🙏🏾 About Us Our Mission, Vision, and Legal Standing
The Temple of Umi is a spiritual sanctuary committed to guiding individuals into deeper alignment with their spiritual purpose through sacred plant-based sacramental practice. At the heart of our faith is the ceremonial use of ayahuasca, a holy medicine we believe was given to humanity by Spirit to awaken consciousness, heal generational pain, and restore the sacred bond between humanity and the Earth.
We are not a trend. We are not a retreat company. We are a legally protected religious institution with clearly articulated beliefs, structured ceremonial practices, and a long-standing spiritual lineage. We hold ceremony in accordance with the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), a 1993 federal statute that restricts the government’s ability to substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion unless it can demonstrate a compelling governmental interest and has pursued the least restrictive means to achieve it.
The Temple of Umi holds that:
Ayahuasca is a sacrament, not a recreational substance.
Healing is part of our spiritual path.
Every ceremony is an expression of our covenant with the Divine.
We are led by ordained spiritual ministers who are trained in pastoral care, energy medicine, sound healing, and indigenous ceremony. Our founder holds multiple academic degrees in divinity, law, and healthcare and has served communities both in traditional and non-traditional spiritual capacities.
Our community is diverse, inclusive, and interspiritual. We welcome members from all racial, gender, and cultural backgrounds. Our work centers around principles of spiritual sovereignty, integrity, transparency, and deep respect for indigenous wisdom traditions. Though we incorporate contemporary frameworks, we are firmly rooted in spiritual authenticity, not commercialization.
Our vision is to continue expanding the reach and legitimacy of sacred ceremony under the protection of RFRA. We aim to educate the public and legal authorities about the role of plant medicine in spiritual traditions, the importance of protecting minority religions, and the historical misuse of drug laws to target communities of color and non-Christian faiths.
We take our religious rights seriously, and we ask that you do too. If you are seeking therapy, we encourage you to seek out licensed professionals. If you are seeking a spiritual path guided by sacrament, community, and ceremony, we welcome you into our family.
At Temple of Umi, we don’t claim to heal. We claim to walk with Spirit—and those who walk with us often find healing along the way.
FAQ
Q: Is ayahuasca legal in the U.S.? A: Ayahuasca contains DMT, a Schedule I substance. However, under RFRA, the religious use of ayahuasca is protected when done sincerely and without harm. The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed this protection.
Q: Is this therapy or medical treatment? A: No. We are not medical providers. We are a church. While healing may occur, it is spiritual healing through communion with the Divine—not clinical intervention.
Q: Can I just show up to a ceremony? A: No. All participants must go through an application, screening, and orientation process. Our sacred space is carefully protected.
Q: What happens during a ceremony? A: Our ceremonies include prayer, spiritual guidance, sacred music, silence, reflection, and structured ritual. They are held in reverence and led by trained ministers.
Q: Are you protected by law? A: Yes. Our religious use of ayahuasca is protected under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). We operate within this legal framework and defend it when necessary.
Q: What is required to join? A: Sincere spiritual intention, willingness to be guided, and alignment with our values. We welcome those who are truly called to this path.