PLEASE NOTE – as of July 4th, 2023, the Companionship has been given a Health Canada exemption to begin conducting legal ayahuasca ceremonies.
All Companionship ceremonies will be generally conducted under the following conditions. Also see our Ayahuasca Decision-making Guide and our Facilitator Guidelines for Participants for further details.
Anyone participating in a ceremony must be a registered member of the Companionship. There are no exceptions.
All members who wish to register for a ceremony must fill out the Health Questionnaire prior to being accepted into a ceremony. An online fillable questionnaire is available in your member area or from your facilitator. If you’re wondering about the questions we ask you about your health you can view them here.
Once your health form is submitted, your ceremony facilitator will be in touch with further questions or to confirm your participation. You only have to fill out the health questionnaire once unless there is some change in your condition.
Once accepted, the ceremony will proceed at the stated time and place.
There is integration support available from your facilitator and/or from the Companionship after-care program.
How Ceremonies are Conducted
Please note – there will be some differences in how a ceremony is conducted based on the individual facilitators. However the following is the general set of procedures for an ayahuasca ceremony within the Companionship.
The facilitator will contact the member prior to the ceremony as much in advance as possible. You should be clear as to why you want to participate and answer all questions as honestly as possible.
Ceremonies typically are conducted as follows:
- On the day of the ceremony you’ll arrive at least an hour in advance of the ceremony or at the time specified
- Once at the ceremony the facilitator will allow time for the group energy to settle and for any questions to be asked
- A pre-ceremony discussion may take place where members share their intentions with other members
- At the appropriate time the facilitator will pour ayahuasca for you
- Once you have taken the ayahuasca you’ll return to your mat
- After the effects start to take hold the facilitator will begin the chanting, songs or music
- During your ceremony if you experience any problems with mobility or the effects the facilitator or a helper is available
- If you need any other help when you’re in the ceremony let your facilitator or helper know
- The facilitator will formally close the ceremony at some point
- Plan to spend the night – you are not allowed to drive immediately after the ceremony
- Depending on the facility – sleeping areas are provided or more typically members sleep on their mats in the common area
After-Ceremony Care/Integration
Integration is as important as the ceremony itself. Depending on the facility and the facilitator, the following are typical integration support procedures in a Companionship ceremony:
- A group discussion will usually be held the morning after a ceremony.
- You may wish to share in the group discussion or not – it’s not essential but highly recommended
- Depending on the facility – art supplies, notebooks, writing pads or other expressive materials may be supplied
- A light breakfast or a cooking area may be available depending on the facility
- After you return home you may contact your facilitator for any questions or concerns you may have about integration or the integration process
- The Companionship also has an after-care program in case the facilitator is not available due to family or scheduling conflicts
- All members may avail themselves of integration support through Companionship formal or informal channels
- The Companionship forum is also available in the membership area online to ask questions, get answers or post your experience
The Companionship offers a written best practices guideline for facilitators and for members. Check your profile area for links or see the guidelines posted on this website. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us.