At Hummingbird Retreat Peru our San Pedro ceremonies usually start the day before the actual ceremony when we gather together to make the medicine from vibrant fresh cactus. This enables participants to meet each other, begin their relationship with the medicine and place their prayers and intentions into the medicine pot. It is also an opportunity to begin one’s personal relationship and connection with the ‘spirit’ of San Pedro.

The following morning we meet at around 8:30am. After herbal teas and a last check-in we move down to the maloca (which is a traditional, grass-thatched, open sided building) to drink the medicine. San Pedro ceremonies are quite long, around 10 – 12 hours, after drinking we generally move out into the garden and everyone finds a place to relax and embrace their personal experience. Everyones experience is different depending on their intentions, the emotions they are carrying, along with a host of other factors.

This beautiful medicine works with each individual in a unique way. Bringing emotions to the surface to be released and healed, opening new connections within one’s body, heart and consciousness. So at any one time there may be people laughing, crying, shaking or throwing up, all these may be part of the ceremony experience and are all ways for the medicine to release energy that has previously been blocked.

When one first starts to work with plant medicines the first ceremonies may be themed around getting used to working with the medicine. Surrendering control can be a large part of this process. As one gets used to working with the medicine the path opens to go deeper into ones self and heal larger issues. There are exceptions to this however, as there are exceptions to most things in the plant medicine realm.

So back to the ceremony; as the sun sets and temperatures are dropping, we may light a fire outside or gravitate indoors to relax around the woodstove. By around 6 p.m. participants are often starting to land and are getting hungry so we serve a nutritious vegetarian meal with a light home-made dessert to help the process along.

Huachuma is renown as ‘heart-medicine’ and so on the day of the ceremony it is not useful to try and figure things out too much. It can be challenging for some of us to let go of our heads and the ‘need to know’ but it will make for a more fruitful day.

The morning following morning however things are often beginning to make “sense” and we hold an integration session to support participants assimilate and grow from their experience.

• FOOD – San Pedro, unlike Ahayuasca does not have so many restrictions regarding food; eating lots of fatty food, animal protein, alcohol the day before will not support you during the ceremony. Foods that are light, organic and clean for the body are the way to go. It can be helpful to go through a program of clearing out the body before meeting the medicine.

• STUFF – Letting go of the things that no longer work in your life. You know inside what these things are. It may be that you collect ‘stuff’, or a job that is way past it’s use-by date, or a myriad of other things. This accumulated material all helps to weigh you down and make it difficult to move forward and live your life.

• FEAR – Acknowledge your fears. We all hold fears inside of us, it is part of being human and, if worked with, can be a path to growth and freedom. It takes courage to come to the medicine with our fears and to trust a plant to assist us to heal them. This medicine is a master at healing emotions and pain on the emotional levels.

• RESPECT – Come to the medicine with an attitude of respect; respecting the medicine, the other people with you, and yourself.

• TRUST – Work on your relationship with trust. If you trust the medicine and yourself your journey will be much easier. Know that you do not know what is going to happen, but that it has the potential to change your life.

• LET GO – Your job is to let go and be open; the medicine will do the work. So practice in your daily life and it will not be so difficult.

Lastly honor yourself and the fact that you have the courage to meet yourself in this way and have a wonder-filled experience.

The experience of a San Pedro ceremony is unique for each person.  This difference depends on what each person brings to ceremony; one’s intention, beliefs, emotional reality, and space on the day, combined with the space and holding provided with the ceremony, and the personality of the medicine. A common thread is that by the end of the day most people feel an opening into a soft and precious connection with their heart.

San Pedro ceremonies are not for everyone!  This is a journey that we take into ourselves and possibly facing our own inner demons, and not everyone wants to take this journey; yet this is where our power lies, in the places that we do not want to go to or we attempt avoid.

Mind-set and the physical setting are an important aspect, as is the person who holds the ceremony, as both impact one’s medicine experiences.  Feeling comfortable and safe with these is a good foundation.

It is ‘normal’ to have a little fear, or sense of apprehension before a ceremony, as the psyche gets ready to let go of control.  We from the ‘developed world’ find it quite disconcerting to know that we will be stepping out of our normal way of holding ourselves and allowing a plant-spirit to enter our consciousness.  This plant has a history of more than  3000 years of doing this healing work, and holds a powerful knowing and intelligence when working with the human consciousness.

It is an amazing experience to participate in a ceremony with say ten people, each person with their specific issues and intentions, the medicine working directly and individually with each person’s issues.  Quite a consciousness has San Pedro, one that if we try to understand and figure out can be frustrating.  If we let go, trust and allow the medicine to work it’s healing magic, whilst feeling and releasing from our heart, a profound path to healing and personal re-empowerment more often than not opens up with much challenge, beauty and love.

So really it is all up to you, this is a powerful and dynamic medicine, which if you allow it will bring you healing, insight and a greater knowing of who you really are. It will open your heart and support your connection to your soul and your authentic path for this lifetime.