AJOS DIETA
Ajos is a preparation traditionally used for protection from malevolent spirits, for cleansing evil, for protecting the shamanic materials and well being of the shaman before and after treatments he offers. In traditional Amazonian shamanism in the Mestizo (ie Spanish/Quechua combination as opposed to Q'uero, Andean, Shipibo) tradition, Ajos is used daily as a topical application much like the Agua de Florida, or flower waters, Thymolina or other protective tinctures.
My Maestro, Don Alberto Torres Davilla, from the lineage of Don Julio Llerena Pinedo, uses Ajos and Mapacho (tobacco Rustica, a shamanic jungle blend) to cleanse and protect himself. Don Alberto is known to be an undefeated shaman in his medicine work where evil and/or malevolent spirits are concerned. He taught us to always prepare our bodies with ajos and tobacco before working on others for protection. I will go in to the properties of the Ajos and Mapacho tobacco a little later, but for now understand this: tobacco smoke is quite tabu and because we lead a middle earth existence, it probably wouldn't be easy for many of us to douse ourselves in smoke and a pungent tincture of Ajos after ever interaction we have in the healing or protective realm! For this reason, I have been led to lead us diet a unique combination of the Ajos tincture,with added Mugwort, Mapacho and purple flowers.
As many of you now know, we diet the plants into our bodies so that they become part of our structure. Because we cannot always use topical preparations on our outsides, how much better and efficient for us to have the protective and discerning plants inside us as part of our energetic geometry, an automatic built in tool, helping us make decisions which will not only help us heal and straighten others, but also protect ourselves and our own energetic bodies, hearts and minds as we work. To my knowlegde, Ajos is not usually dieted, the spirits have led me to this dieta after recognising that many excellent shamans and their families are repeatedly, and often ill, sometimes seriously, often unclear and confused outside of their work in the shamanic space.
It is my intention to create strength in our personal structures with this dieta's powerful medicine and teaching in order to avoid some of these shamanic pitfalls. Often, the longer a shaman works without protection, the more afflictions get woven into his or her life. This is not always the case of course but, because I am teaching you from my experience there are some realities I know which are often overlooked or mistaken as other things. Over the course of my almost 8 years of experience in plant medicine shamanism, I have tracked the effects of very real spiritual battles where the shaman assisted in the healing clearing of people overcoming trauma, illness etc. As a result of this, I have seen over and over again, very good, previously clear, energetic, intuitive, gifted shamans get their sharpness and well being lost in a myriad of spirits which come to take residence within them only because no one taught them about, or they don't believe in the need for cleansing, clearing or protection. Ajos will be a powerful ally in taking care of this.
I will share more about the specifics of what Ajos contains on Sunday (the ingredient list changed somewhat during my meditation with the tincture last night so I need a bit more time for this) but for now, I must go meet with you all!
So the final ingredient list of the Ajos medicine now includes all the plants below:
Male Garlic
White Onion
Mapacho
Camalonga
Mugwort
Purple flowers (instead of Shiwawaku), ie Medicina Moradito, purple medicine
Aguardiente, pure cane sugar alcohol, traditional Peruvian base
This dieta came through differently. The plants had weeks with me while we waited for the camalonga to arrive, during which time the plants came everywhere with me. Many of you were able to infuse this dieta with your own unique songs and intents since we were joined, the Ajos in our midst, before the commencement of this dieta. The camalonga seeds themselves never arrived due to the dept of agriculture confiscating them due to lack of necessary paperwork in their shipment. Many thanks to Craig for providing the tincture from Sacred Essences and for making us the mapacho tea to add to our new dieta.
If you are finding that the two drops isn't enough, graduate up to 4 during the 8 day phase of the dieta. After the restrictions have ended and you continue through the month, if you are led to keep ingesting it. Camphor in large doses can be toxic so if you need more connection then put it in your hands, rub them together and then rub the tincture of your face, head, heart. I suggest doing this daily. As you may all know, getting to know these plants through their smell, taste, texture adds dimension to the intimacy with which we permit them to teach us.
