What is a master plant dieta?

A master plant diet is a sacred process of communion with a plant or tree practiced by many Amazonian tribes and their healers.

Done with the purpose of learning to become a curandero or prescribed to a patient as a process of healing, more often than not, dieting a plant involves a combination of learning and healing. Beyond the chemical compounds the plant offers through consumption, a master plant dieta allows us to merge consciousness with a plant and experience its traits and energetic signature.

It’s in this portal that the work of healing and learning takes places, whilst our consciousness is deeply connected to a master plant.

What are Isolation dietas?

Traditionally these master plant dietas are carried out in isolation. The person dieting commits to a series of restrictions which often includes no salt, no sugar, no red meat, no sex or sexual thoughts/dreams amongst other restrictions for the duration of the diet. In return, the plant imparts its wisdom around the subject of healing oneself or others. Within this the person may also be gifted healing songs called icaros by the plant or tree.

During an isolation diet you are completely cut off from the outside world, no phones, books or distractions of any kind. You will normally stay in a structure called a Tambo and will spend almost 24hrs a day here communing with the plant. Outside of occasional walks and Ayahuasca ceremonies, your only other contact is with the people providing your food (normally one meal a day) or the curandera (healer) holding your diets and occasionally facilitators or translators.

You have huge amounts of time to learn from your plant or tree with diets lasting anywhere from 7 days to three years and in some cases more.

Why Do diets have extreme rules?

This disconnection from the outside world including all stimulation allows us to go inward in a profound way. It also creates safe conditions for the plant to merge consciousness with us, free from stimuli that may harm the plant’s energetic field.

This contract or marriage between plant and human is also a commitment and payment for the healing and teachings one receives. Nothing worth having comes easy or for free.

How do social dietas or dieta suaves differ from Isolation diets?

In more recent times the possibility of dieting plants from one’s own home and in continuation with everyday life has been made available. These diets are called social diets. 

During these diets all the same restrictions apply, however, the person continues with their everyday life, work and family whilst dieting the plant. It is advised that big gatherings of people and intense spaces such as bars and restaurants are to be avoided. These diets typically last a minimum of three weeks and allow the plant to meet us more where we are at.

There are some plants such as Chriric Sanango, Mapacho, Bobinsana and Noya Rao that are more suited to jungle isolation diets. Other plants such as Mugwort, Rose, Dandelion, Passionflower, Cacao etc can work just as well within the context of a social diet.

An advantage to a social diet is a real time aspect to the learning that takes place as the plant is with you in your everyday life. Integration is therefore integrated into the diet as it happens much more closely rather than being something that takes place post diet as with the isolation dietas.

They are certainly not the easy option! They can also be harder to balance as the distractions of everyday life have a much stronger pull. The discipline required to stick to the diet around people who are not in diet can be hugely demanding.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T STICK TO THE DIET?

Whichever way you choose to diet these portals once opened are sacred. The contract between human and plant is to be seen as a temporary marriage and is therefore not to be taken lightly or with flippancy.

Crossing the diet, by acting outside of the agreements can have serious health consequences for the person dieting and the person holding the diet. It’s not something that can’t be fixed and accidents do happen. Our egos are tricky things. Intentional crosses can have a much more dramatic impact.

Likewise these diets require us to show up and be intentional with our connection. Sadly in some ways, plant diets have become another spiritual badge to wear, with some people feeling like the more diets they have the more badges they get to wear.

This is not really the case, quality over quantity is incredibly important when it comes to dieting with plants. Making sure you have the time and energy to commit to them is therefore an important starting point. Giving plenty of space for integration is equally important.

Dieting too often can diminish the quality as our egos simply don’t have the capacity for such intense periods of restriction. Like with all healing modalities, there is no race. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Approaching each diet with humility, respect and reverence is the only way worth doing it.

How do I choose a plant to diet? 

Do you choose a plant or does the plant choose you? I think it’s both. In the same way we are called to work with entheogens such as Ayahuasca we can also feel the pull of a plant that wants to work with us. Traditionally the curandera would prescribe a plant based on messages from the plant spirit realm or the symptoms being displayed by the patient. In the spirit of empowering people to lead their own healing a mutual agreement is often the best way forward. 

Once you have dieted any given plant they become an ally for life. We are able to work with their energy in a strong way whenever the need arises. Particularly for those spending time in ceremony or doing other forms of spiritual work, this can be priceless.

For 2025 we’ll be offering group social dietas with Cacao, Dandelion, Rose  Cannabis and Passionflower. If any of those plants are calling to you then please feel welcome to get in touch and we can talk further.

Image credit: Luis Tamani IG @luistamani.visionart