Do I need to take malaria pills?

Cases of malaria are very rare in the region. Often times the effects of the malaria medication is more

extreme than the strain of malaria that is apt to occur. Do some research on all possible side effects of the

medication in order to make your own educated decision. Malarone and Larium are brands with no reported

negative integration with Ayahuasca.

 

If I do not take malaria pills, what are my options for protection?

It’s the same in Peru as anywhere else. Keeping the bugs away is the mission. So Mosquito repellant of

course, especially at and after sundown when the mosquitos are most active. Light weight long sleeve cotton

shirts, long pants. Cover your skin is the basic idea.

 

Are there vaccines I should consider and when should I get them?

Vaccines are not a requirement for our retreat, it’s a personal choice. If you choose to do so, the popular

vaccines people get are against Typhoid, Yellow Fever, Rabies, and Hepatitis A&B. We recommend getting

these at least 3 weeks prior to your retreat.

 

 

Can I participate in the Kambo ceremony if I am taking anti malaria medication, anti-biotics, birth control, hormonal medication, and/or any other type of prescribed or over the counter medication?

The medicine of Kambo is a very potent medicine. You will need to be clean of any synthetic medication for at

least 12 hours.

Bottom Line: If you are taking any type of medication, please share that information with us so we can keep

you safe from any unnecessary negative reactions.

 

What about my medications/supplements, can I continue to take these if I intend to participate in the Ayahuasca ceremonies?

We strongly recommend you talk with your doctor about any and all medications and supplements you are

taking and their interactions with MAO inhibitors. interaction with pharmaceutical drugs and some over-the-

counter drugs can potentially be life-threatening. The combination of MAOIs and other serotonin agonists or

precursors poses a particularly severe risk of a life-threatening serotonin syndrome episode. These drugs and

meds can be dangerous with Ayahuasca and should be discontinued at least 4 weeks prior to partaking in the

medicine:

• Other MAOIs
• diet pills
• Barbiturates
• serotonin precursor 5-HTP herbal supplement
• dextromethorphan
• high blood pressure medicine
• antihistamines
• CNS (central nervous system) depressants
• Vasodilators
• serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI’s)
• Antipsychotics
• Alcohol
• Combining Illegal or recreational drugs with MAOI’s is extremely dangerous
• Alcohol
• Amphetamines: meth, ecstasy
• Barbiturates
• Cocaine
• Dextromethorphan (DXM)
• Kava
• Kratom
• Mescaline (any phenethylamine)
• Opium Codeine, heroin, morphine

 

Is it safe to do Kambo or Ayahuasca while being pregnant or if there is a possible chance of pregnancy?

No, it is absolutely not safe! If there is any possibility of pregnancy you should NOT participate in those

ceremonies.

 

Do I have to participate in the ceremonies?

Mandatory? No! This experience is about you and what you want it to be. Please keep in mind, we are not a

lodge or hotel, we are a spiritual retreat. The intent of The ASHA Center is to provide tools and teaching that

help you in your spiritual journey and healing.

 

This is your experience, we not going to force anything on anyone. We do want to remind you that you should

be making this trip for yourself. It is our hope that your intention is to work on you, to raise your level of

consciousness.

 

When you strive for a profound experience all of the negative energies find a way to raise up and hold you

back from your work. Things like fear, anxiety and over active minds try to be the controlling force and offer

resistant to your true path. Isn’t that one of the reasons you were originally seeking this out? In these

situations we would encourage you to sit and talk with us, receive some pre ceremony counseling to help you

investigate if these fears are indeed what is holding you back and in the end you choose.

 

My friend/family member wants to attend with me, but they do not want to drink Ayahuasca. Is there any discount you can provide for them?

Yes, by all means bring them. We can offer a 10% discount if they are not going to participate in any of the

plant medicine ceremonies.

 

Is there a particular time of year that you would recommend a visit?

Yes, Anytime!

 

Are the airport transfers (pick-up and drop-off) included in my retreat?

Yes, we would love to be your ride to and from the airport!

 

When would you recommend for me to arrive and depart?

All of our packages start on Wednesday morning so we recommend you arrive Tuesday morning to avoid any

issues if flights are delayed etc.

 

What happens to my deposit if I need to re-schedule for some reason?

Your deposit is valid for a life time. Kindly inform us of your need to change your arrival date 2 weeks ahead of

your original date so we can fill your space.

 

Can you please give me a little more info on your accommodations?

You will have a clean comfortable bed with fresh bedding and protective mosquito netting. Most of our rooms

are designed for 2 people. Let us know ahead of time if you need specific accommodations for some reason,

we will do our best, depending on attendance, to address them for you.

This is the Amazon Jungle, the setting is rustic and wonderfully primitive and that is all a part of the

experience. It will change your perspective in countless ways.

 

Do I need to bring my own pillow, blanket, and sheets, as well as a sleeping bag?

No, everything will be provided for you.

 

What to Bring

Temperatures run from 70 to 90 degrees. Some rare evenings can get a little chilly so possibly a sweatshirt is a

good idea. After all, this is about comfort not fashion! You can expect Iquitos to be hot and humid most

anytime you visit. So bring layers of absorbent clothes that are loose and comfortable.

 

What should I pack?

• Lightweight pants – Quick drying
• Lightweight long sleeved shirts
• Light jacket or sweatshirt for evenings
• Shorts
• T-shirts or tank tops
• Pants/shorts without zippers and buttons, again, be comfortable. Yoga pant, gym shorts
• Bathing suit
• Hat and sunscreen
• Camera and film
• Binoculars
• Mosquito repellent
• Pen or pencil for filling out immigration forms at the airport
• Rain poncho or jacket
• Socks, sandals, and athletic shoes
• Personal writing and reading material.
• Some form of soft light flash lite or head lamp. This make moving around in the evening easier. So batteries
• would be a good idea as well.
• A clock with an alarm so you do not miss times events.

 

Is there a way I could charge my electronics?

Yes, there will be designated times when we will run the generator and you will be able to charge your devices

at that time.

 

Is there internet at the center?

No and this is intentional. Being in touch electronically is often a crutch that keeps us connected to negative

energies and at best is a distraction from the purpose of your time here. By removing that from your personal

space you are open to a much greater knowledge and understanding of life and the true meaning of self.

 

Do I need to bring an electrical adapter with me?

No, unless you need something for a connection other than a US port.

 

Can I buy the needed items once I arrive?

It is recommended that you come full prepared with all of the needed items from home.

 

Do I need to bring rubber boots with me?

No, we will provide those for you!

 

Is there anything you would like me to bring?

It is 100% optional, however there are certain things that are always welcomed as a donation to ASHA and the

village. Some examples of items that bring great joy are books, spare flashlights, toys, clothes, school supplies,

candies etc. for the children in the local village. Also woman’s bathroom accessories; often people donate

their collection of hotel soaps and shampoos! Spiritual materials such as stones and crystals are always an

amazing addition to the environment at ASHA.

 

What is the maximum number of people in a ceremony at once?

For a more personal experience we limit our ceremonies to 8 people

 

Is your shaman available to talk with during the retreat?

Yes! absolutely

 

Will we have an opportunity to share our intentions/talk about our Ayahuasca experience?

Yes, absolutely. A significant part of the healing that happens here is about releasing the power that our pain

has by exposing it to the light. Not allowing it to dwell and grow in the darkness. As we share with others we

discover first and foremost that we are not alone in our pain. We are then able to receive others perspectives

on what we are saying and offer yours in return. Together we are stronger, embracing the fact that we are all

one great body that is the universe.

Of course there will be opportunities for your own private conversations as well.

 

What would you recommend doing in order to prepare myself for the Ayahuasca experience?

Do some research, be an educated participant and your experience will be all the better for it.

Come to ASHA with an open mind and an intent to work with the tools and healers. Be ready and willing to

explore your mind and heal yourself of negative energies. Any spiritual background you have will benefit you.

 

Everyone is different so every experience and the preparation for it will be different. This experience is about

you and we want to ensure that YOU are comfortable and in the best state of mind to reap the highest benefit

of the process. Having said that, call us, us email us and we can talk specifically about your own unique

situation so we this is all about you, the individual.

 

Think Purification

Preparing the mind and body as a unit is key. Whatever your tools of preference, meditation, yoga etc.

immerse yourself in them in combination with a purer diet. At least a week if not a month prior to your arrival

begin to limit your intake of things like red meat and pork, highly processed foods like refined sugars and cut

back on the caffeine.

 

At ASHA center we have chosen a sacrificing yet non extreme diet for a well-rounded experience involving

some discipline but not so challenging as to cause anxiety or negative energies. We are careful not to reverse

our true work here by going against WHAT IS.

 

Whatever your practice, go inward and seek to connect to your true self. You want to come to Mother

Ayahuasca with as much understanding of your intent as possible. Many times people find they thought they

knew what they were looking for but discover through the process a whole other truth. Practice opening

yourself up to receive the true lessons Mother Ayahuasca will show you.

 

Part of the purification is eliminating alcohol, marijuana, any synthetic drug. Critically, any kind of anti-

depressants or anti-anxiety medication that are DRI’s, SSRI’s, SNRI’s and the like.

Critical: Discontinue use of any psychoactive medications four weeks prior to arriving in Peru.