An intention in the context of an ayahuasca ceremony is like setting a direction for your spiritual journey. It’s not about controlling the outcome but rather about expressing what you seek from the experience. An intention acts as a lighthouse, illuminating aspects of your psyche or life you wish to explore or heal.
Suggestions to create your Ayahuasca intention
The attitude ‘there is no wrong answer’ is useful in creating intentions but here are some suggestions to guide you.
Catch All Intention:
If any of the below is too difficult or it is your first ceremony you might just use an intention like ‘I prepared well** and with humility in the Dieta and I would like to you to show me what I need to know and heal what needs to be healed”.
** Make sure you actually prepared well – otherwise this will not be meet well by La Madre.
Self-Reflection
Before you even decide on your intention, take time for introspection. Reflect on Your Life: Consider areas where you feel stuck, confused, or in need of healing. This could be emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual.
Example from Reddit: One user shared, “I went in with the intention of understanding my fear of commitment. It allowed me to peel back layers I didn’t know were there.”
Be Specific Yet Open
- Specificity: Your intention should be clear about what you’re seeking. For instance, instead of “I want to be happier,” you might say, “I seek to understand what blocks my joy.”
- Openness: Be prepared for ayahuasca to guide you beyond what you initially intend. As noted in my Ayahuasca Course, “Set an intention but hold it lightly; the medicine might have other lessons in store.”
Writing Your Intention
- Use Positive Language: Focus on what you want to gain or understand, rather than what you want to remove. For example, “I seek clarity in my relationships” rather than “I want to get rid of my relationship issues.”
- Keep it Simple: Your intention doesn’t need to be long or poetic; it should be something you can remember and resonate with during the ceremony.
Examples of Intentions
Here are some examples from various sources to inspire you:
- Healing: “I intend to heal my past traumas and find peace with my childhood.” Self-
- Discovery: “I seek to understand my true self and my life’s purpose.”
- Relationships: “I wish to gain insights into how I can love more fully and openly.”
- Personal Growth: “I aim to release my fears and embrace my potential for growth.”
Review and Revise
Before the ceremony, revisit your intention. You might find it evolving as you get closer to the experience. This is normal and part of the preparation.
During the Ceremony
- Hold Your Intention: Keep your intention in mind as you drink the ayahuasca. You might repeat it to yourself or visualize it during the ceremony.
- Be Flexible: Remember, the journey might not follow your set path, but trust that whatever unfolds is part of your healing or learning process.
- This last point cannot be overstated. Meditation and attempting to develop a sense of detachment can come in handy when we encounter a personal limit or barrier in ceremony within ourselves. Having felt this before is a great way to ‘enter this mode’ and just observe when we have difficult moments.
