FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Centro Espiritual Luz Divina
We created this page to offer prospective and current members clear information about Centro Espiritual Luz Divina, our religious identity, the sacramental use of Ayahuasca, membership, preparation, safety, and ceremonial practice.
Our practices are religious and spiritual in nature. We do not provide medical or psychological diagnosis or treatment, and we do not guarantee any particular spiritual, personal, or health-related outcome.
About Our Spiritual Institution
What is Centro Espiritual Luz Divina?
Centro Espiritual Luz Divina is a church and spiritual community dedicated to cultivating a deeper relationship with God and the Divine through ceremony, prayer, service, spiritual discipline, and community life.
Within our tradition, Ayahuasca is received as a sacred sacrament that accompanies a path of self-knowledge, humility, personal responsibility, and spiritual growth.
Our church honors the ancestral and spiritual roots associated with the sacramental use of Ayahuasca in the Amazon. We welcome people from diverse backgrounds who share a sincere intention to seek truth, wisdom, inner peace, and a deeper connection with the Divine.
What tradition does Centro Espiritual Luz Divina follow?
Centro Espiritual Luz Divina follows an independent spiritual path rooted in the Amazonian tradition of the sacramental use of Ayahuasca.
For several years, our community was connected to a Brazilian religious tradition inspired by the teachings of Mestre Gabriel, whose legacy emphasized self-knowledge, spiritual discipline, communion with God, and service.
Today, Luz Divina honors those roots and teachings as part of its history while continuing its development as an independent church with its own governance, spiritual practices, and community life. Our path remains centered on truth, integrity, service, personal responsibility, and an ever-deepening relationship with the Divine.
Who guides Luz Divina’s ceremonies, and what is their spiritual lineage?
Our ceremonies are guided by Rosalía Galindo and Inti Munay, founders and spiritual directors of Centro Espiritual Luz Divina. Their relationship with the sacrament of Ayahuasca began in 2003 in the Colombian Amazon, where they learned from Indigenous practitioners who approached this sacred tradition with seriousness, integrity, and respect.
Their path continued in the Peruvian Amazon through periods of silence, traditional dietas, and sustained spiritual practice. Later, they participated for years in a Brazilian religious tradition that helped shape the discipline and community structure from which Luz Divina emerged.
Rosalía and Inti are Colombian mestizos. They honor those who taught them without claiming an Indigenous identity or presenting Luz Divina as a representative of the communities and institutions from which they learned. Over time, they developed the church’s own ceremonial practices, safety protocols, and ethical standards, taking into account the cultural diversity and needs of the community they now serve in the United States.
What they share today comes from a path they have walked for more than two decades. For them, receiving a sacred sacrament carries a responsibility that extends beyond the ceremony: to care for one another, act with integrity, and help create more peace and harmony in the world.
Today, Luz Divina is an independent spiritual community. If you are considering joining us, we welcome your questions and invite you to learn about our path, our community, and the care with which we carry out this work.
How is Centro Espiritual Luz Divina structured?
Centro Espiritual Luz Divina is governed by its founding directors and Board of Directors and is supported by an Ethics Committee, a Medical Advisory Committee, spiritual leadership, and volunteers.
Our international community includes approximately 1,600 members from the United States, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and other regions. Members come from many backgrounds and professions, including physicians, attorneys, entrepreneurs, military veterans, first responders, and people from many other walks of life.
Despite our differences, we are united by a common intention: to grow spiritually, live with greater awareness, and contribute to a culture of peace, service, integrity, and respect.
Ayahuasca as a Sacrament
What is Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca is a traditional Amazonian preparation made primarily from Banisteriopsis caapi and Psychotria viridis.
At Centro Espiritual Luz Divina, Ayahuasca is recognized and received exclusively as a religious sacrament within the ceremonies and spiritual practices of the Church. Its use has deep ancestral roots and has also been examined in scientific and academic research.
We do not regard Ayahuasca as a recreational substance, a commercial product, or a cure or treatment for any medical or psychological condition.
Where does the Ayahuasca used in Luz Divina’s ceremonies come from?
The sacrament used in our ceremonies comes from plants grown and cared for at Luz Divina. Years ago, we began cultivating our own sacramental plants, continuing a practice of self-sufficiency that was part of our experience within a Brazilian religious tradition. By growing these plants ourselves, we do not depend on harvesting them from the Amazon. This is one way we seek to care for the land and honor the earth that sustains them.
Our sacrament is prepared with the ayahuasca vine and chacruna leaves. We do not add other plants or psychoactive substances.
The plants are cultivated, and the sacrament is prepared and safeguarded within our community. Members receive it during the church’s structured religious ceremonies.
For us, caring for the sacrament is a responsibility that begins long before a ceremony and continues through the reverence and care with which it is shared.
What effects can Ayahuasca produce?
Ayahuasca may produce a temporary, non-ordinary state of consciousness and an intense experience of introspection. Changes may occur in perception, emotions, memory, attention, and the way a person relates to their inner experience.
Within the sacramental context of Centro Espiritual Luz Divina, this state is approached as an opportunity for prayer, spiritual reflection, self-observation, and a deeper connection with the Divine.
Every experience is individual. No particular vision, feeling, insight, transformation, or other outcome is promised or guaranteed.
What does Ayahuasca do to the brain and consciousness?
Ayahuasca may temporarily affect perception, emotion, memory, attention, and self-awareness. Scientific research continues to examine these effects and their underlying mechanisms.
Centro Espiritual Luz Divina does not interpret these temporary effects as medical treatment. Within our religious practice, the experience is understood through a spiritual framework centered on introspection, prayer, personal responsibility, and connection with the Divine.
What are the possible long-term effects of Ayahuasca?
Long-term experiences and interpretations vary considerably from person to person. Some participants describe a stronger connection with the Divine, greater clarity about their lives, strengthened relationships, or a more conscious commitment to their values and responsibilities.
The Church understands these developments as part of an ongoing spiritual path rather than an automatic result of receiving the sacrament. No long-term spiritual, psychological, or personal outcome is guaranteed.
Is Ayahuasca addictive?
Ayahuasca is not generally associated with the typical pattern of physical dependence or compulsive use seen with many addictive substances. Nevertheless, any powerful psychoactive experience should be approached with seriousness, clear boundaries, and responsible oversight.
At Centro Espiritual Luz Divina, Ayahuasca is received only within a religious and sacramental context. It is not used recreationally or promoted as an experience to be pursued repeatedly.
Can Ayahuasca heal trauma, depression, or anxiety?
Some people report deep reflection, emotional release, or a greater understanding of personal patterns during or after the ceremonial use of Ayahuasca. However, Centro Espiritual Luz Divina does not present Ayahuasca as a cure or treatment for trauma, depression, anxiety, or any other mental health condition.
Our practice is religious and sacramental and is oriented toward spiritual growth, self-knowledge, personal responsibility, and a deeper relationship with the Divine. Anyone who needs medical or psychological care should seek assistance from a qualified healthcare professional.
Why is there controversy surrounding Ayahuasca?
Ayahuasca has psychoactive effects and contains DMT, a substance controlled under United States federal law. Its religious and ancestral uses are also unfamiliar to many people, and its use can involve meaningful risks and contraindications.
At Centro Espiritual Luz Divina, Ayahuasca is received exclusively as a sacrament within the religious life of the Church and under established membership, preparation, screening, safety, and accountability processes.
Religious and Legal Context
Is the sacramental use of Ayahuasca legal in the United States?
Ayahuasca contains DMT, which is a controlled substance under United States federal law. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) provides a legal framework under which the federal government must satisfy a demanding legal standard when substantially burdening a person's sincere exercise of religion.
In 2006, the United States Supreme Court upheld a preliminary injunction protecting the sacramental use of Ayahuasca by a particular church under RFRA. That decision did not create automatic authorization for every organization, nor did it amount to general approval of Ayahuasca by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Centro Espiritual Luz Divina receives and controls Ayahuasca exclusively as a religious sacrament within the Church's sincere religious practice, internal governance, and established protocols. The legal circumstances of each religious organization are specific and should not be assumed to apply automatically to another organization or individual.
Membership and Participation
Who may participate in a ceremony?
Ceremonies at Centro Espiritual Luz Divina are private religious observances reserved for approved members who have completed the Church's application, evaluation, and preparation process.
Each person must satisfy the membership, health, preparation, and safety requirements established by the Church. Participation is voluntary and may be postponed or declined when safety concerns exist or when the Church determines that participation would not be appropriate.
Do I need prior experience with Ayahuasca?
No. Previous participation in an Ayahuasca ceremony is not required.
Centro Espiritual Luz Divina welcomes both experienced applicants and those approaching the sacrament for the first time. What matters is completing the membership, evaluation, preparation, and orientation process and approaching the sacrament and community with sincerity, responsibility, humility, and respect.
How do I apply for membership?
The first step is to complete the New Membership Application and all accompanying forms truthfully and in full. Submitting an application does not guarantee approval or participation in a ceremony.
Every application is reviewed confidentially according to the Church's membership and safety standards. Approved applicants receive instructions about the next steps, preparation, and access to member information.
Complete the New Membership Application
Safety and Preparation
Is Ayahuasca safe for everyone?
No. Ayahuasca is not appropriate for everyone and may involve significant risks or contraindications depending on a person's physical health, mental health history, medications, substance use, and other individual circumstances.
Centro Espiritual Luz Divina maintains a structured safety process that includes an application, prior screening, review of disclosed health information, preparation requirements, and support during the ceremonial period. Honest and complete disclosure is essential.
The Church does not diagnose medical conditions, prescribe treatment, or instruct anyone to begin, stop, or change a medication. Questions about medication must be discussed with the prescribing clinician or another qualified healthcare professional. The Church may postpone or decline participation or request appropriate professional clearance when safety concerns are present.
Why is the Dieta important?
The Dieta is an important part of spiritual preparation. It invites members to prepare body, mind, and spirit through simplicity, discipline, clarity, and respect for the sacrament.
It may include temporary restrictions concerning food, alcohol, substances, sexual activity, and other behaviors. Certain health conditions and medications may also affect eligibility, but medication decisions must be made with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional, not under the direction of the Church.
The Dieta is more than a list of rules. It represents a conscious commitment to enter the ceremonial process with responsibility and intention.
What foods should I avoid before a ceremony?
During the days before a ceremony, members are generally asked to follow a simple, light, and mindful diet and to avoid:
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Alcohol
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Very heavy or highly processed foods
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Processed or cured meats
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Highly fermented or aged foods
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Excess sugar
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Excess caffeine and other stimulants
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Foods known to cause personal digestive discomfort
Members receive specific preparation instructions before each ceremony. Food guidance is separate from medication guidance. No one should stop or change a prescribed medication without consulting the prescribing clinician or another qualified healthcare professional.
The Ceremonial Experience
What are ceremonies at Centro Espiritual Luz Divina like?
Our ceremonies are sacred religious observances conducted in a respectful, structured, and spiritually focused environment.
A ceremony generally lasts approximately four hours and may include periods of silence, prayer, contemplation, spiritual instruction, and reflection on our relationship with God and the Divine.
Each ceremony is intended to support inner attention, reverence, introspection, and spiritual connection. The experience is not recreational, and no specific outcome is promised.
Why is the Three-Day Retreat held in silence?
Silence is an essential spiritual discipline during the Three-Day Retreat. It reduces external distraction and helps direct attention toward prayer, contemplation, self-observation, and the inner process.
Silence also protects the dignity and privacy of each participant's experience. By limiting unnecessary conversation and external stimulation, members can move through the retreat with greater presence, clarity, and respect for one another.
Why do members wear white clothing during ceremonies?
White symbolizes purity, clarity, peace, simplicity, and the conscious intention to approach the sacred with respect. Wearing white also creates a visible sense of unity within the community as members enter a shared space of prayer and introspection.
White clothing also serves a practical safety purpose. Because ceremonies may take place at night or in low lighting, it helps the support team see participants more easily and respond when assistance is needed.
For these reasons, members are asked to wear clothing that is white, simple, comfortable, modest, and respectful.
Will I vomit or experience a purge during a ceremony?
Possibly, but not everyone does. Ayahuasca can cause nausea, vomiting, or other physical responses.
Within Centro Espiritual Luz Divina, some members may understand these experiences as physical, emotional, or spiritual release. However, vomiting does not mean that a ceremony is more profound, that a person has achieved a particular spiritual result, or that the body is necessarily “eliminating toxins.”
Each person responds differently. The Church's support team remains present throughout the ceremony to provide appropriate assistance and maintain the established safety environment.
An Ongoing Spiritual Path
Receiving the sacrament is not presented as a single event that automatically transforms a person's life. Centro Espiritual Luz Divina understands spiritual growth as an ongoing path expressed through prayer, self-observation, responsibility, service, ethical conduct, relationships, and daily life.
If you are considering membership, we encourage you to read this information carefully, reflect on your intentions, and complete the application truthfully. Questions are always welcome.