Hapé (pronounced ha-PEH, written rapé) is a sacred Amazonian snuff prepared from Nicotiana rustica, medicinal plants, and the ash of sacred trees. It is not smoked and it is not sniffed like a powder. It is received, through the nose, with intention. This guide walks you through a simple, respectful first sit.
Before you begin
- Set your space. Sit somewhere quiet where you can close your eyes for twenty minutes without interruption. Many people light a candle or burn a little palo santo.
- Have water and tissues nearby. Hapé often brings a release: watering eyes, a runny nose, sometimes a few tears. This is part of the cleansing.
- Come with an intention. A single sentence is enough. Clarity. Rest. Gratitude. Let the medicine know why you called on it.
- Start small. A pea-sized amount per nostril is plenty for a first sit, even with gentle blends like Bobinsana or Yarumo. Strong blends like Jurema Prieta or Parika are for experienced sitters.
Serving yourself with a kuripé
A kuripé is the V-shaped self-applicator. One end rests in your nostril, the other between your lips.
- Place a small amount of hapé into the nostril end of the kuripé.
- Bring the mouthpiece to your lips and the other end just inside your left nostril.
- Take a comfortable breath in through your mouth, close your eyes, and give one short, firm blow. Not a puff, not a gust: a single clear breath.
- Pause. Breathe through your mouth. Let the wave arrive and pass.
- Repeat on the right side. Traditionally the left nostril is served first to release, the right to receive.
What to expect
The first minute can be intense: heat, pressure behind the eyes, a rush of clarity. Stay with your breath. Within a few minutes most people feel the body settle into a grounded, alert stillness. Sit for at least fifteen minutes. When you are ready, gently blow your nose to clear the remaining medicine.
Aftercare
Drink water. Move slowly. Some people like to journal what came up. Rinse your kuripé and let it dry before the next sit.
A note on respect
Every blend we carry comes from a tribe that has stewarded this medicine for generations: the Yawanawá, the Katukina, the Huni Kuin, the Shanenawa. When you sit with hapé, you sit with that lineage. Approach it the way you would approach an elder.
Ready to begin? Explore our hapé blends or read the full Hapé Guide.
This article is shared for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Hapé contains tobacco and is for adults 21 and over. Speak with a healthcare professional before working with any plant medicine.
