Welcome

Church of Yachay Apus, Inc. (“COYA”) is an Arizona nonprofit religious corporation that gathers in ceremony and community to honor the Earth and all the relations. Our prayers are rooted in Gratitude, Clarity, Unity, and Love, drawing on ancient and modern traditions to guide us. We are a community first. Together we build fellowship among our members, care for the land and traditions we have been entrusted with, and continue learning from the teachers and lineages that came before us.

If you feel called to this path, reach out through our contact form.

Our Tradition

Church of Yachay Apus’s (“COYA”) ceremonial tradition was preserved through great effort and sacrifice in North America, eventually crystalizing into what is now called the Native American Church (NAC). Through successive generations of practitioners, this lineage was carried into the Andes of South America, where elders evolved its ceremonial forms to the use of a plant sacrament native to the Andes. Our ceremonial practice retains the core elements of these originating traditions, while continuing to evolve alongside the consciousness of the modern world.

Yachay and the Apus

Our theology rests on two central pillars, from which the Church takes its name. Yachay is the pursuit of sacred wisdom and higher knowledge, understood not as abstract learning, but as a lived, embodied realization gained through disciplined spiritual practice. The Apus are the mountain spirits of Andean cosmology, venerated as guardians of the land and teachers of the community. We regard communion with the Apus as a central expression of our reverence for the natural world and the wisdom it holds.

Our Sacrament

COYA holds its plant sacrament to be a sacred, living element of its faith and an irreplaceable part of its ceremonial life. It is administered solely within structured ceremonies.

Who This Is For

Participation in COYA’s ceremonial life requires a professed, sincere commitment to our teachings. We do not offer sacramental participation to the general public. If the calling above speaks to you, the next step is reaching out through our contact form; participation begins with an application.

About our Sacrament

Our sacrament is a cactus native to the Andean highlands. It has been used ceremonially for centuries, and its sacramental use continues today within our lineage. Within COYA, our sacrament is held as a sacred, living element of our faith and an irreplaceable part of ceremonial life, administered solely within structured congregational ceremonies under the direct supervision of the Spiritual Director or an authorized facilitator. COYA’s sacramental use is protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, Article 2, Section 12 of the Arizona Constitution, and the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq.

Ceremonies

COYA’s ceremonial use of our sacrament is central to the exercise of our faith, asserted under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, Article 2, Section 12 of the Arizona Constitution, and the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq.

A Sacred Journey

Our ceremonies are full-day (or all night) gatherings held in nature or around a sacred fire. The ceremony unfolds around four sacred altars, each a gateway to divine understanding. We honor the cardinal directions, pay homage to the elemental forces, and lift our voices in prayers of Gratitude, Clarity, Unity, and Love. Our songs rise with the sun; our offerings blend with the soil, creating a tapestry of devotion that stretches from earth to sky.

Central to our spiritual practice is our sacrament, held sacred in our lineage and carried forward through generations of practice. It serves as our holy communion, a bridge between the physical and the divine, opening our hearts to the Great Mystery and to a profound connection with the source of all being.

This is not a journey for the casual seeker. It is a calling, a sacred rite for those who yearn for genuine spiritual awakening and connection. All who participate must affirm their sincere religious intent and complete our screening process before joining us in this sacred and protected practice.

As ceremony concludes, participants often find themselves profoundly changed, carrying with them not just memories, but a renewed spirit, deeper insight, and a strengthened connection to the divine tapestry of existence.

Inquire About a Ceremony

To inquire about joining COYA, please use our contact form. Participation begins with an application.

Connect

Connect

We’d love to hear from you. Use this form to reach out with any questions about our community, our teachings, or how to get involved. We welcome people of all backgrounds and beliefs, regardless of ethnicity, national origin, race, gender identity, age, or faith tradition.

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