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  • November 3, 2021

    Rebirthing the Temple of the Way of Light

    It is with much joy that I share this update. After one and a half years of having to suspect all retreats - the COVID cocoon - the Temple of the Way of Light reopened at the end of August 2021. As we had sensed from the beginning of the…
  • October 25, 2021

    Medical Research Results: The Ceremonial Use of Ayahuasca

    Between 2015 and 2019, a prospective, observational, non-controlled study took place at the Temple, conducted by ICEERS and the Beckley Foundation. They examined the long-term effects of ayahuasca healing on quality of life, well-being, and health, with sub-sections in anxiety, depression, grief, and PTSD. Over the last two years, they…
  • October 21, 2021

    Help the Shipibo Regenerate from the Pandemic

    We have just completed our first reopening retreats at the Temple and everyone is absolutely thrilled to be back and to be doing what we love! As we finally bring our Emergency Fund for Shipibo Healers & Local Workers campaign to a close, we extend our deepest heartfelt thanks to all of…
  • May 20, 2021

    Psychedelics at a Crossroads: We Need Constructive Not Extractive Capital

    Source: drbronner.com Is it possible to create an ethical psychedelics "industry"… We are honored to have been mentioned in this poignant and important article from David Bronner, CEO, and Les Szabo, Director of Constructive Capital at Dr. Bronner's who share their concerns about extractive capitalism and psychedelics. As plant and fungal…
  • May 20, 2021

    Reopening Update, 2022 Retreats, & What We’ve Been Up To!

    Since we set the intention back in December 2020 to reopen the Temple in June 2021, we have been closely monitoring the global pandemic and national and international travel possibilities. There are currently flights available from most countries to Peru but many countries are still experiencing significant restrictions either flying…
  • December 18, 2020

    Reopening of the Temple Postponed to June, 2021

    I hope this finds you and your family well, safe, and healthy. I am writing to share an update on an important decision we have made this week. We have been closely and continuously monitoring the COVID-19 situation globally and in Peru, staying informed of the latest news related to…
  • September 3, 2020

    Reopening Update: Reimagining The Temple & 2021 Retreat Schedule

    We know many of you have been waiting for an update from us and we're grateful for your patience. All of you with whom we are connected in some way or who have been anticipating coming to experience a retreat with us have been very present in our hearts and…
  • April 14, 2020

    COVID-19 and a Call For Awakening

    I am writing to share important news from the Temple on the coronavirus situation, the actions that we are taking, the impact that it is having on our work in the Amazon, and our view of what this represents as an opportunity to individually and collectively build resilience and raise…
  • February 26, 2020

    Therapeutic Potential of Ayahuasca in Bereavement

    As you may know, over the past 4 years, The International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service (ICEERS), in collaboration with the Beckley Foundation, conducted a large research initiative at the Temple of the Way of Light. Through this study, they have generated exciting new evidence on the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca…
  • August 5, 2019

    Uniting around a Common Vision – a Sustainable Future for Plants, People, and the Planet

    Dear Temple community, From May 31st to June 1st, we had the great honor and pleasure of attending the third World Ayahuasca Conference, in beautiful Girona, Catalonia. The conference was organized by our friends from ICEERS and we were proud sponsors alongside many friends and allies. The conference comes at…
  • August 20, 2018

    The Peruvian Rainforest through the lens of Amazonian photographer Jorge Salvador Pizarro García

    Through the lens of young Amazonian biologist and photographer Jorge Salvador Pizarro García, Amazonian flora and fauna are not only magnified but celebrated. From brightly colored frogs and snakes to the blooming flowers of medicinal plants and trees, Jorge documents the astonishing diversity of natural life in Peru’s Amazon. The Chaikuni…
  • April 23, 2018

    Tragedy in Pucallpa: the Death of Maestra Olivia Arévalo

    It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Maestra Olivia Arévalo. She was killed on Thursday 19th April, shot multiple times allegedly by a Canadian man near her home in Victoria Gracia, a community close to Pucallpa in Peru’s central Amazon region of Ucayali. We hope that the authorities…
  • June 21, 2017

    Congress of the Latin American Association of Anthropology, June 2017, Bogota, Colombia

    Earlier this month, the Temple of the Way of Light was represented in an historical event: an academic symposium focused on the social uses and the political economy of ayahuasca. This gathering took place during the V Congress of the Latin American Association of Anthropology, from June 6-9 2017 in…
  • March 21, 2017

    Collective Vision of the Temple of the Way of Light

    We would like to invite you to share in our collective vision. The Temple of the Way of Light was born 10 years ago, out of an individual vision. Disenchanted with the western healthcare system’s inability to address the deep roots of chronic disease, trauma, and psycho-spiritual disconnection, the Temple’s…
  • March 13, 2017

    Psychedelic Science Conference – April 19 to 24, 2017

    The Psychedelic Science 2017 conference will be a historic six-day global gathering, featuring three days of conference presentations and three days of workshops, a Sunset Cruise on the San Francisco Bay, the world's first Psychedelic Comedy Banquet, and much more. Hundreds of tie-and-blouse-wearing psychedelic professionals will descend upon the city of Oakland to share…
  • October 15, 2016

    Introducing Miles Sherts – Conscious Communication and Insight Meditation Teacher

    We are excited to present Miles Sherts and to announce that he will be joining us at the Temple in January and February 2017. He is the author of Conscious Communication – a Language of Connection, and Beyond Perception – a Guide to Meditation, and is a teacher / trainer with over…
  • October 2, 2016

    Ancient Medicine in a Modern World: How Ayahuasca Can Heal the Plague of Depression and Anxiety

    One can’t help but wonder—could the rise in people suffering from anxiety-related mental disorders be helped by the increased popularity of ayahuasca? While the industrialized world has delivered ever-increasing comfort, safety, and useful technology, it has also left a shadowy legacy of stress, isolation, and disconnection from nature and community.…
  • October 1, 2016

    The Tradition of Ayahuasca in the Amazon: Creating the Temple of the Way of Light

    Source: Psychedelic Times Sometimes when you enter the heart of darkness, it turns out to be a heart of light and a whole new world opens up to you. And then, in the heart of light, darkness reappears and the cycle continues ever onward. Matthew Watherston is the founder of the Temple…
  • September 19, 2016

    Ethical Ayahuasca Tourism: A Guide for First Time Ayahuasca Seekers Coming to the Amazon

    Approaching ayahuasca for the first time can be a daunting task. While anecdotal accounts and emerging scientific studies abound about its incredible healing properties, there are also many cautionary tales out there when it comes to disingenuous shamans and questionable healing centers. Beyond that, a truly conscientious seeker will be…
  • January 16, 2016

    How A Spiritual Practice Supports Ayahuasca In Personal Healing

    Ayahuasca is a sacred visionary brew that has been used for centuries in healing ceremonies by various indigenous cultures in the Amazon basin. The beverage is a decoction of two key plants, the ayahuasca vine itself, scientifically known asBanisteriopsis caapi, and the vision-inducing, DMT-containing leaves of the chacruna plant, also known…
  • December 5, 2015

    Study: Ayahuasca Intake Increases Mindfulness-Related Capacities

    Presence. Detached and non-judgmental observation of thoughts and emotions. Living in the moment in full awareness. These are some of the fundamental qualities underlying the practice of mindfulness. Mindfulness practice has its historical origins in the Buddhist tradition, particularly Vipassana or insight meditation, which was taught by Buddha himself 2500…
  • November 15, 2015

    “We Are Not Alone” The Shamans Of The World Tell Us

    To disregard the problems facing the Earth and to proceed with business as usual in education would be a betrayal of trust. Our students want to know how to make a difference. They need hope. And it won’t come if all we can offer is another scientific theory or technological…
  • January 9, 2015

    Is Ayahuasca Right for You?

    Reviewing The Ayahuasca Test Pilots Handbook, Chris Kilham’s backpack guide to the healing powers of the sacred Amazonian plant brew. My first encounter with ayahuasca was through William S. Burroughs. That is to say, several years ago I read The Yage Letters, which was Burroughs’ collected correspondence with poet Allen Ginsberg as…
  • January 1, 2015

    Ayahuasca Can Help You Communicate with Plant Spirits, and Heal Your Body and Mind

    Drink ayahuasca and you may see yourself being eaten by a crocodile. You may find a miraculous resolution to a crippling sadness. Or, more likely, you’ll land somewhere in between. Regardless, you will definitely throw up. Author and ethnobotanist Chris Kilham says all of these things have happened to him after drinking…
  • November 3, 2014

    Horizons 2014: Graham Hancock “Psychedelics and Civilisation, Light and Darkness”

    Fantastic recent (October 2014) presentation by Graham Hancock on the history of psychedelics, their demonization in modern society and his perspectives on ayahuasca. Horizons 2014: GRAHAM HANCOCK “Psychedelics and Civilisation, Light and Darkness” from Horizons on Vimeo. “Psychedelics and Civilisation, Light and Darkness” Graham Hancock investigates the possibility that by demonising and criminalising…

Getting Here

The Temple of the Way of Light is located in the Amazon basin, in the Loreto region of Peru, a few hours journey by bus, boat, and hike from the city of Iquitos.
In order to come to the Temple you would need to fly into Iquitos International Airport in Iquitos, Peru. All flights to Iquitos are via Lima, Peru. We recommend booking your flights for one day before and after the start and end date of your retreat to first allow yourself time to acclimatize to the environment and then allow yourself ample travel time and time to reintegrate into the “mainstream” world once the retreat has ended.

**Please do not book flights or make any travel arrangements until your registration and medical information has been reviewed and you have been approved to attend a retreat.**

Each retreat group will be picked up on the first morning of the retreat at a designated pickup location in central Iquitos by one of our staff members and then travel to the Temple together from there. The group will be brought back into Iquitos after breakfast on the last morning of the retreat and will arrive in town by early afternoon (usually 2pm at the latest).

The price of a Temple retreat includes transportation from the group pickup place in Iquitos to the Temple on the first morning of the retreat and transportation back to Iquitos on the last morning of the retreat. The price does not include any flights, hotel costs, or transportation to the group pickup on the first morning
By Dates
By Program
  • 12 Days
    6 Ceremonies
    |
    $ 3,900

    Living in Alignment: Ayahuasca Healing Retreat

    The backbone of our work and regular retreat offering, providing an immersion in traditional Shipibo plant-spirit healing complemented with yoga classes, individual and group support, and powerful methods of self-inquiry.
  • 12 Days + 5 Days
    6 Ceremonies
    |
    $ 5,100

    Ayahuasca Healing Retreat + 5-Day Integration Retreat

    NEW OFFERING – a 12-Day ‘Living in Alignment’ Ayahuasca Healing Retreat with the opportunity to stay on at the Temple for a 5-day Integration Extension Retreat. Available in April, July, and October 2024.
  • 12 Days
    6 Ceremonies
    |
    $ 3,900

    Women’s Ayahuasca Healing Retreat

    For this retreat we will be working exclusively with female facilitators and female support staff. There is something very special that happens when a group of women come together to heal! To be held from April 16th to 27th, 2024 and November 26th to December 7th, 2024.
  • 12 Days
    6 Ceremonies
    |
    $ 3,900

    Queer Ayahuasca Retreat

    This special queer retreat will provide a safe, welcoming, and caring environment where participants can feel comfortable being who they are. Shipibo healing will be complemented with Compassionate Inquiry sessions. To be held from October 25th to November 5th, 2024.
  • 14 Days
    5 Ceremonies
    |
    $ 2,000

    Traditional Plant Dietas at Shipibo Rao

    We are honored to support Maestro Jose Lopez Sanchez and his healing center, Shipibo Rao. Maestro Jose runs 14-day dietas working in the Shipibo tradition.
    Visit Shipiborao's website to book
    Go to website