My husband, Brian, and I just returned from a unique adventure - a Master Plant Dieta/Oje Purge in Iquitos, Peru. We spent seven days and nights in complete isolation and silence in a jungle hut nestled in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest.
We were at El Perguero with our friends, Matthew and Jeanae, the founders of New Life Ayahuasca. El Perguero is an Ayahuasca Retreat Healing Center situated 23 km from the jungle city of Iquitos, Peru, and is owned and operated by the well-known 'Gringo Shaman,' Don Ron Wheelock.
Matthew and Jenae are apprentices of Don Ron's. Each year, they journey to El Perguero for a Master Plant Dieta to deepen their understanding of plant medicine and the spiritual realm. They've been doing this for many years, and Brian and I were humbled and honored to spend a portion of this year's dieta with them.
A Master Plant Dieta is a sacred agreement with a master plant for a predetermined number of days with an extremely rigid set of dietary and spiritual regulations that are followed under the guidance of a maestro (ayahuasquero, curandero, shaman).
For now, though, I'd like to focus on its design and specifically what we were asked to do and not to do during this dieta.
Let me paint a picture of the strict rules we had to abide by:
Complete Isolation & Silence
Brian and I were in the same jungle hut but in separate beds. We couldn't talk to or touch each other. We could write notes when necessary but were encouraged to keep this to a minimum.
(Usually, during an Oje purge, dieters are in separate huts. However, Brian and I were asked to stay in the same hut due to space issues. This was both a blessing and a curse. I was a bit terrified to stay in a jungle hut alone at night, so it was nice to have him there. However, with both of us in the same hut, there was a greater risk of accidentally breaking the rules.)
During these seven days and nights, we could not leave the jungle hut for any reason except to participate in group ceremonies on two separate occasions.
A Restricted Diet – No Salt, Sugar, Spice, Oil, or Meat
Our Peruvian caretakers, Elberto and Isabell, served us two meals a day – breakfast and lunch, which consisted of plain white rice and baked potatoes. That was it. No salt, no spice, no flavor. Every once in a while, a boiled plantain replaced the baked potato.
After lunch, we fasted until breakfast the following day and drank only water throughout the entire dieta. Plus, we discontinued all medications and supplements before and during the dieta. Fortunately, Brian and I are incredibly healthy, so the discontinuation of these items didn't pose much of a risk, but still, I had my concerns for some unknown reason. I share more on that later in this article.
No Reading Materials, Internet Access or Anything Else to Occupy Our Minds & Time
As mentioned earlier, we had our own beds, each under a bug net, and a plastic chair.
For seven days and nights, I went back and forth from my bed to that chair, alone with nothing but my thoughts and journal to record them. That was it!
There was nothing else to do but lie in bed or sit in the chair and think.
No Plumbing or Electricity
Needless to say, we were disconnected and off the grid completely, and during this time, we could not shower, shave, brush our teeth, or use any products containing chemicals. We were au natural, my friends, and after about three days, it was not pleasant!
The jungle was always hot. Of course, there was no air conditioning, and it rained every night and periodically during the day, so everything was always damp—my hair, clothing, bedding, etc.
Our toilet was a bucket. Each day, our Peruvian caretaker retrieved it emptied it and returned it for another 24 hours of use. That took some getting used to for this city girl.
At night, we could only see by candlelight and the small flashlights we brought. That was scary because you never knew what creatures or insects lurked about as you found your way out of your bug net to use the restroom or refill your water bottle.
No Clocks or Mirrors
We never knew what time it was or how bad we looked, and I was thankful for that. Counting down the time each day and night would not have been healthy for me. I was forced to be fully present in each moment, and I came to really like this. And after day one, thoughts about my appearance drifted away since no mirrors reminded me of how I looked.
These were the rules for this particular Master Plant Dieta – the Oje Purge. If we broke any one of them, the dieta was over, and we'd have to return at another time to try again. (Again, I will share more about the purpose of this in an upcoming newsletter. Stay tuned!)
Why do I share all of this with you?
Well, as you can imagine, going into this, I had a lot of fears:
The list goes on and on.
Now, let's fast-forward to the end of the dieta. As we gathered in the dining hall to break the dieta, I saw this comment painted on the wall (see photo below).
It was a moment of profound realization. Not a single one of my fears had come true. The relief and empowerment I felt were overwhelming. The absurdity of most of my fears became apparent, and they seemed so trivial now. As we emerged from the jungle and returned to civilization, we learned that none of our other worries had come true either.
Here's my point.
The likelihood of any of my biggest fears becoming a reality was so small. Yet, in the beginning, I found a way to blow them way out of proportion in my own mind.
"Shame on me," I thought to myself. "I'm in complete control of this, and it was me – only me – who created this unnecessary stress."
At this point, I exercised some self-compassion and encouraged myself to focus only on what I was supposed to learn from this. It was a moment of deep self-reflection and learning. I realized that 99% of the time, our worst fears will NEVER happen, and it's crucial to maintain perspective and not let unnecessary stress take over.
I learned this lesson, and I hope you can also take it away from my experience. (Of course, my friends, this was one of many lessons learned from this unique experience, and I can't wait to share more with you in upcoming newsletters.)
Final Thoughts
Reflecting on this transformative experience, I realize how vital it is to confront and reassess our fears.
I encourage you to think about your own life and the fears you've faced.
I'd love to hear your thoughts and stories—let's start a conversation and learn from each other's experiences.