If you’re preparing for your first hapé ceremony, or you’ve sat with the medicine before but would like to understand the process more deeply, this guide will take you through exactly what to expect before, during, and after. This way, you can show up prepared, open, and ready to receive from a place of knowledge and with a bit more understanding.
Hapé or rapé (pronounced ha-PAY) is a sacred plant medicine made from finely ground tobacco, blended with ash from other medicinal plants and trees. Tobacco has been used for thousands of years by Indigenous tribes across North America, where Canada is today, right down to South America and into the Amazon, including the Shipibo people I’ve had the honour of working alongside for many years. Tobacco is a tool for prayer and intention, for clearing and connecting to spirit and our ancestors.
Tobacco was never supposed to be used recreationally; it was used ceremonially with prayer and intention. The same goes for hapé. Every batch of hapé carries the intention, prayer, and lineage of the people who made it, and so this medicine deserves the same reverence and respect when it is served and when it is sat with.
Most ceremonies begin with an introductory talk. This should include an explanation of what hapé is and isn’t, a conversation about the prayers and intentions that are vital to the process, how hapé is administered, and a general run-through of what to expect. If there are first-timers, then the facilitator should give instructions on how to receive hapé. The medicine is blown into each nostril using a tepi. This is a moment of trust, but at the same time discernment is also needed. When you receive hapé from someone, you also receive their life force, energy, and intentions, which get mixed into the medicine, whether consciously or unconsciously. Many people facilitating hapé have not received any training; they receive hapé and then start serving it to others without truly knowing about the energetics of how tobacco works.
Tobacco is a prayer medicine, and therefore it can be programmed. If the person serving doesn’t know this, they could accidentally program hapé with the thoughtsof their problems rather than the person’s prayer and what they need. You will know if a facilitator knows this because they won’t have a deep knowledge of this, and it won’t be mentioned at all.
I have also come across people who have been initiated, but don’t know this either, which is quite concerning. Some have been initiated without the passing on of any wisdom of tobacco and hapé as part of the experience, which means there’s still room for misunderstanding the medicine and, as a result, not serving in a way that is beneficial to the person receiving.
Some facilitators will talk about hapé as a meditation tool, but it’s so much more than that. Sitting in meditation with hapé is a non-negotiable; we shouldn’t get up, walk around, or have a conversation after working with hapé. It’s disrespectful to do that, and the real benefits come from sitting with your prayer. Sitting in meditation goes hand in hand with hapé, but it’s most certainly not a meditation tool.
The other thing I hear about hapé is that it’s a tool for grounding, and yes, tobacco, in its very nature, is a grounding plant; it’s not something we should rely on for grounding ourselves, or use when we are stressed out. If we need grounding, then it’s risky to seek outside of ourselves because then it can become a crutch, and hapé is no different. It’s addictive, and misuse creates dependency. This is something that all facilitators should discuss, especially if they have first-timers attending their ceremony.
Finally, if you don’t like the energy of the person serving, or your body says no, then listen to that, trust yourself.
Set your intention. Before you even arrive, sit quietly and ask yourself what you’re hoping to release, heal, or invite in. Think about the prayer or intention you would like to make. Tobacco is a medicine that needs direction or a clear intention, and without this, you are not receiving the full benefits of working with hapé.
Come with an empty stomach. Most facilitators recommend arriving several hours after your last meal, but be sure to stay hydrated. A lighter body creates more space for the medicine to move, making the purging process easier. Hydrate well the day before; don’t leave it until the last minute. You want your system supported, and making sure you are hydrated when you arrive means you won’t deplete your body of fluids.
Leave your armour at the door. Whatever you’re carrying, a hard week, a guarded heart, scepticism, grief; bring it all to the ceremony. You don’t need to arrive “fixed” or “ready.” The point of working with hapé is to clear you and help you release whatever you need to. Dress comfortably. You’ll likely be seated on the floor or in a circle for a while. Comfort helps a lot in the process; there’s nothing worse than feeling restricted and uncomfortable, with clothing distracting you from what’s happening in your body.
Integration within the circle. Depending on the ceremony, some facilitators may include a sharing circle, although this isn’t necessarily standard practice. If there isspace to share, it can be a great way to process your experience. If a sharing circle is being held, it’s important to understand that sharing is optional. Give yourself time before re-entering “normal” life. Avoid rushing straight into emails, social media or noise when you arrive home. When you have received a healing or clearing, the last thing you want to do is take on unnecessary negative imprints.
Journal what came up. Even a few lines. Ceremonies often plant seeds that take days or weeks to fully blossom into full understanding. Also, it’s a good way of recalling things that might have slipped your conscious mind in the moment, and it’s nice to look back on in years to come and read over old journeys. Drink water and eat something nourishing. Simple, grounding food helps you land back in your body. Fresh fruits and vegetables are ideal; Mother Nature’s ingredients are best. Don’t leave the ceremony and then go and buy chips, your body won’t thank you for it!
Watch for what shifts in the days that follow. One of my favourite parts of people doing this work is seeing how things shift after the ceremony. I especially see this after someone has received an initiation! Clarity around a decision. A conversation you finally feel ready to have. A weight that feels like it’s been lifted. Integration can be subtle, but comes in so many beautiful forms.
Be gentle with yourself. This medicine doesn’t just clear; it can also reveal, sometimes too. It’s important to allow yourself permission to feel whatever surfaces.Hapé is not a shortcut or a trend. It a sacred medicine that carries the prayers of the Indigenous communities who’ve worked this knowledge for generations. Remember, when you sit with this medicine, you’re sitting in a relationship with a lineage far beyond yourself, tobacco is the grandfather of all of the medicines.
Jessica Lewis
If you feel called to begin or deepen your relationship with Hapé, explore our collection of authentic, ethically sourced Hapé medicines.
Jessica Lewis
If this article resonated with you, you may also wish to explore other traditional Amazonian plant medicines and educational resources. See below.
Tobacco as a Prayer Medicine: Six Gifts from the Tobacco Spirit
What is hapé? A Beginners Guide
Explore Hapé Initiation & Training
