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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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sforstner
February 19, 2025 at 7:18 pmI attended a 2-week and month long retreat in 2014 and 2015 at this center which have continued to be some of the most transformative experiences of my life. The facilitators did a phenomenal job throughout each of these, and I’ve continued to hear nothing but good things from friends who have gone to this retreat center over the years.
I would highly recommend this retreat center to anyone looking for an authentic well-structured ayahuasca retreat.
ahla ish
May 31, 2020 at 12:32 pmJoel is probably one of the best shamans in the worlds. this is a legit master. he will heal you and help you and get you where you need to get.
he is such a positive energy, and a committed experienced healer. he will purge with you if you need it, and all he wants is to help you heal and get what you search for.
Any ceremony you looking for, i wish for you to find joel.
mimismith2276
March 1, 2020 at 1:46 pmJust completed a 12 day 7 ceremony retreat in Feb. TOTWOL was the perfect choice for my first retreat and first time using the plant medicine. They have a great integrative program to process all that arises out of the ceremonies, they have a delicious dieta and also incorporate physical cleanses to help the body and mind prepare to receive the medicine. The natural setting of the jungle is beautiful to reconnect with nature. I would highly recommend going here.
mcfrauigirl
February 24, 2020 at 12:32 pmI found this retreat center to be unethical and greedy. Their website said 12 participants for a yoga retreat, which was what I was looking for for my healing, yet they crammed 30 people into their yoga rooms and into their “personal” sharing sessions. One young troubled gentleman, who was clearly there for healing and not for the “next trip in life”, shared with me that he would’ve opened up about his problems if the group wasn’t so large. (Everyone had expected just 12 people.) What a shame! His healing, as well as my own, was hindered due to their greediness. I didn’t go all the way to the jungle of Peru to be herded and crammed into rooms like cattle, and then snapped at for how long it was taking for all of us to do the same thing at the same time. Who would want that?! It was an introvert’s nightmare. They even admitted that their website was misleading once I returned home early, but refused to refund my money. Nothing has ever been given to me, and I had done hard labor to earn enough money for this “healing” retreat and have nothing to show for it. I’d steer clear of this organization and find one focused on healing rather than profiting off of hurting people seeking help.
TOTWOL
February 28, 2020 at 12:51 amThe page for this retreat states that the number of guests in each ceremony would be 12 – this is to ensure that ceremonies are intimate and there is ample space for everyone in the maloka. This is how all of our retreats are designed in Center Two – with a total group size of 24 that is split into two ceremony groups.
It is important to us not only that guests have plenty of physical space in ceremony, but also that the number of guests in our programs is appropriate for the size of the spaces where meetings, classes, and ceremonies are held and for the number of supporting staff that are present. We ensure that each guest has ample plenty of time and attention from their facilitators and the healers during their retreat, both in a group setting and individually.
We firmly limit capacity in all of our programs to maximize each person’s healing experience in the group container and understand that having intimate ceremonies has great value in the healing process. We do not jeopardize this to take in more guests. We also do not herd nor cram our guests, nor do we engage in false advertising, as all of this would go against our intentions, our values, what we seek to offer and how we aim to be of service to our guests.
In the seven years that we have been running these programs in Center Two, we have not had anyone ask for a refund because of the number of guests who were attending a retreat. You were the only guest who left the retreat out of a group of 24, and the feedback from those who were present is that the retreat was a supportive and deeply transformative experience from which they received much benefit.
During your retreat you did not mention any of these concerns to your facilitators, and your expressed reason for departing the retreat, as the healing was just beginning, was that you didn’t believe ayahuasca was going to work for you.
Again, we are sorry that you chose to not see the retreat through to the end and receive the full benefits of completing the process. Not feeling a conscious experience of ayahuasca is not uncommon in the early stages, although this does not mean it was not working towards something. Genuine and lasting healing is a process. As an analogy, if we get sick and a doctor recommends us 5 days of antibiotics and we stop after 2 days, we can’t blame the medicine or doctor for it not working. This is one of the most common issues westerners face when working with plant medicine, expecting miraculous healing in a very short space of time and not understanding that patience, surrender and trusting in the process are critical. Ayahuasca is not a panacea.
It is also natural and very common that limiting and blameful patterns can be exposed and externalized during the healing process. Although we know that it is not always possible, we aim to empower those who come to us to take responsibility for their emotions and experiences, recognizing that self-responsibility is ultimately the key to deep and lasting transformation.
However, despite all of this and our policy that we do not issue refunds if someone leaves a retreat early, we still offered you a partial refund of your program cost at your request. We are deeply committed to creating a space for healing, and always welcome and sincerely consider constructive feedback about our retreats.
Emma James
October 30, 2019 at 3:29 pmWith gratitude for Matthew, the founder of The Temple Of The Way Of Light:
I enrolled in an 11 day Intensive – focused on alignment of my life’s true nature and with this, my life’s path… Absolutely brilliant … The facilitators were exceptional in delivering the daytime work around this, then, at night, with ceremony, our intentions were brought from the day’s work, to enhance the healing work of the ayahuasca and Shipibo healers. So perfect to have these two levels of personal work.
All the staff were right there, for the 11 days, in all ways that one may need them. I had a beautiful Tambo (sleeping hut) where I felt private, could experience the jungle and yet be a stone’s throw from someone if I needed it. The grounds are very well looked after, the food delicious and all meal preferences catered for, without breaking the dieta rules. Safety is paramount. The grounds have security at the boundaries, the staff are plentiful during ceremonies, helping with any needs that may arise, like going to the toilet, or if deeply struggling. The Shipibo are exceptional…words can’t describe their compassion, awareness and joyful nature. If you are thinking about coming, come. There’s so many options on the calendar. I had not worked with this medicine before, but I will be again.