Conscious Business
The Temple is a purpose-driven, socially responsible, conscious business that puts people and the planet before profit. The cornerstone of our work is ensuring we operate with authenticity, integrity, and impeccability with a central focus on reciprocating to the people and the land around us here in the Amazon.
The Temple operates with the following core principles:
- We deeply honor and respect the medicine traditions of the Amazon
- We are committed to ethical operations
- We are committed to improving the quality of life of everyone who visits or works at the Temple
- We contribute to a better society and integrate Amazonian social and environmental concerns in our operations
- All surplus revenue outside our extensive operational expenses and development costs is used to fund outreach programs through our sister nonprofit organization, the Chaikuni Institute
- We are committed to our staff and provide an inspirational environment for personal healing and development
The Temple Infrastructure and Overheads
We have expanded our infrastructure significantly since the Temple’s inception at the beginning of 2007 when we started with five buildings. The Temple now consists of over 50 buildings spread out across three separate centers – two centers dedicated to healing and one center focused on permaculture and our more permanent community.
Maintaining wooden buildings in the Amazon is extremely challenging. Buildings are constantly being renovated or reconstructed due to the climate, humidity, and termites. Since our foundation, we have had to rebuild the entire Temple several times over, requiring a substantial investment in our infrastructure.
There are now over 100 people working for the Temple, most of whom are from the surrounding villages. Our local staff is paid considerably higher than the minimum wage, and receive social benefits that are uncommon in the Amazon Rainforest. We care deeply about our staff’s welfare and cover critical health issues, national healthcare insurance, and pay 14 monthly salaries per year. We adhere to Peruvian employment law and ensure all our staff are included in a system called “Planilla.”
In addition, we support our local village to pay for a school teacher, have built a clean-water source for the local villagers, and contribute monthly to general upkeep and infrastructure maintenance in the local village. The Temple is now the main economic driver in the area and supports the families of our workers, over 500 people all together. We also have an administration office in Iquitos, with six staff including a lawyer and an accountant.
Temple Financial Overview
Full Time Salaries and Taxes
Salaries paid to 70 full-time staff, two extra monthly salaries each year, taxes, and social security payments including health insurance
Part Time Salaries
Salaries paid to local part-time staff (porters and building crews)
Admin and Operating Costs
General operating costs including bank fees, transportation costs, office rent, office supplies, communications costs, legal fees, accountancy fees, licenses, permits, and income taxes
Food
Total cost of purchasing supplies for our kitchens
Ayahuasca and Medical Plants
Total cost of all medicinal plants and peripheral supplies for healing activities
Operating Supplies
Everything from cooking gas to toilet paper
Building Supplies
Development and maintenance of Temple infrastructure
Outreach Programs
The Chaikuni Institute (2013 to present) and Alianza Arkana (2011 to 2014)
Debt Repayment
Repayment of loans
