Beginner’s Guide to Hapé (Rapé) 101 — First Steps, Safe Use & Gentle Blends

Hapé (ha-PAY) — also written Rapé, Hapeh or Rapeh — is a sacred Amazonian snuff crafted from heirloom jungle tobacco, alkaline tree ash, and selected botanicals. It is traditionally blown into the nostrils using a self-applicator called a kuripe or a longer serving pipe called a tepi.

This guide is for true beginners. You’ll learn how to choose a gentle blend, prepare a safe space, and self-apply with care — so your first experiences are grounded, respectful, and clear.

Want the deep dive? Read the full guide: What Is Rapé (Hapé)?

What Is Hapé?

Hapé is a finely powdered shamanic snuff prepared by Amazonian tribes. Classic blends combine fermented jungle tobacco (Nicotiana rustica or tabacum) with the ash of sacred trees — most commonly Tsunu — and sometimes aromatic or medicinal plants. The powder is blown into each nostril to clear heaviness (panema), focus the mind, and ground the body.

Benefits & Effects

Grounding & Clarity

Rapid mental quiet and present-moment focus; supports prayer, meditation and intention-setting.

Light Cleansing

Nasal clearing, a few tears, or a sigh; some may feel emotional release as heaviness lifts.

Gentle Energy

Subtle alertness from nicotine absorption through the nasal mucosa (effects vary by dose and blend).

Expected Sensations

A sharp burn in the sinuses, watery eyes, or mucus release are normal responses and usually last only a few minutes.

New to hapé? Try the Hapé Starter Kit — 3 gentle blends + a beginner kuripe.

Best Blends for Beginners

Choose a trusted, gentle blend from an authentic source. These three are widely recommended for first-timers:

Beginner Pro Tip: Darker rapés are more earthy and pungent and typically contain less ash. Blends with more ash look greyer and are generally “sharper,” stronger in effect. Start gentle, and don’t equate color with ‘better’—match to your intention.

How to Use: Step-by-Step Self-Application

1. Measure: Start with a match-head sized amount per nostril.
2. Break up clumps: Use the kuripe tip to press the powder until talc-fine.
3. Load the kuripe: Place half the dose in the long arm of the V-shaped pipe.
4. Set intention: Close your eyes, breathe slowly, and name your purpose.
5. Blow the dose: Seal, breathe in, and blow into one nostril — slow & long (gentle) or short & strong (advanced).
6. Repeat other side: Immediately apply the remainder to the other nostril for balance.
7. Integrate: Sit quietly for 2–5 minutes; breathe, listen, and allow clearing.

• Drink water before (not after) your session; water immediately after can taste strongly of hapé.
• Avoid eating for ~60 minutes beforehand to reduce nausea.
• Keep tissues, a bowl/bucket, and easy restroom access nearby in case of purge or a sudden bowel movement.

Optional: After applying rapé many practitioners speak “Haux, Haux” — a simple phrase of thanks and affirmation.

Safety note: Avoid hapé if you are pregnant, taking MAOIs/SSRIs, have uncontrolled high blood pressure, epilepsy, or serious heart conditions. Always sit for the full session; never use before driving or operating machinery.

Creating a Sacred Setting

Choose a quiet, nature-touched space if possible — near a window, a plant, or outdoors. Sit upright with feet grounded and let your breath settle until any rush falls away. Keep tissues and water nearby. Offer simple thanks to the plants, the forest, and the hands that prepared the medicine. Leave unhurried time afterward — journal, rest, or take a slow walk — as a gift to yourself.

Cultural Context & Lineage

Among Amazonian peoples, hapé is more than an herbal snuff — it is a sacred bridge to prayer, song, and ritual. Blends are often prepared with chants and blessings, then used in ceremonies to cleanse heaviness, invoke clarity, and harmonize with nature. Each tribe — Huni Kuin, Katukina, Nukini, and Yawanawá — carries its own recipes and ceremonial customs.

Receive and serve hapé only within trusted relationships. In traditional settings, a tepi exchange transfers intention and energy between giver and receiver; do not accept hapé from people you don’t know or trust.

My First Experience with Hapé

My first encounter was in a Yawanawá village in Acre. A single, steady blow cut through the noise and returned me to myself — grounded, present, and quietly clear. Soon after, I was gifted a kuripe and the same Tsunu rapé, and my journey truly began. I found clarity and a deep, steady peace in the medicine, and I was profoundly moved by the depth it offered. I remain grateful to share it — with respect for the lineage that carries it — to this day.

Beginner FAQs

Addiction, Legality & Safety

Hapé contains nicotine and can become habit-forming if misused. Treat it as a sacred medicine and use sparingly. Most countries treat hapé as an herbal snuff, but regulations differ — check local laws before ordering or travelling.

• Overuse can irritate sinuses. Allow recovery days; if congestion persists, reduce frequency.
• Do not mix with recreational drugs (e.g., MDMA) and be discerning with use alongside ayahuasca; listen to your body.
• Contraindications: pregnancy, MAOIs/SSRIs, uncontrolled hypertension. Those with respiratory issues (e.g., severe asthma) should avoid or consult a clinician experienced with plant medicines.
• Purging is okay. Tears, mucus, and occasional vomiting can occur; have a discreet place prepared.

Hygiene & Storage

Applicator hygiene: If sharing a kuripe/tepi, wipe ends with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide between users, or briefly pass the tips through a lighter flame. Avoid soaking with soap and water — moisture trapped inside can promote mold.

Personal-use preference: Many practitioners keep their own kuripe/tepi to maintain hygiene and energetic boundaries; sanitize before any shared use.

Storage: Keep rapé dry and cool in airtight containers. Glass screw-top vials (test-tube style) are preferred over old plastic bottles and make controlled pouring easier. Avoid humidity; if you live in a damp climate, add a small desiccant pack outside the powder in the jar.

Beginner’s Kit with a Free Kuripe

Start gently: our Beginner’s Kit includes 3 gentle blends + a free kuripe.