The Eclectic Center of the Universal Flowing Light is a spiritual work which aims at self-knowledge and the experience of God or the Superior I Inside. To accomplish this task we use, within a ritual context, the sacramental enteogen beverage known as ayahuasca re-baptized by Master Irineu as Santo Daime. The use of enteogen substances as a sacrament seems to have been part of the main religion traditions of ancient times and gave the visionary basis for many of the most important religions that exist in the world today.

Our liturgical religion, which consists in sharing the sacramental tea in appropriate dates, is called Eclectic for its roots are deeply buried in a strong syncretism of various folk, cultural and religious elements. We praise God, Jesus Christ, saints, angels and spiritual beings of many cultures, especially the Christian, Indigenous and African ones. The use of the Santo Daime sacrament is done in the dates of its festivities calendar, following the ritual rules set by both Master Irineu and Padrinho Sebastião.

A Spiritual Council runs the church and keeps the tradition and principles, adapting them to new contexts. The major parties of our religious calendar are the hinários (hymn books, or their singing) and feitios (preparation). Hinários average twelve hours of singing and dancing around a six-pointed-star accompanied by many instruments and rattles. Feitios are the parties for the production of the sacrament, when all the community works together toward preparing the beverage that will be taken during the year.

Another important element of the daimist spirituality created by Padrinho Sebastião is the community. The community is the reference point for the spiritual work of all members. All wonderful acquisitions we get from our spiritual leanings must go back to the community.

The Santo Daime Doctrine or Master Irineu’s Doctrine was born within the forest, it blossomed from the people, a very humble and meritorious people. Its message, which is united in the form of collections of hymns received by the masters and adepts, preaches love for nature and consecrates the vegetal world and all the planet as the sacred scenario of our earth-mother.

Our work then keeps deep connections to the forest and its preservation. This is also a matter of spiritual fundament. To develop this environmental and social part of the work of our church in the Amazon, the Raimundo Irineu Serra Sorcial and Environmental Institute was created. It works towards managing and gathering partnerships for the sustainable development projects created by its affiliates in a region of almost 200,000 ha of forest, that belong to the National Forest of the Purus (the river’s name), where we have been living for 16 years