Can Ayahuasca change you?

Ayahuasca is a powerful plant medicine with the capacity to initiate profound transformations. With the growing popularity of ayahuasca fueled by mainstream media, supported by celebrity testimonials, references in movies, TV shows, and podcasts, along with the medical community validating the scientific component of ayahuasca benefits, more and more people are asking – Can ayahuasca change you?

The answer is as complex as the question. The simple truth is, yes, ayahuasca can change you, absolutely, without doubt, 100%. Our own stories are a testament to that, from years of battling addiction and depression to now helping others overcome similar obstacles, Matthew and I could never have imagined what our lives would become as a result of ayahuasca. Beyond our own transformations, we’ve witnessed the most incredible metamorphoses in countless individuals over more than 10 years of hosting retreats. However, that doesn’t mean ayahuasca will change you. There are no guarantees that ayahuasca or any other plant medicine will change you. They are not magic cures or quick fixes. While they hold incredible potential, the outcome of the experience will be shaped by a few pivotal factors. You’ve probably heard of the importance of “set and setting” relating to psychedelic therapies, and we’ll discuss exactly what that means and explore the role of integration for lasting benefits.

Set (Preparation)

The first consideration is your preparation and how you approach the experience. This is the ‘set’ of ‘set and setting’. What is your intention for the journey? How much work are you willing to commit to? What are you willing to sacrifice? The preparation stage sets the foundation for a therapeutic experience. Ayahuasca is an immensely powerful medicine that comes with a set of intense physical and emotional effects which can feel alarming or jarring if unprepared. Proper preparation can help put your mind at ease if you begin to experience some difficult moments in the ceremony. Feeling confident that you’ve come in as prepared as possible, as well as having the tools to overcome challenges that might come up along the way, can be the difference between understanding and navigating challenging moments or succumbing to fear and anxiety.

Proper ayahuasca retreat preparation can range from physical preparation, including adhering to a specific diet for a week prior to the retreat, incorporating mindful habits that help you ground and connect more deeply to yourself, such as gentle movements like yoga or soft breathwork such as box breathing, to mental preparation including journaling, intention setting, reducing phone time and being very aware of what things you are consuming (news, social media, etc.) in the weeks prior to the ceremony. The ceremonial guides you will be working with should provide a preparation list and tools to support you on the way.

Setting (Ceremonial Guidance & Environment)

This is your ‘setting’ and this element, above all else, will have the biggest impact on your overall experience. Going into a ceremony with facilitators that you trust and an environment that makes you feel safe, supported, and loved can be incredibly beneficial and have positive outcomes even if you did not properly prepare for the experience. On the other hand, no amount of mental preparation or discipline can help if you find yourself in an unsafe place or with unqualified guides. That is why it is crucial to find the right people and the right center that you feel aligned with and will support your journey.

The ayahuasca experience is traditionally guided through ceremonial songs called Icaros, and other musical instruments, but it’s more than just a performance or pressing play on a recorded playlist. There is an energetic component, and that is where having properly trained guides comes into play. Ayahuasca is a spirit, an energy that works in harmony with many other spirits and energies that exist in our universe. When you sit with ayahuasca, you are opening a door to communicate with those spirits and have interactions that help you become more aligned with the highest version of yourself. However, there are negative energies in our world that cannot be denied, and properly trained guides have the experience and skills to support participants when negative energies are encountered. These negative energies can come from prior experiences, whether that’s generational, past life, or present trauma. It is perfectly normal for there to be some negativity or ‘darkness’ during an ayahuasca ceremony. The reason people come to ayahuasca is often to heal from things stemming from places of darkness, so it’s not inherently bad to have those kinds of experiences; it just highlights the necessity of having qualified ayahuasqueros to help navigate those releases and energies.

The setting is also more than just the guides, it includes the environment and ambience in which you have the experience in. Peaceful places, respectfully prepared and dedicated to the ceremony, surrounded by nature, free from excessive outside noise or lights, can create a mirror to an internal state of calm and peace. On the contrary, if you find yourself in a place with distractions or chaos, your internal state will match. We encourage anyone considering ayahuasca to spend time thoughtfully researching the environment and guides before committing to a ceremony or retreat so that you can maximize the immense healing potential that ayahuasca offers.

Integration

Ayahuasca experiences can be life-changing. They can create such dramatic shifts in perspective, paradigms, and beliefs that, without the proper support, returning home can feel dysregulating, isolating, confusing, and ultimately create a whole new set of life challenges that you were not prepared for. Having the proper support and integration tools can help you return to your life gently, while maintaining that same sense of safety, care, and community that is found in a retreat.

Without integration, it’s easy to revert back to old behaviors, or in more extreme cases, you might find yourself floating in a directionless void with unresolved emotions and even physical sensations that persist for weeks or months without intervention and support. In cases where the ayahuasca experiences are positive and without accompanying conflict, the integration process can feel effortless, especially if you’ve received clear instructions and have a good support network and community at home. Still, even then, having an integration guide, someone to touch base with once every few weeks, can help keep you tethered and connected to the experience in a way that continues revealing insights and lessons. For intense experiences that create an internal rupture, integration support can mean the difference between finding understanding and extrapolating sincere value from the journey and collapsing under the weight of uncovered truths. No matter the case, positive or difficult, integration is the key element in bringing the healing home.

The Fear of Change

Most people come to ayahuasca seeking a profound change in their lives, but with that comes fear – who will I become? What parts of me will change? Will I randomly decide that I need to quit the job I am passionate about, divorce my loving partner of 25 years, or sell all my things and move to the jungle? Can I pick and choose the parts to let go of and the parts to keep? Ayahuasca only reveals the underlying truth, and if something in our lives is not aligning with that truth and helping us reach our full potential, she may shed light on it and point us in the direction of change. One need not fear that she will ask anything of you that is misaligned with your truth, and if there is any doubt about the messages you received, a qualified integration guide might help you decipher the meaning behind the message.

Remember that when you drink ayahuasca, you are not only communicating with her spirit and hearing her voice and guidance, but you are also making your subconscious thoughts, fears, and desires come to the surface, and it’s not always easy to discern whether a thought is coming from those layers of subconscious or from the wisdom of the Mother Spirit in the medicine. When there is doubt or the message is conflicting, the best approach is to take time to reflect and determine if it is truly aligned with your desires and values. Carefully weigh the potential consequences of your decisions and work with integration guides to help you navigate the path ahead.

Can Ayahuasca Change You?

So, can ayahuasca really change you? Yes, sincerely, profoundly, and in ways you couldn’t even fathom, but the depth of that change is determined by the quality of the set, setting, and integration support. That is why the retreat model excels in creating lasting healing and transformation over a single ceremony. While a single ceremony can be beneficial and initiate some change, it can’t come anywhere close to offering the kind of depth and support that a retreat can. The program at New Life Rising has been fine-tuned over more than a decade to support every stage of the journey, from preparation tools, qualified guidance and integration, we do everything we can to ensure that your journey is transformative and fulfilling.

Learn More about our Signature Retreats