What is a Master Plant Dieta?

A Master Plant Dieta is a traditional practice from the Peruvian Shipibo lineage. It is an ancient practice passed down through generations of learning and healing that has remained remarkably consistent over time, fostering a focused and disciplined relationship with a plant regarded as a teacher and healer. Just as the word dieta in Spanish means, we do a diet. But the word in Shipibo for this practice is Sama, which means fasting.

At Curandaime, we see this practice as both a path of learning and a practice of presence. Like yoga or meditation, the dieta is about preparing the body and mind to receive guidance and the medicine of the Plant Teacher. One distinction between a Master Plant Dieta and Plant Immersions is that the dieta does not rely on Ayahuasca ceremonies as the bridge of connection. Instead, we work directly with the plant itself. The connection may feel subtle — almost like a whisper — yet it grows steadily day by day. For this reason, we hold Plant Immersions over the course of a month, giving the relationship space and time to deepen. Another difference is that we construct this connection in our daily routine, making the integration of the teachings and the medicine already challenges our paradigms. When we do an isolated dieta in the jungle, we have to go back to our regular life and proceed slowly with the integration of the teachings of the Master Plant. In a Plant Immersion, the teachings are already happening, the inner work, and the support of the Plant Teacher in action.

What happens during a Plant Immersion?

The Plant Immersion begins with the opening of a sacred portal, which allows you to receive the energetic presence of your Plant Teacher. The role of the guide is to support, witness, and nurture this unfolding, much like tending a young plant with the right nourishment, environment, and care.

During the Plant Immersion, we follow a simple and intentional lifestyle: eating a clean diet free from heavy flavors, stimulants, and pungent foods; maintaining clear energetic boundaries, such as no physical touch, and engaging in daily reflection. Within this gentle discipline, the Plant Teacher offers wisdom not only to the body, but also to the heart, mind, and spirit.

Most importantly, a Master Plant Dieta and Plant Immersion is not about “using a plant.” It is about entering into a relationship with it. Just as yoga and meditation teach us to listen to the body, the Plant Immersion teaches us to listen to the plant, integrating its teachings step by step. In doing so, we also learn to listen more deeply to nature itself.

What is a normal day during the Plant Immersion?

We begin the Plant Immersion by waking up early. Ideally, you create a dedicated space to connect with your plant — an altar that holds a sense of sacredness and presence for you. This can be as simple as a candle, a photograph of a loved one or teacher, a spiritual mentor, and use protective tools such as incense or palo santo.

Each morning, sit in meditation at your altar. Take the herbal preparation you have made, and gently open a conversation with your plant. Allow a few quiet minutes for presence and listening. From there, you continue with your day — your work, family, and daily tasks — while carrying the awareness of your plant with you.

Throughout the day, nourish yourself with clean, wholesome food, and take pauses to breathe or meditate. In the evening, you return once more to your altar. Close your day with another Plant Sitting, drinking your preparation, and offering your presence to the relationship that is unfolding.

How do I pick my Plant Teacher?

You may already have a plant in mind. It could be the plant of your grandmother, a childhood memory from your home or country of origin, or a tree you’ve always loved in your yard. Perhaps a plant has sparked your curiosity, appeared in your dreams, or even “spoken” to you in its own subtle way. In truth, the plant often calls you first. You may have already experienced their medicine, and other times, it arises from a desire to heal the body.

As a herbalist, I can also help suggest plants that offer support for healing and growth. These may assist in releasing old traumas held in the body, closing a past chapter, cultivating self-worth, nurturing self-love, or offering energetic protection.

There are also times when a Plant Immersion is not only about healing, but about apprenticeship — building a relationship with a Plant Teacher to learn directly from their wisdom. Some plants are already recognized as powerful teachers, such as Tabaco or Cannabis, each carrying profound lessons for those who approach them with respect as students.

What am I not allowed to do?

Food is essential in this process. In our modern world, food is highly processed, overstimulating the senses with excessive sugar, salt, and fried flavors. In the Plant Immersion, we return to clean, simple, and nourishing foods. This simplicity prepares the body to receive the plant fully, without distracting elements.

We also let go of stimulants such as coffee and tea, and pause our connection with other Master Plants like cacao (chocolate) and cannabis. Pungent foods such as onion, garlic, and ginger are set aside, and a big NO to alcohol, recreational drugs, and pork — all considered highly disruptive to the connection we want to build.

Because the dieta opens a sensitive energetic portal, we take care to protect this space. Physical intimacy, casual touch, and crowded or chaotic environments can mix external energies with those of your Plant Teacher and your own healing field. For this reason, we maintain clear boundaries to support the integrity of the work.

Supplements may be continued during the dieta, but if you are taking medication, we’ll confirm together in a Discovery Call that your treatment is aligned with this sensitive practice and will not interfere with your healing or connection to the plant.