Preparation and Integration

At MahaDevi, preparation and integration are not optional additions to the retreat. They are the foundation of the entire process. We do not view ayahuasca as a magical cure or a one-time experience. We understand meaningful change to emerge through a complete process that includes preparation, experience, and integration over time. Our approach is designed to support participants before, during, and well after the retreat, with care tailored to individual needs.

Our View on Transformation

We believe that lasting growth does not come from ceremony alone. Transformation emerges through the relationship between:

This process creates the conditions for meaningful and sustainable change in daily life. For this reason, we view the retreat not as a single event, but as a journey that unfolds across several weeks.

Before the Retreat Preparation

Preparation begins well before arrival. Once accepted into the retreat, participants receive clear guidance and educational materials to support mental, physical, emotional, and energetic readiness. Preparation includes:

One-on-one discovery and preparation calls
Group preparation sessions
Clear dietary and lifestyle guidelines
Guidance for preparing the mind and body
Educational resources on what to expect before, during, and after ceremony

We ensure that all participants are familiar with grounding, centering, and self-regulation tools prior to arrival. This helps establish safety, agency, and self-awareness before entering ceremonial space.

Trauma-Informed and Individualized Care

Our preparation process is trauma-informed and individualized. We recognize that each participant arrives with a unique history, nervous system, and set of needs. Through our screening and preparation process, we work to understand:

This allows us to adapt our preparation and support approach while maintaining clear boundaries and responsibility.

Dietary and Lifestyle Preparation

Participants receive clear and specific guidance on dietary and lifestyle preparation prior to the retreat. These guidelines support physical safety, emotional stability, and nervous system regulation. Preparation guidance includes:

Clear instructions are provided in advance, and questions can be addressed during preparation calls.

Arrival and Orientation

Before the first ceremony, participants are gently oriented to the retreat environment. This includes:

We typically include breathwork and grounding exercises before the retreat formally begins and again before the first ceremony. Participants also have opportunities for one-on-one conversations with facilitators and, when appropriate, with indigenous healers to ask questions and feel prepared.

During the Retreat Experience

Throughout the retreat, participants are supported through:

The focus remains on safety, presence, and respectful engagement with the process.

Integration as a Core Practice

Integration is fundamental to our work. We do not believe that insights automatically translate into change. Integration is the process that allows understanding to become embodied and lived.

Our integration approach is flexible, individualized, and responsive.

Integration Archetypes

We recognize that people integrate experiences in different ways. As part of our internal process, we work with integration archetypes to help participants understand their natural style of integration. These archetypes include:

Understanding one’s integration style helps participants engage with practices that genuinely support them rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all approach.

Post-Retreat Integration Support

Integration continues well beyond the retreat itself. All participants receive structured post-retreat integration support, which includes:

We view the retreat experience as spanning approximately six to eight weeks in total, including preparation before arrival and integration afterward.

Extended and Specialized Support

Some participants require deeper or more specialized integration support. When needed, we have the experience and resources to support extended integration work or to help participants connect with appropriate professionals.

In certain cases, and when clinically appropriate, integration support may include consultation with a psychiatrist as part of a broader harm-reduction and safety approach. We also collaborate, when appropriate, with healthcare professionals, therapists, and other support providers that participants already work with.

Harm Reduction and Ongoing Care

We maintain harm-reduction protocols to support participants who may experience challenges after the retreat. This includes:

Our intention is not to pathologize experiences, but to ensure participants are not left alone with difficulties that arise.

Personal Responsibility and Ongoing Practice

Integration is not something done for you. It is a collaborative process that requires engagement, honesty, and patience. Participants are encouraged to:

Meaningful change takes time.

Our Commitment to the Process

Preparation and integration are not add-ons at MahaDevi. They are the container that allows ayahuasca work to be approached with responsibility, humility, and care.

By investing deeply in this process, we aim to support not only profound experiences, but real, lasting change in everyday life.

Content Responsibility & Oversight

This page is published by MahaDevi.
MahaDevi is an ayahuasca retreat organization based in Putumayo, Colombia, focused on safety-first, ethically guided ceremonial experiences and long-term integration support.
Founder & Content Oversight:
Yasha Shah — Founder of MahaDevi, Psychedelic Mentor
Yasha Shah provides experiential oversight across participant preparation, safety frameworks, ceremonial context, and post-retreat integration, ensuring alignment with MahaDevi’s ethical and safety standards.