Tobacco and Tree Plant Dieta

MadreSelva · Marvão, Portugal

A plant dieta is an opportunity to learn from one of the great teachers of the plant kingdom. “Dieting” is a traditional process undertaken to learn from and deeply heal with a plant. Traditionally, the dieta is practiced in isolation, in nature, allowing the participant to enter into a profound relationship with the plant and with themselves.

At Madre Selva, we recreate this traditional process as closely as possible. Guests spend their time in solitude on the land, creating space to observe and understand the mind, deepen their connection with nature, forest, water, and animals, and allow the plant to work and teach as deeply as possible.

Below are photos from MadreSelva:

The Dieta Process

Guests arrive during the day, settle into their accommodation, and have an initial consultation and diagnostic to help determine which plant may be most beneficial for their process. That evening, they begin the ceremony and dieta.

During the dieta, food is intentionally kept to a minimum. Traditionally, it is said that when the body is weakened, the spirit becomes stronger and more receptive. Guests will have a juice, smoothie, or light soup twice daily—enough to maintain physical strength and support the body through what can be an intense, powerful, and profound process.

The dieta is held in a supportive environment, with daily guidance and teachings from both Merav and Jason throughout the process.

Amazonian & Local Trees

We will be working with several Amazonian trees, as well as nine local trees inspired particularly by Celtic wisdom:

Oak · Hawthorn · Elder · Alder · Blackthorn · Birch · Apple · Willow · Rowan

Our work is conducted through the medium of tobacco—a plant traditionally regarded as the great plant teacher and one of the most powerful allies in the plant kingdom. Tobacco is used to cleanse, open, and connect us energetically with the spirit of plants.

We have found that working with local trees offers a unique opportunity to connect with the medicine and wisdom of one's own land. Developing a physical and spiritual relationship with a tree that grows close to home can create an enduring connection to the land and both the natural and spiritual worlds.

We have been deeply inspired by the relationships our guests have developed with their own indigenous trees and the ways these connections continue to unfold after the dieta.

To learn more about the local trees we will be working with—including oak, hawthorn, elder, alder, willow, and birch—click through the slideshows below:

To learn about all of our trees, click the button below:

Location & Guides

This event will take place at MadreSelva, a plant-medicine retreat center nestled in the countryside and forests outside of the beautiful, historic town of Marvão, Portugal.

The dieta will be guided by Merav Artzi and Jason Grechanik. Together, they have worked with and guided more than a thousand people through ceremonies and dietas involving a multitude of plants.

This is a special opportunity to work with both an experienced female and male guide, bringing complementary perspectives, experience, and support to the dieta process.

One and Two-Week Dietas

If possible, we strongly recommend joining us for the full 17-day experience. We have found that, over two weeks, participants are often able to move significantly deeper into their process.

During the 17-day dieta, you will most likely work with two different trees. We will close the first dieta on July 17 and begin the second on July 19. July 18 will be a day of rest and recovery.

Your accommodation will remain available throughout the rest day. Please note that food will not be provided on July 18, as most guests prefer to spend the day resting, visiting the nearby town, eating out, running errands, or taking some personal time.

We understand that committing to two weeks may not be possible for everyone due to time or financial considerations. One-week dietas are also available and can be deeply beneficial, allowing participants to establish a meaningful relationship with a plant within a shorter period.

Dates

We are offering two dates, with a maximum of 14 participants:

First Week: May 21–29
Second Week: May 30–June 7

Reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

We will do our best to accommodate your preferred dates and will contact you if your requested dates are no longer available.

Exchange

8-day dieta: €1,650
17-day dieta: €3,000

The exchange includes:

• Initial consultation and plant recommendation

• 8-day or 17-day plant dieta

• Daily plant dieta ceremony

• Daily breakfast and lunch (evenings are fasting as part of the dieta)

• Plant/tree baths and, where appropriate, additional remedies to support the process

• Accommodation in an individual bell tent or wooden house, including bed and linens

• Access to the land and facilities, including bathrooms, showers, maloka, and gardens

• Daily support, coaching, and teaching from Merav Artzi and Jason Sadhana Grechanik

• Post-dieta integration support

Camping Option

We are also opening 3 camping spaces for those who prefer to stay in their own tent.

8-day camping dieta: €1,275
17-day camping dieta: €2,200

The camping exchange includes everything listed above except accommodation. Guests will provide and stay in their own tent.

Continuing the Journey: Lithuania & the Forests of Sintra

For those who feel called to continue the journey beyond the dieta in Marvão, we are also offering the opportunity to join us in Lithuania at the award winning and magical retreat center The Sanctum.

Those who choose to participate in both experiences will receive a 10% discount on both dietas.

As part of this extended journey, we will also gather in the magical forests of Sintra for a special guided plant walk with Merav and Jason before traveling onward to Lithuania.

Together, we will wander through the ancient forests, meeting the plants and trees of the landscape and learning to recognize their qualities, stories, medicines, and relationships to the land.

And, before starting the dieta in Lithuania, we will also offer a special class exploring the traditional mythology and folklore of European trees—the stories, symbols, beliefs, and ancestral traditions that have surrounded these trees for generations.

This gathering offers a bridge between the dieta and the journey that follows: an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the trees of Europe, to see them not only as botanical beings, but as characters within the living mythology of the land.

From the trees of Marvão, to the enchanted forests of Sintra, and onward to the ancient landscapes of Lithuania, we invite you to follow the thread.

To spend more time listening.

To learn the stories of the trees.

And to discover what happens when we begin to see the forests not simply as places we walk through, but as living worlds we are part of.

We look forward to sharing this time on the land, entering into relationship with these trees, and supporting each participant through their own unique dieta process.

To book, click the Book Now button below or visit the Book Now tab:

(A 10% discount is given for the Apprenticeship Program when people have completed six tree dietas. Please email us for more information at bookings@nicotianarustica.org)

Let us know if you have any questions.

We look forward to this wonderful time together.

Also see Merav’s website of more information at: TobaccoDiets.com