The Oración Diet

The Oración diet connects the dieter to all of God’s Medicine. It is not a plant diet, as no plant medicine is taken to connect, but it is said that this diet is like dieting all of the plants at once (and more) because God created all of the medicinal plants — and this will help heal everything for the dieter. To connect, the dieter will receive connection songs from Maestro Ricardo that connect them to all of the aspects of God and God’s Medicine including God’s Angels, God’s Light, God’s Divine Celestial Science and much more. Maestro Ricardo is one of the few shamans who can connect dieters to the Oración diet. He received this power after many years of dieting and dedication to the medicine. With this diet, one diets all of the energies of God — the Light of God, the Power and Strength of God, the Love of God and the Peace of God. These God energies will give the dieter strength and power, which differs from a plant diet. Oración, or prayer in Spanish, is just the name of the diet and doesn’t mean that the dieter will be praying all of the time. It is a social diet, which means the dieter is able to go about their lives as normal, including working while dieting if desired. This diet is not as strict as a plant diet and is strong, meaning it makes you strong and it is not easily affected by outside energies. The Oración diet is often taken home but can also be dieted at the center if the dieter would like more guidance and/or to continue working with Ayahuasca while dieting. Because the dieter can live as they choose to while dieting Oración, this diet is good for examining one’s life, changing one’s habits, and aligning with and expanding the dieter’s life path. The food requirements are also less restrictive than a plant diet. All fruits, vegetables, legumes, salt and sugar may be eaten while dieting. The Oración dieter may not consume: red meat (beef, pork…), milk, spicy food, raw fish or alcohol. All sexual activity is still prohibited while dieting. The Oración diet is both a healing and a learning diet, and is only recommended for those who are committed to a long-term diet (greater than 6 months). The diet also teaches shamanism if one wishes to learn, and gives the dieter great power and knowledge of the spiritual medicine. Type Healing and learning diet Duration 6 months minimum; 1 year is recommended Best for Connecting to God and one’s life path, and learning the medicine The Oración diet is one of the many diets we offer at Nihue Rao. You can find more about the master plant diets we offer here: Nihue Rao Master Plant Diets. If you are interested in dieting a particular master plant that you do not see listed, please contact us for more information. Learn more about what a master plant diet is and how one can help your healing process in our Guide to Master Plant Diets.

Master Plant Diet: Piñón Blanco

Piñón Blanco has a very beautiful medicine world of pure light, with beautiful patterns and a lot of visions. Piñón Blanco is usually given to those who do not have any history of drug use, and for those looking to open their spiritual connection. Piñón Blanco is one of the only Master Plants that does not have any shitana (dark energies) — it is pure light. The world of Piñón Blanco has many good medicine spirits, male and female, that will teach the dieter the medicine of Piñón Blanco. The resin of Piñón Blanco is given to the dieter instead of the leaf, as Maestro Ricardo saw in a vision that the resin of Piñón Blanco is good for the human body. This resin is not only used to diet — it can also be used to topically treat wounds on the skin or flesh, as well as within the body for cysts. In the past, it has also been used to treat diseases such as Yellow Fever. The Piñón Blanco tree also bears a fruit that is rich in vitamins. The seeds of this fruit can be roasted and eaten to induce purging. A month after this treatment, the body will have strengthened and weight will have been gained. This treatment can be recommended for those who have completed a long-term diet and are looking to rebuild their body afterward. Type Healing or learning diet Duration 11 days minimum Best for Opening spiritual connection and connecting to the light Piñón Blanco is one of many master plant diets we work with at Nihue Rao. You can find more about the master plant diets we offer here: Nihue Rao Master Plant Diets. If you are interested in dieting a particular master plant that you do not see listed, please contact us for more information. Learn more about what a master plant diet is and how one can help your healing process in our Guide to Master Plant Diets.

Master Plant Diet: Nihue Rao

Nihue Rao is the center’s namesake, and a sacred master plant to Maestro Ricardo. It connects a dieter deeply to the powerful spirits of the Shipibo medicine and teaches knowledge of the cosmos, divine light, peace, and love. Dieting Nihue Rao is not for healing, it is solely for learning all types of medicine. However, dieting Nihue Rao will change the dieter’s life by arranging the dieter’s thoughts and opening the dieter’s mind and heart. The world of Nihue Rao has many lights, colors, patterns, and spirits of the medicine. The world also has many towns with beautiful flags within them, including Shipibo villages. In the Shipibo language, Nihue refers to “air” or “wind” and Rao means “medicine” — as such, the air of Nihue Rao is strong and can make the dieter tremble at times. Through dieting Nihue Rao, one can also be connected to Noya Rao, an enchanted tree that can no longer be found on this Earth, but can be dieted through a shaman who is spiritually connected to Noya Rao. Noya Rao means “flying medicine” in Shipibo. Noya Rao is well connected to God, and those who diet Noya Rao will be as well. Nihue Rao (and Noya Rao) are only available to advanced dieters and shamanic apprentices who wish to study shamanism, become spiritual Maestros, and help others to heal. Type Learning diet Duration 6 months to 1 year Best for Learning the medicine and studying shamanism Nihue Rao and Noya Rao are one of many master plant diets we work with at Nihue Rao. You can find more about the master plant diets we offer here: Nihue Rao Master Plant Diets. If you are interested in dieting a particular master plant that you do not see listed, please contact us for more information. Learn more about what a master plant diet is and how one can help your healing process in our Guide to Master Plant Diets.

Master Plant Diet: Bobinsana

Bobinsana is a very powerful plant, traditionally dieted by ancient shamans to become strong and to live a long life. Bobinsana strengthens everything for the dieter including the body, the spirit, the heart and the mind. It also helps to relieve the dieter of doubts, and boost the self-esteem and energy levels. The Bobinsana plant will grow wherever it is planted but naturally grows in high, rocky terrain near flowing water. Because of this, Bobinsana’s world is everything of the water and of the mountains, with a lot of flowers and beautiful spirits. Bobinsana’s resilient nature helps the dieter become less sensitive to the cold, since Bobinsana is adapted to growing in cold weather. Surrounding our ceremonial maloca you will find many Bobinsana plants, planted for protection of the space. Bobinsana is good for strengthening and maintaining the physical body, as well as helping the dieter to live a long and healthy life. Bobinsana also helps to strengthen the immune system and make the dieter less susceptible to illness. Ancient shamans who dieted Bobinsana lived to be older than 100 years old. Bobinsana can also help with sexual potency. Bobinsana is also a very strong teacher for learning the medicine. Type Healing or learning diet Duration 11 days minimum for healing; 3 months or more for learning Best for Strengthening and maintaining the physical body; longveity Bobinsana is one of the many master plant diets we work with at Nihue Rao. You can find more about the master plant diets we offer here: Nihue Rao Master Plant Diets. If you are interested in dieting a particular master plant that you do not see listed, please contact us for more information. Learn more about what a master plant diet is and how one can help your healing process in our Guide to Master Plant Diets.

Master Plant Diet: Chiric Sanango

Chiric Sanango is a very powerful healing and teaching plant. Chiric Sanango’s medicine is good for healing joint pain, back pain and other physical body pains. Chiric Sanango’s medicine has a lot of heat — with this heat, Chiric Sanango is able to clean and remove all pains within the body, because these pains are caused by cold energies and cold airs. One who has dieted Chiric Sanango long-term will no longer be affected by cold weather, as these cold airs will no longer enter the dieter’s head or body. In the past, ancient shamans dieted Chiric Sanango to strengthen their bodies and fortify themselves against the cold. Chiric Sanango is an Amazonian shrub that sprouts purple and white flowers. It grows to about 2 to 3 meters in height and is relatively dense. A long-term learning diet with Chiric Sanango is very strict. To truly learn Chiric Sanango’s medicine, a year long diet is required. Type Healing or learning diet Duration 11 days minimum for healing; 3 months or more for learning Best for Removing physical pains such as joint pain, back pain, etc. Chiric Sanango is one of the many master plant diets we work with at Nihue Rao. You can find more about the master plant diets we offer here: Nihue Rao Master Plant Diets. If you are interested in dieting a particular master plant that you do not see listed, please contact us for more information. Learn more about what a master plant diet is and how one can help your healing process in our Guide to Master Plant Diets.

Master Plant Diet: Ojé

Ojé is a powerful tree that brings a lot of light and strong medicine. Ojé’s medicine is excellent for cleaning the mind and the body of the residual contaminants from all types of drugs and strong addictions. The Ojé tree is large, ranging from 20-30m in height and 40-50cm in diameter when fully grown. The tree has fruit that is greatly enjoyed by fish (but is not edible for humans). In the traditional Shipibo medicine culture, the resin of Ojé is the only medicine used to purify the body of all drugs, prescription or recreational. When recovering drug addicts or those with a history of drug use come to Nihue Rao, Ojé is dieted to purify the nerves, flesh, digestions, brain, mind, blood, cells; every part of the body that is affected by drug use. To prepare the Ojé medicine, the sap or the “milk” is procured by cutting into the tree. This liquid is then mixed with 95-96% pure alcohol (a small spoonful per bottle) and unrefined sugar. This maintains the Ojé and keeps it from fermenting. Pure Ojé resin cannot be consumed fresh from the tree without first being mixed with the alcohol. Ojé is also a strong purgative and is used to induce vomiting and purge the stomach. All new arrivals to Nihue Rao participate in the welcome vomitivo, which is prepared with Ojé and Azucena, an onion-like plant, both of which help prepare the stomach to receive the Ayahuasca medicine well. When one diets Ojé, they are connected to the world of Ojé and the spirits of Ojé. Ojé’s medicine world is of white light, as Ojé’s resin is also white. The ideal treatment of Ojé is recommended for at least 1 month, especially for those looking to heal from strong addictions, but shorter diets are also possible. Type Healing diet Duration 11 days minimum; 1 month is recommended Best for Healing the body from drugs and other strong addictions Ojé is one of the many master plant diets we work with at Nihue Rao. You can find more about the master plant diets we offer here: Nihue Rao Master Plant Diets. If you are interested in dieting a particular master plant that you do not see listed, please contact us for more information. Learn more about what a master plant diet is and how one can help your healing process in our Guide to Master Plant Diets.

Nihue Rao Ayahuasca Retreat Preparation

And, so your journey begins Dear Pasajero [passenger en español]! We use this name to identify those who have chosen to venture into the jungle, to sit with Ayahuasca, and other Master Plants.  As you begin to prepare for your time with us at Nihue Rao, we’ve created a detailed overview of what to expect for your arrivals, packing suggestions, daily activities, etc. Once you’ve booked your retreat, please read through the entire document thoroughly and without distraction. The information below is important and will answer many questions you may already have around how you can begin to prepare physically, spiritually and emotionally for your time here at Nihue Rao Centro Espirtual.  We thank you for trusting us with your healing process and look forward to meeting you in person. Your arrival We arrange a complimentary pick up from either the IQT airport, or your hotel in Iquitos. At the airport, our driver will have a sign but sometimes they will call out your name, and/or say Nihue Rao (sounds like Knee-Way). From there, you will be driven by motor car to the center. Upon arriving at Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual, you will be welcomed, given a brief tour of the center, and shown to your room. Depending upon your arrival time there may be meal time for you to eat after settling, our last meal time is around 4 pm. If you plan to eat at the center please inquire with the manager regarding your timing so we prepare you in advance as to whether your arrival will coincide with meals. Meetings with Maestro Ricardo, the owner and head shaman of Nihue Rao, happen either Saturday or Sunday afternoon. During this meeting you will meet 1:1 with the Maestro [and our translator] to handle find payments, discuss your intentions, and be assigned a Master Plant Dieta. This is also a great opportunity for you to ask any questions to the Maestro directly 1:1 and bring any offerings from your hometown [if you have]. When booking your flights, we suggest you find an arrival day that lands on either Saturday or Sunday. These days our center does not have ceremonies and there is more space to settle and rest. By exception, we also allow for Wednesday arrivals if necessary. The Preparation Dieta 10 days prior to your first ceremony, it is vital to clear the mind and body of as many impurities, toxins, and intrusions as possible. However, the sooner you can begin your preparations the better. Preparations help you in your  approach to plant medicines providing your introduction to the medicine with a more “intact” energy. This will offer you more emotional centeredness and physical endurance for the long nights in the maloca for ceremony. We highly suggest you begin landing in a deeper meditation practice, as you will be spending a great deal of time in ceremony in meditation with the medicine. If you are new to meditation, try sitting for 10 minutes a day and working up to a half hour over the next 10 days.   In terms of food preparations, 10 days prior [if not even longer] we recommend adhering to a soft food diet. This means you stop eating:  And also refrain from all sexual activity. ALSO reduce –do not completely remove– the following: After your retreat, post care needs and conditions are important to take into consideration. Please see our Post Dieta guidance and plan your departure accordingly. Reminder: Please share with our facilitation team any existing or preexisting physical and/or mental medical conditions you have, along with the medications you are currently taking. It is strongly recommended that at least 3 days prior to your first ceremony you stop using any over the counter medications and/or supplements. Reminder: Please consult your physician regarding medical conditions which require pharmaceutical support. Make sure you provide yourself with the proper information and guidance before making any adjustments.  Logistics in life Take care of as much business as you can, ideally leaving a solid two-week window for preparation without business chaos interfering. Take care of as many lingering details as possible, such as finances, emails, bills, making arrangements for your animals, etc. Lastly, before you depart, think about cleaning your home or your room, clearing clutter, doing laundry, etc. so when you return your home feels clean and peaceful. You are preparing now for your return, so creating a soft, safe, and clear space to land will be helpful in your transition back home and begin your integration process.  Packing Checklist Be aware that you are traveling to the Amazon jungle. Dry season runs roughly from August to November and rainy/wet season from mid-December to mid-May. The jungle is more or less tropical which means high humidity coupled with high temperatures; for the most part.  Packing Suggestions:  For wet season: * We suggest bringing protective bags like Dry sacks for your electronics and varied sized Ziploc bags for your clothing and toiletries. Occasionally pasajeros [passengers] are visited by insects in their rooms so please be mindful of your belongings by keeping everything zipped in bags, and scented products in Ziploc bags. Jungle life!  Lastly: *ATTENTION: Please try to bring as little plastic or other items that can end up as garbage. There is no garbage collection here in the jungle, in the end everything is burned or sadly can also simply end up on the side of the road. In order to preserve and conserve this Amazonian region, please be as environmentally conscious as you can when preparing and packing for your trip.   Weekly Overview On Monday morning you will skip breakfast and participate in a  vomitivo. This is a drink consisting of master plant Oje, Azucena, and sometimes a tiny amount of mapacho (local tobacco). This purging ceremony helps to clear the physical body of toxins, prepares you for receiving your master plant, as well as preparing the body to receive Ayahuasca. The vomitivo may also help to reduce the purging during the Ayahuasca ceremony nights to come.  After your vomitivo lunch is

Guide to Master Plant Diets

What is a Master Plant Dieta? A master plant dieta, or master plant diet, is the process of receiving healing, learnings and spiritual medicine from a particular master plant. It is akin to continuously administering a medicine, day and night. As you diet a master plant for a period of time, you slowly connect with the spirits of that plant’s medicine. These spirits heal your body and help you work on your healing goals, and they, alongside Ayahuasca, guide your ceremonies. In a short retreat, a diet can significantly boost your healing. “There is only one solution to live well in this difficult world: the diet.” Maestro Ricardo Amaringo Besides your body, the diet also gets connected to your mind and dreams, so it is able to guide your thinking and even communicate with you in dreams. Dieting connects you to the root of the spiritual world, effectively making you more spiritual—that is, more aware of your spiritual self. As you become more and more spiritual by dieting, you experience improvements all across your life: in your physical and mental health, in your work, in your relationships, in your luck, in your projects, and so on. Dieting opens your mind and your heart, and with them, your life’s path. It is the all-in-one solution to living a better life in this world. Which master plant (or plants) you diet during your retreat will depend on your needs and goals. Some plants are fit for purifying the body and mind of substance abuse. Others are good for removing pains from the body and strengthening it. Others for opening one’s heart and connecting to love. A plant diet is started by drinking a small dose of a preparation made with that plant, and receiving an ícaro to open the diet, in ceremony. Depending on the plant you’re dieting, subsequent doses of the preparation might be necessary to keep strengthening the connection. To care for this growing connection as it gets established, a few restrictions are observed while dieting: no physical contact, no sex, no alcohol, no salt and sweets, no condiments, no oil, no red meats, and no milk. In stricter diets, no veggies and no fruits. A diet is closed with an ícaro as well. This mandatory ícaro protects the diet from food, sex, alcohol and other energies, so that you may now resume your normal life without harming the diet and its medicine. This ícaro also protects you personally, by covering you in light. Dieting is also the means by which shamans learn their trade, as there are healing diets and learning diets. Though both healing and learning is present in some degree in both kinds of diet, learning diets are geared towards learning shamanism, and they teach the ícaros and how to work with the medicine. They are also stricter and longer, starting at 3 months and going up to a year and more. Nihue Rao is one such master plant diet. The master plants are also divided in plants and trees, with the latter being stronger and more powerful, but requiring a bit more time than an 11 or 14 day retreat to connect. Trees also generally teach shamanism and have stricter restrictions. “A person who has a diet has light in their heart. This light guides them and protects them wherever they go.” Maestro Ricardo Amaringo To have a diet Dieting helps you heal and work on your goals while you’re going through your retreat, but that’s not the end of it. In fact, a diet is for life. Once you have that connection with the medicine spirits, they are with you for the rest of your days, guiding you and taking care of you. The diet now becomes part of your spiritual history; a good energy you now carry in your body. The diet also brings light in your body, and this light protects you from bad spirits and energies wherever you go, as they don’t like light and will refrain from coming near you. By making good choices and living better, you will even make this light continue to grow after your retreat. “To diet, there are three important points: patience, love, and faith.” Maestro Ricardo Amaringo Dieting well The better you diet, the more you will connect to the medicine and the more you will get out of your diet. The medicine spirits like to see three qualities in us while dieting: patience, love and faith. To care for your diet, put to the side all anger and doubt, and take care to always act and think with kindness and good words. If you get angry, or prideful, or mistrusting, you can block your diet. Think of it this way: the medicine spirits are of pure light, so they don’t enjoy being around negative attitudes. If negative emotions or thoughts come when in diet, reject them. As you refuse to react with anger, or mistrust, the diet itself will little by little clear these things from you, making you kinder, humbler, and more centered, and opening your mind—but you have to reject them. Have faith that your diet will get you where you need to be by the end, and be patient throughout your diet, however long. Treat others with love and kindness, but also your medicine, expressing your gratitude and appreciation to the diet and to Ayahuasca for what they do for you, both in ceremony and during the day. If you make an effort to observe these good behaviors, you will be rewarded with a powerful diet, and your experiences in the medicine will open up more and more. Aside from this, you can make a diet even stronger by taking further measures on your level of isolation. The minimum is to not touch others (including animals) so as to not get connected to their energies, but you can choose to cut down on conversations altogether. Or you can stay away from social media, or the internet in general, or even