The purpose of a diet is to reconnect to the ancient laws of the universe beyond any kind of manifestation of the human mind. Dieting is among those things in life that is very hard to describe precisely because it is a personalized experience more than a philosophical system or religious practice. Dieting is not only a purification process, but also a manner to find our way back to the natural joy and celebration of life. Through cleaning our senses, we can reenter a state of harmony with nature. Dieting is (re-)discovering that, deep down, the universe is a prolongation, an extension of our body and consciousness. There is no real separation between ourselves and the universe.
Before any of this makes sense, it is essential to understand why we diet: if we want, first, we have to understand the fundamental state of disconnection and disharmony, which is, most of the time, our normal state. The modern man is essentially disconnected: disconnected from nature, disconnected from the true mind, disconnected from oneself-- one’s own emotions, one’s deeper and higher consciousness, one’s physical body, and disconnected from one’s spirituality. Basically, the modern individual is like a stone in a river: it is in the energetic flow of life but not moved by it, separated from it. This is why dieting is very important is this modern, psycho-spiritual context: basically, it is a way to reconnect with everything: to the true mind, to the body, surrounding nature with its cycles and rhythms, and reconnect with the way of the heart-- which is the only source of life.
Nicotiana Rustica -- One of the most important master plants in the Shipibo tradition.
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Dieting is also more than reconnecting to nature, it’s a way to learn from it and discover, after a serious shift in our world view, that nature is full of spirits. These spirits are energetic and very sensitive consciousnesses, and in order to connect with them and learn from them, we need to go through a purification process. We also need to understand that there are different types of consciousness. Our consciousness and plant consciousness are very different. Our consciousness has developed over time some specificities such as self reflection, sense of individuality, a sense of right and wrong, but none of this matters to the plant spirits. The consciousness of plant spirits has developed over time different qualities aligned exclusively with the expression or repression of the flow of life. For example, plants and trees seek light to grow, and as mystic Saint Isaac the Syrian said, “knowledge is not the light, but the light is the knowledge.” Unfortunately, we do not necessarily seek the light to be better, we rely on intellectual and practical solutions to better our life. Plants and trees solely seek greater abundance of light to heal and grow. When we diet, the idea is to find a way to transform pain and emptiness into the abundance of life, as plants and trees do. Therefore, when we diet, we must, foremost, LISTEN, not just with ours ears but with all our senses, including the heart, and the plants and trees will teach us how to do this.
Piñón Blanco -- A master plant that is said to bring light only.
Finally, dieting, which is a process of reaching a state of harmony in nature, is full of challenges and tests. Our ego is our greatest obstruction because in one of its last evolutionary adaptations, it has performed a subtle matricide by separating itself from nature. Likewise, the ego has also performed a subtle patricide by separating itself from God as well. Beyond our family, what is sought during a diet is the true human lineage: to find our way back to the mother, which is universal nature and to find our way back to the true father, which is God. It is important to enter into diet remembering that, for sometimes dieting can be a trail of life-changing challenges. But this process, this experience should be done with joy, for we are asking to enter into a process of purification, reconnection, and reharmonization. As my maestro said, we have to be determined and patient simultaneously.
