Emile Maccarrone – Sicily

I wanted to thank you with all my heart for the amazing gift you have all bestowed on me.

That was truly the most amazing time of my life.

I have been liberated from ties of my past relationships, my ancestor line purified, a full download of my purpose of life (permaculture in Sicily!), my heart chakra healed, powers were given for work to come, the origin of my poverty and its resolution, the taking responsability of my own food (I asked to be taught how to kill and prepare a chicken and they let me do that), I saw my own DNA like in a microscope where there was a light within!

I received flower baths, mucura baths for wealth and love, massages, most delicious food and the most powerful aya ever. I even worked on a permaculture project and I am totally clear on my mission now. It was like a child on Christmass time with a loooong list of requests, and they all were fulfilled!

The Maestro and the Maestra were so powerful, so much in their heart, I found my Temple. The temple of the way of Light!

Electra Jung

A wonderful, difficult and transformative journey, there were many reasons I decided to embark on this experience but the most important was that I was heeding the call from the Divine Mother from years before. It was now time to answer the call and to purify myself…to become whole through the knowledge and wisdom of the plant teachers.

Although I came prepared to do the intense spiritual and psychological work I discovered a long standing physical problem which was solved. I am unable to digest starches and especially potatoes, white rice and pasta. After several ceremonies and purging of dark energies and attachements I became drained...very weak. Lunch arrived and I was ravenous! I ate everything available (inc pasta and potatoes)even knowing I would suffer great stomach pain soon after. To my surprise my digestion was good afterward, the food processed normally and I am now happy to add these once forbidden foods to my diet! A small success compared to more incredible yet dark experiences which have removed countless blocks and attachments I have carried for lifetimes!

All I can say is that I have received far more than I expected. Many personal questions and spiritual desires were realized in ways I could never have imagined and which would be difficult to express at this time. The deep healing process was extreme and very taxing on the body…yet always the work brought a profound sense of peace and bliss.

It has been a Great Work and I am very grateful to have this experience in my life.

Kristen De Lacy

I attended the November '09 ayahuasca workshop at the Temple of the Way of Light in Peru.
It was a 12 day retreat and in that time we were extremely well taken care of.

On the first day, after the long walk through the jungle, we were greeted very warmly by the maestras and the staff, and much needed drinks and food were provided.

The meals at the temple were great. The chicken and fish were the best I've tasted.

We were given floral baths by the maestras every day, to wash off any stuck energies from the night before. They gave us massage every second day and they treated us with plant medicines for our various ailments such as coughs, sinus problems, insect bites and so on. They were very approachable and willing to help. They could regularly be heard to be giggling and laughing which kept the atmosphere at the temple light and friendly. It was lovely.

The beginnings of the ayahuasca ceremonies were conducted in a calm and relaxed manner and the sense I got was one of respect for the proceedings, which felt right.

Ceremonies could be exhausting work and I really appreciated the fact that I could lie in my hut during the day and rest for as long as I needed. I never tired of doing this and in fact did it a lot, which was so rejuvenating for me.

So, my experience was very positive and healing, and I recommend the temple as a safe, caring and responsible place to go for people who want to experience ayahuasca close to it's traditional context. For me this was really important and I think it shows one's gratitude and respect for both the indigenous peoples and the gifts of the Peruvian jungle that are being shared with us.

Noga Weir

Matthew, Brian and all the Maestras, thank you from the bottom of my heart for a most holistic experience, for takng such good care of all of the aspects. I received so much love and being taken care off. Had 6 very distinct experiences with Ayahausca and received a new brain and new dna during the ceremonies personally and feel very peaceful and deeply grateful.

I shall come back in January for two more months to be on dieta. I feel this is the best place to take Ayahuasca and to preserve this sacred and ancient knowledge. I thank the Divine for bringing me here and cannot wait to come back!
Thank you all for your welcome.

Allan Fadalla - USA

It has been one of my most interesting life experiences. A healing and transformative journey. The medicine was a great teacher. The healer’s work helped me tremendously and the great people who ran the workshops were supportive and made everyone feel at home.

Bodil Christenson – Denmark

I have a very good but intense time here. It is difficult to explain the process I do not have words for this. I can just say that I feel that I am on my way now. I have never been more clear in my mind and I look for words to feel and see what the process brings.

My heart is so full of love for the Maestras, they have done such a good job and have worked so hard for all us. They always have a smile and a hug to all. Thanks to all of you Maestras.

Carol

My experience at the Temple was very healing. It was wonderful to experience the peaceful and nurturing way of the staff and the Maestras. During the ceremonies I could feel the sound energy of the ikaros flowing through me on a physical level. My jaw and torn hamstring muscle have already shown significant improvement. On an emotional level I released several demons. I am still processing this transformative experience and look forward to seeing the effects it has on my life when I get back home. Thank you!

Niema Wilson

My experience at the Temple was quite beautiful. The staff is very supportive and the grounds are gorgeous. The opportunity to receive healing from these incredible Maestras will stay with me forever. I found myself happy to just be in their presence let alone the powerful ceremonies and complimentary therapies.

There were a few small inconsistences although overall a high integrity business that created an experience I will be integrating and celebrating for a long time.

Peter Chow

This was my very first workshop for anything! I came in not knowing what to expect. Everybody was so helpful in answering all of my questions. The Temple and the people helped open my eyes to new experiences. Brian, Aprile and Shane were all were all extremely helpful to me .

Shane Beresford. 32 years old. Australia.

My experience at the Temple of the way of light was nothing short of life changing. I was lead into a new world where darkness and fear is transformed into love and light.

I was drawn to Ayahuasca through spiritual curiosity and the notion it may be able to help release tension and pain from a history of sports injuries. I was also fascinated by the accounts of the Shipibo shamans and their incredible healing abilities through icaros (songs/chants) and energy work.

My 7 ceremonies at the Temple during this workshop showed me far more than I thought possible and have given me a true understanding of what is necessary to return to my natural state. At times the experience was terrifying as I purged years of physical pains, fears and cultural programming from my mind, body and spirit. I also recieved downloads of spiritual knowledge and instructions on how to remain connected to god/nature without Ayahuasca.

I was in absolute awe of the abilities of the Maestro and Maestras, they seemed to look into my soul like like an X ray and use their icaros to knit back together the frayed edges. I found them supernatural, and seemed as though they were using an incredibly advanced technology not of this planet. In the light of day the Maestras were like a group of 60 - 70 year old school girls, joking with each other and the guests. Their sense of humor and humility was obvious.

The support staff also did a great job making sure our every need was taken care of, I felt nurtured and cared for during my stay.

The strongest impression the experience had on me was the need to act now, both on myself and for the planet. I decided to stay on at the Temple as a volunteer to do my part to help them realise their vision of creating a positive, self sustaining community. I look forward to more magical experiences at the Temple in the future.

AJ Dahoo, UK

I wanted to send my love and appreciation to all the maestra's who worked with me during my time at the Temple in November. Although the work with ayahuasca was very challenging at times, I felt so much love and care from the ladies who worked with me in my healing, and all those who worked around the temple.  They were such fabulous people and I am so grateful that they were there to support me and I feel humbled to have spent time with such kind, caring people who have helped me so much and who worked so hard and intensely for the benefit of all the guests.  

I have absolutely no doubt or hesitation in recommending them to anyone called to work with ayahuasca.  They were so kind, so knowledgeable, and always knew the right thing to do to help people.  I can't speak highly enough of them.   

I will be returning to the Temple in 2010 to continue the work with ayahuasca as I know I still have more to do.

Geeke Mattijsen, 68 years old, The Netherlands

I came to the jungle on the advice of my friend Dhanja, because I was physical a wreck.

Pain all over.  In all my joints, head, loss of hair, cystitis few times a year , difficulties with walking because of my knees.In short, I felt like a very old lady!

But, by the loving care of the 5 little, friendly, cheerful Maestras I feel now like a young girl again.
( I have even climbed Machu Pichu and I am proud of myself. Thought that these events were over for me) The steam baths every morning, the rubbing with kion, the flower baths and the massages, all great!

Also the advice, given by Jorge and Aroldo were meaningful and has helped me a lot. I am very grateful to all of them. Besides that, I know a few great people now I will never forget.

Love for all, from a nasty cold and wet Holland

Geeke

Mali Jarvis

The Temple of the Way of Light provides the kind of healing I always hoped existed on this planet. The opportunity to be served and healed by these Shipibo healers leaves me in a constant state of immense gratitude.

Rhonda Sprenger

I came to the Temple a mess of confusion, anxiety and directionless hoping desperately that ayahuasca would be able to restore me to a healthy state of being in the world; a more normal state. I felt I had wandered off deep into the forest and was lost. Now after my experience here I feel whole, peaceful, clear and complete. I received very important direction regarding my work, how I invest myself in the world, a very clear message that I need to change my career and in exactly which direction I need to go. I return home with a great excitement to pursue my newfound path. A sense that I now resonate with a deep truth pervades me. There are simply no words to express the immense amount of gratitude I feel for my experience here. It changed my life. Thank you deeply, thank you...

Damien Saul

This has been by far the greatest experience of my life to date. Both challenging and rewarding. Here I have learnt the true meaning of life on this planet, the important things! The true unconditional love I’ve experienced here is immense. The lack of pre-judgement, the total love and support of the group, the staff, the shamans and the Maestras and the commitment to improving the lives of all concerned.

This love and support has rubbed off onto me and given me a greater purpose in life and given me a profound insight into how I need to portray myself in the future toward others with greater patience and understanding.

I thank all at the Temple for their undying love and support and also I thank Mother Ayahuasca for her insights. This journey came to me at exactly the right time and I’m sure I will return equally at the perfect time.

With great love and commitment to the cause. Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuu x

www.damomeetstheayahuasceros.blogspot.com

Rhonda Sprenger

I came to the Temple a mess of confusion, anxiety and directionless hoping desperately that ayahuasca would be able to restore me to a healthy state of being in the world; a more normal state. I felt I had wandered off deep into the forest and was lost. Now after my experience here I feel whole, peaceful, clear and complete. I received very important direction regarding my work, how I invest myself in the world, a very clear message that I need to change my career and in exactly which direction I need to go.

I return home with a great excitement to pursue my newfound path. A sense that I now resonate with a deep truth pervades me. There are simply no words to express the immense amount of gratitude I feel for my experience here. It changed my life.

Thank you deeply, thank you..

Gary Beaver

My workshop at the Temple of the Way of Light was at times a very difficult and challenging experience because my fear prevented me from surrendering to the process. But despite this, or maybe because of it I believe that I experienced some profound personal growth which I am only beginning to understand.

The Maestras and Maestro at the Temple are the most open, loving and giving people I have ever met. They have an incredible amount of wisdom and experience and I always felt that I was in the most capable hands on the planet. They skilfully helped me to navigate through some intensely frightening experiences. The Temple manager Cileo was always there for me and drew upon considerable knowledge and experience to support me and to help me make sense of and see the value in my difficult experiences. I can recommend the Temple without reservation.

Jewelli Dallman

My stay at the Temple of the Way of Light has been one of the most profound and precious experiences of my life. The heart and love I’ve felt here has been immensely healing. I feel such gratitude to Cielo and the Maestras for their purity of devotion to the spirit of Ayahuasca. I will return to go deeper into this journey and will definitely spread the word of the good work being done here.

Muchas muchas muchas gracias!!!!

Karen McKee

My life has been changed forever. I have been trying to heal most of my life nothing has healed me like this trip has. What you guys are creating is amazing. We (the World) need places like this to come to.

THANK YOU SO MUCH I LOVE YOU ALL! Hope to return soon!

Libby Perkins

I loved the female energy of the Maestras at the Temple. I felt safe and cared for and really loved during my stay. The food and service was also all round very impressive. I feel grateful I have healed and released old issues that have been affecting my entire life and will recommend this retreat space to friends at home. Many thanks to Cielo (the facilitator) for really holding the space for incredible transformation to happen.

Muchas gracias

Ansel Cummings

I didn’t know what to expect before I came here. I certainly have gotten more than I could hope for! My primary intention for coming to receive this healing was to release pain I’ve held since my brother’s death three years ago. My second ceremony with ayahuasca provided a space in which I felt safe and supported. I was able to sink deeply into the feelings of grief and loneliness that I had not previously allowed myself to do. After experiencing this, I let go of it, and have been able to enjoy and appreciate the memories of my brother’s presence greatly.

I also came here for guidance to bring more clarity to my life and my purpose in this existence. These ceremonies have given me more strength and confidence in what I am called to do. I’ve let go of attachments that held me back and my centre of focus is within myself again.

I met many wonderful people attending this course who have been very open with their experiences here and through these interactions have given me more information

All the shaman here are wonderful examples of unconditional love. They have been so tender and gentle with treating us/ Their songs were such great support through the ceremonies. I am deeply grateful for their blessings and protection.

So many amazing and life changing experiences occurred here. This is great work happening here. It can be very difficult, challenging and sometimes unpleasant though the rewards are more than worth the effort.

I will recommend the Temple of the Way of Light to the World for its healing. These have been my first few experiences with ayahausca and this has set the bar of standards very high for me. My thanks go out to everyone who works so hard to keep the facility running. I look forward to the day I return to this terrestrial eden of paradise. Until then, I look forward to living every day of my life the best that I can.

Con amor y Luz :-)

Sherill Cyr - Missoula, MT USA

Words cannot express the gratitude that is in my heart for the blessings that I received while spending 12 days with the Shapibo at the Temple of the Way of Light. I encourage anybody who has been invited to work with this most sacred "power plant", Ayahuasca, to answer the call regardless of AGE, race, religion or culture.

The transformation and the healing occur at the cellular level - in the DNA, and I believe it is one of the greatest gifts we can give not only to our families but also to our communities and the Planet. As we go through this time of great transition it is necessary to heal ourselves before we can help others.

The Temple grounds provide a safe and beautiful environment complete with great food, hammocks and a kind, helpful staff. These amazing shamans give "floral baths" each morning and masages every afternoon in preparation for the evening's ceremony. Their sacred songs, the Icaros, defy description and will always remain in my heart - along with the 23 "total strangers" with whom I shared this awsome experience.

THANK YOU to Matthew and all who are affiliated with the Temple of the Way of Light!

Sherrill

Jacques Floweday

The Temple is a very special place; paradise on Earth! The food is first class and extremely healthy. The environment is breathtaking and the staff is lovely. The Maestras are such loving caring people with true healing abilities and a vast amount of knowledge. The ceremonies are very well organised; a safe and caring environment is provided which is extremely important when taking ayahuasca.

My ayahuasca experience itself was amazing; it’s actually difficult to put into words. I will say it’s a very intense experience and demanding sometimes both physically and emotionally. However the rewards make it all worthwhile. I experienced stunning visions and many profound insights into my life – some breakthroughs that I had been trying years to attain. I also experienced a dissolving of boundaries, feeling more connected to nature and with the people around me.

Lastly, although the purging is very intense, it is very cleansing – I felt deep toxins – which felt psychosomatic – release of old traumas and memories where being released from storage deep in my muscles. Coming here has truly been a profound life changing experience – it’s a real one off.

Danielle Weiss

My experience at the Temple was life changing and am looking forward to this new beginning. Cielo was like a gift from heaven and we were very lucky to have her. The Maestras and Horacio sing like angels and their love and laughter filled my heart with happiness. The food was great and after 12 days at the Temple, I feel healthier than ever!

Roder Alexandra

I had a great time; a life changing experience and more than I expected. Cielo created a very safe, calm and peaceful space, the Maestras, Aroldo and Horacio are so loving, wonderful healers and treat all persons with passion and respect. I would recommend this place to all of my friends and I cannot express in words how much this workshop changed me inside and my problems, I didn’t even know that I had. Also, the local staff are wonderful, very loving people and the food is just great!!

Thank you all! I’m sure I’ll come back to this paradise on earth.

Nada Andre

I am so deeply grateful and happy. I enjoyed every bit of this workshop. It has been an amazing process to go through, a life time experience. The place is great, the accommodations as well, the food is really amazing, the staff are doing a hard job to make this happen perfectly, the group is such a blessing to share this experience with and the maestros / maestro are just unbelievably beautiful and powerful. And last but not least, MOTHER AYAHUASCA is this truly amazing Goddess of all healing. I bow down to her!

Diane Lavin

I was very excited about coming to the Temple and Peru and prepared much to be safe and to have an expansive journey. I have done much work on myself for spiritual growth and to heal myself.

This journey with Ayahuasca was much more than I anticipated. It was intensive deep inner personal work with strong purging with much more benefits. Since 1997 I have seen a deep core wound in my heart and on the 5th Ayahuasca journey my heart was taken, smoothed over and the wound totally healed. I feel lighter, cleaner, more peaceful than I ever felt. This experience has been totally transformative. The ratio of Maestras, Aroldo and Horacio was beautiful and excellent.

William Du Vall

I now feel a peace within myself that I have never felt before. My body is now feeling very healthy. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The shamans were very good at giving and receiving unconditional love. They have an outstanding knowledge of how to heal the planet.

Jaana Wuethrich

It was a really special and overwhelming experience. The idea with the community that you want to build is super. I wish you all the best and I really hope Ayahuasca will call me again to join. Thank you so much, I am a different human now!

Virginie

What I found in the Temple (and which is not that easy to find) is TRUE GENUNINE healing. Transparency and honesty really made me comfortable enough to let go and completely open, knowing there was no danger there and the safe atmosphere allowed us to go deeper as were in good hands. The brotherhood developed within the group helped a lot too; sharing our experiences and visions while being accepted and loved.

THANK YOU. You are all doing a wonderful job, may it continue to climb towards love and light...

Torben Kaare Nielsen – Denmark – 62

"My name is Tobi, I am 62 years old and I come from Denmark. In 2008/2009 my life came to a complete stand still after a broken relationship and a deep depression. I became self destructive, my mind turned black! By a sheer coinsidence I met a young woman in Italy who told me about Peru and the Temple of the Way of Light. At that moment I intuitively knew I had to travel to the announced 12 days retreat in febuary 2009 to regain my life physically as well as mentally.

So in the end of febuary I arrived to the Temple with 22 fellow travellers. It became 12 days in this tranquil Paradise, a personal journey into the body and mind that I will never forget and allways keep in my heart. To receive us at the Temple area were 5 female and 1 male shaman from the local Shipibo tribe. In the days to follow they took us by the hand and lead us through seven nightly ceremonies drinking Ayahuasca, singing to us all with love and compassion. In the daytime we received Floral baths and Massage.

The general impression at the Temple was that of high spirits, laughter and devotion. We all had our own personal journey to go, our own personal experiences to harvest from. Personally I had the most dramatic and profound experiences (visions) as the Ayahuasca cleaned my body and reset my mind. To explain it is impossible, it is so personal and individual, but it has changed my life. Happiness and energy is flowing freely through my veins, and I was not surprised when my closest relatives confirmed the change when they met me shortly after the trip to Peru.

Years of therapy and psychoanalysis would not have been able to do this healing. I will certainly travel to the tempel again together with other people who want to feel the healing powers of Mother Ayahuasca not only for the sake of the medicine but also because I, together with the Temple of the Way of Light which is a nonprofit organisation, participate in the development of living conditions and infrastructur for the Shipibo people through donations and sponsorship. My life is back on the track, and I am for ever grateful to the Shamans that I met in the Peruvian Amazonas in febuary 2009"

Randall Sexton - Registered Nurse - USA

I've drank ayahuasca with both male and female shamans and I can attest to the power of the feminine, which is sorely needed in today's world. Matthew has a hit at the Temple of the Way of Light!. I really recommend it!

Daniela El Kady – Holland

In November 2008 I already tried to book a workshop at the Temple of the Way of Light for my first Ayahuasca-experience and then Matt told me he was closed for the rest of 2008 and transferred me to another Ayahuasca center.Although I had a great time there and learned a lot, I still had a feeling I had to go to the Temple.

So in January 2009 I booked the 12-day workshop in February/March at Matt's Temple of the Way of Light, soon after that amazing e-mails started coming in from the Temple, about the new curanderas he found deep in the jungle around Pucallpa and that they didn't work with 'Westerners' before, all great things to look forward to. Arriving at the Temple, 5 curanderas, 1 curandero and Aroldo, a wonderful Shipibo man who is their translator, spokesman and protector of the Shipibo traditions and culture, were waiting for us to welcome the whole group with hugs and kisses for all of us, that made us feel welcome and loved right then and there.

The work they do is really amazing, they have so much love, power and compassion in their harts, it's a true blessing to be surrounded by them, during ceremonies, but also the rest of the day when they give the flower-baths and/or the massages.

During my first ceremony at the Temple, Mother Ayahuasca made it so clear to me that you can't expect her (and the curanderas) to function as a magic wand that can make all your problems go away just like that. I feel she works as a guideline to show you and teach you the things that you have to work on yourself and integrate all the lessons in your daily life after you get back home. Just as a real mother does, she can teach you and heal you, and she sure does love you as well, but in the end, you have to do the work.

The curanderas are there to work with you, sing for you, clean and purify the energy that surrounds you and help you to get rid of the negative emotions you have inside of you. The Divine Feminine power is felt throughout all the ceremonies and absolutely has had a great impact on everybody in the group.

I learned not only attending the ceremonies and drinking Ayahuasca, but also from all the people in the group. All different ages and backgrounds were put together as a group, because everybody can book individually, and we functioned so well as a group. I feel strongly that we were put together to learn from each other as much as each of us learned from Ayahuasca. It was a warm, caring and supportive group and through this testimonial I want to thank everybody for being there and teaching me, even though they might not even realize that each and every one of them taught me so many things.

The gratitude I feel for spending time with these amazing Shipibo healers can't be expressed in words, I still carry them with me in my heart. Working with them and Ayahuasca has been a blessing for me and I believe that anyone can achieve many great things by going to the Temple and come out as a better balanced, more positive and healed person with a purified mind and an enlightened spirit.

One thing is for sure, I'm going back to the Temple as soon as I can! I have a great deal of stuff that I still have to learn and there's no better place to do it and people to work with than at the Temple of the Way of Light. After doing the workshop I knew why the Temple was my first choice to begin with and why I had such a strong feeling that I had to go there.

I'm determined to help Matt in every way I can to make the Temple the big success that it deserves to be and I hope that pretty soon he will be able to be open all year so I can spend more time there than 12 days.

Iraku and I will be seeing you soon!!

Love,

Daniela

Isabel Cali – San Francisco USA

Being adopted, I have always been a seeker, trying to find my truth, my purpose and why we are all here. My life had been filled with joy, yet I couldn’t see it, I had major bouts with depression, and carried negativity, fear and doubt deep within me. I was afraid to just be myself and I was always trying to please others. I had found yoga at a young age, for which I am forever grateful, and I started my way down a spiritual path to find my truth. I can’t remember the exact moment I knew I was called to Ayahuasca. It came to me in several ways, in passing, through friends and random conversations, over the course of a year or two. I was guided by a higher force, a spirit perhaps, a little birdy on my path that told me I was ready to do this work. After this moment occurred, my instincts told me it must be done in the Amazon jungle, where the vine grows, remote and removed from my busy every day life in a major city. I needed to be cut off from technology, people I knew, things that defined me as ‘me’.

After two trips to other centers in 2007 and 2008, my third quest for the medicine guided me to The Temple of the Way of Light. Before I even arrived, I knew it felt right. I felt so cared for, so loved, so connected to the Shipibo curanderas, curanderos and to everyone in the group. The amount of love and healing that happened in those 12 days gave me the feeling that those of us who are called are capable of being the light to heal the earth and all of it’s creatures. We must start inside ourselves. In one of the ceremonies I had a vision, that our bodies were all roots, joined together by our limbs, cleansing ourselves to become the inner strength for the earth. Ayahuasca is a feminine spirit, and I felt grateful for the divine feminine energy guiding us through the ceremonies. The Icaros were sounds coming from spirit, and each one so powerful, affecting each of us exactly as we needed. I am forever grateful, forever humbled, and forever full of light.

Tracie Thornberry - AOD counsellor (Australia)

I attended the April Workshop of the Temple of the Way of Light. My journey got off to a rocky start with my plane from Lima being diverted due to bad weather. I contacted Cielo, the Temple’s manager, who was able to suggest a good place to stay overnight in Iquitos and arranged to have Diermo, her off-sider, collect me the following day. I was collected by a gentle, smiling Diermo who transported me via motocaro to a small boat and we headed off to the temple. The journey up the river takes about an hour. The water was like glass, reflecting the cloud formations and the lush green jungle. Diermo spoke a little English and pointed out birds and wildlife as we journeyed.

I arrived at the temple the day of the first ceremony. Cielo had allocated me a tambo close to the central Maloca. The tambo is a wooden structure, built high off the earth, completely covered in mosquito gauze with 2 comfortable beds, each with their own mosquito net. There’s also a hammock and an oil lamp. Lunch is served in the mess hut, with tea and hot water always available. I met my fellow participants at lunch. We had come from 8 different countries, aged from 23 to late 50’s, both male and female, couples and singles, for a variety of reasons. Some people were there to work on specific illnesses, others to find guidance for their life and some just out of curiosity about the plant medicines.

My purpose in attending the Temple was two-fold. I had worked with plant medicine previously and it had opened my heart and mind to the possibility of helping people get over their addictions, so my first purpose was to see if the work of the Curandero’s here would be suitable. My second purpose was one of personal growth.

For this workshop we were attended by 4 Shipiba, female curandera’s, and 2 male Shaman. The women travel from their homes along the river and take up residence at the Temple for the duration of the workshop. They are fantastic. They facilitate at the ceremonies, singing beautiful Icaros and giving individual healing to the participants. They also gave us flower baths everyday at 12 o’clock and Shipiba massage at 4pm. The women are a joy to hang out with; they are both childlike and very wise. When we had free time we could sit with them while they weaved their crafts and make jokes.

The workshop is structured so that we had 2 consecutive nights of ceremony then a night off. On the nights off we are served dinner and have the chance to socialise. On ceremonial nights there’s no food after lunch and we were encouraged to rest and meditate on our intentions for the evening. I personally felt that the energy and the atmosphere generated by these powerful Shipiba grandmothers was extremely healing. In every ceremony I experienced insights into my life and the path I have chosen. The Icaros of the Shaman blended beautifully with the Shipiba’s to create an intensely healing space. I was blown away by the beauty of their ceremony, not just once, but every time. During the course of the night, one or another of the Curandero’s sat directly in front of me and sang an Icaros specific to the healing I needed. They do this with each individual and it is a very powerful healing.

The ceremonies were conducted in an atmosphere of peace and love and I was privileged to witness a number of healings on different levels: from quite obvious physical healing to more subtle emotional and spiritual healing.

I would recommend the Temple to anyone and everyone, and will definitely return myself in the future.

Tracie Thornberry

AOD Counsellor

Antun - Canada

to begin, i did not go to jungle to get the healing done, because i did not know at time what the ayahuasca is, or what it does. and also i did not go to experience a new `high` from the plant. i was intrigued by it and as they say `to get my feet` went to see what this is all about. as i write this a almost a month later i feel that for some mysterious reason i was attracted to the healing and especially to the services/healing provided at the Temple of the way of the light. it is so fortunate for me to part of this retreat. reason im saying this is that what i have found out that there is a lot of commercial exploitation of what ayahuasca represents and no wonder that some people out there had very different experiences, and i do not mean in the good way, because of lack of expertise and knowledge by other so called `healers`.

The retreat in jungle outside of iquitos, peru was an amazing experience to say the least. group that i was part of was taken by boat to the Temple of the way of the light. there was about 20 of us. there we were greeted by what seem to be an interesting group of people. they were shipibo healers from the jungle villages. five curanderas and one curandero in total, accompanied by another person who helps facilitate communication between healers and us who is also an important figure in shipibo community. from the beginning i felt that, all of them radiate most gentle, soft energy if i can say it feels soothing, like mothers touch, what later i found out was Divine feminine energy. healing process almost started immediately for some participants. people that felt comfortable to share their experiences, shared them with the rest of us. i can say for me healing process started about half way trough the retreat. it was most profound experience, that i can say under no better circumstances, and under no people to be around would be possible. camp grounds were kept nice and clean. food was prepared with love and care was very good. what i think that gave it little more exotic touch was: floral baths, i don’t remember how many we had but every one was better then previous one. as it turns out baths are part of the healing process. ceremonies were conducted with outmost care, love and professionalism. you can feel that healers were totally dedicated to facilitate safe and enjoyable environment. to conclude, i enjoyed this adventure very much and would suggest this to anyone, regardless if they need any healing done or not.

Henry King – Los Angeles

The retreat I attended at Temple of the Way of Light had six female shamans and two male shamans. These eight individuals are beautiful beings that sincerely concerned about the healing process of everyone involved. Their skill level is amazing as I can attest to later on.

The retreat center located deep in the amazon jungle is a great hybrid of western style service in terms of lodging, food and sensitivity to individual needs and the healing offered by the Shipibo shamans. Some of these women until recently have never worked with westerners.

We began the first ceremony the night after our arrival. The ceremony started by drinking ayhuasca at 9 pm and lasted until 3 or 4 am. For hours Horacio would chant the songs for specific journeys carrying the male energy and the six women curanderos would take turn to either chant to specific individuals or the group in general.

The icaros were the ways in which the curanderos regulate the amount of energy to give to the individual or group to guide and clear obstacles. The curanderos were at all times in tune with all the different journeys and were there to guide each person regardless of which world the person entered and whether it’s the past, present or future.

The effect of the medicine on individuals varied and so were the experiences. From the meetings we have every morning after each ceremony everyone shared their visions and experiences. The meetings were always very supportive, honest and positive with the curanderos listening to everything and share their insights and interpretations and sometimes laughter of joy.

The first couple of ceremonies were a bit challenging for some did not have experiences or visions so there was a certain sense of self doubt but at the same time everyone is learning about their body as to their relationship with ayhuasca. Nevertheless there was much purging and that is one of the strength of the ayhuasca journey. For one to move forward much of the old energy and even entities of all sorts have to be purged from the body.

By the third and fourth ceremony everyone had experiences and visions. From the meetings the stories vary but there seems to be a consciousness that guide each individual to work out whatever the blocks are that prevents them from moving forward in life. One person met the little girl of one of her past life that experienced great suffering and effecting her present path and working that out, another had beautiful visions of the universe and time travel to the past and future, another met his ex-wife and son and resolved some family issues, others gained insights into their life and inner path, some worked out their fears, some talked to the spirit of the trees, water, stars and moon, some became the different animals like the anacondas, jaguars, birds, centipedes, bees, etc…and a couple worked out their conflicts, and many more stories.

By the end of the retreat everyone either felt more peaceful, somewhat changed for the better, gained new insights and enthusiasm in life, became softer, and motivated to make positive changes in their lives. The group had a strong bond as we shared our life stories with each other.

The common theme of the ayhuasca experiences is one of surrender, trust in ourselves and spirit, overcoming our fears and be more loving, and be receptive to all possibilities. The one powerful aspect of ayhuasca is it helps one to break down the whole reality structure that one creates. No matter how balanced and loving and spiritual one may think one is ayhusca will lead one down a different path by breaking the old mental and emotional structures.

One very important aspect about ayhuasca that I cannot mention enough is it is not just a plant but a spirit. It may be difficult for the western mind with all our modern techy gadgets to think of the power of plant spirit, but once one touches ayhusca one gotta have lots of respect. The experiences are personal and very difficult to convey in words unless one has personal experiences with it for during the journeys the limited five sense reality was expanded or eliminated to allow in a greater reality of the invisible and the paranormal became the normal.

These experiences reaffirm my belief that if one wishes to work with ayhuasca one must do much research and work with curanderos that are masters of their art and sincere in their sharing. Being in the jungle really enhanced the experiences.