Spirit of The Vine.

Ancestral Traditions

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ACF Creed

Preamble:
In the spirit of the Amazon and the heart of our Fellowship, we proclaim this Sacred Creed. These tenets distill the universal truths and practices shared across many Amazonian traditions into guiding principles. Poetic in tone yet clear in intent, this Creed is our compass – pointing always toward spiritual truth, healing, and harmony with all creation. Born from the biodiversity of the rainforest and carried in the songs of the elders, these principles are a gift we cherish and humbly offer to the world.

• Reverence for Nature and Spirit: We believe in the divine spirit present in all of nature. Every plant, tree, river, and creature is imbued with sacred essence. The lush biodiversity of the Amazon is not accidental – it is a living library of wisdom and healing. Our faith begins with respecting Mother Earth as a conscious, giving entity. We honor the rainforest as a holy sanctuary that has generously provided the medicinal teachers for our journey​. In each ceremony, we give thanks to the plant spirits and the land, recognizing the interconnectedness of all life.

• Sacred Plant Teachers: We recognize Ayahuasca and all master plants as sacred gifts and teachers from the Creator. They are sacraments through which we commune with the divine. Ayahuasca, the Spirit Vine, opens the gates of perception – allowing us to see beyond the illusion of separation. Through disciplined communion with this sacrament, we seek visions and guidance for our lives​. We also acknowledge other teacher plants (such as Bobinsana, Mapacho, Chiric Sanango, and more) as bearers of specific lessons and healing energies. In our practice, the plants are our mentors – we approach them with humility, openness, and trust in the transformative power of their consciousness.

• Ancient Wisdom and Ancestral Guidance: We affirm that our spiritual tradition is built upon the wisdom of Indigenous ancestors. For countless generations, the peoples of the Amazon have learned directly from the plants in order to survive and thrive in their environment. We are heirs to their knowledge, which has been safeguarded through ritual, song, and oral tradition. This ancestral wisdom teaches us that true healing addresses the whole person – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual​. We vow to honor the elders and shamans who came before us, and to carry their teachings forward without distortion. The adaptations we make for modern practice are always done with reverence for the original ways, as we strive to preserve the spirit of those ways as a living, evolving tradition.

• Unity of Traditions: Our fellowship unites multiple Amazonian spiritual lineages under one canopy of faith. We see unity in diversity: whether the ceremony is led in the style of the Shipibo-Conibo with their geometric visions and ícaros, or in the Quechua traditions with sacred tobacco and prayer, or in any other tribal lineage, the underlying truth remains one. All rivers lead to the same ocean of consciousness. We therefore do not claim one “right” way to commune with the plant spirits. Instead, we celebrate the consistent themes shared by many traditions – profound respect for the medicine, purification through dieta and prayer, communal healing, and communion with the spirit world. In embracing a syncretic path, we believe we are stronger together, learning from each culture and finding the universal core of love and wisdom that runs through them all​. Our creed is a tapestry woven from many sacred threads, unified by the intent to heal and awaken.

• Personal Transformation through Communion: We hold that genuine spiritual growth requires personal effort, purification, and courage. Drinking Ayahuasca or dieting a master plant is a sacred act of surrender and trust. It is also a commitment to inner work. We prepare diligently – fasting from distractions and negativity – to make ourselves worthy of the insights that may come. In ceremony, we confront our shadows, purge our fears, and receive visions that can guide us. We accept that at times we must face the death of the ego to be reborn in truth​. Through these trials, the plants teach us humility, compassion, and self-awareness. Thus, one of our core tenets is the transformative power of these sacred experiences: by consistently integrating their lessons, we inch closer to our true selves. We become more whole, more authentic, and more aligned with the will of the divine. This ongoing transformation is both a grace and a responsibility – as we heal, we must also live out the teachings in our daily lives.

• Healing, Love, and Service: Central to our faith is the conviction that healing is holy. We believe that the emotional and spiritual healing we receive through plant medicine is meant to make us instruments of healing for others. “Healing People to Heal the Planet” is not just our motto but a moral imperative​. As we are healed, we radiate healing outward – to our families, communities, and the Earth itself. We cherish love and compassion as the highest virtues. In the journey Ayahuasca takes us on, love is the ultimate lesson: love for oneself (through forgiveness and acceptance), love for others (through empathy and kindness), and love for creation (through respect and stewardship). We strive to embody this love in all we do. Our ceremonies conclude with gratitude and an emphasis on service – using our renewed spirits to uplift those around us. We treat each member of the fellowship as kin, and extend this care to all beings. Our creed calls us to walk a path of heart: to be courageous in truth, gentle in spirit, and ever willing to help alleviate suffering where we can.

• Gift to the World: We acknowledge that the knowledge we carry is a precious gift from the rainforest, meant to be shared responsibly. In times of global disconnection and ecological destruction, we see our practices as a beacon of hope and reconnection. It is our faith that the sacred traditions of Ayahuasca and plant medicine have emerged from the Amazon not by accident, but because the world is in need of their healing power. Just as the plants adapt and survive in the most complex ecosystem on Earth, so too do these spiritual traditions adapt now to modern society as a means of survival for humanity’s soul. We therefore do not hide this light under a basket. We engage with the broader world – educating, inviting those who are called, and dispelling myths – so that the gift of Ayahuasca’s wisdom can benefit all peoples, regardless of origin or creed. In doing so, we remain ever-mindful of ethical boundaries, guided by respect for the cultures that nurtured this gift. We send out this knowledge with prayers of healing, believing that the Spirit of the Vine will touch hearts and guide those meant to find it.

 

 

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