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.

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

Testimony of the initiation of Maestro Amaringo

We share a brief testimony of the ayahuasquero master Ricardo Amaringo collected by the Shipibo communicator Policarpo Sanchez. The career of Maestro Ricardo Amaringo In my visit to the Nihue Rao Spiritual Center, located on the outskirts of the city of Iquitos in the Nanay River basin, I met with brother Ricardo Amaringo Benetillo, “Sani” in Shipibo name, a recognized Shipibo ayahuasquero master, 58 years old, from the Native Community Vista Alegre de Masisea, upper Ucayali. I share below his fascinating testimony of initiation into the world of ancestral knowledge of traditional medicine and the practice of Shipibo shamanism. Maestro Ricardo Amaringo begins this testimony pointing out that he had a childhood and youth with many difficulties, shortages and even of direct affection from his biological parents: his father Raúl Amaringo Benetillo and his mother Ercilia Ahuanari (who died at the age of 30). Due to their lack of knowledge and the impossibility of assuming the responsibilities of his upbringing, they gave him up for adoption to some uncles and aunts so that they could raise him in their family. He continues, saying that: “I was initiated in the first steps of shamanism when I was 14 years old. Before, back in 1980, in the upper Ucayali, as it is part of our culture, I was offered to marry a Shipiba girl of 12 years old or so, which I had to refuse, because my inner self told me that I had to fulfill a mission, so taking on a family responsibility at that time was not yet part of life.” “At the age of 17 I was already taking ayahuasca regularly. But I want to say that before this big step in my life, I was incredulous of shamanism. Like all young people abandoned by my biological parents, being in the city of Pucallpa, I went through the consumption of marijuana and cocaine, I suffered great sufferings, I cried a lot in my loneliness, in those days, in my solitude. I cried a lot in my loneliness, in those moments I resorted to drugs.” With a voice between his throat, half sobbing, Amaringo says: ‘My God, why did you make me like this, I was crying’. I had a lot of hatred for people, for children and young people my age, a lot of resentment.” “In those times I also passed by the house of the teacher Guillermo Arevalo, in Yarinacocha. I saw that his family lived happily, they ate well, his children were in better conditions than me. So, I asked Guillermo Arevalo to teach me shamanism. I am going to think well, he nodded to me. He told me this because he knew that I was at that time a boy with bad thoughts (rami shinanya, in Shipibo).” “Guillermo Arevalo denied me to be my spiritual maestro, my initiator, because he knew that I had bad thoughts. At that time, I thought that the shamans, onanyabo, merayabo, necessarily had to have a maestro initiator, that only through the maestros or through their guidance came the shamanic knowledge. Then, asking other elders, they told me that in the old days, the beginners of shamanism used to diet (samati in Shipibo) without a teacher, but from the power of the master plants themselves, from the properties of the plants (raobo in Shipibo). Of course, obviously the spiritual accompaniment of someone experienced and spiritually ordained for this purpose is needed.” “An adult woman named Maria, told me, start the diet with the plant ‘marosa‘ (name in Shipibo). I began to diet. Great was my surprise, that with the diet of the ‘marosa‘ I forgot the I forgot about drugs, alcohol, it cleared my mind of my mental disturbances. Before I was totally traumatized, I felt tired, bored, lazy (chikishires, in Shipibo).” Master Ricardo Amaringo points out with forcefulness and certainty that thanks to the diet of plants he got rid of his addictions to drugs and mental disorders or mental imbalances. “Samatax ea benxoa iki”, says Don Ricardo Amaringo with a smile on his lips. “My chakra, my mind had blocked, I had so much doubt, distrust, resentment, confusion of my life (shinan tsokax, in Shipibo), I had even reached the thought of suicide. The addiction to drugs has a solution, with the ícaros and the ingestion of ayahuasca can be healed,” says with experience and as a personal testimony, the maestro Ricardo Amaringo. “Ayahuasca and the master plants have transformed me, they have centered my life, ayahuasca itself has cured me, the spirit of ayahuasca itself,” says Master Ricardo Amaringo emphatically. “So, the body, the soul and the spirit are even in conditions to meet the gods. The master and sacred plants take us to the power of God. Then I did Toé diet with white flowers.” “Then I went on a diet with Nihue Rao (name in Shipibo), medicine of the air in Spanish. I had obtained this plant in a creek that passes through the land or mountain where the Tushmo population center is currently located, in Yarinacocha.” “Nihue Rao samati riki nete kepenti“, that is, with this plant the possibilities and powers to find the different worlds of healing and goodness are opened, according to Ricardo Amaringo. “After a year of dieting with these master plants, Guillermo Arevalo found out about it and sent for me. I had told him that I was just initiating myself, but the maestro, Guillermo Arevalo, had already seen me through ayahuasca and considered that I was already in a position to cure or conduct ayahuasca sessions or rituals. So I began to work in Yarinacocha with the master Guillermo Arevalo.” Currently, Mr. Ricardo Amaringo Benetillo is a prestigious ayahuasca master, a renowned spiritual leader, who has been managing for more than 15 years the growth and positioning of the Nihue Rao Centro Espiritual, without having studied any major Western academic training. His entrepreneurial success is worthy of astonishment and admiration. He married at 35 years old with Mrs. Dany