Why We Cleanse Before Ayahuasca Retreats.

Creating a Clear Channel for the Medicine:

ayahuasca painting by Felix Pinchi Aguirre

One of the most common questions I get before people embark on an ayahuasca retreat is: “Do I really need to cleanse beforehand?”And the answer, if you’re serious about working with ayahuasca, is a wholehearted yes.

Now, is coffee dangerous? Not necessarily. But that’s not really the point.

The reason we cleanse before ceremony isn’t just about what’s safe or unsafe, it’s about creating the most receptive and clear internal space possible so the medicine can do what it came to do.

Ceremony Is a Conversation

Ayahuasca is not something you “take.” It’s someone you meet. And like any good guest, she deserves a clean and quiet home to visit.

Cleansing, whether that means cutting out alcohol, processed foods, sex, social media, is about reducing the background noise in your system. It’s like turning off the static so you can actually hear what the medicine is trying to say.

Caffeine, for example, is a stimulant. Even though it’s legal, normalized, and kind of a cultural comfort blanket, it revs up your nervous system, keeps you in a subtle fight-or-flight state, and makes it harder to drop into the deep, slow, felt presence that ayahuasca requires.

So no, coffee won’t kill you. But it might block you from receiving the full message.

Cleansing Is More Than Physical

This isn’t just a biological process, it’s a spiritual one. When we let go of habits, even temporarily, we’re telling the plants:

“I’m here. I’m listening. I’m willing to surrender something in order to learn.”

That kind of energetic commitment matters.

In the Shipibo tradition I’ve worked most closely with in Peru, that commitment is everything. 

Cleansing is considered part of the agreement you make with the plants. You don’t just show up expecting magic, you prepare, purify, and present yourself with reverence.

Ayahuasca doesn’t respond to entitlement. She responds to devotion.

Benefits of Cleansing Before Ceremony

Here’s what I’ve seen in myself, and in others who take cleansing seriously:

• Clearer messages and visions – Less “interference” in your system means the medicine has more space to speak clearly.

• Deeper emotional release – You're more likely to connect with the root of an issue when your body isn’t distracted by cravings, stimulation, or withdrawal symptoms.

• Better digestion and elimination – Which matters a lot when you’re purging.

• Fewer side effects – People who cleanse often report less nausea, headache, or confusion during ceremony.

• Stronger integration – You’re building discipline and self-trust before you even arrive, which sets the tone for how you’ll carry the work forward.

  
  

The Coffee Question

Look, I get it. Giving up coffee can feel like a big ask. It’s a ritual, a comfort, a reliable little dopamine hit.

But in this work, even those small sacrifices are meaningful. When you give up something you love, even for just a week or two, you show the medicine that you’re serious. You’re not here for a psychedelic vacation. You’re here to meet yourself.

So if you’re wondering, “Can I still drink coffee before my ayahuasca retreat?” my invitation is this:

Skip it. Not because it’s dangerous, but because your clarity is worth more.

And hey, if you can’t let go of one cup of coffee, that’s probably a good place to start asking why.

A Final Note: Follow Your Tradition

Every lineage and facilitator will have their own guidelines. Some are stricter than others. If you're working with a specific tradition, like the Shipibo or Mestizo, always follow their protocols. This is sacred work, and respecting the path you're walking is part of the medicine.

But if you're asking from a place of personal curiosity, and you want the deepest experience possible, my advice is this:

🌿✨Cleanse. Let go. Make space.The plants will meet you in that spaciousness.

✨ Need Support Preparing for Ceremony?

Whether it’s your first time sitting with ayahuasca or you’re returning for deeper work, how you prepare and how you integrate makes all the difference.

I offer 1:1 preparation and integration coaching to help you:

• Cleanse safely and in alignment with your body

• Set powerful, grounded intentions

• Build spiritual and nervous system readiness

• Integrate your visions into real-life clarity and action

  
  

And, if you’re seeking a safe, trauma-informed, and reverent space to sit with the medicine...

🌿 I’m hosting an intimate retreat in Peru in February 2026. It will be a small, guided container rooted in trauma-informed facilitation, nervous system safety, and deep support—before, during, and after ceremony.

Want to be the first to receive details?📩 Email Me at jenna@jennadreams.com and I’ll personally reach out when applications open. Spots will be limited.