Our Church

Forest Path Statement of Faith

The Forest Path is an interspiritual ministry dedicated to exploring and realizing spiritual wisdom through direct experience, centered around our practices of contemplation, meditation, engagement with worldly life, and the sacramental use of ayahuasca.

Our mission embraces the rich tapestry of diverse religious and spiritual traditions, philosophical reflections, and the intrinsic harmony of the natural world. We emphasize the importance of ritual, sacrament, and communion, with ayahuasca playing a pivotal role. We believe this sacred brew of vine and leaf holds the keys to a universal and harmonious understanding of the nature of reality and the source of life.

We aim to foster a life marked by inquiry, contemplation, kindness, compassion, and understanding. This encourages each individual to discover and inhabit their unique connection to the universal and the sacred, guided by our core principles of Being, Presence, and Love.

The Three Universals

In our faith, the three universals — Being, Presence, and Love — form the core of our understanding and practice. Being is the absolute source, the ground of all that exists. Presence is the immediate expression of Being, bringing its essence into the moment. Love is the realization that Being and Presence are inseparably one. Together, these principles support and enhance each other in a seamless interweave, guiding our contemplative study, shaping our ministry, and informing our spiritual path toward a virtuous life.

  1. Being (Universal Truth)

We affirm the endless contemplation of Being—the singular, universal, and undivided source of all that is. Being is one: immanent and transcendent, the presence within everyone and everything. 

Known by many names—God, love, reality, and truth—yet ultimately nameless, formless, and timeless, Being remains beyond all definition and conception. It reveals itself across cultures, through disciplines, and within the depths of the interior life. 

No person or tradition holds Its entirety, and thus, we reject fixed belief as absolute. Instead, we honor a living inquiry drawn from the wisdom of saints, sages, and seers across all paths. In this, we affirm the sacred nature of all life and the birthright of every human being to seek, realize, and embody the truth of Universal Being.

2. Presence (Universal Human)

We affirm the inherent dignity of every human being as a bearer of divine inheritance — a child of Universal Being, existing before form and beyond name. The human is a universal figure, transcending the boundaries of nation, tribe, and identity.

We uphold each individual’s right to direct experience and realization of the divine, facilitated through ritual, sacrament, and communion. Among these, ayahuasca stands as an inseparable element and rite for the individual to foster this realization.

Recognizing each individual as an heir to the great lineage of humanity affirms that love is our religion, eternity our origin, the universe our country, and Earth our shared home. Under this unifying banner, we honor kinship, diversity, humility, and respect — qualities that dissolve prejudice and awaken the reverence born of true seeing: that the other is oneself, that we all live under the same sky, and within each person lies the seed of awakening to their universality in Presence.

3. Love (Universal Belonging)

We affirm that all life belongs to life — no being stands outside the indivisible sacred whole. Belonging is inherently inclusive and diverse, not earned through blood or belief, but is the birthright of one’s being. To belong is to be recognized, included, and empowered to participate in the unfolding of spirit.

We uphold the sacred right of every person to gather, to pray, to study, to teach, to serve, and to celebrate. This includes the right to engage in rituals and ceremonies that facilitate collective healing and the sharing of wisdom, prominently through the use of ayahuasca. This sacramental plant is pivotal in our practices, assisting in direct spiritual realization and preserving our sacred connection to this natural ally and to the Earth itself.

To live in Belonging is to live with Presence and to meet all beings with excellence, understanding, and compassion. It is to honor our shared humanity through acts of responsibility, service, and charity. In recognizing what we are, we give from what we are, and so we turn the wheel of Belonging — in family, in community, in the sanctuary of remembrance that is upheld by the realization of the universal pillars of Being and Presence that express as Love.

  • Being’s presence is love

  • Love’s being is Presence

  • Presence’s love is Being

Foundational Practices

  • Contemplation

    – On the teachings that lead to direct realization.

    Contemplation is the reflective engagement and inquiry with the truths that point beyond themselves. It is the turning of the heart and mind toward the teachings, not as doctrines to believe, but as doorways to enter. Through contemplation, one begins to feel the presence of what the teaching reveals.

  • Meditation

    – That illumines the teachings through direct realisation

    Meditation is the still point where the teachings dissolve and what they point to is directly known. It is the silent resting in Being, beyond thought, beyond seeking. In this resting, Being recognises itself — and what is most true arises not through effort but as the natural radiance of presence.

  • Integration

     – The embodiment of illumination through the teachings of direct realisation

    Integration is the natural flowering of what has been realized. It embodies the understanding that walks in the world through action, words, relationships, and service, transforming realization into a reality that is not an escape from the world but a sacred participation in it.

Our Commitment to Inclusivity, Reverence, and Right Relationship

We welcome all people, across all walks of life, backgrounds, cultures, identities, genders, and ages, with respect, reverence, sincerity, and humility. Ours is a path rooted in presence, guided by deep listening and the desire to walk in right relationship with life. This commitment lives at the heart of everything we do.

We hold a strict non-discriminatory policy and meet each person as they are. Behind every presence is a story, a history, a longing, and a sacred reason for drawing near. We strive to honour that reason. We aim not just to include but to embrace and offer a space where all feel seen, heard, and safe. Our wish is for each being who finds their way to our work to feel invited and welcomed rather than evaluated or judged.

The territories we walk are tender. Our work touches the sacred, the ancestral, the emotional, and the often invisible. It draws from lineages that are not always our own. We hold this with deep care. We recognise the privileges and access we carry, and we do not take lightly the responsibility of being in a position to study, receive, and transmit these teachings. Gratitude is not enough; we are called to accountability, humility, and continual self-inquiry.

We are learning to speak a language of inclusivity and tenderness, to address the teachings from a universal standpoint while honouring their specific roots. We know that language is not neutral, and we are refining the ways we communicate—visually, verbally, and silently—so that all who arrive feel welcomed in spirit and in word.

We are committed to accessibility. We strive to make our offerings available to all, regardless of financial means. To support this, we regularly offer scholarships, sliding scale options, and quiet openings for those in need. If you feel called to contribute to our scholarship fund and help extend this work to others, you may do so here: https://www.forestpath.co/scholarship-program.

This journey of inclusivity is ongoing. It is not so much a destination, but rather a way of walking. We are listening. We are learning. We are unlearning. We are willing to be changed by what we hear, see, and witness. Our path is not just as teachers, but, first, as students of the living wisdom of the world — of its diversity, its pain, and its extraordinary resilience.

We believe that the sacred lives in everyone. And that a community rooted in compassion, humility, and justice can become a field where Being, Presence and Love is not only practiced but realised by all.

Code of Ethics

As members of this community, we strive to uphold high standards in our spiritual practices and offerings. We aim to facilitate the transformation and evolution of all individuals seeking enlightenment.

We endeavour to:

  • Refine our consciousness to make aware choices

  • Act from a place of deep listening and inner presence

  • Be informed by our love for the Divine Manifestation of Life in all its aspects

  • Love the Earth and all beings in existence and non-existence, including ourselves

  • Love and respect all brothers and sisters

  • Accept the truth of our divinity and our faults

  • Learn to embody forgiveness, compassion, and humility

These principles call us to live with sincerity and mutual respect and to resolve any misunderstandings that may arise (as stated in The Decree of Mestre Irineu). This spiritual direction acknowledges our humanity and our tendency to make mistakes. It delineates the moral boundaries of behaviour and provides guidance on how to address mistakes when they occur.

Our Code of Ethics outlines areas of behaviour and interaction that are potentially vulnerable and provides guidelines for maintaining healthy boundaries and conduct.

Intention

Members and participants of our internal works are asked to serve their life and community in ways that reflect honesty, integrity, and wisdom.

Financial

  • We commit to honesty in all our financial dealings and maintaining clear, transparent business practices at all times.

  • In the spirit of service, we strive to accommodate our local communities who express interest in attending our meetings.

  • We endeavour to make our meetings as affordable as possible for our demographic, whilst considering the costs involved in offering these services.

  • We respect the sacredness of the spiritual work. Therefore, we prohibit the promotion of products or services, as well as the solicitation or exploitation of members and visitors in any form, in the vicinity of the Works.

  • We are committed to ensuring honourable financial practices regarding the planting, harvesting and production of the sacred plants used in the making of our sacrament.

Harassment/Discrimination

We agree to provide an environment that is free of harassment of any form, including discrimination because of age, sex, religion, creed, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. To protect the welfare of all people, we realise that inappropriate sexual relations or the imposition of opinions, prejudices, or personal preferences of any kind are detrimental to the welfare of the individual and the community.

Tolerance

We agree to practice openness and respect toward people of all beliefs, views and choices. We share our teachings with those who seek this path and these truths with humility and subscribe to the tenets not to proselytise, evangelise, or advertise our offerings except for within our private community and online groups. To help safeguard against the harmful consequences of personal and organisational ambition, we avoid active promotion of the Centre.

Participants Rights

We seek to preserve the autonomy and dignity of each person. Participation in the Works must be voluntary and based on prior disclosure and consent given individually by each participant. Participants must also be advised that participation can be difficult and transformative. No claims are made for healing or promoted as "shamanic", and the Works are not intended to be a replacement for any medical or psychological treatment or support. Limits on the behaviours of participants and community members are to be made clear and agreed upon in advance. All reasonable measures will be taken to ensure each participant's health and safety during the Works and during the vulnerable periods that may unfold.

Integrity

To maintain integrity within our community, we agree to assist with only those practices for which we are qualified by personal experience, training, and education.

It is usually not constructive or necessary to talk about other people. We agree to speak that which is true and necessary, to refrain from gossip in our community, to cultivate conscious and clear communication, and to cultivate the qualities of honesty and kindness as the basis for our speech. We recognise that competition, mistrust, or the spreading of rumours destroys the spirit of kindness and union, which is the heart of our spiritual beliefs.

In the event of a conflict or interpersonal difficulties, we strive to first resolve the problem directly with the individual. If the situation does not resolve, we agree to seek counsel and/or guidance while maintaining sincerity and respect regarding the matter.

We strive to be aware of how our own belief systems, values, needs, and limitations affect us and, therefore, our ability to serve others. We are willing to examine our own motives, and practise self-reflection, and we subscribe to the value of self-examination in order to promote personal growth in ethics.

When uncertain whether a particular situation or course of action would violate the Code of Ethics, we agree to consult with appropriate counsel in order to choose a proper response. If a situation arises whereby the Code of Ethics has been violated, we agree to practice truth-telling and agree to seek help to remedy the situation.