Life is full of lessons

A few weeks ago, I opened a new dieta. I talk a bit about what that means in my post about Ayahuasca, but in short: the Shipibo people have discovered around 20 different teacher plants that help you heal and grow spiritually — without being psychedelic.

You brew the plant into tea and drink it daily, while following a strict diet — no salt, sugar, oils, or stimulants, to name a few. Your shaman also "opens" your dieta, energetically connecting you with the plant. It may sound strange until you try it.

This time I’m dieting Suelda con Suelda, known for its heart-opening qualities and support for bone healing. The first time I came to Caya Shobo, it was to learn how to love myself more — and I feel like I’ve come a long way. This time, my intention was to open to romantic love, and Suelda was recommended.

During dieta, you’re meant to pay close attention to your dreams — and wow, have mine been speaking. They’ve shown me what I truly value, why my relationships have looked the way they have, and so much more.

What’s become really clear is how everything in life is a mirror. For example: my dad has always been super social, knowing everyone, while my mum has always had just a few close friends. For years, I was just like my dad — and now I’m more like my mum.

History really does repeat itself. And this is just one of the many things I’ve realized during the dieta about how both of my parents, individually and as a unit, shaped the person I am today.

Interestingly, it’s often easier to see the “solutions” to certain patterns when I observe them in my parents than when I try to look at myself directly. Seeing their struggles reflected in my own somehow softens the process.

I’ve also noticed how much of myself I see in the people around me — my friends, my surroundings. Twice now, I’ve arrived in cities that felt calm and quiet, and both times, I realized they were mirroring my internal state.

So if everything really is a mirror of what’s within, then maybe it’s true — change your inner world, and the outer world shifts with it. I’ve heard that so many times, and it’s always felt hard to believe. It still does sometimes.

But I’m getting more and more proof that it’s real.