Medical Precautions
and Warnings

...for those considering work
with Ayahuasca

In some cases, work with Ayahuasca can bear some risks related to health condition and diet. Advance dietary preparation is therefore required for safety and optimal effectiveness.  The staff and traditional healers SpiritQuest Sanctuary are experienced in the safe administration of Ayahuasca in its traditional ceremonial context and are richly experienced in facilitating the complex experiential integration around the ceremonial experiences. Your safety, welfare,  holistic healing and positive transformation are our highest priorities.  We therefore provide these guidelines for your information and personal safety.

If you are taking prescription medication (including antibiotics), are subject to high blood pressure, have a heart condition, or are under treatment for any health condition, consult your physician about the use of temporary monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI).

Medical consultation is especially important if you are taking Prozac, Paxil, Welbrutin, Effexor, Zoloft or other antidepressants affecting serotonin levels, i.e.serotonin selectie re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI). These medications generally require a period of up to six  weeks to completely clear the system and must be reduced gradually. Some may clear the system in a shorter period of time.  We recommend you consult your physician about the risks of taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor in conjunction with your medication.

Based on growing anecdotal reports and current scientific research, Ayahuasca seems to provide quick and lasting relief from many forms of depression.  In many cases, individuals do not feel they need to return to pharmaceutical antidepressants after intensive short-term treatment with Ayahuasca.

Non-prescription medications such as antihistamines, dietary aids, amphetamines and derivatives, and some natural herbal medicines, i.e. those containing ephedrine, high levels of caffeine or other stimulants, or fermented alcoholic beverages may also cause adverse reactions. We recommend that you discontinue all such medications, drugs, and herbs for at least one week prior to and following work with Ayahuasca.

We do everything possible to assure that your shamanic work at the SpiritQuest Shamanic Sanctuary ceremonial retreat center is safe and fulfilling.  Therefore we request full confidential disclosure of known medical conditions and all medications/drugs/herbs in current use as a condition of registration for Ayahuasca SpiritQuest. This is a necessary measure to help assure your safety and welfare.

You are solely responsible for informing me of these factors and taking appropriate health precautions. Each individual assumes all risk and liability in their use of plant medicines encountered during SpiritQuest workshop retreats.


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