preparation
As with everything in life, the more you put into something, the more you get out of it. The same theory applies to kambô. The more time you can give to the diet, and to readying your body, mind and energy, the deeper the experience you will have. Beginning with a firm intention of why you are sitting with the frog, and taking time for contemplation and reflection. Working with the Spirit of kambô is a very personal relationship and the session will vary every time, depending upon your intention and what is most needed. A minimum of 24 hours (better 2-3 days) before your session, restrict your diet from meat, fried / spicy food, processed food, sugar, drugs (including alcohol) as well as abstaining from sex.
At least 8 hours before your session, refrain from eating completely and drink nothing else but water. The morning of the session, keep your water consumption to a minimum as you will be instructed to drink 1,5L-2L of water immediately prior.
what to expect
After you have consumed enough water, and your intention has been set, the gates will be burned into the skin. (You will have a discussion of where you want the gates to be placed. Traditionally in the Matsés tribe, they are placed on the chest and arms of the men, and the ankle and belly of the women, however there is no rule and the closer to the heart, the faster the effects come on.)
Once the gates have been burned and the skin has been removed, the kambô will be placed on. The burns will sting slightly, and depending on where you have them and your pain threshold.... may sting a lot, but this is temporary. Kambô works with your intention and what is most needed in the specific moment. Upon application, it enters your lymphatic system and scans your entire body. Anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes later, you will begin to feel hot. You will feel your heart begin to pound faster and feel pressure in your head. You may feel the energy in your hands and feet and may feel your throat or your face start to swell up. (The throat swelling up is part of the process and is of no concern.) It is important at this point to remember to breathe slowly and deeply into your belly. Always returning to your intention.
The feeling of the energy of the frog rushing through you can be anything from beautifully surreal to overwhelming. The majority of the time, what happens from here is the same. You will get to the point where you begin to feel nauseous, and then begin to purge. Purging can come through vomiting, a bowel movement, sweating, or all at once. But depending on the process you need to have, your face may swell, your hands may begin to curl up with tetany, you may faint, or you may not be able to purge at all. Purging is not always possible, or necessary, yet it will make you feel better far more quickly as you rid the body of the accumulated toxins. After purging, you may begin to feel extremely cold to the point of shivering. However from this point on, you will begin to feel better.
recovery
Generally speaking, shortly after the session you will begin to feel the beauty of your experience. The effect of Kambô can be strong and can bring about deep emotional and physical processes for some days after. It may be that you feel exhausted and in need of sleep. It is possible that there are some toxins still in your system and that you have a slight headache after. Certainly whatever was not purged out during the session, will come out later in a bowel movement (Saying that, it is a good idea to never trust a fart during or after your session.) It is also a good idea to replenish yourself with electrolytes by drinking coconut water or similar. Depending on your connection with the frog and your intention, you may have received insights and messages during your experience. By resting, and taking the time to contemplate, you will be able to truly affirm this wisdom. The benefits that many report usually come in the days and weeks that follow. At some point, you will begin to feel amazing. Your senses will be heightened. You will feel lighter, clearer, a sense of stillness will wash over you. As your energy is realigned, your body is detoxified, your mind is decluttered, you will begin to feel more deeply your natural state of being. Depending on your lifestyle, depending on your post-diet (ideally a minimum of 3 days), the effects and insights can last anywhere from two weeks to a lifetime.
As far as eating goes, this depends on you and whether or not you feel hungry. Some people are ravenous whilst others don't want to eat at all. When you do decide to eat, eat wisely and gently, sticking to the restrictions of the diet. Depending on the time of day, soup or a smoothie is always good. Try to set your session at a time when you have nothing to do after. It may take you some time to recover, or you may be full of energy, but there is no way to tell prior to the session how much time you will need.
after care
Once the kambô has been removed, you will have the choice of applying sangre de grado (dragons blood) or copaiba oil to the burns, or having them left as is. The dragons blood will seal the burns, and form a scab. From there you may shower and carry on with life without giving them any thought (except to keep them out of direct sunlight). Generally after about 7-10 days, these scabs will then fall off. (Although sangre de grado disinfects burns very well, it has the disadvantage that it heals very quickly (instead of regenerating) and scarring can occur.) The copaiba will clean them and allow them to breathe, and to heal naturally, and depending on the environment in which you are living, your lifestyle and where the burns were placed, this may be a better option. Despite the utmost care in applying the burns, depending on the sensitivity and colour of your skin and the placement of the dots, you may be left with a slight scar. Keeping them out of direct sun until they have healed will decrease the chances of this happening.
healing crisis
On the rare occasion, some people report feeling far worse in the days after the session, than what they did leading up to it.
Either they never feel like they recovered, or they feel fantastic after, then slowly spiral into sickness in the coming days.
The biggest influence on this process is the toxicity level you take going into it. If your regular diet consists mainly of acidic foods and/or a high consumption level of alcohol/drugs, your chances of feeling horrible after are increased.
This is known as a Healing Crisis. It happens when symptoms from a disease or toxins, released in a detoxification process, manifest themselves. Also known as ‘Herxheimer Reaction’, a healing crisis occurs when toxins stored in the body are released at a faster rate than can be properly eliminated. Symptoms can include fatigue, diarrhoea, aches and soreness, fever, anxiety, mood swings, nausea, skin irritations, stuffy nose, congestion and low blood pressure.
Generally lasting around 3 days, depending on the individual and the severity of their situation, the more severe the toxicity, the more intense it can be.
The best thing to do in this case is to stay hydrated. Lemon juice and herbal teas may also help flush out toxins and provide nutrients and antioxidants.
Massage and meditation can also be helpful, but if it’s available, another session of Kambô is highly recommended to clear out what has been stirred up.
It is also possible during or after a session, to become aware of some type of internal issue (usually through discomfort / pain) that you were previously been unaware of. If you feel something has come up or been triggered that your facilitator cannot explain, it is advised to seek the advice of a healthcare professional.