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CONTRAINDICATIONS

Safety first.

Ayahuasca Risks & Contrainidcations at Modern Ancient Sanctuary in Iquitos, Peru

CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR MEDICATION, FOODS/ HERBS & VACCINES

 

Please read the following information carefully before booking and attending a retreat program at Modern Ancient.

 

*The contraindications listed below are provided as a guide for anyone considering taking sacred medicine such as Ayahuasca, Iboga, Bufo, Kambo and San Pedro. The items listed are not intended to be exhaustive.

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Please consult with your physician/ medical doctor prior to stopping any medication.

1. MEDICATION

GROUP ONE

The medication / drugs listed below cannot be taken within 2 to 3 weeks of your retreat date when consuming sacred medicine due to the potential (i) serious health risks of combining the two, and (ii) energetic disharmony. Therefore we will not be able to accept your application at any of our retreats for your own safety. Note that not all contraindications are the same for all sacred medicines i.e. Kambo, Ayahuasca, Iboga, Bufo. Please consult your physician/ medical doctor prior to stopping any medication. As part of our booking process we perform an online prescreening check and further assess your responses, including any specific medications or conditions, as part of your personal 1:1 session. 

 

  • Decongestants

  • Allergy medication

  • Hay fever medication

  • Corticosteroids

  • Pain relievers

  • Stimulants (e.g. kola nut, guarana, caffeine, ephedra (aka: ma huang))

  • Sleep medications

  • Antacids

  • Fentanyl

  • Opiates

  • Methadone

  • Suboxone/Subutex (e.g. buprenorphine)

  • SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors i.e. strong antidepressants for persistent or severe cases)

  • Methylphenidate 

GROUP TWO

The psychoactive medications / drugs listed below cannot be taken within 7 days of your retreat date when consuming sacred medicine due to the potential (i) serious health risks of combining the two, and (ii) energetic disharmony. Therefore we will not be able to accept your application at any of our retreats for your own safety. Note that not all contraindications are the same for all sacred medicines i.e. Kambo, Ayahuasca, Iboga, Bufo. Please consult your physician/ medical doctor prior to stopping any medication. As part of our booking process we perform an online prescreening check and further assess your responses, including any specific medications or conditions, as part of your personal 1:1 session. 

 

  • Amitriptyline

  • Elavil

  • Prozac

  • Zoloft

  • Paxil

  • Antipsychotics

  • Amphetamines

  • Prescription drugs

  • Short-acting opiate (e.g. hydrocodone or oxycodone)

  • Heroine

  • Cocaine

  • Ecstasy

  • MDMA

  • Omeprazol (e.g. losec)

  • Anti-fungal medications (e.g. diflucan)

  • Clarityne

  • Macrolide type antibiotics (e.g. azithromycin, zithromax)

  • Any other medication or drug not mentioned

2. FOOD / HERBS

The foods, vitamins, herbs and plants listed below cannot be taken within 7 days of your retreat date when consuming sacred medicine due to the potential (i) serious health risks of combining the two, and (ii) energetic disharmony. Note that not all contraindications are the same for all sacred medicines i.e. Kambo, Ayahuasca, Iboga, Bufo. As part of our booking process we perform an online prescreening check and further assess your responses, including any specific medications or conditions, as part of your personal 1:1 session. 

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  • Asafoetida

  • Berberine

  • Black seed

  • Curcuma

  • Garden Cress

  • St. John’s Wort

  • Kava kava

  • Black Cohosh

  • Scotch Broom

  • Grapefruit

  • Licorice

  • Quinine

  • Bitter Orange

  • Cascara Sagrada

  • Senna

  • Aloe Vera (taken internally)

  • Horsetail

  • Celery seed

  • Yellow Dock

  • Buckthorn

  • Laxatives

  • Diuretics

  • Mistletoe

  • Yiacin

3. VACCINES

All vaccinations, including COVID-19 related vaccines administered within the last 6 months, are taken at your own risk. When taking sacred medicine, we recommend avoiding the following vaccinations / treatments listed below within a certain timeframe. However, most healthy people with strong immune systems are not at risk when combining the two. Note that not all contraindications are the same for all sacred medicines i.e. Kambo, Ayahuasca, Iboga, Bufo. Please consult your physician/ medical doctor prior to stopping any planned vaccinations. As part of our booking process we perform an online prescreening check and further assess your responses as part of your personal 1:1 session. 

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  • Malaria - Within the last 12 months

  • Rabies - Within the last 2 years 

  • Typhoid - Within the last 3 years  

  • Hepatitis A & B - Within the last 10 years however, completion of the full series have longer term impact

4. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Vaccinations are not necessary if you are visiting Peru for the sole purpose of attending a retreat program at Modern Ancient Sanctuary and do not plan on taking any detours. If you are visiting other parts of Peru after your retreat program and wish to take a vaccine then the following are most relevant: Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Rabies.

 

It is primarily your responsibility to understand the medical and health implications of any vaccination by contacting your physician/ medical doctor. As an alternative medicine retreat center, we use effective and natural remedies that, in our view, eliminate the need to use vaccines and medications. We believe that alternatives can be used as preventative treatment when visiting us in Iquitos, Peru. 

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Note the following considerations: 

  • Our retreat is not in an area where mosquitoes present a high risk (therefore malaria vaccine/medication is not necessary)

  • There are no stray dogs or wild animals present on our land (therefore rabies vaccine/medication is not necessary)

  • Our retreat has fresh clean water (therefore typhoid or hepatitis A vaccine/medication is not necessary)

  • Our centre is not in an elevated dense jungle area (therefore yellow fever vaccine/medication is not necessary)

  • No tattoos, piercing or medical procedures are performed which present a risk of using contaminated needles (therefore the necessary vaccines are not strictly needed).

  • Sexual activities while on retreat are also strictly prohibited as we work with energy in a certain way (therefore hepatitis B vaccine/medication is not strictly necessary)

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