(n) The literal translation of the Spanish term dieta.
It refers to shamanic apprenticeship
training as it is done in the Amazon. It is much more than just a
“diet.” Along with the implicit food restrictions (no salt, sugar,
spices, oils, fats, alcohol, stimulants, pork meat — and in some cases
no chicken or red meat too ), there are other specific conditions to
respect, among which two are very important: sexual abstinence and
physical seclusion. The alterated state of consciousness needed to
access the plant spirit world is achieved by these restrictions while
being alone in the forest with the shaman/teacher. That is the
traditional way. During the period of the diet, the apprentice must
also refrain from entering in contact with menstruating women, at any
level (including having his/her clothes touched/washed by, or having
his/her food prepared by a lady in this condition). Traditionally, it
is only the shaman who should attend the apprentice during the
time of his/her diet, and should bring/prepare food. EMMEMM · www.ayahuasca-shamanism.co.uk/
Of paramount importance is the necessity of keeping a very strict diet
and total sexual abstinence during the period of apprenticeship. It is
through the diet that the plants reveal themselves to the initiate,
either in visions or in dreams. The length of the diet will determine
his knowledge and his strength. In some cases the spirits themselves
will appear and prescribe the duration and character of the diet. Even
after the shaman has withdrawn from the isolation required during
apprenticeship, and starts his shamanic practices, periods of diet are
recommended, especially when treating difficult cases and/or when
preparing certain medicines. It is quite common to keep the diet for
one or several days after the ingestion of ayahuasca or other plant teachers, if used
only for the purpose of curing. When learning from the plants the
diet’s duration may be of several months and even up to several years.
The “ideal” diet consists of cooked plantains, smoked fish and
sometimes carne de monte, the meat of certain jungle animals.
Rice and manioc seem to be accepted by some ayahuasqueros. No salt,
sugar or any other condiments, fats, alcohol, pork, chicken, fruit,
vegetables or cold beverages can be ingested. The food must be prepared
either by the shaman himself, or by a premenstruate girl or a
postmenopausal woman. The maintenance of some sort of altered state of
consciousness seems to be part of the learning process. MSINMSIN · conference paper The Concept of Plants as Teachers among four Mestizo Shamans of Iquitos, Northeastern Perú, Luna