If you are interested in knowing more about Santo Daime we recommend that you read the history of the doctrine.

It is also important to have a good understanding regarding the rituals of the ceremonies used in the church, in order to better understand its objectives and to have knowledge regarding the recommended preparation to drink the sacrament, thus having a better and more informed experience of it.

In general, one who goes to church, whatever their religion, are in search of answers for their own personal existential quest, searching for the cure of some physical malady, mental or spiritual, or even trying to discover if God actually exists and, if it does, what does it want from him (her).

In this search the answers are given to each person according with their own merits; the level of their interior search and the level of their capacity to surrender and be in accord with Divine Grace.

In order to drink the Santo Daime, is it necessary first to have a clear notion of what is the nature of a spiritual work where a drink is used that that expands consciousness. Santo Daime is not for recreational use, it is religious in the truest sense of the word religion, which comes from the Latin word religare, which means re-ligion or re-connection with God. Therefore, it is necessary to have a respectful posture and attitude towards the sacrament, due to the seriousness of the purpose.

All those wishing to take part in our ceremonies must come from of their own free will. In our tradition, we very much praise free will and we believe that who calls the person to know the Santo Daime is the Master present within the drink. For us, the Santo Daime is the material vehicle for the spirit of the Master to become manifested, who comes to teach, cure and to transform all those who surrender to the good deeds that it brings.

Preparation:

we recommend three days of preparation before the spiritual work, consisting of abstinence from alcohol, sexual relations and red meat in the diet. This preparation, common to spiritual ceremonies of many religious different traditions, has a physical reason, it keeps the physical body a little lighter and thus, closer to reach the desired goal, even though this preparation must be extended beyond just the physical aspects of it. Everyone must also prepare their mind and their spirit in order to receive the visit of the so called intimate guest (the Master itself) and, as well as when we receive a guest in our houses, cleaning and previously arranging everything, we also should prepare our house of flesh and bones’ for the Visitor, specially being the guest so illustrious.

Everyone must come with light colored clothes: women with skirts (length below the knees') and trousers for the men. Sleeveless shirts and necklines aren't allowed, as well as clothes that have shades of red and/or black. Even during hot days, it is advisable to bring some warm clothing, because the Céu do Mar church is located amid the forest and at night it is generally very cold.

A proviso regarding bonnets and others coverings for the head: traditionally, in sacred places (as in a church), the women cover their heads as a sign of respect and the men uncover it with the same purpose. In our doctrine, the women don’t need to follow this tradition but we ask that men to keep their heads uncovered, unless of course disease or something similar makes this impractical.

The attitude to be adopted in the ceremonies, as mentioned before, must be of respect and surrender to the transmitted teachings from within. This attitude should be also extended to the corporal posture; therefore we should not close the body by crossing our arms and legs. We should also try to keep the spine erect, the eyes closed and the thoughts contrite and focused, with the sole goal of focusing on God.

Courage is a virtue that helps the searcher toward his (her) goal; therefore, it is important to have trust and not to have fear of anything that can occur during the ceremonies. The ingestion of the Santo Daime is absolutely safe, even though some times it can cause physical discomfort, always transitory and part of the spiritual healing process. We understand that human beings have a fear of the unknown as a psychological defense mechanism but, if we intend to progress, it is necessary to overcome this fear.

Some times people get in touch with a light, coming from the sky, so incredible and extraordinary that they, by fear of the unknown, interrupt their learning process by opening the eyes and not reaching their goal as completely as they could have. The goal being, that which motivated them to go to the church initially. On the other hand, some times one can get in touch with a negative energy, the same energy which is present in the rulers of countries, in wars and in families, which causes disharmony and conflict. This negative force is also within each one of us and must be illuminated in order for us to be transformed and to have a life more in accordance with the Divine Order.

One of the most important aspects of the Santo Daime ceremony is exactly this: to illuminate the interior darkness, bringing into conscious what is unconscious. Therefore, in case this negative energy appears, do not be afraid, because it is part of the illumination process to know the areas to be illuminated.

Everyone must have certainty that everything will have a beginning, middle and end in the ceremony, thereby eliminating any reason to fear. In the whole history of the Santo Daime doctrine, we have never had any negative occurrence caused by the use of the drink. On the other hand, there are numerous records of cures, materially and spiritually speaking.

Cleansing is something that occurs at the moment when the person sees what impedes them from living in full harmony; this impediment can be something of a physical, emotional or spiritual order. The cleansing can be effected through vomit, diarrhea, tears or most of the times through the understanding of a mistake and of regret, when the person can ask his (her) pardon to God. The experiences provided by the Santo Daime are not easily forgotten, which allow us to keep the lessons with us and thus avoiding any repetition of negative attitudes, thoughts and/or feelings that were expurgated.

During the Santo Daime ceremonies, there are several support groups which alternate. They are the guardians: people who are enabled, as far as is possible, to assist everyone who is in need, such as lending out the books of hymns, giving special attention to people undergoing the cleansing process and any other necessities that may arise. It is asked, that everyone try to respect and to follow the transmitted instructions given by the guardians.

It is recommended to drink all the doses of the Santo Daime that are served during the ceremony. As it was mentioned above, our doctrine praises free will and in this house no one invites anyone to drink the Santo Daime. It is important however, from the moment that the person decides to take part in the ceremony that he (she) tries to accomplish all its stages. The reason being, the ceremony is a spiritual current, consequently, it is fundamental that we all be in the same vibration, in synchronicity with each other, in order to optimize the results.

Many times, their can be feelings of faint sickness with the first dose and this causes fear regarding taking the second, but what generally occurs in these cases, is that the second dose brings the balance that the person needs.

For reasons of safety, you must follow through on your commitment to remain until the end of the ceremony. The Santo Daime expands consciousness, making the person more sensitive, physically and spiritually. In this state of awareness, it is not prudent to leave the church's premises and be out in the streets without having concluded and closed your spiritual work. Therefore, when you go to participate in a Santo Daime ceremony, especially for the first time, try to collect information regarding the length of its duration and check your commitments for the following morning.

Inside the church premises smoking isn't allowed. We consider the church to be a kind of hospital, because it brings cures to several kinds of illnesses thus, it would be inconsistent to allow the use of a poison in a location designed for the cure. Further, as alluded to above, leaving the church's premises while ceremonies are being conducted, to smoke in the streets, is not allowed.

Try to arrive at the church 30 minutes before the beginning of the ceremony and introduce yourself as a newcomer to the reception desk, in order to be guided and to receive some clearing, if you need it.

Our Center is a not for profit entity that does not charge any kind of fee for the ceremonies, however, it is important to highlight that the cost of producing the Santo Daime and to keep the church headquarters functioning is high, therefore, all voluntary financial contributions are greatly welcomed and appreciated.

Be welcome and GOOD WORK!