I’ve been around this community for a while now, and I’m not impressed. I sat a few times there, and felt ok at times, but there was always something off that was hard to put my finger on….after some careful reflection and inquiry with other long term community members of the sacred valley (who also sat there for a time, and then left never to return), I can finally speak to what was “off”.
1) Ceremonies are held on a revolving conveyor belt, the price goes up often and the split with the temple owner does not favor facilitators.
2) Medicine is sourced questionably from a maestro who now supplies many folks worldwide, a large, unsustainable operation with no clear precedent or awareness of sustainability.
3) There is a medicine making space for them to make their own now, still unsure of sustainability.
4) Sexual predators have frequented that space under the name of “facilitator” or “co-facilitator”. There are currently two 30-something year old co-facilitators who have ingratiated themselves to a “bro” lead facilitator. They have not been held accountable and the women reporting their acts are villified and ostracized. This has happened 2 times in the last 2 years (in the awareness of the author).
5) sexual predation isn’t new to the space. Long standing members of the community have shared a laundry list of infractions over the existence to of the temple. The men responsible are always “friends” with the lead facilitator and not held responsible. Words have been used such as “he’s a poet, so he’s done his work and you’re in the wrong”.
6) High-school, cult-like dynamics where friendship and “liking” a person for their “energy” or music capabilities qualifies them to co-lead a ceremony….nothing related to actual training and qualifications. Preference for young and impressionable people who are eager to please, overlooking the qualified folks who have devoted their lives to the medicine path.
7) Young, improperly trained “facilitators” who started work at the temple in their 20’s and 30’s strike out on their own without 7-10 years of experience with the medicine for themselves before serving. These are the most dangerous. Egos solidify in the age they started the path.
8) “Facilitators” are often just musicians of a certain caliber that enjoy the limelight as musicians who can play music while supremely high. They lack the proper skills to address what’s unfolding in a person’s experience because to them, staying in the space is playing music…not sitting with the person in abject terror, or having a breakdown of tears, etc.
9) co-facilitators are brought in, un paid, to handle people having a hard time. Not enough of them are present to sufficiently care for the participants.
10) The place is just clicky. Isn’t that mature?