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.