The Medicine

Don Diego heals with visionary plants.  His journey in the jungle teaches him profound respect for the divine consciousness of these plant medicines.  Working with Ayahuasca is in no way recreational—it is nearly impossible for it to be so.  The use of this plant is deep, spiritual work.  The experience of the plant challenges the body, mind, and spirit in ways that are not always euphoric.  In fact, we must not come to this medicine lightly.  It is important to go within and reflect before choosing to work with this medicine.  This medicine is powerful and requires respectful intentions.  Not because the medicine will hurt us, but because the ego sometimes overindulges without realizing the consequence of its desires.  It is said in the jungle, “Ayahuasca is for everyone, but not everyone is for the Ayahuasca.”

We live in a world where many people struggle with illusions such as fear and separation.  The distractions of physical reality cause us to lose focus.  Moments of stillness are rare and undervalued.  We run from, wrestle with, and resist stillness.  The journey with Ayahuasca leads us into the stillness of existence and teaches us appreciation of this space.  The journey requires conscious breath, courage, and surrender.  We can only enter the stillness when we let go of expectations.  The more we release, the more we find joy in the stillness.  We become the observer of the experience.  With the breath, we allow the powerful energies to flow through us.  We find healing, learn lessons, and awaken to love.  As we focus and concentrate, we expand our consciousness and more fully align with the divine. 

Communion with the divine through the medicine of Mother Ayahuasca propels us into an expanded state of perception.  We enter into community with Don Diego who knows intimately the spirit of the vine, who maintains a strong connection between himself and Creator, and who fortifies a protective shield of energy for those assembled.  We prepare the body by eating a simple diet of fruits, vegetables, grains, and limited meats, as well as abstaining from alcohol and sex in all of its forms.  We prepare the mind by taking time every day to focus, reflect, and clear the clutter of negative thought forms.  We prepare the spirit in various ways depending on how we best connect to the inner being; whether it be through meditation, yoga, nature, ceremony, breath work, exercise, or prayer. 

      
Preparation allows us to make holy the temple of body and spirit.  We recognize the potential for deep healing and the certainty of transformation.  When we enter into right relationship with the vine through respectful preparation, we consciously honor the passing of old thought forms, surrender the need to hold on to old ways of being and doing, and allow the vine to teach and heal with her ancient wisdom.  We make a conscious effort to take care of the body so that the Mother Vine will feel welcome to do her work within us.  The journey of Ayahuasca manifests uniquely for each being that communes with her.  Because each of us perceives reality differently, because each of us holds unique thought-forms about who we are, because each of us experiences life from our own perspective, each of us will interact with the plant in our own way.  While we all bring our own perceptions to ceremony, one common thread links our experience:  the breath.  The breath connects our spirits to our bodies.  As we breathe, we live. 

         

The breath allows us to facilitate our experiences with the plant.  The power of Ayahuasca’s energy rises powerfully within our little bodies.  She uncovers forgotten memories, unrecognized emotions, and unresolved conflicts.  These powerful charges of energy threaten to take our focus from our breath.  We might choose to hold our breath, hoping the experience passes quickly.  Ultimately we understand that the divine breathes us.  To participate in the flow of breath becomes a beautifully, loving experience of source.  With the breath we can flow any energy that surfaces.   The breath allows us to consciously move through any thought, any emotion, and any memory as the witness of the experience rather than the participant.  The breath allows us to realize life’s truth; there is only love.  The breath allows us to illuminate our dark places with healing and love.  With the breath, we stay connected to the body’s needs without getting involved in the antics of the mind.  The breath raises us above our fears and anger to our place of divinity, to our place of eternal freedom, to our place of infinite love.           





It is with sincere respect and complete gratitude that Diego harvests the Ayahuasca and Chacruna from the jungle.  For the entirety of the process, he holds sacred space.  He prepares the medicine reverently; every moment lived intentionally.  Before he harvests the plants, he asks to be guided to the vines and leaves that also wish to become the medicine.  He purifies his body.  He fortifies his connection to spirit.  He enters the jungle focused, simply allowing spirit to move through him.  Nothing is taken without humble respect and gratitude.  Each element involved in the process is carefully chosen.  He creates a holy space by deciding in every breath which energies will become part of the medicine.  With every breath, he prays for us, that everything we need will be made available to us through the medicine.  His focus does not allow the mind to become distracted.  He breathes his meditation into the brew and allows the divine light of these plants to fully illuminate.  The purity with which he harvests allows the plants to create their magic without barriers.  Spirit guides every movement and he becomes the vessel that births this medicine into creation.  Diego knows the importance of integrity, for all of his thoughts and actions will also become part of the medicine.  Anyone fortunate to drink this medicine will feel the integrity of its creator.