Ayahuasca

THE ULTIMATE
BEGINNER'S GUIDE
This guide gives you key insights into Ayahuasca.
Just curious, or planning to join your
first ceremony? Then this is the guide for you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What is Ayahuasca?
How it's made and
its origins.

2. Risks and Benefits

Why to drink Ayahuasca,
and when not to.

3. How to prepare?
All you need to know before
you join a retreat.
4. About the ceremony
What to expect when you
drink the medicine.

5. How to integrate?
What to do after your
experience.

6. About Arkana
1.
WHAT IS
AYAHUASCA?

Ayahuasca Vine Chakruna Plant

Ayahuasca is a dark brown brew, made from the bark of the Ayahuasca vine
(Banisteriopsis caapi) and leaves of the Chacruna plant (Psychotria viridis). The
leaves contain the psychoactive substance DMT. It is a powerful ancestral medicine
that has been consumed for hundreds of years by indigenous people in the
Amazon.

At Arkana we are purists and only use these two ingredients. They are boiled
together for hours at the center, in an environment that is continuously
energetically cleansed. Only people trained in the right method of preparation are
responsible for its brewing. It has quite a bitter taste. Every person is served different
quantities based on their needs.

If Ayahuasca is taken in a safe, legal and respectful manner, then the possibilities to
use the medicine as a tool to heal society are endless. Hopefully by the end of this
guide you will have a clear understanding of how to use it, when to use it and who it
is for.
 2.
RISKS &
BENEFITS
Ayahuasca is not a magic cure-all overnight pill. It is a
powerful tool that has been sought out by spiritual seekers
for its visionary properties as well as for its ability to treat
medical conditions of the mind, body and spirit.

Benefits
There’s compelling evidence that Shamanic healing works and is especially
effective for emotional, psychological and physical issues such as: chronic
depression, anxiety, addiction and alcoholism, trauma related afflictions, and
sexual abuse among others.
Since childhood, we are all building a story in
our minds about ourselves and the world. These
stories can lead to us not feeling good enough,
loveable, smart enough - the list goes on. These
narratives impact our relationships deeply, with
ourselves and others.
Ayahuasca acts as a way to break these patterns
of thought, and install new ones. The medicine
helps us let go of what no longer serves us, and
gives us a chance to come out of it reborn. With
a new story, you can start living a new life. One
rooted in authentic connection to yourself,
where your internal compass is realigned.
People are very likely to report feeling like they
can finally shed the past, shed their unhealthy
coping mechanisms and feel free of the burdens
they have carried for years.
As with any life change, the work continues
once you've returned after ceremony. That's
why integration is just as crucial as the medicine.
 HOW DO I KNOW
IF I'M READY?
If Aya appears in your life or you start hearing about it, then in a way, it has a reason
why this is coming to you. It can be seen as an invitation from the medicine. If you’re
ready and open to change things, then you’re ready for Ayahuasca. You are not
holding back, but ready to fully trust the process. It does not mean that you need to
make big changes, sometimes you just need some clarification. You need to be
prepared to face the truth, fears, reality. Ayahuasca is an incredible path if you have an
intention to find your inner peace and to find your true mission so you can contribute
to a more conscious world. If you are seeking to evolve into your higher self, then this
medicine is for you because this is what the medicine does.

Helpful books and talks

DMT: The Spirit Molecule by Rick Strassman
How to Practice Self-Inquiry by Ramana Maharishi
The Cosmic Serpent - DNA and the Origins of Knowledge by Jeremy
Narby
In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Mate
The Four Agreements and The Fifth Agreement by Don Miguel Ruiz
Onken Radio (Podcast): Episode 197: Healing & Traversing the Fabric of
the Matrix with Ayahuasca
Life-changing stories
"Ayahuasca is a different experience for everyone, but if you’re worried about
whether it may or may not be for you, I will say that it helped me obliterate a
lifetime of intense trauma (developmental trauma starting with early neglect, as
well as years and years of inescapable, violent trauma later on) that 20 years of
therapy, medication, and countless alternative therapies couldn’t touch.
I didn’t become a fundamentally different person but found peace with who and
what I am, finally found a personal narrative where there was none, and have even
noticed cognitive benefits such as improved memory now that my
CPTSD/trauma-related hypervigilance has notably decreased.
For me, Ayahuasca acted as an empathogenic nootropic, augmenting my
emotional intelligence in a way that unlocked a profound synergy between the
emotional and intellectual parts of the mind, allowing profound insight and
radical reframing. It sounds impossible, but all my traumas and perceived flaws
became my greatest gifts. It simply had to be experienced to be understood. I
stopped trying to fix a dysfunctional system with the very tools that built it, and
Shamanic medicine was the key."
-Morgan, Amazon Guest

Watch video - Dakota of Earth Watch video - Blu

"I went there a sad, angry, brokenhearted, alcoholic, self-medicator and I left a
genuinely happy, substance free, proud, confident and loving man. All the best
parts of me stayed and grew and all the negative parts of me and my addictions
were purged away.
It has been two months of alcohol/drug-free, pure happiness since I left there and
felt the need to share this because the experience is still changing my life and me for
the better."
-Dustin, Sacred Valley Guest
Risks
You might wonder: “Is Ayahuasca safe?” Ayahuasca is
extremely safe when used responsibly. In other words:
following a disciplined approach in observing safety
protocols at all times, not serving medicine to guests whose
medical conditions are contraindicated, and having expert
healers with years of experience leading the ceremonies.

If you suffer from chronic epilepsy, high blood pressure, heart conditions or
diabetes, you should consult with your doctor to ensure you are cleared and you
should also book a call with us to understand your situation better.
If you have been diagnosed with Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, or Borderline
Personality Disorder you should not consume ayahuasca.
Certain drugs and medications have been found to not be compatible with
ayahuasca. It is important to suspend any kind of psycho-pharmaceutical and
depression treatments for 14 to 35 days before drinking ayahuasca. The body
detoxes from every medication differently, so if you are in doubt, consult with
your doctor to ensure you are fully clean before drinking Ayahuasca.
If you are pregnant, it is not safe to drink Ayahuasca. If you are on your period,
you can attend ceremonies but you need to share this with the healers so they can
ensure correct protection during the ceremony.
Before attending any Ayahuasca retreat, you should always be asked about medical
conditions.
If you are uncertain about your health, talk to a medical expert and book a check-
up. You can always get in touch if you are unsure if a medication or supplement
you are currently taking is safe. Book a complimentary call here.
 3.
HOW TO
PREPARE?
Take the time to research about where to do it. Find the right place
that you trust, that you feel comfortable going. Some people may
decide to just listen to the calling to do Ayahuasca and not go too
deep into the research, and that is also fine.

Every person has their own story and relationship with the
medicine. Some people go through really harsh moments but it
does not mean that you have to go through the same process. It is
not generic, it works individually for every single person. You can
read other people's stories but just remember that they belong to
them, not you.

Clean your body. It is important to clean your body so your process

is smoother. You do this by eating properly. You can follow this
Ayahuasca Dieta that we have prepared for you.
 DIET
One of the most important aspects of
preparing for Ayahuasca is nutrition. By
observing the Dieta in advance you are
starting the process of cleansing and
deepening your ability to connect with
the medicine. To put it bluntly, if you
eat a lot of junk and unhealthy food,
you will be doing a lot of extra purging,
and who wants that?

4 weeks before
Stop taking all psychoactive
medications
3 weeks before
Stop taking any anti-depressants or anti-
anxiety medication SSRI’s, SNRI’s,
DRI’s etc.
2 weeks before
During the 2 weeks prior to taking
Ayahuasca, we recommend:
Staying well hydrated, eating
healthy: lots of fruits and veggies
Not to eat pork (very important)
and red meats in general
Minimise salt, sugar and irritants
(caffeine, hot spices, alcohol)
Ice cream and ice cold drinks
Don't smoke Marijuana
Cease sexual activities of any kind,
including masturbation
ALL street drugs (cocaine,
MDMA, amphetamines, etc.) –
obligatory for your safety and for
the possible energetic impact on
other guests
PRACTICES
Journaling
Journaling is a great way to clear out and let
go of daily thoughts and feelings. During the
retreat it's a helpful tool to remember your
experience, so you can look back at it as you
integrate it. Often things don't make sense in
the moment, so writing them down helps
you hold and and reflect down the line. It
also helps formulate your intentions on
paper.

Meditation
We highly recommend taking the time to
prepare your mind and spirit in addition to
your body. This will be time well spent and it
will allow you to get the most of your
experience. A daily meditation practice to
establish a habit of grounding yourself is
incredibly helpful. Disciplines that will help
you quiet the mind so you can take a deep
dive inside during the retreat.

Yoga & Breathwork

As our mind, spirit and body are all
interconnected, using different modalities of
movement and breathing are fantastic
supportive practices to feeling embodied.

Watch Documentary on Vipassana

Meditation
Wim Hoff Breathing Techniques
Holotropic Breathing Techniques
5Rhythms Movement Practice
SAFETY & TRAVEL

Don't drink if...

You fall into the group of people who
suffer from specific medical conditions,
mentioned in Chapter 2 under "Risks".

Travel

All Covid entry restrictions to Peru

have now been lifted. It's always
important to check if you need specific
vaccinations before entering the
country. Make sure your passport is still
in date.

It's clever to book in a few extra days

before joining the retreat, so your body
can recover before the experience.
After the retreat, it helps to take some
time off to start a smoother integration
process.

Packing
Depending on your location, it's
important to bring some essentials. For
the Amazon SPF and bug spray are
must-haves. Light, long-sleeve clothing
will keep you protected. In the Valley,
nights can get cold so be prepared.

We also recommend thinking of nature

when you pack. If possible opt for
products with natural ingredients so
you avoid poluting the environment.
 4.
ABOUT THE
CEREMONY
The ceremony is held within a sacred space, which is cleansed and protected
by the shamans. By smudging the space with Palo Santo (Holy Wood), it sets
the tone for a safe experience. Mapacho, or jungle tabacco, is then blown
onto the participants by a Shaman. Every single part of the ritual is there to
ensure a beneficial journey.

Maloca Medicine Icaros

During ceremony, the When you get called to When the Shamans drink their
Maloca will become your drink your dose, you cup of Ayahuasca, they come
home. You're provided need to infuse Ayahuasca into direct contact with the
with a mat, pillows and with your intention plants. They are then able to
blanket. A flashlight is before drinking. You sing songs that channel this
there when you need to go then return to your mat, energy into the space and its
to the bathroom. You have sit up and relax. After participants. You will be called
a bucket and toilet paper at about 30 minutes to an to receive a personal Icaro
the ready. Facilitators are hour, you would most during the ceremony. This is
there to support you when likely start to feel the attuned to what the Shaman
you need them. effects of the medicine. reads in your energy field.
HEALING EXPERTS
We can’t emphasize enough how critical it is to
be accompanied in ceremony by advanced
Ayahuasca healers.

In ceremony, you become extremely vulnerable:

to the energies you are working through and
energies in the outside world. Shamans act as
barriers of protection, they absorb the negative
and their icaros serve as an expression of the
plant’s healing powers. Do not take who you sit
with lightly, as their experience is crucial in
creating a safe environment.

For decades, our shamans have worked with

master plants, learning from them through
monthlong diets (or dietas). They come from
the Shipibo-Konibo tribe, who are seen as
guardians of Ayahuasca. Their dedication to
serving selflessly contributes greatly to the
healing process.
HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD I DRINK?
Aya treats every person individually. Some
people need more medicine, some people need
less medicine. It depends how your body
responds, how deep your trauma is and how
open you are to connecting with the medicine.

Often, a right dosage reveals itself to you after

one or more ceremonies. At Arkana, men are
served 40ml and women 20ml in the first
ceremony. This initial dosage has been the
starting point for thousands of guests. You then
learn how you respond and adjust accordingly.

A second serving gives you an opportunity to go

deeper if you need to. You can also rely on the
shamans guidance. If you surrender to the
medicine, if you let her do the work without
holding on to things that do not serve you any
more, the process will be shorter and smoother.

HOW LONG DOES THE EFFECT OF

AYAHUASCA LAST?
The medicine will keep you until the necessary work will not be done.
Depends on the intensity and the depth of the cleansing that you need to go
through.
Consider it as a surgery anesthesia. Deep surgery- more time, more anesthesia
meaning the medicine will work deeper. Light surgery- less time and perhaps less
dosage. Your work as a patient is to relax and to trust the medicine who will
perform a surgery on you. The experience usually lasts anywhere from 4 to 6
hours.
WHAT WILL I FEEL?
As mentioned before, every person's experience varies, and every night it is
likely to be different. However, there are the following common effects
which include: vomiting, yawning, sighing, sweating, crying, laughing and
visual hallucinations. It is not uncommon to get headaches, exhaustion,
increased heart rate and diarrhea.

As your body is cleansing itself, it can take a physical toll. But most people
experience a great sense of calm, relief and emptiness after these challenging
aspects. It’s almost like a reboot of your body. After the ceremony, it’s
essential to rest, hydrate and maintain a clean diet.

You can experience a whole spectrum of feelings, from the deepest love to
re-emerging anger that you need to work through. The medicine will take
you on a journey and addresses what’s needed in that moment.
 You may see bright fractal visions, animals,
human or alien-like figures, the natural world
in a new way. You may purely be in your
body without any hallucinations, or you may
be swept away by the Icaros, receiving
information by hearing it. During the
ceremonies, your breath serves as your
anchor.

When anxiety arises, or you are struggling to

cope, relaxing into your breath keeps you
centered. Mentally, your intentions are
anchors too. When you get off track, you can
navigate back to the course by reminding
yourself what you came to work on.

By working with the medicine, and not

against it, you will experience the most
profound results. Often, the effects are more
intense in the first few ceremonies, and calm
down in the later ones. Your body and mind
need time to adapt and as your ease into the
process more with each ceremony it often
results in a more positive experience.

ABOUT PURGING
Purging is one of the most important stages of the ceremony since purging is
considered to be a cleansing process. Purging is not only limited to vomiting,
but the other physical effects that are a form of release are also consired a purge.
It should not be seen as negative, but as a natural part of the process. Every
participant has their own buckets next to their mat in case they need to vomit.
Being together with other people who are going through the same as you can
serve as a deep connector and support system during the ceremonies. At
Arkana, our facilitators support you with anything you need, whether it is
walking you to the bathroom or ensuring a shaman comes over to help if what
you’re going through is too tough to handle.
 5.
HOW TO
INTEGRATE?

The earlier you can start to take action on the lessons learned, the better.
This includes maintaining a healthy diet, practicing a still mind,
connecting to those who will promote your process, taking time for
yourself, and engaging fully with the intentions you set for your healing
journey.

Group discussions in between ceremonies start to help you understand

your experience. But we also let you know that when you go home, the
work doesn't stop. Here are 7 helpful tools that we use to continue the
integration process.
THE 7 P'S OF
INTEGRATION
1/ Practice
Identify the teachings you have received and
then put them into practice. Revisiting your
journal becomes helpful to contemplate the
teachings from your notes, keeping an open
mind to receive new insights to further
document. Consistent and disciplined practice
will soon bear the fruits of a real, long-lasting
transformation.

2/ Pause
Verify your inner state, modulate it, expand it,
and make more space for contemplation. Do it
as many times as you can during the day.
Ask yourself:
What is my predominant inner feeling?
What am I carrying within myself?
Remember that circumstances do not determine
your state.

3/ Patience
As you go back to your daily life after a retreat,
be patient with yourself and your own process.
Not everything is going to change overnight.
We are adjusting to new ways of being with
ourselves and with our reality.
Ayahuasca helped you gain new neural
pathways but these take time to unfold in
yourself.
Part of integration is doing the work to
strengthen them. Be kind and gentle with
yourself, and keep trusting the process.
 THE 7 P'S OF
INTEGRATION
4/ Pruning
Pruning literally means to cut or detach.
After working with Ayahuasca, it is important to
cut away the habits we don’t benefit from.
Remove all forms of toxicity from your life.
It’s okay to prune from your life that which
keeps you separate from your true self.
Some detachments need not be permanent, they
just need time and space to a new dynamic. The
most important relationship is the one you keep
with yourself.

5/ Pilgrimage
Integration is the Inner Sacred Pilgrimage of
finding yourself. Take time to be still and
develop a daily meditation practice. The more
you come in contact with this space, the more
you will find it easier to go back at all times. Have
a date with yourself every day. Make it a constant
practice and you will soon reap the benefits.

6/ Preach not
Upon the completion of a life-changing
ayahuasca retreat and having experienced an
Arkana integration series
awakening of some sort, people are very excited
to share their experiences with everyone. We
recommend being careful with this until it's the
Click to watch right time and place. This P (Preach-Not) refers
to holding the energy inside to protect it. Share,
preach not.
7/ And finally...Plaughter!
Some solid advice on how to find the right shaman: “If your shaman does not
have a good sense of humor, keep looking until you find one that does. Play is so
important! Sometimes the integration work can feel heavy or challenging and
keeping a playful attitude helps to deal with this.
The work only ends when our time in this body ends. It is very important to
approach life, the integration work, with laughter and a light heart.

CONCLUSION
Preparation, initiation and integration. At Arkana, we are honored to
When you decide Ayahuasca is right for provide support for your whole
you, you'll be taken on a journey, a full journey: before, during, and after
spectrum of experiences. The medicine your retreat with us.
will help you to reconnect with yourself,
while being supported by others. We hope this guide provided you
The integration process is an intimate rite with tangible insights into a
of passage. It is a healing partnership subject that is often hard to put
between the explorer (you) and the sacred into words. We'd love to help if
plant's wisdom and intelligence. you have any further questions.
 6.
ABOUT
ARKANA
Arkana Spiritual Center is located in Peru. You can find us in
the Amazon Jungle and in the Sacred Valley. Both locations
offer different options of plant medicines. Besides ayahuasca,
we also work with San Pedro or "Huachuma" Sapo, or "Bufo"
and Rapé.

AMAZON JUNGLE SACRED VALLEY

Travelling via Iquitos, you arrive in Snuggly tucked between the
our secluded retreat in the jungle. mountains near Urubamba, you will
With a pool, big communal spaces find our Sacred Valley retreat. Here
and premium standard rooms you we work with Shamans who are
will find comfort during your stay. deeply experienced in local plants
medicines besides ayahuasca, such as
The healers at this retreat are all the San Pedro cactus.
family, and part of the Shipibo-
Konibo tribe. They have decades of Besides the ceremonies, you'll be able
experience working with a variety of to take day trips to incredible sights
ancestral medicines. such as Macchu Picchu.

Click for AMAZON retreats or Click for VALLEY retreats or

learn more about the center learn more about the center
GOT MORE QUESTIONS?
GET IN TOUCH!

www.arkanainternational.com
jose@arkanainternational.com
@arkana_ayahuasca