You don't have to do this alone.

Kambo is a medicine that comes from the secretion of a large green tree frog that lives in the Amazon — the giant monkey frog. The frog is not harmed to collect it. And this is not a new wellness trend somebody invented. This medicine has been used for a very, very long time by Indigenous peoples of the Amazon. The Matsés people are the lineage most often named and they  used it for strength, for clarity and for clearing what they called panema. A kind of heaviness. A fog. A bad luck that settles on a person.What makes the medicine biologically active is a set of compounds called peptides. When the secretion is applied to your skin, those peptides interact with your body in a powerful, fast, physical way.

This is a powerful medicine, with real physical effects, and there are genuine medical contraindications. There are heart conditions, blood pressure issues, certain medications, pregnancy, and other health factors that can make Kambo unsafe for a particular person. This is not something you figure out from a video, or from a forum. A responsible practitioner takes a thorough health history. They ask you direct questions. And — this part matters — they will tell you no if it is not safe for you. If a practitioner does not screen you carefully, that tells you something important about that practitioner.So please. Please. Always work with a trained, experienced practitioner, in a safe and held setting. Never do this alone. Never do it casually. The reverence and the safety are not separate from the medicine. They are part of the medicine.

I go through all of this in detail with every client before their session. This is just the overview.There's no strict diet required for Kambo, but there are guidelines to follow:No 5-meo-DMAt for 1 month prior to ceremonyNo medications for 2 weeks prior to ceremony unless previously discussed and approvedNo nootropics (mushroom supplements, microdosing, etc.) for 2 weeks prior to ceremonyNo Kratom for 2 weeks prior to ceremonyNo enemas, liver/gallbladder flushes, or detox programs for 1 week prior to ceremonyNo supplements for 1-3 days prior to ceremonyNo sweating, sauna, or intense workouts for 24 hours before and after ceremonyNo alcohol, recreational drug use (including THC/CBD), or plant medicine for 24 hours before ceremonyNo food or liquid for 12 hours prior to ceremony. You may sip on water if needed during these 12 hours. You can have a cup of decaffeinated herbal tea the morning of your ceremony. Drinking too much water prior to ceremony can lead to hyponatremia (low sodium levels), which can be deadly.In the days and weeks leading up to ceremony, take care of yourself: eat clean, nourishing food, stay hydrated, and get sufficient minerals and electrolytes. You'll need your strength for what's ahead.Spend some time with your intentions… what's drawing you to Kambo, and what you'd like to heal or feel. If nothing specific comes to mind, a good catch-all is simply asking the medicine to "clean what needs to be cleaned, heal what needs to be healed, and teach what needs to be taught."It's common to feel anxious as your session approaches. That's often the medicine already beginning to work with you. If it comes up, try breathing deeply into your lower belly to reconnect with your body. And if you're struggling with the intensity, reach out to me directly.

Kambo is not a psychedelic. You will stay rooted deeply in your body, possibly more than you’ve ever experienced before. It is recommended you sit with it for 20-40 minutes… but you’re the boss. Kambo is topical, when you feel done it is removed and the effects begin to fade. Kambo is intense. For most people, ceremony involves a strong physical response. Your heart rate changes. Your face and your body can flush hot. You can feel a wave of pressure move through you. And yes… most people purge. That usually means vomiting, and it can involve other forms of release too. It moves fast, and it moves hard. This is a medicine to build a relationship with. It can start as a battle but end in peace.

The integration — the days and the weeks after — is where the medicine does its long, real work. Some people take a few days to rest afterward. Quiet. Journaling. Gentle days. Some go back to regular life and slowly realize they are just doing their lives…. differently. Pay close attention to what rises up. The ceremony opens the door. Integration is you actually walking through it. This isn’t a psychedelic, integration isn’t similar. Kambo does the work for you, releasing what holds you back so you can naturally step into the fullest highest version of YOU.