Last year, my best friend and I took a little vacation. We explored new ecosystems: tropical rainforest, Margaritaville, and the space between our ears. We did a 5 day ayahuasca retreat, followed by a lush hot springs resort, and finished with 2 nights at the beach. It was life-changing.
I had some laughs, I had some emotional breakthroughs, and I had some indigestion. This post is all about the creature comforts that did or could have helped me deal. While there is a lot of internet about how to prepare mentally, emotionally, and physically for ayahuasca, I haven’t seen a packing list that speaks to the creature comforts one brings for such a journey. Behold my contribution.
Before you get excited: you will NOT find any of my spiritual takeaways in the aftermath of the experiment. That is far too personal BUT I will give you this:
There is pleasure, joy, and beauty in every single moment and situation as long as you allow for it
Nothing is more important than play and laughter
Though my form is human, I am spiritually cat. Meow.
Okay. Ayahuasca is, well, it’s jungle juice!
Sorry. Really, it’s an ancient medicine that’s been connecting people to God, Nature, and Purpose for generations. Ayahuasca can help us explore our hidden selves and let go of long-held emotional burdens. It’s an opportunity for deep spiritual and energetic growth, healing and insight. That’s enough out of you, chatGPT.
Actually, one more automated warning: Ayahuasca is a powerful and potentially life-changing experience, and it should be approached with respect and caution.
I learned this the hard way when, as a younger lady, I traded $100 for a dose of ayahuasca in a hut on a grass mat. There was no electricity or running water. To those familiar with the gastrointestinal side effects of ayahuasca, you can be sure this was a problem. Ah, youth. I got very little value out of the single night. The dose was off and I really only got a few measly minutes of hallucinating a wavy candle flame.
I wasn’t exactly jonesing to try it again, but I’d follow my best friend through the gates of hell and she was keen. I’m glad I joined because it turned out to be pretty formative for me, and the best girls’ trip we’ve ever done.
We went for a five night retreat at Soltara. T’was fantastic. We did yoga, sat beachside, and basically alternated between sweatpants and sarongs all day until the evening ceremonies began. The staff was loving, and shepharded us through big emotions and urgent vomit episodes. The food, abusively healthy and free of salt or pork, was wonderful. The retreat cohort was sublime. 15 people came together and loved and supported each other from day one. That itself was worth the price of admission.
The Before
The internet is right about this: you have to be in a good state of mind for your retreat. The “dieta” recommended by Soltara is an extremely exhaustive list of can’ts in the run-up. They exclude alcohol, drugs, most supplements, pork/adult activities, and even salt. Lame. There really was no getting around it, but a few things that helped were:
Copious amounts of Olipop soda (cherry vanilla preferred)
Elderly seasons of real housewives
A weird but very specific hobby (stay tuned for details)
Frozen cauliflower pizza
Sturdy cuddles
From the Soltara website: “ Remember to be gentle with yourself, and whatever you do, do it with love.” At the end of four weeks with ~80% compliance, I really did feel like I was mentally and physically prepared. But I didn’t take it too seriously. The night before the retreat, my best friend and I had wine and pepperoni pizza in the hotel room. With love.
Things that brought me joy in the maloca:
Clothing. It is absolutely crucial to pack for comfort. Ayahuasca’s physical side effects include gastrointestinal distress. Leave the waistbands at home. You'll want something comfortable that allows you to really writhe. The physical effects were intense; I was bouncing around on my bed and playfully swatting at an invisible ball of string. I recommend Beyond Yoga leisure sets. I wore THIS set but own and love this one too. Layer your clothing because you'll be quite sensitive to temperature changes. As an alternative, I’d also recommend a linen set to become your own art teacher.
Birkenstocks. Shuffle into these after the ceremony.
Cushy socks. I personally feel vulnerable with exposed feet.
Red flashlight. Crucial. It might seem unnecessary, but it's actually very helpful. You and your fellow retreaters are so sensitive to light. This is the most considerate way to get to the bathroom. You will be in a rush.
Eye mask. You will be SO sensitive to light. This was really important for maintaining focus during my journey. I have about ten of these floating around in my suitcase + bedside tables. They’re also pretty decent quality for $10.
Hydroflask filled with ice water. Important for rinsing out your mouth and splashing your face. Don’t attempt a screw top. This is a straw game.
A lighter if you plan to smoke the ceremony tobacco. Not my thing.
Crystals or any other spiritually relevant object. Do you!
For puttering around the resort:
Hydration powder. You really can’t drink water after 5 PM on ceremony nights. I felt pretty parched in the mornings. I wish I would have packed this stuff to bring me back to life a little faster.
A caftan for an afternoon at the pool. I brought this because I’m extra. This one is for you.
Swimsuit, obviously. I have this one in three colors. Cute look for the flower bath.
Your full skincare routine. (Check a bag.) It’s nice to spend a little time with yourself in the mirror before the evening ceremony.
Notebook and mechanical pencils for doodling and feelings
A kindle loaded with a selection of books. I found I needed a break from self-improvement and was glad to have trashy romance novels as a reprieve. Optional: a laptop to stream Love is Blind: Brazil during down time
Hear me out: I had robes monogrammed for me and my best friend. They’re hilarious and wicked useful. Dedicate ¼ of your suitcase to these guys and get ready to reap laughter from your fellow voyagers. Land’s End will monogram anything.
Also optional: a really fun and fantastic dress reserved for the last night. I really loved looking forward to having something fabulous to celebrate my little rebirth. If I were to do it again, I’d go with this hot and lightly overpriced #.
Rules of thumb:
Everything should be washable and generally sweat-proof
Don’t bring food or western medicines. They’ll be confiscated! Shame is the taste of melted reconstituted chocolate bars at the end of the trip. (Still good)
I didn’t wear any makeup for the five days of the retreat. It’s deeply humid; you’ll probably sweat it all off anyways. Tinted moisturizer with SPF, cream blush, and a nice lip balm should cover any base you have.
A fair warning
I can’t stand any of the citrus scents I used to love. One of the retreat activities was to chug lemongrass tea so as to ‘clear a barf path’ for the gastrointestinal effect of ayahuasca. Okay! We took turns hurling over a ledge into a forest clearing, cheering each other's projections. But blech. I pitched all of my lemony cosmetics when I returned home.