Shipibo Master Plant Dieta in Ecuador
30 day traditional dieta led by a Shipibo elder Maestro Sina
Maestro Sina (Emilio Ramirez) - Shipibo tribe - Leading ceremonies and dietas on selected Ayahuasca retreats in Ecuador
Maestro Sina, now 73, was born in the UcayalĂ region of Peru and is a highly respected Shipibo elder and healer. Coming from a long lineage of onanyasâtraditional Shipibo shaman-healersâhe received his training from his father, grandfather, and other elders from a very young age. For more than 40 years, Sina has dedicated his life to serving his community and guiding guests from around the world.
Read more about Maestro Sina
Guests meet a humble, grounded maestro with deep knowledge, discipline, and the highest level of mastery in his ancestral tradition. During ayahuasca ceremonies, Sina is known for his ability to perceive energetic imbalances and work directly with the energetic body of each participant. Through the singing of his powerful and beautiful icaros (healing songs), he brings alignment, clarity, cleansing, and transformation. His work supports the release of emotional blockages, the healing of unresolved trauma, and the restoration of harmony for those who have struggled with difficult life experiences or harmful habits.
Despite his extensive experience and strong presence, Sina is gentle and warm-heartedâa true grandfather figure who enjoys teaching, sharing, and guiding those who come with sincerity. Over the years, he has also helped many apprentices complete their learning and become healers themselves.
Jan Rostlinka, the organizer of this event and owner of Feather Crown Retreat Center, has developed a close and trusted relationship with Sina throughout the past decade, training with him through diets and ceremonies while supporting groups of international guests. It is a profound honor to welcome Maestro Sina back to Feather Crown each year, where his presence continues to inspire deep healing and meaningful transformation.
Traditional Shipibo Master Plant Dieta with Maestro Sina in Ecuador
If you are not looking for a one-month Shipibo master plant dieta but would prefer a classic intensive 10-day ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador, you can first read about our main retreats here: Ayahuasca Retreat Ecuador.
We are now able to offer a rare opportunity that opens only one or two times per year for a very limited number of people: a traditional one-month Shipibo master plant dieta, also known in this tradition as samĂĄ or samakei.
This is not a regular ayahuasca retreat. It is a much deeper, quieter, and more demanding process, intended for people who feel a serious calling to longer work with Amazonian master plants, with themselves, and with the traditional guidance of an experienced maestro.
The dieta is guided by Maestro Sina, a Shipibo healer from Peru who works in the old way of his tradition. During the Shipibo master plant dieta, the participant enters a month-long period of silence, simplicity, purification, social isolation, and deeper contact with plant medicine.
At the beginning of the dieta, the participant drinks ayahuasca only once. This first ceremony serves to open the process and connect the person with the master plant being dieted. During the following three days, the participant drinks piñon colorado according to the instructions of the maestro.
The main part of the dieta then takes place mostly in solitude, silence, and simplicity, without regular ayahuasca ceremonies. At the end of the dieta, depending on the situation and the guidance of the maestro, the participant may drink ayahuasca up to four times, or may simply attend the ceremonies without drinking and receive icaros. Everything depends on the guidance of the maestro, the course of the dieta, and the state of the individual person.
Good to know: During your Shipibo master plant dieta, Feather Crown may also be receiving participants for regular retreats. Your dieta, however, has its own protected and separate space. In the closing ceremonies that you attend, you receive the icaros first, so that your dieta process receives the support it needs. You have your own private accommodation, your food is prepared separately, and it is brought to you separately. You are not expected to interact much with the group, and it is not recommended. The main emphasis remains on solitude, silence, and the relationship with the plant being dieted. The dieta also includes one completely private ceremony held only for you.
At any time during the stay, you may ask for a consultation with the maestro, translated by Jan Rostlinka. Jan will also support you through his long experience with dietas in this tradition, which he has been working with for more than 15 years, helping you better understand what may be opening during your process.
What Is a Shipibo Master Plant Dieta?
In the Shipibo tradition, a dieta is not simply a restriction of food. It is a sacred way of working with master plants, in which a person enters into a relationship with a specific medicinal plant for a certain period of time.
During this time, food, external stimulation, contact with people, sexuality, distractions, and ordinary social activities are all restricted. The purpose is not only physical purification, but also a deeper quieting of the mind, an opening of inner perception, and the creation of a space where the plant can work more subtly and deeply.
In this tradition, plants are not seen only as physical substances, but also as living intelligences that can teach, cleanse, protect, and show a person what is often unheard in the noise of everyday life.
The Shipibo master plant dieta may bring insights through dreams, the body, emotions, intuition, and ceremonies. Some people go through periods of peace, while others may experience stronger purification, sadness, tiredness, memories, or confrontation with their own patterns. For this reason, it is important that the dieta is guided by an experienced maestro and that the person enters this process with respect, humility, and a clear intention.
The Master Plant of This Dieta: Piñon Colorado
At the beginning of this Shipibo master plant dieta, Maestro Sinaâs tradition works with the plant piñon colorado, also known as huiso pionis. In this tradition, it is considered one of the important master plants â strong, but also more appropriate for people who have not yet completed a dieta, when used under proper traditional guidance.
This plant is taken only during the first three days of the dieta. After that, it is no longer taken, and the person continues with the dieta itself: isolation, rest, simplicity, and inner work.
Piñon colorado is understood in this tradition as a strong cleansing plant. It is used mainly for cleansing heavy, negative, or disturbing energies, and for preparing a person for deeper work. It is not a plant to be used alone or without guidance. It belongs to a specific traditional framework, and its use must be guided by a maestro who knows how to open, hold, and close the dieta properly.
Why do we not begin with some of the very strong master plants such as ayahuma, chiric sanango, bobinsana, or toĂ©? The wisdom of the Shipibo elders understands that a person must first prepare for deeper plant dietas, strengthen their discipline, and verify that they are truly able to follow the dieta. Breaking a dieta can have serious and long-lasting consequences in a personâs life. We do not play with plants, and we feel a deep responsibility for the people who come to us. For that reason, we proceed gradually, safely, and with respect for traditional guidance.
How the Shipibo Master Plant Dieta Works
The dieta lasts one month. After arrival, the participant prepares to enter the process, followed by a private opening ceremony with Maestro Sina.
At the beginning, the participant drinks ayahuasca only once. This first ceremony serves to open the process and connect the person with the master plant being dieted. During the next three days, the participant drinks piñon colorado according to the instructions of the maestro.
After that, the main part of the dieta begins. This part takes place mostly in solitude, silence, and simplicity, without regular ayahuasca ceremonies. During this phase, the person focuses on the dieted plant, their inner process, bodily sensations, and especially dreams, where much of the learning and energetic transmission from the plant may occur. The purpose is to allow the plant to work as cleanly as possible, without unnecessary disturbance and without another strong medicine interfering with its work.
At the end of the dieta, the participant may drink ayahuasca up to four times, depending on the situation and the guidance of the maestro. This is not obligatory. Some people attend the closing ceremonies without drinking and receive only the icaros. Maestro Sina always evaluates what is appropriate for each individual person.
During this final phase, Maestro Sina closes the dieta in the traditional way. The closing is a very important part of the entire process. In this tradition, a dieta should not simply be âstopped.â It must be properly completed so the person can safely return to normal food, contact with people, and daily life.
Why does the dieta last one month? The Shipibo master plant dieta lasts one month so that the plant can truly settle into the body and consciousness, open a deeper healing process, and transmit teachings that often cannot fully develop or stabilize in only two or three weeks.
Accommodation During the Dieta
Accommodation is provided apart from other people, in a cabin with a view into the beautiful Ecuadorian jungle. This space is chosen so the participant can have quiet, privacy, and the possibility to be as much as possible with themselves and with the process.
Social isolation is expected during the dieta. This means minimal conversation, no ordinary social activities, no unnecessary visits, no distractions, no internet stimulation, and no unnecessary contact with the outside world. The purpose is not punishment or discomfort, but the creation of a clean space where the plant can work without disturbance.
In modern times, one of the greatest challenges of a dieta is being without internet and phone use. If a person uses a mobile phone, social media, or communicates with the outside world in a normal way during the dieta, it is no longer a traditional Shipibo master plant dieta in the full sense. During the first week, the phone should not be used at all. During the following weeks, it should be used only very minimally and only when truly necessary. Breaking this rule may weaken the depth of the process, disturb the connection with the plant being dieted, and reduce what the dieta could otherwise offer.
Food During the Shipibo Master Plant Dieta
The food is very simple, clean, and prepared only for the person in dieta. It respects the traditional rules of the dieta: completely without salt, without sweet or sour foods, without spices, without alcohol, and without ordinary taste stimulants. Fruits and vegetables are also not allowed, with the exception of lettuce.
The basic foods may include:
rice, boiled or roasted green plantain, lentils, beans, quinoa, yuca, pasta, lettuce, oats, or couscous.
The food is intentionally simple. Its purpose is not culinary pleasure, but the creation of a clean environment for the work of the plant. The simplicity of the food helps quiet the body, the mind, and the senses.
The dieta is usually without meat. If requested, fish or lean chicken may be arranged if it is in harmony with the guidance of the maestro and the rules of the specific dieta.
Silence, Patience, and âBoringâ Days
The Shipibo master plant dieta does not consist only of strong spiritual experiences, dreams, and deep inner processes. There may also be ordinary, quiet, or apparently boring days when ânothing is happening.â
This is also an important part of the dieta.
These days are often a test of patience, trust, and inner stability. A person may meet restlessness, doubts, waiting, frustration, or the desire to do something, speak, escape into distraction, or make the process move faster.
In the traditional dieta, this phase is also considered part of the learning. Sometimes the plant does not work dramatically, but quietly. Not everything is shown immediately. The apprentice is expected to have patience, humility, and trust in the process, the maestro, and the plant.
Who This Shipibo Master Plant Dieta Is For
This dieta is suitable for people who already feel a deeper calling to Amazonian medicine and do not want to remain only with a one-time experience. It is for those who are looking for real inner work, not an exotic adventure.
It is best if the person has already participated in one of our classic ayahuasca retreats in Ecuador. This is not an absolute requirement, but we strongly recommend it. A classic retreat helps a person get to know our environment, our way of working, Maestro Sina, and our team. It also helps them understand whether such a deep dieta is truly appropriate for them.
The dieta may be suitable for someone who already has experience with ayahuasca, understands the seriousness of this path, and is ready to accept discipline, silence, simplicity, and a certain level of discomfort.
It may be a good path for people who want to work on deeper life themes, purification, personal transformation, spiritual growth, their relationship with themselves, their relationship with nature, and their relationship with plant teachers. It is suitable for people who are able to spend a longer period of time alone, follow rules, and respect traditional guidance.
This dieta is not suitable for someone looking for a quick solution without personal responsibility. It is not suitable for someone who only wants a strong experience, an adventure, or âmore ceremonies in one month.â It is not simply a more intense version of a regular retreat for everyone. It is a separate, deeper, and more demanding form of traditional Shipibo master plant work.
Who This Dieta Is Not For
This dieta is not suitable for people who are not able to follow restrictions around food, sexuality, social contact, and daily routine. It is not suitable for someone who needs constant communication, entertainment, company, or external stimulation.
It is not suitable for people in an acute psychological crisis, severe instability, psychosis, schizophrenia, mania, untreated bipolar disorder, serious suicidal states, or conditions where isolation and an intense process could worsen psychological balance.
It is not suitable for people taking medications or supplements that are not compatible with ayahuasca or with the rules of our retreat. Special caution is necessary with antidepressants, psychiatric medications, stimulants, some blood pressure medications, heart medications, and other substances. Every applicant must complete a health questionnaire in advance and truthfully disclose all medications, supplements, diagnoses, and relevant health circumstances.
The dieta is also not suitable for pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with serious heart disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe addiction, serious eating disorders, or any health condition that could become risky with restricted food, isolation, and ceremonies.
Safety and responsibility are essential to us. For this reason, we reserve the right not to accept an applicant if we feel that this dieta would not be appropriate for them.
You can also read our general health and safety requirements here: Health & Safety Requirements for Ayahuasca Retreats in Ecuador.
Price and Commitment
The price of the one-month traditional Shipibo master plant dieta with Maestro Sina is 3,700 USD.
For participants who have already attended one of our retreats, we offer a 10% discount from the total price.
The price includes the one-month stay, accommodation in a separate cabin away from other people, specially prepared dieta food, guidance from Maestro Sina, a private opening of the dieta, closing ceremonies according to the maestroâs guidance, traditional closing of the dieta, and support throughout the whole process.
It is important to emphasize that it is not possible to simply withdraw from this dieta in the middle of the process and request a refund. A person must think carefully before entering. Entering a dieta is a commitment â to oneself, to the plant, to the work of the maestro, and to the whole space that is prepared for the participant.
This dieta is not a last-minute decision or an experiment. It should be entered consciously, voluntarily, and with a full understanding that it may be beautiful and deep, but also demanding, quiet, uncomfortable, and testing.
The Right Attitude Toward the Dieta
It is good to enter this dieta with humility. This is not a stay focused on comfort, entertainment, or travel. It is a time of silence, simplicity, discipline, and inner work.
A person may experience beautiful, deep, and healing moments, but also more challenging phases. Tiredness, sadness, sensitivity, dreams, memories, inner silence, resistance, boredom, doubts, or stronger contact with oneâs own emotions may all appear. All of this can be part of the process.
The purpose of the dieta is not to âescape from life,â but to stop for a time, cleanse the space around and within oneself, and listen to what begins to appear in silence.
Under the guidance of an experienced maestro, the Shipibo master plant dieta becomes a traditional framework in which a person may enter into a deeper relationship with Amazonian plants, with ayahuasca, with nature, and with themselves.
How to Apply for the Shipibo Master Plant Dieta
Because Maestro Sina is present at the center only during limited periods, this dieta can be offered only on selected dates. If you would like to apply, please contact us directly and mention that you are interested in the Traditional Shipibo Master Plant Dieta.
- October 5 â November 5, 2026
- January 11 â February 11, 2027
- January 28 â February 28, 2027
If the exact dates do not fit you by a few days, small adjustments may sometimes be possible. In some cases, the dieta may also be adjusted individually in length or depth. This must always be discussed directly with Jan Rostlinka.
If you are considering this dieta and would like to speak with Jan Rostlinka, you can contact him through WhatsApp.
If you are not yet ready for a one-month dieta, we recommend beginning with our regular 10-day ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador, where you can meet our team, experience the ceremonial space, and better understand whether deeper traditional plant work may be right for you in the future.
Cost of the Shipibo Master Plant Dieta
Total price: 3,700 USD
You can pay 1,000 USD now and the remaining balance later, on the date of the retreat, by bank transfer, including to a US bank account, or through PayPal, MoneyGram, or Western Union.
10% discount if you are returning to us.
Retreat prices may change and are guaranteed at the moment of registration.
The Price Includes
- Traditional Shipibo master plant dieta with Maestro Sina
- Dieta meals prepared only for you
- Accommodation and full board at Feather Crown private center for 30 days
- 1 private ayahuasca ceremony with Maestro Sina, held only for you
- 8 additional ceremonies during which you receive icaros. Ayahuasca is usually taken only in 4 of these ceremonies
- Assistance and translation
- Transport from the meeting point in Santa Clara, Pastaza, to Jan Rostlinkaâs center and back
The Price Does Not Include
- Return flight to Ecuador
- Lunch in a restaurant on the way to the Amazon and back
- Healing work arranged separately with the healer
- Activities arranged separately beyond the program listed above
- Gifts or personal purchases
Can Be Ordered Separately
- Private transport to the meeting point from Quito or the airport
- Additional day and night at the center beyond the retreat program
- Additional ayahuasca ceremonies beyond the planned ceremonies
Feather Crown Ayahuasca Retreat Center in Ecuador
Feather Crownâs healing center is located in the Amazonian jungle of Pastaza, Ecuadorâabout 4 hours from Quito and 1 hour from Tena and Puyo. It offers a serene, comfortable space for ayahuasca ceremonies, healing, and deep personal reflection.
Set on 23 hectares of private reserve, bordering protected rainforest and the Llanganates National Park, the center sits by the crystal-clear PiatĂșa Riverâconsidered by many a unique place of natural power and one of the most pristine rivers in the world.
At its heart is a spacious ceremonial temple designed for safe and focused ayahuasca work.
Guests stay in simple, clean bamboo cabins with private or shared rooms, orthopedic beds, mosquito nets, and direct views into the jungle. Facilities include hot showers, a regular cleaning service, solar-powered electricity, and high-speed Wi-Fiâproviding comfort while remaining immersed in nature.
For more details about the location and facilities, visit our retreat venue page.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Shipibo Master Plant Dieta in Ecuador
What is a Shipibo master plant dieta?
A Shipibo master plant dieta is a traditional Amazonian practice of working deeply with a specific medicinal plant under the guidance of an experienced Shipibo maestro. It is not only a food restriction. It is a period of silence, simplicity, isolation, discipline, dream work, and guided connection with plant medicine. In the Shipibo tradition, the dieta is understood as a way to create a direct relationship with the spirit and teaching of a plant.
What does âdietaâ mean in the Shipibo tradition?
In this context, dieta does not simply mean a diet for the body. It means a complete traditional process that includes restricted food, limited social contact, sexual abstinence, quietness, isolation, attention to dreams, and respect for the instructions of the maestro. The purpose is to create a clean and focused space where the plant can work without unnecessary interference.
Is this Shipibo master plant dieta held in Ecuador?
Yes. This Shipibo master plant dieta is held at Feather Crown in the Ecuadorian Amazon, in a quiet natural setting surrounded by rainforest and close to the PiatĂșa River. Although the Shipibo tradition comes from the Peruvian Amazon, Maestro Sina periodically comes to Ecuador to guide this traditional dieta in a protected and supportive environment.
Who leads the Shipibo master plant dieta?
The dieta is guided by Maestro Sina, an elder Shipibo maestro from Peru with deep experience in traditional plant medicine, ayahuasca ceremonies, icaros, and master plant dietas. During the process, participants are also supported with translation and practical assistance by Jan Rostlinka, who has many years of experience working with Amazonian traditions and Shipibo-style dietas.
How does the Shipibo master plant dieta work?
The dieta begins with a private opening ceremony with Maestro Sina. At the beginning of the process, the participant drinks ayahuasca only once to open the dieta. During the first days, the participant may also drink the selected plant according to the maestroâs instructions. The main part of the dieta then takes place mostly in silence, solitude, and simplicity, without regular ayahuasca drinking. At the end of the dieta, the participant may join closing ceremonies according to the guidance of the maestro.
Do I drink ayahuasca during the whole dieta?
No. Ayahuasca is not usually drunk throughout the whole dieta. In this traditional format, ayahuasca is used at the beginning to open the process, and later the participant focuses mainly on the dieted plant, dreams, silence, and the energetic work of the icaros. At the end of the dieta, the participant may drink ayahuasca again during closing ceremonies, or may simply attend the ceremonies without drinking in order to receive icaros.
What are icaros and why are they important in the dieta?
Icaros are traditional Shipibo healing songs used by the maestro during ceremonies and plant medicine work. In the context of a master plant dieta, icaros help guide, protect, open, and close the process. They are considered an essential part of the relationship between the participant, the maestro, and the plant being dieted.
How long does the Shipibo master plant dieta last?
The standard format of this traditional Shipibo master plant dieta is one month. This length gives enough time for the plant connection to deepen, for the body and mind to become quieter, and for the teachings of the dieta to unfold more naturally. A shorter process may be possible in some traditions, but one month allows for greater depth, stability, and seriousness.
Can the dieta be longer than one month?
In some cases, a master plant dieta can be extended by individual agreement, depending on the participant, the plant, the maestroâs guidance, and practical possibilities. However, the main structure offered at Feather Crown is a one-month Shipibo master plant dieta in Ecuador, because this gives the process enough time to develop in a grounded and responsible way.
What food is eaten during the dieta?
The food during the dieta is very simple and prepared separately for the participant. It is traditionally without salt, sugar, spices, strong flavors, alcohol, and stimulating foods. Depending on the specific instructions of the maestro, meals may include simple foods such as rice, green plantain, yuca, oats, quinoa, lentils, beans, pasta, couscous, and lettuce. Fish or lean chicken may be possible by request, depending on the specific dieta rules.
What rules must be followed during the dieta?
The rules include simple food, no salt, no sweets, no alcohol, no sexual activity, limited social contact, limited or no phone use, and avoiding unnecessary stimulation such as social media, movies, music, and constant communication. These rules are not meant as punishment. They protect the process and help create the right conditions for the plant to work deeply.
Why is isolation important during a Shipibo master plant dieta?
Isolation helps the participant become quiet enough to listen to the plant, the dreams, the body, and the inner process. Too much conversation, internet use, emotional stimulation, or social contact can weaken the focus of the dieta. Silence and solitude are often where the deeper teachings begin to appear.
What can a Shipibo master plant dieta help with?
A Shipibo master plant dieta may support deep inner work, spiritual growth, emotional clarity, purification, discipline, dream work, and a closer relationship with Amazonian plant medicine. The experience can be subtle, intense, beautiful, uncomfortable, or quiet. It should not be approached as a guaranteed cure, but as a serious traditional process that requires humility, patience, and commitment.
Can the dieta be difficult?
Yes. A master plant dieta can be demanding. There may be days when a lot happens internally, and other days that feel quiet, boring, or emotionally challenging. In traditional understanding, these quiet or difficult days can also be part of the teaching. The dieta asks for patience, discipline, and trust in the process.
What happens if I break the dieta rules?
Breaking the dieta can weaken or disturb the process. From a traditional point of view, it may also have serious energetic or spiritual consequences. For this reason, we ask participants to approach the Shipibo master plant dieta with great respect and responsibility. This is not a casual experiment and should not be taken lightly.
Can I leave the dieta in the middle and receive a refund?
No. This dieta requires a clear commitment before starting. Once the process begins, it is not possible to simply leave in the middle and request a refund. A private space, food preparation, maestroâs time, support, and ceremony structure are reserved specifically for the participant. Anyone considering this process should think carefully before committing.
Who is this dieta not suitable for?
This dieta is not suitable for people who cannot follow strict rules around food, sexuality, isolation, social contact, and daily discipline. It is also not suitable for people in acute psychological crisis, psychosis, schizophrenia, mania, untreated bipolar disorder, serious suicidal states, pregnancy, breastfeeding, serious heart disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe addiction, or any condition where isolation, restricted food, or ceremonies could create additional risk. All participants must complete a health and safety screening before being accepted.
Do I need previous experience with ayahuasca?
Previous experience with ayahuasca can be helpful, but it is not the only factor. More important is maturity, stability, respect for the tradition, willingness to follow the rules, and readiness for a month of simplicity and isolation. For many people, it may be better to first attend a shorter retreat before entering a full master plant dieta.
What if I do not feel ready for a one-month dieta?
If you feel called to Amazonian plant medicine but a one-month dieta feels too deep or demanding, we recommend first joining a shorter ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador. This allows you to experience our center, the ceremony space, the team, the level of support, and the traditional way of working before deciding whether a Shipibo master plant dieta is right for you later. You can learn more about our retreats here: Ayahuasca Retreat Ecuador.
Where can I learn more about health and safety requirements?
Before applying for any ayahuasca retreat or master plant dieta, please read our health and safety requirements carefully. Certain medications, supplements, psychological conditions, and medical conditions may be contraindicated. You can read more here: Health and Safety Requirements for Ayahuasca Retreats in Ecuador.
Where is Feather Crown located?
Feather Crown is located in the Ecuadorian Amazon, in a private natural setting near Santa Clara, Pastaza. The center is surrounded by rainforest and close to the PiatĂșa River, offering a quiet environment for ceremonies, retreats, and deeper traditional work such as the Shipibo master plant dieta. You can read more about the center here: Feather Crown Ayahuasca Retreat Center in Ecuador.
How do I apply for the Shipibo master plant dieta in Ecuador?
If you feel seriously called to this process, please contact us first and explain your previous experience, your motivation, your health situation, and why you feel ready for a one-month Shipibo master plant dieta. Acceptance is not automatic. Because this is a deep and demanding traditional process, each participant must be screened carefully before being accepted.
Request a call
We will contact you via WhatsApp or email to guide you and ensure this retreat is safe and appropriate for you. You can also click here to begin a chat with us on WhatsApp directly.
