Shipibo Master Plant Dieta in Ecuador
Maestro Sina – Emilio Ramirez
Shipibo Maestro and Traditional Healer, Age 75
Maestro Sina has the ability to perceive deeply into a person’s body and mind, identifying different blockages and working through them one by one with his beautiful and profound icaros. His ceremonies can bring about a deep inner transformation. He also guides month-long master plant dietas.
VIEW DETAILED BIOGRAPHY
Maestro Sina was born in a Shipibo community on the Ucayali River in Peru. From early childhood, the spiritual wisdom of his ancestors was passed down to him. Both his grandfather and his great-great-grandfather were Onanyas—traditional Shipibo healers.
Sina has dedicated his life to helping others. For the past 35 years, he has worked both with members of his own community and with visitors from many different countries.
He is humble, thoughtful and wise, with a profound understanding of Ayahuasca and medicinal plants. The Shipibo people are renowned for their mastery of plant medicine and sacred plants, as well as for their extraordinarily beautiful healing songs known as icaros.
They are also highly skilled artists and craftspeople. During your stay, you may have the opportunity to purchase some of their beautiful traditional artwork and textiles. All the women in Sina’s family embroider and create traditional handicrafts.
Throughout the night, Sina sings many icaros, creating a deeply healing ceremonial space filled with positive energy. He has an extraordinary ability to perceive a person as though looking through an X-ray, identifying negative energies and knowing how to cleanse them through his songs. His work helps restore harmony and supports a transformation of the person as a whole.
Through his ceremonial work, Sina helps people address trauma and clear what the Shipibo tradition understands as heavy or dark energies. He brings the energetic body back into alignment. He can also perceive the effects of previous experiences with substances or medicinal plants and help correct any energetic imbalances that may have resulted.
One of Sina’s greatest qualities is that he does not keep his knowledge secret. He enjoys teaching and sharing his wisdom with others, including people from outside the Shipibo culture. Under his guidance, several students have learned to sing icaros and help others through traditional healing work.
For the past five years, Jan Rostlinka has also studied with Sina and completed several traditional plant dietas under his guidance. Through this work, a strong friendship and bond have developed between them.
This alliance allows us to invite Maestro Sina to our center, which he has already visited in the past. The local Kichwa people are also very much looking forward to welcoming him back. They greatly appreciated his work and felt its benefits on many levels—to put it simply, they were moved to tears.
Traditional Shipibo Master Plant Dieta with Maestro Sina in Ecuador
A traditional one-month Shipibo master plant dieta, also called samá or samakei, is a period of focused work with a selected Amazonian plant under the guidance of Peruvian Shipibo healer Maestro Sina. Unlike a conventional ayahuasca retreat, the heart of the dieta is the relationship with the plant, simplicity, and time spent in silence and solitude.
Places are limited and the program is offered only on selected dates. If you are new to ayahuasca, you may prefer to begin with our 10-day ayahuasca retreat in Ecuador.
How the Dieta Unfolds: Three Phases
- Preparation and opening. After arrival, you take part in the opening ceremonies with Maestro Sina, generally 2–4 ceremonies depending on the selected plant and the maestro’s guidance. You may drink ayahuasca, or attend without drinking; the decision to drink is always voluntary. These ceremonies prepare you for work with the master plant. Full strict-dieta rules, including isolation and the restricted diet, begin only after this opening phase.
- The main plant dieta. The maestro introduces the selected plant. For a first dieta with Maestro Sina, piñón colorado is administered during the first four days of the strict dieta itself, not necessarily the first four days of your stay. This is followed by a period of simple food, solitude, rest, and attention to dreams. Ayahuasca is not drunk during this main phase. At least one ceremony is reserved for dieta participants, with individual attention from the maestro and traditional icaros.
- Closing ceremonies and completion. The final period generally includes 2–4 ceremonies, depending on the particular dieta and the maestro’s guidance. Drinking ayahuasca remains optional; you may participate and receive icaros without drinking. Maestro Sina then formally closes the dieta in the traditional way and explains how to return gradually to everyday life.
Length of stay: We refer to this as a one-month or 30-day dieta. The published 2027 dates cover 31 nights (32 calendar days, including arrival and departure), encompassing the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the strict plant-dieta period. The exact start and course of the strict dieta are determined individually by the maestro.
Ceremonies and Individual Guidance
On ceremonies shared with regular retreat participants, people undertaking the dieta receive priority for personal icaros. You may arrange with the team to attend only the part of the group ceremony dedicated to your individual work, maintaining a quiet distance from the wider group.
You can request a consultation with Maestro Sina whenever guidance is needed. Jan Rostlinka provides translation and practical support and has worked with traditional dietas in this lineage for more than 15 years.
What Is a Shipibo Master Plant Dieta?
In the Shipibo tradition, a dieta is more than a change of diet. It is a way of developing a relationship with a particular plant, traditionally regarded as a living teacher. People may notice its influence in dreams, emotions, memories, and bodily sensations.
Each experience is individual; no particular vision, healing outcome, or transformation can be promised. Respect for traditional guidance and openness to whatever arises are more important than pursuing a predetermined result.
The Master Plant: Piñón Colorado
For a first dieta with Maestro Sina, the plant is generally piñón colorado, also known as huiso pionis. The maestro assesses whether it is suitable and determines its preparation, timing, and amount. Participants must never prepare or take it independently.
In Maestro Sina’s tradition, piñón colorado is regarded as a powerful cleansing plant that can prepare a person for further work. Some especially demanding plants, such as ayahuma, chiric sanango, or toé, are not offered as a first dieta. We approach more advanced dietas gradually, according to experience and the maestro’s individual guidance.
Accommodation and Daily Routine
Subject to availability and individual arrangements, you may stay in a secluded rainforest cabin or a private room in one of the cabins at the center. Both options offer privacy and a quiet environment. We provide dieta participants with a barrel of purified drinking water and a private dry toilet. Flush toilets and hot showers are also available in the central facilities.
Phone and outside contact: For the first six days after the strict dieta begins, your phone must remain switched off. The only exception is recording icaros and listening to those recordings privately outside ceremonies. Calls, messages, social media, browsing, and other apps are not permitted under this exception. For the rest of the dieta, keep outside communication and phone use to a minimum. You can always contact our team when you need assistance.
Food During the Dieta
Dieta meals are prepared separately and delivered to your accommodation. The food is intentionally plain: no salt, sweet or sour foods, spices, alcohol, or stimulating seasonings. Fruit is not allowed. Vegetables are excluded during the strict dieta, with one exception: lettuce is permitted only in the final part of the strict dieta.
Meals may include oats, rice, boiled or roasted green plantain, lentils, beans, quinoa, pasta, or couscous. Fish or lean chicken may be arranged individually only when permitted under the maestro’s instructions for the specific dieta.
Time in the Rainforest
During the dieta, you may take quiet walks or meditate in the surrounding rainforest, near large trees or the Piatúa River. The natural environment is an integral part of the space in which the dieta takes place.
Silence, Patience, and Ordinary Days
Not every day brings powerful experiences. Sometimes very little seems to happen, and you may encounter boredom, restlessness, doubt, or the desire to fill the quiet with distractions. In the traditional dieta, even these days are considered part of the learning.
According to the traditional understanding, the plant does not always work dramatically. The aim is not to force an experience or escape everyday life, but to listen patiently and allow the process to unfold.
Who This Dieta Is For
This program is intended for people who want to explore Amazonian plant traditions more deeply and are prepared for solitude, simplicity, and the discipline of a traditional dieta. It is not a pursuit of intense experiences or merely a longer version of an ordinary ayahuasca retreat.
Previous experience with ayahuasca and our regular 10-day retreat is helpful but not required. It offers a chance to become familiar with the center, Maestro Sina, and our team before committing to a month-long program.
Who This Dieta Is Not Suitable For
The dieta is not suitable for people in an acute psychological crisis, with psychosis, schizophrenia, mania, untreated bipolar disorder, serious suicidal states, or conditions in which isolation and intensive ceremonial work could worsen mental health.
It is also unsuitable during pregnancy or breastfeeding, or with serious heart conditions, uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe addiction, a serious eating disorder, or another condition that may make restricted food, isolation, or ceremonies unsafe. Certain medicines and supplements may be incompatible with ayahuasca or the program. Every applicant must complete health screening and disclose relevant conditions, medicines, and supplements. We may decline an application if the program is not appropriate.
For more information, see our health and safety requirements.
Commitment and Early Departure
Undertaking a month-long dieta is a serious, voluntary commitment that deserves careful consideration. A participant may leave the program early, including for personal or health reasons. Please tell the team so that the departure and closing process can be handled appropriately. Leaving early does not, by itself, entitle a participant to a full or partial refund; financial arrangements are governed by the terms of the confirmed booking.
Dates and How to Apply
We currently list the following Shipibo master plant dieta dates with Maestro Sina:
- January 11 – February 11, 2027: Fully booked; waiting-list requests only.
- January 28 – February 28, 2027: Applications currently accepted, subject to availability and health screening.
To apply, complete the Feather Crown registration and health-screening form and select the traditional 30-day dieta. Small adjustments to dates or duration can sometimes be discussed individually with Jan Rostlinka. You can also request a call or contact Jan through WhatsApp.
Price of the One-Month Shipibo Master Plant Dieta
Total price: USD 3,700. Returning participants receive a 10% discount. The standard booking deposit is USD 1,000.
Prices may change. Your individual price is confirmed when the application has been approved and the reservation secured by payment of the deposit; submitting a non-binding application alone does not guarantee the price. The usual deposit-payment window after an acceptance email is three calendar days.
The deposit is non-refundable except if Feather Crown cancels the retreat or health screening is unsuccessful. A deposit may be transferred to another retreat date if requested at least 30 days before the original start. It may also be used by an approved replacement participant. Payment of a deposit does not itself mean that health screening is complete.
Around 30 days before arrival, we send an itemized balance request with your agreed price and payments already received. You may pay the balance in cash in USD on arrival, or by USD bank transfer to our US account, normally at least seven days before the retreat starts. There is no bank-transfer surcharge. Always follow the current payment instructions sent with your booking.
Transport from Quito or the airport, if requested, must be prepaid before departure for the retreat. You may prepay it with the deposit or separately; if paying the retreat balance in cash, transport must still be paid in advance. Return transport is prepaid only if you request it, and previously paid transport is not charged again. We finalize travel details approximately seven days before arrival.
We recommend suitable travel and medical insurance. Cancellations, early departure, and refunds are subject to the terms of your confirmed reservation.
The Price Includes
- Traditional Shipibo master plant dieta led by Maestro Sina
- Private accommodation and dieta meals for the full confirmed stay
- Opening ceremonies (2–4) before the strict dieta
- At least one ceremony reserved for dieta participants during the main phase, without drinking ayahuasca
- Closing ceremonies (2–4) and traditional closing of the dieta
- The option to drink ayahuasca at opening and closing ceremonies; drinking is always voluntary
- Support and translation from Jan Rostlinka
- Transport between the agreed meeting point in Santa Clara, Pastaza, and the center, both ways
The Price Does Not Include
- International flights to and from Ecuador
- Meals at restaurants during travel to or from the Amazon
- Healing sessions or treatments arranged separately with the healer
- Other optional activities or personal purchases
- Private transport from Quito or the airport to the meeting point
Optional Services
- Private transport from Quito or the airport
- Extra accommodation or meals beyond the confirmed program
- Additional ceremonies or activities arranged separately according to the maestro’s guidance
Feather Crown Ayahuasca Retreat Center in Ecuador
Feather Crown’s healing center is located in the Amazonian jungle of Pastaza, Ecuador—about 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 Piatúa River—considered 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-Fi—providing comfort while remaining immersed in nature.
For more details about the location and facilities, visit our retreat venue page.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Understanding the Dieta
What is a traditional Shipibo dieta (samá or samakei)?
A traditional Shipibo dieta is a period of guided work with a particular master plant. More than a restricted diet, it focuses on quiet, simplicity, solitude, dreams, and learning within the Shipibo tradition.
How does the dieta unfold?
The program has three phases: 2–4 opening ceremonies before the strict dieta, the period of plant work and solitude, and 2–4 closing ceremonies with Maestro Sina. Drinking ayahuasca at opening or closing ceremonies is optional. See the program description above for details.
How long is the stay, and when does the strict dieta begin?
The scheduled stay covers 31 nights (32 calendar days), including arrival, preparation, closing ceremonies, and departure. The strict plant dieta begins after the opening ceremonies according to the maestro's instructions.
Can the dieta be extended or the dates adjusted?
Small changes to dates or duration may sometimes be arranged individually, depending on circumstances and the maestro's guidance. Our standard offering remains the one-month program.
Which master plant is used?
For a first dieta with Maestro Sina, piñón colorado (huiso pionis) is generally used during the first four days of the strict dieta. The maestro alone decides whether, when, and how the plant is administered.
Life and Rules
What might I gain from the dieta?
The dieta offers space for inner work, dreams, reflection, and a deeper relationship with Amazonian plants. Experiences vary, and no specific spiritual or medical outcome is guaranteed.
What are the main dieta rules?
The basic rules include restricted food, sexual abstinence, limited social contact, and minimal phone use. For the first six days of the strict dieta, the phone stays off except for recording icaros and listening privately outside ceremonies. See the food and daily-routine sections above.
What if I break a dieta rule?
Breaking the rules may disrupt the process and is treated seriously within the tradition. If you are uncertain whether something is permitted, please ask the team before doing it.
Suitability and Commitment
Can I leave the dieta early?
Yes, including for personal or health reasons. Please tell the team so that departure can be handled appropriately. Leaving early does not automatically entitle you to a refund; the financial terms of your confirmed booking apply.
Who is the dieta not suitable for?
It is not suitable when isolation, restricted food, or ayahuasca ceremonies would create serious physical or mental health risks. Every applicant completes individual health screening before acceptance; see our safety requirements.
Price and Applications
What does the one-month dieta cost?
The price is USD 3,700, with a standard USD 1,000 deposit and a 10% discount for returning guests. The full list of included services, payment methods, and booking terms is in the price section above.
What if I am not ready for a month-long dieta?
We recommend starting with our regular 10-day ayahuasca retreat with Maestro Sina. You can meet the team and become familiar with the environment before deciding on a longer traditional dieta.
How do I apply?
Complete the Feather Crown registration and health-screening form and select the 30-day Shipibo dieta. January 11 – February 11, 2027 is waiting-list only; January 28 – February 28, 2027 is accepting applications, subject to screening and availability.
REQUEST A CALL
If you prefer WhatsApp, contact Feather Crown at +593 999 608 184.
