Capirona Dieta

Two weeks post Capirona dieta reflections 🌿

When the diet first began, I felt an urgency for that sacred time in isolation, there seemed to be an enormous amount for me to accomplish with Capirona, much to sort through, question, plan, integrate, receive. But as the days passed, and I started to step into this dance with Capirona, I realized the gift in this relationship is one of letting that all go. Letting go of everything & understanding the facts still remained as I unclenched my fists; I know who I am, I know what I want and I know who I love. There is nothing else to hold.

So for 9 days I lay, slept, dreamt, and I let go. Things became quiet, I became clear. I used breath, mapachos, had conversations with myself, my journal, but all the while I was in a constant dance with the consciousness of Capirona — still am. Everyday a new and profound teaching.

She’s known in the jungle as “Shamanic Teflon” because nothing sticks to her. And it’s true. Physically, it’s an extremely hard wood tree that’s covered in this gray/sometimes midnight black bark that’s smooth to the touch. Capirona grows pin straight and has no branches until the very top of the canopy. Nothing sticks - nada. But, the opposite is also true, Capirona holds on to nothing — nunca. No branches, no fungi, no vines, no curves for things to land inside. Nothing sticks to her and she sticks to nothing.

The energetic and spiritual teachings of this tree are centered around boundaries, self containment, non attachment. As I moved through the dieta, my thoughts carried less and less weight and the noises of the jungle fully took over around day 4. I listened to the river, bathed naked, sang icaros. I experienced an honest, intimate connection with the primal, unattached nature of my soul.

I have held onto things so tightly in my life— humans, thoughts, doubts, places, weight. Using them all as a shelter. Where/who/what would I be without? Could I be without? Once too fearful to find out, I was a tree covered in lichen; weighed down with too many overloaded branches. Then Capirona came and so did — in a word — surrender, surrender to exactly who I am — without. 🌿🌿