquorice Root, Nutmeg, Parsley seed, Rhodiola Rosea, Scotch Broom, Siberian Ginseng, Sinicuichi, Turmeric, Yerba Mate, Yohimbe

IN MODERATION

(Consume sparingly; large amounts may interfere with the medicine)

• Bread

• Butter (small amounts only)

• Mild spices

• Salt (do not add salt to foods)

• Tea (maximum 4 cups per day)

• Milk, natural yogurt, soft cheese (small amounts)

• Dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa, max 28g per day)

• Raspberries

• Peanuts & Brazil nuts

• Parsley, Dill, Nutmeg

• Broad beans (fava and lima beans)

• Masturbation

SIX WEEKS – The very minimum - THREE-WEEK PRIOR REMOVAL

• No non-prescription drugs at all (e.g., MDMA, Viagra, Ecstasy, Cocaine) — these are very dangerous if mixed with the plants.

• No antihistamines or herbal sleep aids

foods You Can Enjoy During the Diet

While the ceremony diet is quite specific, many nourishing and delicious foods are still available to support you on your journey. Here are some wholesome, tasty ideas to inspire you:

• Breakfasts:

  • Porridge with cinnamon and honey

  • Sugar-free muesli or granola with milk, almond milk, or oat milk

• Protein and Salad Options:

  • Simple mackerel and scrambled eggs

  • Chicken, salmon, or swordfish/tuna salad with potatoes, a drizzle of hemp oil, fresh beetroot, seeds, walnuts, and a little hummus

• Soups and Warm Meals:

  • Homemade butternut squash soup with onions and coconut milk, served with rice.

  • Mild chicken curry (using approved spices)

  • Homemade bean burgers with potatoes (dry roasted for a delicious roast dinner — no gravy!)

• Hearty Oven Bakes:

  • Chicken thighs baked with tinned tomatoes, celery, onions, peppers, mushrooms, coriander, and mixed herbs, cooked for 90 minutes. Serve with rice, pasta, potatoes, or homemade wedges.

• Convenient Meals:

  • Wraps, perfect for city lunches

  • Dishes bulked out with mixed beans and lentils.

  • Jacket potatoes topped with tuna and a small amount of mayonnaise.

• Vegetables and Sides:

  • Fresh fish with steamed vegetables or roast butternut squash

• Desserts and Treats:

  • Rice pudding made with goat’s milk or an alternative milk, honey, and cinnamon.

  • Raw chocolate (in small amounts, for those with a sweet tooth!)

  • Homemade fresh fruit crumble made with honey, gram flour, oats, and coconut fat.

• Drinks:

  • All herbal teas are welcome and encouraged.

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