In today’s fast-paced world, physical well-being often takes precedence, while the connection between body, mind, and soul is overlooked. In this interview, Mystic Mag had the chance to interview Martina Diehn, who emphasizes the importance of integrating these three aspects in her holistic practice. Through Kambo, a spiritual medicine, she guides individuals not only toward physical healing but also emotional and mental detoxification. By fostering a safe and empowering environment, she helps clients navigate their journey of self-discovery and growth.
You mention combining body, mind, and soul for holistic health. Can you elaborate on your approach to integrating these aspects in your practice?
In our society, physical aspects are often overemphasized and spiritual dimensions of experience are pushed aside. In Berlin, a lot of people come to Kambo because they have physical or health problems, and somewhere on the internet it says that it helps. That’s why I take a lot of time in the initial consultation to prepare newcomers for the fact that Kambo is not just a tool, like a drug from the pharmacy, but also spiritual medicine. For example, that an emotional detox is likely to take place as well. Many clients cry during the process. There’s a lot of pressure on people these days, so it’s very unsettling when you lose control, when your body, mind and soul react in a way that doesn’t conform to the social norm. Therefore it’s very important to create a safe space first, to ensure that people can develop confidence and really focus on themselves.
In the IAKP (International Association of Kambo Practitioners, https://iakp.org/) we place great emphasis on empowering our clients to deal with their process independently. We do not see and present ourselves as shamans, but as guides: by holding a neutral space for the process, people can feel competent and strong in the moment of weakness. They learn to deal with what they experience through Kambo.
Kambo seems to be a big focus. What initially drew you to Kambo and why are you passionate about teaching it?
The fact that the frog medicine chose me came unexpectedly to me during a ceremony with my future teacher. I had never had such an amazingly clear, obvious spiritual experience – and invitation – despite many years of ayahuasca experience. The IAKP training course is cleverly designed: Everyone can have the experiences they need for their own personal growth in their own learning curve to be able to give Kambo safely later on.
You don’t know until the last minute whether you have passed at all. So I opened the door to the last feedback meeting, prepared for clear criticism, but instead my teachers told me that they could imagine me becoming one of them one day. And that’s how it turned out years later. It’s exciting how things come together in life: You start somewhere and then the path shows and opens up step by step as you walk it. I have to say: I wouldn’t teach any other Kambo course than the IAKP course.
These two weeks are a safe container in which people are given the space to develop a better version of themselves. Supported by the magic of the frog spirit. And even after several years, I am still learning how to pass this experience on to my students in the best possible way. By the way, I know Meri Harbour, who you have already interviewed, from my teacher training. Big hug to you, Meri!
Your practice offers “Immunsignature Coaching.” Can you explain how this approach complements traditional medicine?
The Corona crazytimes were a time of intensive learning for me, a time of reorientation. For example, I began to follow publications of competent, courageous doctors, in order to navigate myself through these years. Gerrit Keferstein, a young German physician who created the Immunsignatur Coaching, wrote to all government institutions involved in “health” and asked why people weren’t being taught, how to take better care of their immune system.
The topic then stuck with me. At the same time, Kambo is traditionally known among the tribes in the Amazon for helping with infectious diseases, it obviously has an immune-boosting function. I asked myself: how can I flank and support Kambo’s work? It would be a shame if Kambo could only mitigate your own bad life choices. Teaching myself first and then others, what we can do in our everyday lives to maintain a better immune system was the logical next step for me.
Immune signature coaching works with the so-called “five doctors” breathwork, nutrition, exercise, cold and sleep. In other words, things that you can quickly and easily implement in your own practice. Again, it’s about self-empowerment, similar to Buddha’s parable about meditation: you can, of course, endlessly try to clear all the stones before you finally take the path. Or you can simply put on sturdy shoes.
You have a clear love for bees. How did beekeeping become a part of your life and what do you offer to those interested in it?
As a long-time city dweller, a trip to the Himalaya shamans years ago confronted me with my own alienation from nature. The beekeeping course was part of my way to change that and actually initially due to curiosity. But the first time I was allowed to see – and smell! – it was love at first sight. In fact, working with bees is a meditative activity: You have to calm your mind, because the way you are is the way the bees react to you.
Bees read the vibration with which you approach them; for example, they absolutely get off on people who are drunk. You can only work well with them if you are at peace and in harmony with yourself. Beekeeping is an instructive exercise in mindfulness.
What made you shift from writing to focus on natural healing methods and plant knowledge?
My grandmother was an herbalist and often took me into the woods and meadows as a little girl. Unfortunately, when you’re young, you often lose touch with the old knowledge and get lost in everything that modern “Babylon” offers these days: You have to have a career, buy fancy things and so on.
Then you go along with it all and then at some point you find yourself back at square one, because you realize, that you’ve been going round in circles. Even as a copywriter, sooner or later you reach the limits of what is creatively possible in your industry, especially if you work freelance. But you also have more opportunities to make small changes because you’re not stuck in the same channel as permanent employees.
Then new aspects inside can grow, you can mature, and at some point you realize that you have started to follow a higher star. Today, it is fulfilling for me to support people in finding themselves. My energy level also increases automatically during Kambo ceremonies, I feel fitter and joyful during the ceremony, my eyes literally open. Medicine work with plants – with the frog – is exciting, it is alive, part of life itself.
Your website mentions a “tarantula farm.” Can you share a funny or interesting story about this past experience?
As a child, I was extremely afraid of spiders, I couldn’t even go through the door if there was a small spider sitting next to it. This irrational fear continued to grow as I got older. Then my flat mate brought home a friend who bred tarantulas. The rest is history: I bought two tarantulas and put them in my sleeping room. I still remember the look on a friend’s face when I spontaneously came up with the idea of opening the terrarium. When the big spider crawled on my arm, he almost fell over. This beautiful animal had weight and seemed to think carefully about every step. A wonderful experience. Today, I am the person who is called when a spider has strayed into the loo.
This experience fits in with my philosophy: don’t let what you think is fate restrict you. You can change it and you can often change it on your own. This is also what shamanic natural medicines offer us: that we can work on our issues with their help. In our own way. At our own pace. And in places where we feel comfortable. That seems to have always been something that has worked very well for me. This personal responsibility, motto: “I’ll do it now” … is almost certainly connected with the fact that I am a “Manifesting Generator” in the Human Design System.
