Founder

Following through with a clear message he received from Ayahuasca in 2007, Matthew's vision was to provide an authentic healing center where the focus was not financial gain but genuine healing, ceremonies with compassion and where the healers & staff all truly care for the guests.

Before setting up the Temple, Matthew was a successful businessman although was deeply dissatisfied with his life and unhappy with the "program" that he was living within. He had been searching for many years for a more fulfilling purpose after questioning the competitive and ego driven business world that surrounded him. When he first came to the Amazon, he discovered the beauty and wisdom of the indigenous people yet clearly saw the impact of the ensuing consumer/capitalist society that was destroying their traditions, way of life and connection to their shamanic roots. The medicine made it clear to him that his calling was to help preserve their healing traditions, their encyclopedic knowledge of the medicinal plants and to present the profound benefits of working with the plants to a wide audience; the motivation was so great that he was inspired to completely change his life.

He quit his job to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to the vision of developing the Temple, creating a self-sustaining community and to draw in the right people and resources to implement the projects in the local and Shipibo villages. Over the first two years he went through a series of difficult yet ultimately essential lessons highlighting the less than positive aspects of working within the “World of Ayahuasca”. He was tested and challenged considerably although learned a great deal from these trials. He was then blessed to connect with the Shipibo Maestras in January 2009. A promise was then offered by the Maestras in their first ceremony together to help Matthew to fulfill his vision. The work of the Temple then completely turned around with now over 700 people having received deep healing since that point. He has also personally worked very closely with the medicine on his own healing journey as well as dieting teacher plants over the last four and half years.

Based in Peru, Matthew works full-time developing and coordinating every aspect of the Temple although is not able to personally attend every workshop at the Temple. He has put in place a hard working, experienced, friendly and highly dedicated team to hold workshops and operate the Temple. He deals with all inquiries, bookings, project developments, and general publicity of the Temple as well as other "back end" operations essential to keep everything running smoothly. He is also focused on developing Alianza Arkana, a Peruvian non profit organization that implements projects in the local and Indigenous communities. Alianza Arkana was launched on the summer solstice 2011.

Matthew is deeply committed to the healing of all guests, to the well-being of everyone who works at the Temple, and to presenting the healing potential of ayahuasca, the Master plants and genuine Amazonian healers to a wide audience of people. He feels that the plant spirits’ abilities to maintain balance and harmony, within and without, is a gift that anyone can benefit from and will ultimately benefit us all. He feels extremely blessed to be involved in this work.

Matthew's wife and occasional workshop co-facilitator when she is in Peru. Klara became involved with the Temple in July 2008 when she came to apprentice with one of our previous curanderos. She is deeply dedicated to working with ayahuasca, the master plants and the healers at the Temple and is a wonderful example of the benefits that can be found when trusting the healing process. She is a great help to others on their healing journey and can compassionately guide people through the more difficult points of the healing experience, due to having been through many tough times herself.

In September 2008, after working with a curandera, Klara seeded the idea of working with female healers. This idea then manifested through synchronicity when Matthew was introduced to the Maestras in January 2009. Klara brings a great deal of loving, feminine energy into the Temple and her relationship with and strong support to Matthew is an essential factor in the ever unfolding development of the Temple and its mission.

Despite often being "behind the scenes" Klara is an integral part of the Temple and gently guides on day to day decisions. Klara has been dieting master plants over the last 2 years and is committed to her own personal healing process as well as learning to work with the plants. She is currently an apprentice of Benancio and will begin working as a Maestra in 2012. Her kind and soft approach to everything and everyone in her life is a key energy that combines with Matthews passion and vision together forming a loving partnership that stewards the work at the Temple.

Klara is also a trained physical therapist with a focus on Shiatsu and traditional Chinese medicine as well as a professional dancer and an artist . Some of her pieces which were created whilst undergoing plant dietas can be seen at the Temple.

Temple Manager and Workshop Facilitator

Sascha joined us in the spring of 2011 after following a deep calling from the medicine to be of service and to share all the gifts and lessons he has received from the sacred ceremonies and plant diets he has experienced over the last 7 years.

Having hosted Ceremonies in Canada over the last few years he is now looking forward to working for the maestras and maestros at the Temple to facilitate the workshops and deepen his own relationship with the sacred vine.

Originally from Vienna Austria, he has spent most of the last 20 years in Canada and Guatemala and speaks fluently English, Spanish and German.

Sascha is a wonderfully kind, caring and integrated person who has much experience with ayahuasca. He has a Phd in the 'University of  Life' - having worked very hard on his personal development with the medicine for many years, he is a perfect guide to others. He walks his talk ;-)

Communications Manager

Amanda is a visual artist, writer and consultant. The gift of her own health challenges have brought her to the Temple family and to exploring the plants' profound healing potential. Through bookings and inquiries, she appreciates the opportunity to support and connect with guests as they prepare for their own workshop experiences.

She is also passionate about community and organizational development, supporting non-profits and social innovators to articulate visions and creating strategic plans. Her work in this field is deeply rooted in integral theory, an integrated map of reality that describes and promotes the 'evolutionary impulse' driving the changes in culture, nature and cosmos. Her work in media has been focused on 'scattering cultural seeds', by showing how communities from around the world are tapping into their creativity and resources to regenerate their local environments and cultures. She is a strong advocate of alternative economics, 'green design', ecological accounting, permaculture, 'whole systems' theory, and indigenous wisdom.

Amanda lives with her partner, Gabriel, on Bowen Island, BC.  She loves meditation, gardening, wildcrafting, and handicrafts. With her small business, Andromeda Creations, she sells her handicrafts, and offers workshops on creating 'upcycled' items using salvaged or otherwise eco-friendly materials. 

Work Exchange and Permaculture Coordinator

Janeth was born in Quito but has been out of Ecuador for the past 6 years, living in New York and traveling around South America and Europe for one year.  She has a background in business and marketing but her passion is social work and plants.  She worked/volunteered for human rights and emigrants rights organizations and for botanical gardens in NY.  She got her Permaculture Design Certificate at Hancock Permaculture Center in New York and came to the Peruvian Amazon to get hands-on experience. Now she in charge of Coordinating Work-Exchange Participants, which is a job she loves and has opened her hearth to a new level of personal development. Janeth and her partner Michal work together at the Temple, developing new Permaculture projects and organizing learning, sharing and applying the knowledge acquired with the Work-exchange participants.

Local Workers Coordinator

Michal is from Cracow, Poland although has spent many years traveling. He arrived Peru in 2010 where he met Janeth in Iquitos and then, together with her experience, he started learning and immersing himself in organic farming and permaculture, which has become Michal's life focus. Besides developing permaculture projects and supporting Janeth with organizing the work-exhange guest duties, his main job at the Temple is local workers coordinator.  Fluent in Spanish and a natural people person, he manages the local staff with a team of 8 ensuring all runs smoothly around the Temple grounds. His background in pedagogics and psychology had helped him to become a a great coordinator. Aside from his passion for the environment, Michal has a great love for music, especially drums and rhythm.  In all his travels, he has never been separated from his Darbuka (drum).

Daily Operations Coordinator

Jairo initially came to work at the Temple as a day laborer although he was hurt on the job when a stack of wood fell on him. He was taken under the care of the Maestras and they nursed him back to health in a week. During that time his wife and child came to stay with him - this also gave us the opportunity to see how wonderful a man he is, and upon his recovery he was offered a full-time position with us. Six months later after continuing to impress us with his level of commitment and attention to detail, he received a well-earned promotion as our daily operations coordinator.

Jairo is deeply dedicated to the Temple and our work. He also often joins us in staff ceremonies working with ayahuasca personally. He is an extremely kind and caring person who has a reputation for always trying to help others. Many people who stay with us remark on how helpful he had been throughout their time at the Temple and he becomes a fond memory for many who get to know him whilst they are at the Temple.

Jairo has two children and comes from the local village of San Pedro. He is a key member of our community and a good friend to us all. We are very fortunate to have Jairo working with us.

Erlinda is one of our four local cooks. Considered amongst the team as the lead cook, she is a powerhouse in the kitchen and a very valued member of our community. Erlinda works extremely hard is very committed to her job.

She thoroughly enjoys working at the Temple and not being in the noise and pollution of the City where she is from.

Celina comes from Iquitos and is one of our four cooks. She is a quiet and gentle person who, like the rest of the cooks, enjoys working out in the rainforest and getting away from the noise of Iquitos. She has been working with us now since August 2009.

One of our wonderful team of cooks

Boat Driver

Nelson comes from the local village of Cuyana and is one of the first local staff to meet and greet guests when our groups are on the way to the Temple. As our main boat driver, Nelson's role is transporting guests and supplies to the Temple so is based outside of the Temple grounds.

Nelson has a very gentle and friendly character and is a wonderful "first impression" for everyone arriving at the port on their way to the Temple. He is a family man married with 3 children and enjoys the security and permanence of working with us at the Temple. Before working at the Temple, Nelson was a 'collectivo' boat driver (the boats that ferry locals to and from their river communities to Iquitos). After buying his boat and occasionally hiring him to bring in groups for us, we decided that he would be a great asset to the Temple community and he gladly accepted the role - he then sold us his boat too!

Soini is our storage house manager who helps with all facets of the Temple from composting to construction.

He is from the local village of San Pedro, is 30 years old and has a 5 year old son. He is a very friendly guy who is always seen walking around with a smile!

Edgar comes from one of our local villages, San Pedro and has been working at the Temple since April 2009. He is a very hard worker who helps us out with practically anything around the Temple from general maintenance, construction, bringing in supplies, occasional boat driver, and dealing with the waste management system. Edgar enjoys his job at the Temple and is a well respected member of our community.

Gunner works in maintenance of the Temple; keeping up the grounds, helping with bringing in supplies, dealing with the waste management program, and general day to day duties. Gunner comes from San Pedro and has worked at the Temple since July 2010.