Blog
An Entrepreneurs Guide To Ayahuasca (Part 2)- The Purge
"As you expand your consciousness, your capacity to create meaningful change in the world grows exponentially.
In the realm of business, the more lives you touch and the more value you provide, the greater the financial abundance that flows back to you."
- Mark Dhamma
[If you missed part 1 of The Entrepreneurs Guide To Ayahuasca, click here to read now]
If you're interested in joining my next TRANSCEND Letting Go Retreat and experiencing an Ayahuasca Ceremony fill out this short form to register your interest and I'll let you know when the next one is!
WARNING!
Depending on your beliefs, what you're about to read may be the scariest thing you've ever heard in your life.
When I heard about one of our attendees nightmarish experience at the TRANSCEND 'Letting Go' Retreat, I was stunned, but not shocked.
I understand how the darkness, (low vibration energy) works...
My hope is, that it will shock you into, first, taking responsibility for the emotions you harbor within and second, take action to change them positively.
I'll explain how you can do this later in the article.
Wait!? Why Are We Taking Ayahuasca Again? How Does That Help Me Become A Better Entrepreneur?
As you'll remember from part 1, the ayahuasca ceremony is a voluntary part of my annual Transcend 'Letting Go' Transformation Retreat, for entrepreneurs who want to unlock their full potential, so they can achieve ambitions revenue goals while bringing their best work into the world.
[You can learn more about Transcend by CLICKING HERE!]
Imagine if every time you "leveled up" your consciousness, you heard that classic video game "ding!" sound.
You'd be walking down the street, dodging negative thoughts, jumping over ego traps, and BAM—"ding!"—your revenue ticks up 10% more that month.
Well, it doesn't quite work like that but...
You've probably noticed entrepreneurs that work on their 'inner game', those who increase their consciousness, end up making a bigger dent in the Universe.
And guess what.
That dent often comes with a financial bonus.
Now I know what you're thinking...
Mark, there are plenty of entrepreneurs, dictators and Tycoons who are filthy rich aren't very evolved consciously!
There are also plenty of consciously evolved people who are broke too!
You're right.
I'm not suggesting that if you simply jump into the lotus position and start meditating, or if you drink a cup of Ayahuasca you're suddenly going to be crushing your financial goals (although I have seen that happen on multiple occasions).
What I'm suggesting is that when you combine your entrepreneurial skills with a higher level of consciousness, or put another way, with a greater level of awareness, you unlock more of your potential, and thus business success.
According to Dr. David Hawkins' "map of consciousness," letting go of trapped emotions and traumas is the fastest way to elevate one's level of consciousness.
In his books "Letting Go", "Power VS Force" and "The Map Of Consciousness Explained", Dr. Hawkins describes how our emotional baggage can keep us stuck at lower levels of consciousness, holding us back from realizing our full potential.
That's why my annual Transcend 'Letting Go' Transformation Retreat for entrepreneurs is heavily influenced by Dr. Hawkins' work.
By providing tools and experiences (including the optional ayahuasca ceremony) to help attendees release limiting beliefs and emotions, the retreat aims to unlock their ability to achieve ambitious revenue goals while bringing their best work into the world.
You see, when your blind spots are removed, you can make better decisions, and connect deeply with the needs and wants of others.
Increasing your level of consciousness gets you out of your self doubt, negative self talk, personal 'triggers' and negative emotions that hold you back.
With a higher level of consciousness you have more energy freed up to solve bigger problems and create the life of your dreams.
It's about fine-tuning that internal compass so your business moves in a direction that's not just profitable but also genuinely valuable.
You might be sitting there thinking, "Come on Mark, all I need is a good product and some marketing hacks."
Sure, that's part of the equation.
But with that alone you won't be bringing your full potential to the world and due to that you'll be leaving a lot of money on the table too.
Think of your level of consciousness like your business's operating system.
Sure, you can run on "Entrepreneur OS 1.0" with just hustle and grind. But when you upgrade to "Conscious Entrepreneur OS 5.0," you've got new features like empathy, intuition, purpose and a global perspective.
It's like switching from a flip phone to the latest smartphone; you're suddenly playing a whole new game with better apps and capabilities.
From a psychological angle, increased consciousness means you're more emotionally intelligent. You read the room, the market, the trends, and you adapt quickly.
From a spiritual angle, it's about alignment—your personal values and your business's mission syncing up for a greater cause.
And let's not forget the practical angle: conscious businesses attract conscious consumers, who are loyal, engaged, and willing to spend more for something that resonates with their own values.
I've found that entrepreneurs with higher level of consciousness (defined by Dr. Hawkins' map) also attract the people and circumstances that help them achieve their goals much faster. You could say they 'manifest their dreams' at a faster rate.
According to Dr Hawkins, the fastest way to increase your level of conscioussness is by Letting Go of the trapped emotions and traumas that are holding you back.
That is why this retreat is focused on 'Letting Go'.
The Day Before The Retreat- My own Ayahuasca Journey was RUINED by a Trailer Park!
I had booked a rental home that included 5 acres of open land giving us more than enough space to do yoga, roam and pretty much whatever we liked.
To get into the right headspace, I'd arranged a private ayahuasca ceremony with Max & Mila the night before the retreat. Max and Mila are the founders of the Divine Unity Entheogenic Church, who I partnered with to host this retreat.
Through their Church, Max & Mila have legally facilitated over 150 ayahuasca retreats and came highly recommended to me from two of my best clients who've had 2 ayahuasca ceremonies with them.
The reason why I'd arranged a private ceremony with them is because I didn't want to take a full dose of ayahuasca when my guests arrived. The attendees of the Transcend 'Letting Go' Retreat are my clients and freinds.
I wanted to be fully able to support each and every one of them in whatever they're going through. I certainly didn't want be going through my own deep journey and not being able to be there for someone who needed my help.
The problem was, when Max & Mila arrived at our location with 2 additional facilitators, they were horrified to witness that the 'open land', that we believed we had to ourselves, was actually a trailer park with mobile homes and kids scattered about the place.
Hardly, the perfect retreat space for an transformative retreat for entrepreneurs combined with an Ayahuasca ceremony.
We had to pivot HARD and fast to find a new location ASAP since we had 15 entrepreneurs flying in from all over the US, UK, Spain, Portugal and even Italy the next day!
The good news is, we found a perfect new location 30 minutes away.
The bad news is, by the time we moved into our new location it was too late for me to have an ayahuasca ceremony with them.
All there was time for a quick kettlebell workout and hitting pads with Max, who happens to be a Muai Thai instructor too, before preparing for tomorrow and getting to bed.
(The pad work was going great until he started hitting me back!)
Day 1- Preparing For The First Cup Of Aya
Here was the agenda for Day 1:
Day 1- Thursday
2 - 2.30 Welcome to Transcend ‘Letting Go’ Retreat by Mark Dhamma
2.30– 3pm How To Prepare For Your Ayahuasca Experience
3 - 3.30pm OSHO Breathwork
Unlock unparalleled clarity and invigorate your spirit with OSHO Breathwork, the key to optimizing performance and mastering stress in the fast-paced business world.
3.30-3.45 Intention Journaling
Example questions to ask yourself...
If ayahuasca can help me let go of absolutely anything, what do I want it to be?
What can I let go of?
What stories can I let go of?
What energies I can let go?
What do I want to experience more of in life?
What do I want to experience less of?
3.45-4pm break
4-4.30pm Opening Ceremony
4.30-4.45 What to do if you experience gets uncomfortable
4.45-5.45pm Rapeh ceremony
A Rápe ceremony is a traditional Amazonian practice used for spiritual cleansing, mental clarity, physical detoxification, and communal bonding.
5.45-6pm Bathroom Break
6pm Aya Ceremony begins
11.30pm Closing Prayer
11.30- Midnight. Soup
12.30am Lights Out
The whole day was designed to have the attendees completely relaxed and prepared for what they were about to experience in their Ayahuasca journey.
Our goal was to have the attendees know how to respond know matter what 'Mother Ayahuasca' brings up for them.
Having the guests properly prepared is VERY important to me. Let me share a cautionary tale about the importance of proper preparation and guidance when working with ayahuasca...
My Wife's Nightmarish Ayahuasca Experience
Back in 2015, my wife (then girlfriend) and I participated in an ayahuasca ceremony with a shaman who provided zero guidance or preparation. It was my wife's first time with psychedelics, and she had no idea what to expect or how to navigate the experience.
I watched helplessly as she cycled through horror, thinking she was drowning in water (when there was none), switching between different personalities, and eventually needing to be physically restrained for hours to prevent her from running away.
Although she gained some insights, the overall experience was so traumatic that she vowed never to touch psychedelics again. I believe this could have been avoided entirely with proper preparation and support.
Fast forward to the present day, where I partner with experienced facilitators like Max & Mila from the Divine Unity Entheogenic Church to ensure our retreat attendees have the knowledge and tools to work constructively with ayahuasca.
How To NOT Get Your Ass Kicked By 'Mother Ayahuasca'
Max & Mila, the founders of the Divine Unity Entheogenic Church gave 5 guidelines to the attendees on how to work with Mother Ayahuasca so you don't have a bad experience.
Here's what they shared...
Do NOT resist Mother Ayahuasca. Surrender to her
When you feel the medicine come on, it's tempting to tense up and try to fight to stay in control of your consciousness.
It's a bit like if you're starting to feel drunk, you can fight to stay in control. Although Ayahuasca can make you feel like you're getting 'tipsy', it's a bad idea to fight it.
When your ego refuses to give up control that's when you can really suffer in your experience. Better to release, relax and surrender to the lessons Mother Ayahuasca has for you.
This was my wife's biggest mistake with her experience. She tried to fight Mother Ayahuasca. So Mother Ayahuasca kicked her ass.
2. Whatever you experience LOVE IT.
Max explained that during ayahuasca you may experience 10,000 beautiful images, as well as 10,000 disturbing images.
His advice?
Love them all the same.
Max went on to explain that by sending love to your darkest visions and experiences, like alchemy, you transform them by sending them love.
It's the practical application of Dr Hawkins' map of consciousness in an Ayahuasca setting.
By sending love to the lower levels of consciousness (also known as 'low vibration energy'), you raise up that energies vibrational frequency and it shifts upwards.
This is a KEY practice during your aya ceremony. By doing this one practice, you completely shield yourself form a 'bad trip'.
If you're struggling, sit up and re-connect with your breath.
Breathing deeply in and out through your nose during a difficult experience brings you into the present moment and bring comfort. You can do this as often as you like through the ceremony.
If you need to 'Purge', let yourself purge.
Yes, you may throw up during your ayahuasca journey, otherwise known as 'purging'. This happens because the Ayahuasca Medicine brings high vibration energy into your body. Any trapped low vibration energy from within needs to come out.
Oftentimes this is done by 'purging'.
Trying NOT to purge is a mistake.
It makes the experience extremely uncomfortable for you. The more you can purge, the better you will feel.
If you're getting lost in the experience, have some Rapeh.
Rapeh is a sacred blend of ground tobacco and herbs from the rainforest. It's administered by having it blown up your nose using a traditional pipe. Rapeh is often given before an ayahuasca ceremony and is even used by tribes as a performance enhancing drug before hunting.
The effect is stimulating and grounding at the same time.
You can feel very present, thoughts cease, and become extremely aware of your body and your surroundings.
It's a peaceful sense of alertness.
The attendees could raise their hand and ask for Rapeh if they felt they needed it and a facilitator would help.
The Aya Ceremony Begins...
The ceremony took place in a large 40X40 ft tent on the land of our retreat location. First, the faciliators administered Rapeh to all that volunteered for it.
When Rapeh gets blown up your nose your first experience is an uncomfortable stinging sensation that quickly fades away. You're then left with peace, quiet and awareness.
Next up, the facilitators gave a cup of medicine to all those who wanted to experience Ayahuasca tonight.
Not everybody did.
For the attendees that didn't want Aya I had a different practice prepared for them.
1 hour of Transcendental Breathwork, followed by...
1 hour of focused meditation, then...
1 hour of the Letting Go Technique (as described in Dr. Hawkins' book) and finally...
1 hour of journaling.
This allowed those who didn't want Ayahauasca to still get TREMENDOUS personal breakthroughs in awareness and thus consciousness.
For those who did want the ayahuasca experience, night one was about finding the right dose for them. The facilatators starting with a small amount for each person.
Some asked for more, others were content.
After everyone had their dose, they retreated back to their area where they had set up personal yoga mats, blankets and even blow up beds to get comfortable in.
Myself and the facilitators watched on and attended to anyones needs.
We would walk around every now again to check on each person.
You see, while you're on ayahuasca, with the right dose and preparation you can hold a conversation.
It's only when you close your eyes your transported to the another world.
So far, everyone looked comfortable in their own journey.
The Purging Starts...
At around 11pm one of the attendees named Jon (not his real name) started purging in his 'purge bucket' stationed net to his bed.
After a few minutes, it became apparent that he had a lot more to do so we escorted him inside to the bathroom.
I stayed with him to support and help throughout this.
'You're purging a lot Jon." I said.
"I guess I've got a lot of trauma I've been holding on too". He responded.
You see, Jon is a successful entrepreneur who joined TRANSCEND because he wants to sell his highly profitable service business, that has been hovering below $1,000,000 in revenue for a couple of years, for $5M by the end of next year.
He needs a quantum leap in revenue and to streamline his operations to make his business a desirable asset for buyers.
The TRANSCEND program is helping him do that by developing him into the entrepreneur he needs to be to make it happen and provide the strategies, tactics and tools to for his business grow rapidly.
But, before starting his business, Jon was a gang member.
Growing up around West Palm Beach, Florida he was tired of getting bullied and beaten up by local gangs so he joined one.
He's had many violent and horrific experiences from being an active criminal gang member for over decade, not to mention the trauma he faced from having a father who left him at an early age.
Jon, has done tremendously well to leave that life and grow a successful business but his past has taken a toll on him.
There are many emotions such as fear, regret, shame and anger that he's suppressed over the year to survive.
Those emotions were still stuck in his body and affected his level of energy.
He would deal with negative self talk, self doubt and worry often.
He would get angry at himself and others.
This 'head trash' was weighing him down, stopping him from unlocking his full potential and creating the life of his dreams.
He was purging these trapped emotions so he could be free.
After a good hour or so of purging while I coached him through the 'Letting Go' technique described in Dr hawkins' book letting go, it finally stopped.
I gave Jon a coconut water to rehydrate and helped him into his bed.
His night was over let's see how he fairs tomorrow.
Around the same time, the rest of the attendees had finished their experience and were in the house enjoying some fresh soup and organic sourdough bread.
The energy was high and everyone was sharing their breakthroughs and insights while being excited about life.
In the morning we will share as a group what they experienced.
After a pretty calm evening, I wasn't prepared for the nightmarish experience I heard from one of our attendees the next day.
I'll share that experience in Part 3.
Stay tuned for Part 3.
