Fire FAQ's
Where is the Fire Temple?
Currently The Fire Temple does not have a fixed location. The individual healings & therapy are offered online and in-person at Banu's practice in Almere (The Netherlands).
The plant medicine ceremonies are offered at a beautiful and dedicated location in a forest temple in Friesland (the Netherlands).
All other ceremonies and events are offered in various locations in the Netherlands.
In the meanwhile we are searching for a permanent residence for the Fire Temple.
Is the Fire Temple a religious organisation?
The inspiration for the Fire Temple Netherlands comes from the Persian Zoroastrian ancient tradition. However the organization is not affiliated with the Zoroastrian religion or lineage. The temple is founded on a direct vocation and revelation based on the essence of the original Fire Temples and represents a space for community, healing and transformation, guided by the Sacred Fire and the dedicated keepers.
The temple is in the proces of registration as an official church in the Netherlands and will be the first of it's kind.
How can I work with the Fire Temple?
As a participant or client you can sign up to any of our ceremonies & events or request personal reading, healing or therapy sessions. It is possible to book private plant medicine ceremonies or invite the Fire Tempel team to your location or festival for Cacao ceremonies with live music, Sufi Whirling & Healing ceremonies and shamanic rituals.
As a practitioner, you can become a team member and serve the fire to deepen your practice and expertise. We offer apprenticeship program's with medicine man Tata Mano Churuwia and assisting spots at our ceremonies. Prior participation in our ceremonies is required.
Is plant medicine for everyone?
No! Working with psychedelics is certainly not for everyone. The first and most important basis is a 'calling' that an individual receives in which he/she/them may feel the curiosity, necessity or (inner) invitation to work with a plant medicine. The ways of the medicine are mysterious and how the calling comes to a person equally so. Usually the calling is accompanied by coincidences and synchronicities that lead to the medicine.
Psychedelics induce a deep and sustained trance which functions as a gateway to one's subconscious were profound healing can take place. Individuals who suffer from psychological issues like psychosis, schizofrenia or paranoia are already in a trance. Therefore psychedelic medicine may have a severe and adverse effect on them. For these individuals it is recommended to chose healing pathways that help them to ground and exit the perpetual trance. Although some believe that the medicine also helps these cases in a beneficial way in the long run, it is against our policy. For such individuals the use of medicine can be very dis-regulating for an unforseen period of time and may require close monitoring.
Is plant medicine safe?
Yes and no! Each brew is different. There is no standarization in the doses of the psychoactive substances in traditional plant medicine, . An experienced shaman will know the right doses and will have tested the medicine and know it's properties before serving. However, the same dose can have a varying effect on each individual. One may not feel much while another might be completely overwhelmed. In a proper setting the individual doses are tested and the variations contained. However the individual nor the shaman knows before hand what the purpose of the medicine will be in any individual at any given times. Some experiences can be very overwhelming and disturbing. Therefore the choice and responsibility for consuming plant medicine remains with the individual, in full consent. Through intention and a safe and professional setting, risks can be minimized and the inner journey guided in a positive direction. There have been a few cases (statistically insignificant but still important to learn from) where a participant lost his/her life during a ceremony. In most these cases another plant called 'toé' (Brugmansia suaveolens) was added to the brew to enhance hallucinations. This is a dangerous plant that does not originally belong in the brew and can cause severe psychosis when it it is not rightly dosed. Fake shamans in the Amazon often add this plant for 'special effects'. Unaware medicine tourist have been caught in dangerous situations. Therefore it is very important to be well informed and work with a trusted guide/medicine man.
Another danger is working with guides who do not have sufficient experience in working with plant medicine and are not equipped to deal with any healing crisis that may come up. There have been a few cases where the negligence of the guides have had fatal consequences.
In our ceremonies we strive to minimize all such risks as much us humanly possibly. Through our years of experience with the most severe cases of reactions to the medicine we know how to create a safe container and how to deal with arising healing crises nin calmness and with love.
Is the sacred Vine a tradition amongst all Amazonian tribes?
By no means is the use of the sacred Vine a custumeray tradition in the Amazon. Most tribes have in fact never heard of the medicine and are not familiar with it's use or traditions. Although most Amazonian people may be aware of various non psycho-active medicinal plants. There are a few ancient tribes in the Amazonian forests of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Brasil who have milenary knowledge and traditions around the Vine. Most shamans who work with the medicine are from one of these +-70 tribes. Our lineage is the Shuar nation of the Upper Amazon in Ecuador who is one the most well known keepers of this ancient medicine.
Can you encounter NHE (non human entities) during the work with plant medicine?
Yes. Although not everyone has such experiences, many report seeing, feeling, hearing or knowingly experience other types of 'presence' vividly. These various types that people encounter are quiet similar to what people may also encounter in other methods of trance such as hypno therapy, shamanic healings, family constalation, healing sessions or... Loved one's who are not in the body anymore, angelic or energetic beings, elves, gnomes and fairies, dolphins, tigers or extraterrestrials, and anything in between may be experienced though not very commonly. Most peoplw experience a 'healing' or guiding or helpful being. Sometimes a trickster or joker type character may show up, and occasionally unfriendly beings. It is not necessary to believe in these beings or to question the reality of their existence. What is most important to realize is that 'whomever' we encounter represents certain qualities (positive or negative) that is important for our healing proces. The storylines are great metaphors in bringing the unconscious in to our consciousness so we can deal with and heal them.
I have a chronic medical condition. Can I work with plant medicine?
We regularly receive requests from individuals with chronic or severe illness who feel a strong calling to work with the medicine. In our experience the medicine can in some cases be very beneficial to the healing proces of these persons, however we feel that they may benefit more in a private or small setting where they can receive full personal attention. Therefore we offer private sessions upon request and after thorough consultation with us and with their medical health care providers.
Can you have a bad trip with plant medicine?
It is possible to have an un-pleasent journey or experience with the plant medicine. However when working with psychedelics plants in a ceremonial setting, it is part of the work to face unpleasant feelings and difficulties that are lingering in the given individual's subconscious. The Budhists call this phenomenon 'facing one's own demons'. In our two decades of experience working with the plant medicine, we have seen over and over again, that those individuals who regarded their experience as absolutely horrible and vowed never to use plant medicine again, came back after a while and felt grateful for that same experience because with time they were able to slowly digest the experience and receive the healing. Therefore we say 'there's never a bad trip', only overwhelming or difficult journey's. However we absolutely respect anyone who feels that their journey has been damaging and would be happy to offer assistance through other methods to help the individual heal from the trauma.
Can anyone lead a plant ceremony?
How often can I work with plant medicine?
Is a single ceremony enough?
Isn't it better to work with plant medicine in it's natural environment in the Amazon?
There's nothing like the authentic experience of the ceremony in it's original native setting, surrounded by the experienced shamans and their tribes. It is absolutely devine to experience the plants in their own habitat, in the same nature where they grow and have thrived for thousands of years. For this reason we offer our immersive recreates with the native indigenous elders of our lineage in the land of the Shuar in Ecuador and in Mexico.
Having said that, we also want to emphasize, that there is still an immense cultural gap between the traditions of the indigenous people and the modern or western culture. Our ways of life, our mindsets and psyche may differ in profound ways. Also our types of disease and psychological issue's may be things the indigenous cannot relate to. There are a few indigenous elders such as the elders of our lineage who have travelled extensively and have studies the wisdom traditions of other cultures and therefore have a deeper understanding of their own traditions as well. Some people benefit most from the work within the authentic indigenous setting, while others may prefer to work with facilitators from their own culture who offer the medicine in new ways and acces the therapeutic effects of the plant medicine in unconventional experimental settings (hence the psychedelic revolution currently sweeping the planet). In our work we work with a shaman from a dual Mexican and west European background who has been initiated and trained in the authentic traditions of the Shuar and his native heritage Mexico. Tata Mano unites the western and the indigenous cultures and bridges the cultural gap in his work by translating the ancient traditions in ways that Westerners can relate to. Staying close to the essence of traditional knowledge, he embraces the therapeutic approach more common in the west.
What is Sufism?
Sufism is a mystical and experiental path originating in ancient Persia. Often called the mystical branch of the Islam, the path predates Islam and has much older roots in the shamanic traditions of the Near East. In Sufi tradition there is no prophet or book, nor a house of God as God is perceived to transcend any of these 'singular locations'. The only path to the Beloved as Sufi's called the source of creation, is the Path of the Heart as the heart is seen as the gateway to the unifying force of creation: Love. Instead of following any doctrine, Sufi's are encouraged to experience transcendence through individual and group practices and ceremonies that lead to a state of non-duality. The arts, music, dance and poetry are central on the Sufi path. Many people may not have heard of Sufism but the 12th century Persian mystic and poet Rumi is one of the most well-known and bestselling poets of all times, also in the west.
What donation can I offer?
The Fire Tempel Netherlands is a non-profit organization. To cover the costs of overhead (location rental, food, medicine, cleaning, transportation, donations to the tribe in Ecuador etc) we ask the following donations*:
Plant Medicine Ceremonies € 555
3 day retreat including 2 nights plant medicine ceremony and integration workshop; food and simple lodging in communal space; individual guidance and aftercare
Guided by: Tata Mano Churuwia with Banu Ishtara and team
Sufi Whirling & Healing Ceremonies, Cacao Ceremonies and Galactic Activation Ceremonies
€ 22 to 77 depending on the location and organization
Sacred Journey to Georgia May 2025 € 2222
7 day Creators Camp Sufi healing retreat; including food and lodging; including visits to sacred natural sites; does NOT include flight costs to Georgia
Guided by: Banu Ishtara, Inge van Straalend & local Georgian teachers
Pleidian Light Work Healing Full Sensory Perception Level 1 @ Mount Shasta (USA) € 2999
8 day retreat at sacred location in Mount Shasta California; does NOT include travel costs, lodging and food
Guided by: Inge van Straalend & Banu Ishtara
Pleidian Light Work online reading & healing € 111
Individual Healing/therapy sessions with Banu Ishtara € 80 per hour
* The donations are subject to changes
Do you have a question? Send us your inquiry and we will try to answer if it is related to our offerings!
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