Recommended preparation for Kambo will be different from every facilitator, depending on their lineage and training. Sitting with someone who has the majority of their experience and education from an indigenous group will be different from sitting with someone who has a mostly western-led training background. The specifics of the preparation will likely (but not always) fall in line with the facilitator’s approach. It’s a part of kambo that has many different opinions and methods.

I focus my preparation around our the idea of “conscious consumption” and emphasize the importance of being aware of how our dietary, social, conversational, political, and environmental decisions and engagement impact our minds and bodies. 

Spending a few days in conscious awareness of our consumption is for the purpose of breaking up regular habits and we can see where we’re consuming energies, food, relationships, conversations, influences, etc that don’t necessarily support us. 

Personally, I recommend an organic, whole-foods, sugar-free, minimally processed diet for at least 72 hours before and after sitting with frog medicine. Contrary to popular recommendations/dietas, it’s completely okay to continue eating meat, just be mindful of the sourcing. 

I also recommend taking some time away from social media and news, and to minimize screen time in general for the day or two for the session. Sitting with Kambo is a great opportunity to reflect on our habits, patterns, lifestyle choices that aren’t working for us, and to spend some time journaling what we’d like to let go of, to shift out of, and to create more space to bring in. 

The pre-ceremony cleanse allows the digestive system to begin ridding itself of toxins so the medicine can work deeper in the organs of the body, thus having a more open path to access and address emotional/mental/spiritual blockages, as well as getting a more direct route to physical toxins, imbalances, and impurities. 

The process of switching to a more mindful diet also initiates a rewiring of our food ‘stories’ and how we relate to what we’re putting in our bodies. This can be a challenge for some people, and it can be the beginning of noticing what emotions or patterns surface as we begin the detox process. 

How are we treating ourselves? How are we fueling ourselves? What do our habits say about how we handle stress? 

In addition to cleansing and preparing physically, it’s also important to prepare mentally. 

Meditating, journaling, and connecting with intention in the days leading up to Kambo are highly beneficial. It can be helpful to write any habits, patterns, stories, or karmic ties you are looking to put behind you. Self-reflection and looking within to discover where you feel limited or held back help the medicine work deeper in releasing these blockages. 

Meditation and breathing practices are a key ingredient for harnessing the mind when we are faced with discomfort (like kambo :) . 

Physical movement in whatever way helps you feel best inside your skin is also recommended in days leading up to and after the ceremony: walking, running, yoga, dance, chi gong, etc.

Look to create space and silence. 

Slow down, breathe and be aware of what low vibrational frequencies you’re allowing into your field prior to sitting with the medicine. 

Additionally:

• Check with your doctor and your kambo practitioner about any prescription medications

• Take herbal supplements / vitamins after your session, but not in the morning.

• Avoiding coffee/caffeine the morning of your ceremony is very important. (herbal tea is ok, but no tea with caffeine)

• It is required to fast for 8-12 hours prior to the ceremony.

• Do not drink more than 12oz of water prior to arriving for your session

• Do not fast for more than 12 hours prior to your session.

**Please disclose all medications prior to the ceremony and talk to your doctor to determine if you are safe taking a few days’ break.

The pre-ceremony cleanse allows the digestive system to begin ridding itself of toxins so the medicine can work deeper in the organs of the body, thus having a more open path to access and address emotional/mental/spiritual blockages, as well as getting a more direct route to physical toxins, imbalances, and impurities.

The process of switching to a more mindful diet also initiates a rewiring of our food ‘stories’ and how we relate to what we’re putting in our bodies. This can be a challenge for some people, and it can be the beginning of noticing what emotions or patterns surface as we begin the detox process.

In addition to cleansing and preparing physically, it’s also important to prepare mentally.

Meditating, journaling, and connecting with intention in the days leading up to Ceremony are highly beneficial. It can be helpful to write any habits, patterns, stories, or karmic ties you are looking to put behind you. Self-reflection and looking within to discover where feel limited or held back help the medicine work deeper in releasing these blockages. Meditation is a key ingredient for helping to harness the mind when we are faced with potentially uncomfortable circumstances. Physical movement in whatever way helps you feel best inside your skin is also recommended in days leading up to and after the ceremony: walking, running, yoga, dance, chi gong, etc.

Please be very mindful of media consumption in the days leading up to Ceremony.

• Limit social media time, news exposure, tv, and/or movie watching.

• Take this time to disconnect with screens and reconnect to self and nature.

• Look to create space and silence.

• Slow down, breathe and be aware of what low vibrational frequencies you’re allowing into your field prior to sitting with the medicine.

It is also highly encouraged to abstain from any sexual activity (including with yourself), in order to build and maintain your chi, or personal energy flow.

• Wear loose clothing, as the dots may be placed on parts of the body where we need to tie up or roll clothing.

• Wear or bring layers, as body temperature can vary throughout the Ceremony.

• You may also want to have with you a journal, crystals, talismans, trinkets, personal altar items, and anything that will make you comfortable throughout the experience.

• Depending on the location, the facilitator will provide buckets and/or toilet paper.

• Do not wear any tight jewelry or restrictive clothing

• Arrive without wearing contacts if you have an interest in Sananga.

The facilitator and client will begin with a discussion about the process of ceremony, as well as covering the topics of dot placement, intentions, and questions. We begin with a short time in silence to connect with both individual and united intentions. The facilitator will open sacred space with his/her personal ritual by means of prayer, mantra, song, etc, at the beginning of the ceremony. The person receiving treatment will consume water or Masato (a fermented yucca beverage used in the jungle) as directed by the facilitator.

Kambo secretion is applied to the dermis, (the second layer of skin) after the epidermis (the surface layer of skin) has been removed via small, light burns using a tamishi vine or similar tool.

These burns allow the bioactive elements (peptides) into the body and cells through the open skin, facilitating an intricate and profound level of communication within the mind and body (mental + physiological) opening normally dormant, weak, or numbed areas to begin revitalizing, rebalancing, and harmonizing themselves again.

The effects of the secretion are usually felt within 10 seconds to a minute after application, depending on the part of the body it is placed on.

These burns are most often on the arm but can also be administered on other targeted areas, which are the “gates” for the medicine to work through.

This rapid onset highlights the potency of Kambo and its ability to initiate a transformative journey almost instantaneously.

The effect is almost immediate as the medicine runs in the body through the lymphatic system.

Initially, body temperature increases and heart rate strengthens for a few minutes. This is a time to remain present and breathe with intention and presence, noticing where the medicine is reaching within the physical body. The sitter may begin to feel cramps in certain areas of the body, experience nausea, swelling, sweating, crying, shaking, a need to use the bathroom, or a strong emotional reaction, which generally occurs until the point of vomiting or “purging.”

This can seem intimidating and scary, but all of these sensations and are the direct physiological response to the peptides in the secretion.

The purging is the clearing/cleansing of deeply rooted toxins in the body, both physical and mental/emotional. Each person is different and each session is different than the last. Some people purge and move through the process quite quickly, others can last up to 45 minutes. My longest personal process was four hours. The longest process I’ve seen was 24 hours. This is the literal purging of stuff taking up space inside, just like spring cleaning :)

As the facilitator, I am present throughout the ceremony, offering support and holding space through song, sound, or energy work until the effects of the medicine subside. The person receiving treatment may feel anywhere from exhausted to energetic after the ceremony.

Every individual is different and may need varying amounts of time for processing and recuperation. The facilitator will remove the medicine and cover the gates with Dragon’s Blood, a natural tree-sap antiseptic.

The facilitator will close the sacred space, indicating that the ceremony is over. The recipient may continue to process and rest. Offerings of Sananga and/or Hapé may be also given at any time throughout or at the end of the ceremony.

Kambo is not a psychotropic or psychedelic experience. Some people, myself included, have experienced healing visions or messages that come through, but it is not an extended visual journey, and there’s no “trip.”

Kambo is a very embodied and somatic experience. Participants are very present with their physical vessel.

For women who have a monthly bleed, Kambo is still okay to sit with, though it’s best to avoid the first day of your moon cycle or if you’re experiencing heavy flow or cramps. It can be a very healing experience for the womb and any trauma that may be stored there. It can also be slightly more intense.

Towards the end of your session, there is a dedicated time for you to rest. This is often a deep sleep when the body is recovering and recalibrating, and upon the emergence of this initial rest, participants usually feel reenergized, calm and clear.

I will check in with you to make sure you feel good to drive after your session. Most people are cleared to drive but not drive if you feel weak or light headed and we will remain in the space until you feel able.

Do not operate heavy machinery, move furniture or engage in physically stressful situations within 24 hours of session.

Re-mineralize with mineral water and or coconut water to restore vital nutrients and electrolytes.

It’s very important to be gentle with yourself after the ceremony.

The best ways to take care of yourself after the experience are to:

• move slowly

• drink plenty of mineral water

• journal

• stay grounded

• return to the body through gentle stretching or yoga.

• avoid traffic, heavily populated areas, and overly stimulating situations

• stay away from screens, social media, tv, news, or being surrounded by the energy of consumerism, as your senses will be heightened during this time.

You’ll get the most out of your experience if you prioritize taking time to process the experience. The most beneficial ways to do this are by avoiding social media and continue to be conscious of your media consumption (news, tv, phone, etc.) Meditating, stream-of-conscious writing and art therapy (drawing, coloring, painting) are very cathartic in assisting with integration. Be gentle with yourself and tune into what your body is telling you it needs.

It is recommended to continue an organic, whole-foods, minimally processed, sugar/spice/alcohol/prescription, and recreational drug-free diet for 72 hours after the ceremony.

Chicken and fish are okay to continue eating if you can find them in hormone-free, organic, sustainable ways.

Please avoid red meat: pork and beef for the day of the session just to give the digestives and organs a break from heavy work. During this time, the organs in the body are open and vulnerable to what is being consumed, so it is very important to maintain clear and clean channels for the medicine to continue working.

It is particularly influential in catalyzing great change to stay away from Alcohol and processed foods for at least 72 hours.

This is very deep work, and Kambo continues working within the system well after the ceremony is over.

To receive the greatest benefit of the medicine, it is recommended to sit three times within one moon cycle which is called an inoculation, or “vaccine of the jungle.”

Sitting with Kambo is a powerful and transformational experience, no matter if it is one session or three, and the potential influence of a series of three sessions is not to discredit the potency and potential of just one session.

The Lunar Trinity does not come from purely indigenous tradition. The rumor is that concept of the “inoculation” of three sessions within a month came from the Caboclo people (persons of mixed Indigenous Brazilian and European ancestry) who were the first to believe that three times within one month provided the greatest immunity against disease.

The practice of sitting with Kambo three times in one month is an encouraged modern adaptation or variation influenced more-so by Western practitioners or facilitators rather than indigenous. In conversation with one of my indigenous teachers, he laughed and shrugged at the idea of 3 times in one month, as they regularly receive more often than that.

Personally, I believe multiple sessions within a short period can amplify the psychosomatic benefits and address some specific health concerns more effectively than sessions which may be months apart. A series of three within a month is also a way for the medicine to work deeper each time and for you to experience layers of rebalancing and harmonizing of mental and physical health alongside a natural cycle of the Earth/Moon.

I like to think of it as an introduction, the deep work, and sealing the deal. It’s similar in writing, a formula called “the three-act structure” is a model used in narrative fiction that divides a story into three parts, often called the Setup, the Confrontation, and the Resolution.

This is for people truly and honestly seeking big shifts in their lives or needing a deep physical cleanse if exploring alternative/holistic treatment for certain health conditions.

Please take into consideration that the integration of the shifts that occur in your life after a series of 3 can be confronting because they’re just so obvious!

An even more potent option is three sessions within one week. Or three days in a row. :)

Integration is a critical part of any transformational experience, and it’s often overlooked, ignored, or bypassed altogether. This is the part where we bring the lessons, the “downloads” and the “a-ha” moments from the ceremony into our daily lives to create a reality that’s more aligned with our goals, our potential, our passions, and how we want to be in the world. This can simultaneously be one of our greatest gifts and challenges, but if we are committed and dedicated to making those changes, the long-term rewards are immeasurable.

As the facilitator for transformational ceremonial spaces, I offer follow-up integration support to help you on your journey through somatic integration and inquiry.

Kambo is proven safe as long as you are honest about your known mental + physical health history and current conditions, and discuss this with the facilitator ahead of time.

However, the experience of sitting with Kambo can present you with extreme discomfort. Feelings of nausea, vomiting, using the toilet, crying, sweating, or shaking for 20 minutes to an hour are common.

It’s possible to be faced with suppressed emotions, forgotten memories, or resurfaced traumas.

There is no need to feel embarrassed over any of these, or try to push them down - they are all welcome and this is how the medicine works to clear and detox the buildup of stored toxins and emotions.

We appreciate you showing up openly, honestly and vulnerably to face any potential shadows that come up.

No.

I authentically offer services (coaching, guidance, ceremonies, and safe transformational experiences) in a trauma-informed container for individuals and groups based on my qualifications and trainings. I do not hold any professional medical or mental health degrees.

My training and experiences for the alternative/holistic services that I offer are based on and received within indigenous communities and teachers of the Amazon Rainforest, as well as trainings on how to respectfully and appropriately apply this knowledge and ceremonial experience to clients/participants in the Western World to compliment the reality we live in.

I do not provide professional mental health services, or offer diagnoses, treatments, or cures. The application process for ceremonies, retreats, or events screen participants to ensure that I and my assistants remain within the scope of our abilities, qualifications, and experience.

I welcome a broad range of individuals, but I am not, nor do I claim to be, a substitute for professional medical or therapeutic resources.