When comparing a truffle ceremony and ayahuasca, neither is better: they mainly differ in the law, the preparation and what they ask of your body. Ayahuasca contains DMT, which is on List I of the Dutch Opium Act, while truffles are legal. Stars Frequencies only guides truffle ceremonies, in Amsterdam, on a day of about 7 hours, in a small group of at most 8 people (€295 per person) or as a 1-on-1 truffle ceremony (€495).
Land first, then the journey.
Maybe you've read about ayahuasca or heard from someone who did it. You're curious, and at the same time you have doubts. About the law, about your body, about what happens if you lose control. This page puts ayahuasca and a truffle ceremony side by side. Not to put one down or praise the other, but so you know what you're choosing.
| Truffle ceremony | Ayahuasca | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal status in the Netherlands | Legal: truffles don't fall under the Opium Act | DMT is on List I of the Opium Act; preparing and serving ayahuasca is prohibited |
| Where | In Amsterdam, in a small group or private | Can't be offered legally in the Netherlands |
| Length of the day | About 7 hours, including a meal | Varies widely by ceremony and tradition |
| Preparation | Free 30-minute intro call with screening, and preparation at home | Often a diet in the days before, partly because of the MAO inhibition |
| Guidance | Rosa is in the room for the whole ceremony, in a group of at most 8 people or private | Varies by tradition and by guide |
| Physical strain, as often described | Varies per person; what your body can handle is discussed beforehand | Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, and a higher heart rate and blood pressure |
| Medication | Screening beforehand; no ceremony with lithium or MAO inhibitors, SSRIs and SNRIs always discussed | Ayahuasca inhibits the enzyme MAO; combinations with antidepressants, among others, can cause serious health risks |
| Cost | €295 in a group or €495 for a 1-on-1 truffle ceremony | Not applicable: Stars Frequencies only works with truffles |
The table is a summary. The information about ayahuasca comes from Drugsinfo, a website of the Trimbos Institute; the sources are at the bottom of this page. We don't say anything about prices of ayahuasca ceremonies. Stars Frequencies doesn't offer them, and comparing on price won't help you choose. If you want to know exactly what a day with Rosa includes, see the truffle ceremony prices.
Neither is better: it depends on what you're looking for, what your body can handle and what the law allows. Ayahuasca comes from South American traditions with a long history, and many people experience it as valuable. That deserves respect. At the same time, preparing and serving ayahuasca is prohibited in the Netherlands, and it asks a lot of your body and your preparation.
A truffle ceremony is a different format, not a lighter version of the same thing. You can't compare the experiences one to one, and nobody can promise you beforehand what you'll feel or realise. What you can compare is the format: how long the day lasts, who is with you, how you prepare and which risks around medication apply. On those points they clearly differ.
Rosa's participants usually don't come to her via ayahuasca. They come because they know a lot about themselves, mostly live from their head and want to feel again. If you're considering ayahuasca because you're looking for something deeper than talking, a guided truffle ceremony in Amsterdam is a legal way in to consider. Still weighing up several formats? The comparisons page lists the other considerations.
In the Netherlands, DMT, the substance in ayahuasca, is on List I of the Opium Act. Possession, transport and trade are prohibited, and so are preparing and serving ayahuasca. That's why Stars Frequencies doesn't work with it, and doesn't refer to it either.
Truffles are something else. They are sclerotia: the underground part of the fungus, not a mushroom. They don't fall under the Opium Act and are legal. Mushrooms, also called 'paddo's' in Dutch, have been banned since 2008 and are on List II. Stars Frequencies only works with legal truffles. You can read more about the difference on the page what are truffles, and Jellinek lists the rules clearly.
An important difference lies in how ayahuasca works. When swallowed, DMT is broken down quickly by the body. That's why ayahuasca also contains a plant with substances that inhibit that breakdown: MAO inhibitors. According to Drugsinfo from the Trimbos Institute, combining ayahuasca with some medicines can be life-threatening, especially medication for mental health conditions, such as antidepressants. Certain foods and alcohol are also discouraged in the days before and after. That's where the strict diet you often read about with ayahuasca comes from.
A truffle ceremony involves no MAO inhibitor. Medication is still a serious topic, though. That's why every ceremony at Stars Frequencies starts with an intro call in which Rosa discusses your medication and health. If you use lithium or MAO inhibitors, a ceremony isn't possible. With SSRIs and SNRIs the effect can be strongly reduced or unpredictable: you always discuss this, and you never stop medication on your own. If it isn't a good fit, Rosa will say so honestly. If you had an ayahuasca experience before, there are at least 2 weeks between that experience and a truffle ceremony. There is an emergency protocol, and all contraindications are on the page about safety and screening.
A ceremony is not a replacement for medical or psychological care. Read more about safety
Many people who are thinking about ayahuasca are secretly afraid of the same thing: that they'll lose control and can't come back. That's an understandable fear, especially if you're used to overseeing everything. With Rosa you don't have to let go of anything before you're ready. Letting go isn't a requirement. It's a result.
You start with a free 30-minute intro call by phone. In it you share what you're looking for, what you find exciting and what medication you use. You only pay once it turns out to be a good fit. About half of the participants are doing it for the first time. No experience is needed.
Psilohuasca is a term for a combination of truffles or mushrooms with an MAO inhibitor, meant to get something similar to ayahuasca. Because of that MAO inhibitor, the same concerns about medication and food apply as with ayahuasca. Stars Frequencies doesn't work with it and gives no explanation or advice about it. Rosa only works with truffles, without additions.
That can't be compared fairly, and nobody can promise you beforehand how deep an experience goes. Both are personal and differ each time. What participants often describe after a ceremony with Rosa is that they feel lighter and feel more in the days after. That's a description, not a promise. What is certain is the difference in format: a truffle ceremony is legal, takes about 7 hours and doesn't require a diet because of an MAO inhibitor.
Yes, a truffle ceremony with truffles is legal in the Netherlands. Truffles don't fall under the Opium Act. Mushrooms have been banned since 2008. Ayahuasca contains DMT, which is on List I of the Opium Act; preparing and serving it is prohibited. Stars Frequencies only works with legal truffles.
Psilocybin is the substance in truffles, DMT is the substance in ayahuasca. The biggest practical difference is that DMT is broken down quickly when swallowed, which is why ayahuasca also contains an MAO inhibitor. That MAO inhibitor makes combinations with medication and certain foods risky. Legally they differ too: truffles are legal, DMT is on List I of the Opium Act.
Yes, you can, if the screening in the intro call raises no objections. There are at least 2 weeks between an ayahuasca experience and a truffle ceremony. Tell Rosa what you did before, how long ago and how it was for you. Any medication is discussed then too. That way she can tailor the day to you, and she'll honestly say if it isn't wise right now.
No, the strict diet you read about with ayahuasca belongs to the MAO inhibitor in ayahuasca and doesn't apply to a truffle ceremony. After the intro call you do receive a truffle guide with all the information, including food advice. What you do and avoid in the days before is also discussed in the intro call with Rosa.
According to Drugsinfo from the Trimbos Institute, combining ayahuasca with medication for mental health conditions, such as antidepressants, can cause serious and sometimes life-threatening health risks. That's because of the MAO inhibition. For a truffle ceremony, Rosa always discusses your medication beforehand. With SSRIs and SNRIs the effect can be strongly reduced or unpredictable, and you never stop medication on your own.
A truffle ceremony in a small group costs €295 per person, a 1-on-1 truffle ceremony costs €495. Together as two you pay €850, for 3 people €1,050 and for 4 people €1,300. The intro call is free and a meal is part of the day.
In a free 30-minute intro call you discuss with Rosa what you're looking for, what you find exciting and what medication you use. Only then do you decide.
