What pre-screening measures are taken beforehand?

After contacting Corazón de Acero, each individual will be sent a pre-ceremony questionnaire to fill out that will contain all of the needed participant information that will enable the team to make an informed decision in regards to the safety and need of each participant interested in sitting with the medicine. If a participants information meets the medical and psychological requirements to sit with the medicine the next step is to meet one on one via phone/zoom to discuss their interest in the medicine and why they feel it is calling to them at this time in their life. It is important to honor both the receiver of the medicine and the medicine itself in this process to cultivate the purest environment for authentic transformation. This is done through honest and open communication about the medicine, its effects, and the requirements that need to be met before sitting with the medicine.

Is there a dieta (diet) to be followed before sitting with the medicine?

At the heart of working with all medicine is RESPECT. It is important that you prepare your body, mind, and soul to be able to receive all the medicine has in store for you. There is no strict regulatory dieta that we adhere to. We only ask that you be aware of the power of the medicine and how your way of life in the weeks leading up to the experience can affect your individual journey with the medicine (we will be more than happy to discuss and go into further detail in regards to this with you). It is important to eat clean and engage in practices that bring you stillness and peace. Fasting from any negative or energetically heavy media is recommended as well. Find time to be in silence, nature, or environments that recharge you rather than drain you. We ask that you come as you are, yet there are steps you can take that have shown to be of benefit to all who wish to sit with sacred plant medicines. Further information and recommendations will be provided if you are interested in participating in a ceremony with us.

Who should not sit with Huachuma?

Your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health is our top priority and it is crucial to highlight that not everyone should sit with this sacred plant. Please do not attempt to work with Huachuma (San Pedro) if any of these apply to you:

1. Heart/Cardiovascular conditions (Huachuma can increase heart rate and blood pressure)

2. Certain Psychiatric Disorders (psychosis, schizophrenia, severe personality disorders, or bipolar disorder)

3. Seizure Disorders / Epilepsy

4. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding

5. If you are on any of the following medications (we require at least a month clean from SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, anti-psychotics, mood stabilizers and any stimulant medication before sitting with the medicine)

6. If you have liver or kidney disease

7. If you have severe/uncontrolled diabetes or any metabolic disorders

   If you have questions about any of these contraindications please reach out and we will be happy to speak with you.
   

Where does the medicine come from?

The two main medicines we work with at Corazón de Acero are Huachuma (San Pedro) and Cacao. Both are harvested and prepared by hand with love and intention. The current Huachuma medicine we are working with was hand prepared just last May. It is said that the cactus will only appear to you whenever it is calling to be harvested and served as medicine. They stand tall and mighty in the yards of homes and on the sides of massive cliffs in waiting to share wisdom and embodying what is True. All of the medicine we use is a gift from that which created us and is treated with the utmost respect and served in the same manner.

Where are you located?

We hold retreats in many locations with the majority being in the Pacific/Mountain Northwest. We have connections in Idaho, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Depending on the nature of the retreat, the specific location may vary. Feel free to contact us if you are feeling called to sit with the medicine or just want to learn more, even if you are not located within these areas.

What is the price? How is it determined?

At Corazón de Acero we recognize that these sacred plants come from the earth and are a gift. We do not charge for the medicine itself. The medicine is not ours but of the Creator therefore we received it without pay so we give it without pay. We charge only for the food, lodging, and the time/energy/ effort that is put in by the team. We keep the price at a level in which the medicine and everyone involved is honored. If you would like to sit with us yet might not have the means to provide the full payment, still feel free to contact and we will work something out with you. It is our priority that all who are called to the medicine have the opportunity to sit with Huachuma (San Pedro) without stress or worry regarding finances.

How many people will be at a retreat?

All of our retreats are limited to 9 participants or less. We allow 10 if the situation arises that there is exactly 10 who want to attend a certain retreat. Everyone who attends a retreat with us is family and it is difficult to truly connect with everyone when the space has too many people. The plants are powerful and everyone contributes so much to the space. It is important that we can look across at one another in the circle and know each others names and feel that we have the space to be open and honest with those that are on this journey with us. The team is here for you and we want to be able to provide the best support and care possible for each one of you to experience the medicine. Keeping the participant numbers low honors you, us, and the medicine that we will be journeying with.