Ayahuasca Retreat Requirements and Health Conditions

Important: Read this before applying to an ayahuasca retreat.

Participation in an ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador requires full responsibility, honesty and adherence to Feather Crown’s health and safety requirements. This page outlines the conditions for participation in our programs.

Written by Jan Rostlinka, Feather Crown founder and retreat organizer · Last reviewed: September 6, 2026. Jan has lived in the Ecuadorian Amazon since 2008 and works alongside Kichwa and Shipibo Indigenous healers.

These are Feather Crown participation policies, not universal medical instructions. They are intentionally conservative because our retreats take place in a remote rainforest setting and are not medical treatment. Some medications are incompatible with ayahuasca. When reducing or discontinuing a particular medication sufficiently in advance is necessary for safe participation, we communicate this as a condition of participation, not as a treatment instruction. You decide for yourself whether to change your medication and meet that condition. Before changing prescribed medication, we recommend first obtaining information from the clinician who prescribed it about the risks and a safe way to reduce or discontinue it. Then tell us what you actually changed and when you took the last dose; we assess only the required interval and your eligibility to participate. We may still decline or limit ayahuasca consumption when safety concerns remain.

If you are exploring whether this path is right for you, please read our Ayahuasca Safety in Ecuador guide, which includes scientific references and broader risk context.

Mandatory Health Screening and Full Disclosure

All participants are required to provide complete, accurate, and current information about their health.

You must fully disclose:

• any physical or psychological conditions
• all medications (prescription and over-the-counter)
• all herbal supplements and natural medicines
• any allergies
• any recreational drug use

All substances taken within at least 30 days prior to the retreat must be disclosed.

Failure to disclose relevant information will result in denial of participation, with or without refund.

Contraindicated Health Conditions

For safety reasons, individuals with the following conditions must not drink ayahuasca:

• very high blood pressure
• severe diabetes
• schizophrenic disorder or related conditions
• heart disease or cardiac vulnerability
• epilepsy or seizure-related conditions
• infectious or contagious diseases
• suicidal ideation
• mental illness requiring treatment
• drug addiction with withdrawal symptoms
• terminal illness
• use of MAO inhibitors or antipsychotic medication

Failure to disclose any of these conditions may result in serious health risks and immediate disqualification.

No Medications or Supplements Policy

Feather Crown enforces a strict no medications and no supplements policy.

• no pharmaceutical drugs, supplements, or natural remedies during the retreat
• all substances within 30 days prior must be disclosed
• certain medications must be discontinued well in advance to avoid unsafe interactions with ayahuasca; when this is required for safe participation, it is a participation condition rather than a treatment instruction. You decide whether to make that change and attend. Before changing prescribed medication, we recommend first obtaining information from the prescribing doctor about the risks and a safe way to make the change; then tell us what you actually changed and when you took the last dose so that we can assess the required interval and eligibility
• any exception requires explicit written approval

Limited exceptions may include:

• birth control
• anti-malarial medication

Failure to follow this policy will result in removal from the retreat.

Mental Health Requirements

• if you are under medical treatment, tell us about it and about any planned medication changes; we recommend discussing discontinuation with the clinician who prescribed the medication
• if treatment or prescribed medication is being changed for the retreat, tell us what changed and when; consultation with the prescribing clinician is recommended
• if an antidepressant needs to be discontinued for participation, tell us when it was stopped; many require at least 30 days before ayahuasca, depending on the specific medication. We recommend discussing the discontinuation with the prescribing doctor.

Ayahuasca is not suitable for individuals with certain psychiatric conditions, especially those involving psychosis.

Drug Use and Addictions

• recreational drug use is strictly prohibited
• cannabis must be stopped at least one week prior
• this retreat is not suitable for severe addiction cases

Smoking is only permitted in designated areas.

Pregnancy Policy

Ayahuasca and plant medicines are strictly prohibited during pregnancy.

• pregnant participants may not ingest plant medicines
• pregnancy must be reported immediately
• no refunds apply in such cases

Preparation Guidelines (Dieta)

Proper preparation is required before and during the retreat.

Before arrival:

• avoid alcohol and sexual activity for at least 3 days
• avoid cannabis and substances for at least 1 week
• avoid pharmaceuticals unless approved

During the retreat:

• consume only meals provided
• no outside food without approval
• no chemical repellents
• no medications or supplements

Important Safety Notice

The retreat takes place in the Amazon rainforest and is not a medical facility.

• we do not practice Western medicine
• we are not licensed medical doctors
• we are not equipped to handle serious emergencies

Participation is undertaken at your own responsibility.

Participant Agreement

By applying, you confirm that:

• all information provided is true and complete
• you have disclosed all relevant conditions
• you understand the risks
• you agree to follow all rules and preparation guidelines

Feather Crown reserves the right to refuse participation based on safety concerns.