Uni Diet & The Spirit of the Forest

Since the dawn of our people, we have walked with Uni — the sacred plant of power and spirit. It is not something new to us; it lives in our blood, our songs, and our stories. It is part of who we are.

Our great spirit, Kappinyo Tshari, revealed that through the spirit of Uni we can connect directly with his strength, wisdom, and thought. This sacred medicine opens the doorway to the world of spirits and to the heart of nature itself. Through it, we learn to speak the language of the Earth — the language of the plants, the animals, the waters, and the winds.

Through it, we learn to speak the language of the Earth — the language of the plants, the animals, the waters, and the winds.

Uni was the first teacher of our Pajés, showing them how to communicate with the invisible world and live in harmony with the visible one. The Uni diet exists so that we may truly know ourselves — to look inward, to correct our mistakes, and to be reborn with new thoughts, new eyes, and new ways of being. It is a path that teaches us to live with respect, humility, simplicity, love, and joy.

For the Noke Koî people, the Uni diet is sacred and profound. It reconnects us with nature and helps us understand our place within it — how to honor Mother Earth, the plants, the animals, and all living beings. It opens the door to the invisible world of our ancestors — a world of wisdom and sacred knowledge passed down from our grandparents and parents.

But this knowledge is not meant to be spoken only — it must be lived.

Many people drink Ayahuasca, yet forget to practice what the medicine teaches. Without practice, the medicine loses its purpose. The diet reminds us that this path is not for entertainment or curiosity — it is a lifelong commitment to live in harmony with the teachings of nature.

The Uni diet teaches us that everything around us is sacred — every being, every element, every breath. When we enter the diet, we do so not merely to learn how to behave among people, but to understand our connection to the entire universe. We learn how to speak, act, and live with respect — with our families, our community, and the spirits of the forest.

The Uni diet teaches us that everything around us is sacred — every being, every element, every breath.

Our great priests and shamans dieted to understand the path of the ancestors — the path of the Pajés, the Tianas, the spiritual leaders, and the chiefs. The medicine reveals our mission on this Earth. It is not enough to drink and forget; the diet is a deeper study — a lifelong learning of thought, behavior, and spirit.

Our elders say that the path of spirituality is infinite. It cannot be mastered in a few days or through a single ceremony. True knowledge takes time, humility, and devotion. Nature herself decides who may become a priest or healer. Even if someone drinks medicine for many years, if they lack respect for nature, their people, or the sacred path, they will never receive that gift.

My grandfather used to say:

“To heal others, you must first speak the language of the spirits — the language of the ancestors, of nature, and of the Great Spirit.”

These are the healing codes of nature, carried by the sacred serpent Nuru-Muyá, who brings wisdom to the Pajé. Nature is always watching — how we act, how we speak, how we treat one another — and decides if we are ready.

Nature is always watching — how we act, how we speak, how we treat one another — and decides if we are ready.

Through the diet, we learn to understand our relationship with nature and the spirit world. We come to feel the true power of life — the spiritual energy that flows through all things.

In our tradition, there are two main kinds of diets:

one to learn the sacred chants, the Saiti, and another to prepare for the gift and strength of the sacred serpent — the path of the healer, the forest doctor.

When we enter the diet, we must do so with full commitment — to the Pajé guiding us, to Mother Nature, to the spirits of the plants, and to the energy that sustains all life. Without respect and intention, the path can bring imbalance.

The diet teaches us how nature endures destruction and still renews itself. It guides us through many stages of learning — to understand what power is, what strength is, what energy is — and, most importantly, who we are.

We ask ourselves:

Who am I?

Why am I here?

What is my mission?

How must I act before the power of nature and the Great Spirit?

In our language, this sacred practice is called Samadhi, which means to live in deep respect for the power of nature, the Great Spirit, the Earth, the waters, the plants, and the sacred animals.

Through Samadhi, we are reborn — as if entering once more into our mother’s womb. The medicine corrects our mistakes, heals our body and spirit, and brings us into the world of light and energy.

To heal others, we must first heal ourselves — our thoughts, our words, our behavior.

For the word itself is sacred: it is healing, it is transformation, it is power.

The medicine of Uni connects us to our ancestors and to the wisdom of the Earth — to the rivers, the plants, the animals, and the stars. The spirit of our ancestors lives in everything.

The Uni diet is a sacred path — a way to enter the spiritual dimension of life, to heal, to purify, to be reborn, and to help others with love and respect.

This is the path of Uni, the sacred medicine of our people. Vari Vari Pina Varinawa Chief, Vari Teka Village