Peru - Master Plant Dieta - Day 20

I feel like a bit of explanation is in order. I did have the best of intentions to write with more frequency, but that just hasn’t been possible, but we will come back to that. More than a week has past since we arrived to our temporary home in Urubamba, and it has been quite a ride. When I get back to the usual flow of life, there is much writing to be done about the specifics of the various experiences I have had, but in this moment there is simply too much to process and work through.

Engaging in the work I am doing, is quite taxing on the mind, body, and spirit, the medicine never truly ends, yes, ceremonies come to an end and close, but when you are in the full swing of a Dieta, the plants you are consuming each day, simply continue working through you. I am consuming Noya Rao and Bobinsana almost every day, along with Ayahuasca and Yajé (Colombia’s version of Ayahuasca), the medicine never ends, it is there day after day, moment after moment, until the Dieta is closed. These plants all work together within your being, to teach you, to show you things, to guide you on the path. As with all new learning and understanding, it isn’t always the easiest process. There was a moment earlier this week, where it all just felt so heavy, several back to back nights of ceremonies, lack of sleep, a diet of food that is lacking to say the least, and more information and understanding than I knew what to do with. There is little time nor space to integrate the new understandings and visions in the midst of this process, so one must just trust the process, remembering that the integration of all this will come in the weeks and months to follow the close of the Dieta.

This process requires sacrifice, the plants have very specific rules, and the Maestro’s make sure that they are being followed. One of the most important rules is the diet, it is limiting to say the least, there is no flavor in any of the food. No salt, no seasoning, no sugar, no meat, no dairy, basically a diet of rice, grains, fruits, vegetables and simple soups. We did get some fish soup the other day, which was nice, but once again, it doesn’t taste like much without salt or seasoning. We get two meals a day, and I am guessing I have lost around 5-10lbs thus far. My friend Jessica does amazing stuff with the restrictions and has really taken care of us, creating and cooking the most delicious and sasitating meals possible within the restrictions, she is pure magic in the kitchen, so grateful for that, because it could be even more challenging. Love you Jess!

Today we are in Pisac, spending the day exploring the town and tonight we head up into the mountains for an overnight Wachuma ceremony. We did a Wachuma pilgrimage several days ago, which is something I intend to write about in more detail at some point, the journey involved consuming the medicine and then going for walk in the mountains, with stops at several points. What a wild and beautiful experience, not exactly sure how I am going to put it all into words yet, but I will figure it out, the mountains gave us everything that day, we even received a hail storm to begin the journey… It was unlike anything I have ever experienced in this life, so much energy, the mountains where alive and breathing. At one point that day, as I set next to the fire, with the mountains and lands speaking to me, a guitar being played in the background, I just knew that somehow I had to find a way to put the experience into words. So we shall see how that comes to life.

I feel a lot of love and gratitude for the group of beings that have made this journey with me, it really is an incredible group of people. When you put this many people together in a house, with so much medicine, it is bound to get interesting. Everyone is working through and processing so much, facing themselves in deep and profound ways, the energy can be a lot at times, but everyone has stayed grounded and in their lane. Each of us doing our best to remember that anything and everything that comes up, is simply a reflection of ourselves and the work we have yet to do.

As I sit here in the cafe in Pisac writing, drinking my Coca tea, thinking about how I am going to spend my day before we all meet up for ceremony tonight, I am mindful that I must find the space to rest, conserve and protect my energy. I am tired, despite getting some deep hard sleep last night, but I will continue to push on. This trip has been anything but a vacation, it has been work, it has been beautiful, and it has certainly been an adventure, one that isn’t over yet. There have been many memorable and beautiful moments and visions, but there is one in particular that I do want to share here. The first night of Ceremony with our Shipibo Maestro, all the plants that I am dieting came to me in my visions. They showed themselves to me and shared a message, and the message was this. “You never need to fear us nor what we are going to show you and teach you, you are walking the path, just trust and keep going.” When the plants speak to me I listen, as they have never lead me astray.

And thus, that is what I intend to do…

Joshua