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Temple of the Way of Light
The Temple of the Way of Light is a traditional plant-medicine shamanic healing center located in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest that offers intensive ayahuasca retreats with female and male Shipibo healers. We are dedicated to providing our guests with the opportunity to benefit from the ancient healing wisdom of the Shipibo people, and to helping this unique culture preserve its knowledge and identity in the 21st Century.
We work with some of the most respected and powerful healers (Onanya) from the Shipibo tribe. They are highly experienced, gentle, caring, and deeply dedicated to healing and embodying the wisdom and sincerity of their people. The healing traditions of the Shipibo people offer an ancient yet pioneering path to health, re-discovering our true nature and re-awakening to our true purpose.
The Temple firmly believes in respecting and honoring the ancient practices of the Onanya, experts in ayahuasca healing and plant-spirit shamanism of the Amazon. They bring a rich cultural and medicinal legacy to the healing process: time-honored rituals, intricate practices, an expansive cosmology, an encyclopedic knowledge of medicinal plants of the Amazon, and a far-reaching ancestral lineage.
The Temple has safely facilitated healing for thousands of people since 2007 and has forged an exemplary reputation for stringent safety protocols, compassionate care, and a balance of female and male healers and facilitators. We have used our experience to fine-tune a synthesis of ancient Shipibo medicine traditions and modern and Eastern integrative practices that now extends to comprehensive aftercare and integration support long after guests have returned home. All this takes place with an institutional focus on sustainability, permaculture, ethics, and social responsibility.
We offer ayahuasca retreat programs of varying duration, focus, and intensity, with a balance of female and male Shipibo healers, experienced western facilitators, floral baths, a steam bath, a high ratio of healers to guests, a high number of ayahuasca ceremonies, individual consultations, a nutritional and balanced ayahuasca food diet, and a strong focus on how to process and integrate healing, both during and after each ayahuasca retreat.
The safety of our guests is paramount. We are constantly working to offer the safest container and most effective ayahuasca healing experience in the Amazon. We have developed the most stringent health and safety protocols available on any ayahuasca retreat in Peru. The Temple’s commitment to guests begins with in-depth medical and psychological screening during our booking procedure and continues after the retreat through our integration support. Guiding you safely through deep personal healing and growth is our priority, both in and out of ceremony.
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nicolek
March 18, 2015 at 12:00 amI just returned from a 12 day retreat at The Temple. Wow, what an amazing experience. First, the facilitators: Debbie and Matthew are incredibly knowledgable about not only working with plant medicines, but also help you think about and give you tools to integrate the entire experience and what you’ve learned into your life back home. Their guidance allowed me to completely trust in the process and gave me confidence that I was in the right place to do this work. Second, the maestros/as: these beautiful people are the most gentle and generous souls I have ever come in contact with! They are so selfless and so committed to your healing. I can’t even put into words my gratitude toward them.
Next, the process: from daily floral baths, plant medicines, and learning sessions – these guys really immerse you in the full experience and are truly focused on your healing.
The setting: the center is very comfortable and clean. Certainly rustic and bare bones, but that’s what makes it truly authentic. The grounds were beautiful, so be sure to take advantage of the jungle walk to see all that they’ve done and are planning to do.
Overall, The Temple is run like a business – very organized and all details thought through – however, it is incredibly authentic to the ancient Shipibo tradition of healing. I would most certainly go back to The Temple if Aya ever calls me again!
Amy
March 16, 2015 at 12:00 amI came to the Temple of the way of Light in February – March 2015 to complete the 12 day workshop.
I had previously attended the 12 day workshop in March 2011, also at the Temple of the Way of Light, which was my first experience.
I have struggled for years with depression, anxiety, panic attacks and alcohol. After months of research, I found myself guided to The Temple of the Way of Light, due to it’s professional and caring approach to healing. My first experience was personally challenging, however I felt I couldn’t have been in a more well structured, safe, and caring environment whilst I was going through these difficult personal emotions.
I felt a strong connection with the Mother Ayahuasca, and knew her powerful process was healing within me, I could feel it. The facilitators and plant doctors were all very caring and professional, and even though I was going through a difficult experience, I felt very at ease with the situation.
Matthew, the founder, was extremely knowledgable and gave us all a group talk about the Temple, and EVERYTHING we needed to know about the healing process, and its benefits. He was so passionate to provide the best care with very experienced and nurturing healers, along with genuinely lovely support staff. I left the Temple after my first experience knowing I would return again when I was ready to continue my journey to heal.The plant medicine continued the healing process over the next 4 years, and I then knew I was ready to return.
So… I returned in February this year. I was so pleased that I felt the same warmth when I walked into the Temple as I did last time. I felt so excited to be there again, knowing I was meant to be there for a reason, and at that particular time, to continue my healing.
The set up for the Temple was the same, thankfully. However, it has expanded to provide 1 month workshops and an excellent permaculture centre, for sustainability. Matthew the founder has certainly been very thoughtful to respect the plant medicines, healers and clients and separates the 12 day workshop from the 1 month workshop. Also, even though its an excellent centre for healing with the Mother Ayahuasca, I am also very impressed that, that, is exactly what it is. It is NOT a profit making centre. Its a caring, safe healing centre at its best.
The facilities and surroundings make it a perfect location to heal with truly expert healers. I had an amazing experience again, and made some profound healing progress which will be life changing for me and my family. I have come away feeling so blessed that I made the right decision to go to the Temple again. I feel ALIVE, emotionally, physically, spiritually and mentally, for the first time in my life.
A huge thank you to the Temple, I am genuinely over whelmed by your commitment to healing each client individually with care, compassion and professionalism.
Polydectus
March 14, 2015 at 12:00 amI went to the Temple of the Way of Light for a twelve day workshop in February 2015. I was the oldest person in the group and have physical issues which I had considered might have excluded me from the ceremonies. Fortunately they didn’t!
I was apprehensive about my visit to the Amazon but it turned out that I needn’t have been. Right from the beginning I was put at ease by Matthew and Debbie, the facilitators, and made to feel welcome by everyone else who was involved with the temple.
There were no language barriers because the facilitators were always happy to translate whenever necessary. At the beginning of the workshop I went for a meeting with Matthew, Debbie and the Maestras and Maestros, as did everyone in the group individually, during which time I talked about my spiritual, emotional and physical issues. They listened, asked some questions, and I soon came to realise that they were genuinely interested in helping me to sort out my problems. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble. The Maestras and Maestros were very powerful yet humble people who really seemed to enjoy helping us which made a very nice atmosphere.
It was obvious to me right from the start that Matthew and Debbie wanted each of us to have the best possible experience at the workshop. They were always there to listen and offer advice to anyone that needed it. It was clear that they were both very knowledgeable about everything involved in the workshop.
We did seven ceremonies during our stay and they were always carried out in a professional and yet at the same time personal kind of way. At the beginning of each ceremony we were each asked how much Ayahuasca we wanted and because of my issues I started with about half of a small glass and then over the next couple of ceremonies I increased it to a full small glass. There were different sized glasses available and people could drink more if they wanted to. I settled for a full small glass throughout the rest of the ceremonies and at no time was I ever put under pressure to drink more than I wanted. A while after the ayahuasca had been served to the group the Maestras and Maestros came round to each of us in turn and sang ikaros in their unique ways. The group was a nice size and the Maloka was in a perfect setting for the ceremonies. The chorus from a multitude of nocturnal creatures living in the rainforest finished it off! Perfect!
During the ceremonies there was always someone present to assist people to find the exit if they needed to go out, plus a guy outside to make sure you got safely down the steps from the Maloka.
The food was excellent. After weeks of eating what was my very bland interpretation of an ayahuasca diet I was amazed to discover that it needn?t be like that at all. The food served was wholesome, nourishing and very tasty. The cooks will cater for vegetarian and vegan diets too.
My Tambo was exactly what I had expected to find in the Amazon. In my opinion, like the Maloka, it was perfect for the setting.
I came into the workshop with an open mind and with hopes but without expecting too much and I left it a different person. I was able to clear up a few issues that had been with me for years and life for me now is definitely much better.
I would recommend the Temple of the Way of Light to anyone thinking of going to the Amazon to drink ayahuasca and I for one will definitely be retuning there as soon as I possibly can. I send my thanks to Matthew, Debbie, Tyler and everyone else working behind the scenes at the temple for making it happen for me.
Finally I would just like to say that the ?real estate guy from England? I have seen mentioned in another review turned out to be one of the kindest, most caring and friendliest people I have ever met. It was a privilege to meet him! You know who you are!
Namaste.
max.demian
March 11, 2015 at 12:00 amThe healing journey is a long and difficult one; however the two weeks spent at the TOTWOL are the greatest catalyst i could hope for. They gave me insight as to what i had to see, support in understanding and processing, faith and belief that tomorrow can – and will, with a little bit of discipline – be better than today.
At the TOTWOL you won’t be hearing what makes you feel good about yourself, but rather what is good for you. I cannot stress enough the professionalism, dedication, genuine belief in doing good and in a greater good that the curanderos and staff at the TOTWOL demonstrate at every step of the process. While you have to do the walking, you are taken by hand and will always feel in a secure environment, both physically and emotionally.
The Temple quickly becomes your family, one that it is hard to leave behind without a few tears, and one that you will go back to -whether in person or with your thoughts- over and over after you have left to find guidance, sense of direction and of purpose.
I will be forever grateful for what the Temple has done for me and would recommend it without any reserve to anyone in need of healing who is ready to take this step and wants to do this in the most supportive environment and set-up.
Papa Noel
March 2, 2015 at 12:00 amI attended the Temple’s ’12 Day Retreat’ in February of 2015. I have been involved previously with another Ayahuasca retreat center in the past and had been part of almost twenty ceremonies prior to coming to the Temple. My experience at the Temple was simply amazing!
From the moment I arrived and through the 7 ceremonies of the program, I felt that all had been organized and orchestrated to facilitate an optimal environment for healing and introspection. A group dynamic is emphasized and the process of healing seemed to vibrate through the collective experiences of all of the participants. The maestros and maestras were powerful and loving in their attention and their wonderful icaros. The divine feminine emphasis of the Temple was very appealing to me and created a very nurturing atmosphere. Consultations with the shamans, translated by the facilitators, were very thorough and additional plant medicines were prescribed that were dispensed twice daily.
I went to the Temple to deal with issues surrounding alcoholism and drug abuse and left empowered to deal with these issues. The medicine and lessons learned continue to resonate as I have re-entered my life back home. I am very pleased with my progress and feel greatly indebted to the Temple, the shamans, the facilitators and Mother Ayahuasca.
The environment is very safe and relaxing. The tambos are nice little dwellings in the jungle. Excellent food is served in accordance with the principles of the Ayahuasca diet. The facilitators were very professional and extremely friendly and accessible. The complaints in a couple of reviews about music from the nearby village are exaggerated. I did not find the one night of underlying rhythms that I experienced, to be distracting at all from my process.
I would highly recommend the Temple to anyone looking for a safe and professional environment to experience the wonders of Ayahuasca. I will certainly be back.