Olivia is the oldest Maestra that we work with at 80 years young. She comes from a community called Santa Isabel de Bahuanisho. She has worked with us from the beginning of our work with the Maestras in February 2009 and is the chief elder amongst the Maestras. It has been said that Olivia has the laughter of a child and the wisdom of the ancients! Her character is an inspiration to us all and she exudes love and compassion. She is an integral part of community.

She comes from a long lineage of healers and began dieting master plants at 15 years old. She was self-taught for 2 years after which her uncle taught her for a further 4 years, although she began treating people at the age of 17.  Many members of her family continue to work with the plant medicines.

Rosa is 58 years old. She began dieting when she was 25 after her husband passed away unexpectedly as she wanted to learn how to heal others. Rosa has worked with us at the Temple since February 2009 when we began working with the Maestras. Rosa is endearingly called Rosita chiquitita – tiny Rosa - by many of the staff as is only about 4 foot tall. She is a walking heart with arms and legs!

Rosa has an encyclopedic knowledge of medicinal plants and is wonderful to follow on our jungle walks. She loves working with us at the Temple and is very much one of the family; in fact her grand-daughter Luz is married to Brian, our permaculture and community projects manager and they are expecting a baby together in October 2010 - Rosa's great grandchild. When Rosa is with us, she assumes a lead role in managing the Maestras and serves the medicine during ceremonies.

Manuela is 68 years old and has been working with us at the Temple since February 2009. She is the older sister of Jorge Mahua and comes from a long lineage of healers. At the age of 30 she almost died of an inflammatory disease and was cured using plants her grandfather prescribed. Subsequently she carried out her first plant dieta over 9 months of solitude and has dieted now on and off for the last 38 years. Manuela is one of the strongest Maestras we work with and has an unusual sweet and high pitched voice during ceremonies. She is a quieter member of the team although a powerhouse during ceremonies. She has 2 sons and 6 grandchildren.

Manuela is happy and proud to know that many people from many different countries come to see the Maestras for healing and to work with the medicinal plants and she is keen to share her knowledge.

Celestina is 51 years old and was born in a town called Roya on the upper Ucayali river. She is Sulmira’s older sister. She began studying to become a Maestra at the age of 15. She has one of the strongest voices of the Maestras and guests soon learn to recognize her singing in ceremony! She speaks Spanish well and enjoys interacting with the guests.

She is has a lively character her laughter is often heard from a distance around the Temple grounds. Celestina worked with us from the beginning at the Temple. As her sister, she enjoys having the opportunity of healing more people as her village is so small.

Ynes is 63 years old and comes from the community of Roaboya. She carried out her first dieta at the age of 15. She wanted to help other people in her community and it was her grandfather who began teaching her about plant medicines. After his death she studied for many years with her uncle, Benjamín. She has 5 daughters and 2 sons and many grandchildren and as the rest of the Maestras, is happy that her work at the Temple provides financial support to her large family.  One of her sons in Roaboya is also currently carrying out plant dietas.

Similar to Rosa, Ynes takes a lead role in organizing the Maestras when she is working at the Temple. When Rosa is not working at the Temple and away in her community, Ynes serves the medicine during ceremony.

Luzmilla is 52 years old and is from the village of Callería. She is the partner of Jorge and they often work together during ceremonies. She has been working at the temple for 1 year. Her grandmother and aunt were Maestras and she carried out her first dieta at the age of 35 because she was inspired by her grandmother's healing work and, after a few years, began her own work as a Maestra.

However, it was her late husband, Francisco, brother of Jorge and Manuela, who taught her extensively about the plants and she worked with him for many years, helping and treating people. She has 4 sons, one of whom is carrying out plant dietas. Luzmila very much enjoys working with at the Temple with the other Maestras.

Maria is 50 years old and comes from Yarina Cocha near Pulcallpa. Maria began dieting plants at 20 years old. She is has a quiet and unassuming character yet her ikaros are the most unusual and “otherworldly” sounding during ceremony.

She very much enjoys her work at the Temple which has provided her with an income to support her family after struggling financially for many years around Yarina Cocha

Anita is 54 years old and comes from the native community of Santa Rosa de Dinamarca. She started working with us at the Temple with her husband Diogenes. She carried out her first dieta at the age of 13 with the help of her father who was a Maestro. She initially began working with the medicinal plants in order to help her community and comes from a shamanic lineage. Her brother is also a Maestro.

She works closely during ceremony with her husband as well as with Sulmira who she met when she first came to the Temple and now has a close friendship with. They often sing together to guests. She is very much enjoying her work with us and has commented on how clearly she feels the positive energy that is found at the Temple.

Diogenes is 50 years old and comes from the village of Santa Rosa de Dinamarca. He joined us at the Temple in July 2010 after being shown in his visions in June that he needed to take his medicine to work with foreigners. He had only previously worked in his community although a few weeks after these visions, we were introduced to him and asked him if he would like to come and work at the Temple. He immediately agreed explaining that the plants had orchestrated our connection. He now works with us with wife Anita who is a Maestra.

Diogenes has been working as a Maestro for over 20 years and carried out his first dieta at the age of 25. He has dieted a plethora of master plants and brings a great deal of experience and knowledge with him to the Temple. He is fluent in Spanish and is very keen to explain his work and teach guests who are interested in understanding more about plant spirit healing. He is a very welcome addition to the team of healers and we have all been extremely impressed with his dedication to his work and the gentle approach he has to the guests. He is a humble and gentle man although in ceremony takes a lead role with an impressive variety of many different ikaros.

It was his father-in-law, Lisardo Hernandez, who began teaching him about plants after one of Diogenes' children became seriously ill.  From that moment that he decided to dedicate his life studying and working with plant medicines. Together with Anita, he has 4 children and 9 grandchildren. One of his sons, Tomás, who is now 24 is currently undertaking dietas and will eventually come to the Temple to work alongside his mother and father.

Elias is 50 years old and comes from the village of Santa Rosa de Dinamarca. He joined the Temple in January 2011 invited by his close friend Diogenes who also works with us. Elias begn his apprenitceship with Diogenes 20 years ago where a group of 5 pupils all began dieting with a Maestro in Dinamarca - Elias and Diogenes where the only two who completed the apprenticeship.

Elias has been working as a healer in his village for 20 years and is now very happy to be offering his strong healing abilities at the Temple. Elias is a very kind and loving character whose approach is one of a brother to all. He is humble, gentle yet extremely powerful in ceremony.  Elias carries a great deal of medicine and has continously dieted over the last 20 years.

Like the rest of the healers who work at the Temple, each trimester he spends one month in his village with his family and healing his community and two months working at the Temple. Although the newest addition to the team, Elias feels like he has been with us for years and is very much an integral part of the community.

Maestro Jorge is the latest healer to work with us at the Temple after joining us in September 2011. He is the nephew of Maestra Rosa and has been working full time as an Onanya for 15 years. Affectionately know as the "big bear", Jorge is an extremely talented and strong healer who was orginally a "tabaquero" (healer working with primarily tobacco) for many years before dieting plants and working with ayahuasca. He is a powerhouse in ceremony, very knowledgable of medicinal plant remedies and a valuable addition to our team.