Deep in Peru, among descendants of the Incas, the ancient culture is alive and well despite past attempts to stamp it out.
My wife and I recently spent two weeks there with a group of bodyworker/healers led by a Mongolian/Cherokee/Canadian shaman who spends most of his time in the Amazon jungle. There he works with a physician typing the medicinal properties of rain forest plants. Also along was a shaman from New Zealand who'd been sent as an emissary from the Maori aborigines to Native Americans of our Southwest.
The purpose of our journey was to contact native shamans and be exposed to the ancient ways of healing the body/spirit.
During the journey we had ceremonies with many shamans and I experienced many things that are unexplainable in terms of Western concepts (merging part of my body with a sacred stone, feeling waves of energy sweep over me, having my breathing locked in syncronization with that of the earth and "flying" with a condor at Machu Picchu).
None of these events were drug or hypnotically induced. My experiences were different from those of others in the group and we were not told in advance to expect any particular thing to happen. The explanation given by the shamans was that there are "dimensional gateways" at various "power spots" on the earth, where the physical world and the spirit world are close enough that crossing back and forth is possible.
We were told that in the last couple of years, the native peoples of the world have agreed to release some of their ancient secrets to the general population and that was why we were allowed to connect with the native shamans.
LIMA
We first flew into Lima (population 7 million) at night and were very thankful our leader showed up to rescue us from the mob of thieves and sellers of artifacts surrounding the airport.
Our main stop there was at an ancient pyramid ringed by busy city streets. As I stood atop it, a voice came through:
"There was so much suffering here. Many times good triumphed over evil, but many times the reverse was true. Think on these things as you continue your journey."
The observation was apt, as the original inhabitants had fought among themselves and were later slaughtered and subjugated by the Spanish.
Mt. San Jacinto was pointed out to us as guarding the city through its "apu," a spirit contained within the mountains of the region. Many shamans have their own apu, to whom they pay homage at the beginning of each ceremony.
CUZCO
From Lima we went to Cuzco, 11,000 ft. This gateway to Machu Picchu is said to be the center of the heart chakra of the Andes;
Any doubts we'd had about Peruvian pilots were laid to rest as we circled a mountain and swooped down to a perfect landing. Following an opportunity to make our first purchases of native-woven alpaca sweaters, we were whisked into a helicopter for the ride to Aguas Caliente, staging area for trips to Machu Picchu.
On our way back we had more time in this ancient city.
Many Catholic churches were built over the ruins of Inca temples. In some places, however, earthquakes severely damaged some of them and the Inca temples are being restored. It was said the natives rejected the faith of their Spanish conquerors and accepted it only when the more benign Franciscans arrived on the scene. Even then the new religion was only partially assimilated. Many shamanic ceremonies include a cross or crucifix, but these are clearly not the primary focus. Other objects are coca leaves, crystals, flowers, carvings of animals (representing their reliance on animals for food and clothing) and incense.
There are power spots in the Catholic church of Santa Domingo, built on the ruins of an Inca temple of the sun. Inside one can see where the Spanish plastered over Inca symbols and painted their own as part of the attempt to wipe out all traces of the ancient religion. Some temple walls (and those of some other ancient buildings) slope at a 13 degree angle. It was said this allowed them to survive earthquakes which decimated other buildings, including part of this church.
In one corner was a replica of the golden Sun disk, icon of the Inca. It was said to have been created in Mu (Lemuria) of transmuted translucent gold, transported to the hidden Monestery of the Seven Rays and Tiahuanaca, then to Cuzco and finally dumped into Lake Titicaca to hide it from the Spanish. We were told the original was an activator of power centers and teleportation device and would again become important in this "new age."
A narrow stone passageway nearby was an entrance to the temple. We were asked to walk slowly through it and report our experiences. After doing so, we were told it was a triple energy portal with three types of energy inside. Some said they could feel the 3 separate forces. I, as usual, did not. I did, however, feel 2 distinct energies, with a shift in the middle of the tunnel. My sense of the first energy had started well before entering the passage and intensified as I crossed the threshold. The second energy seemed to be a reversal of the direction of the first.
Following this we were led to a balcony overlooking the city where our native shaman (an ex-archeology student who'd decided he'd rather perform the ancient methods than just read about them) produced his "mesa." This was a cloth wrapped around a collection of his sacred objects. (He kept it closed and we did not view the contents.) There can be different ones for different rituals and they can be used with other items such as coca leaves, plants or cactus. They assist in projecting energy. He said this and many other shamanic rituals involved "dancing with energy."
Each person in turn then stepped onto a marked section of the stone walkway and received a healing which included momentary placement of the "mesa" on their head. Dottie asked me to take a picture of her healing and I readied the camera to do so. When the shaman placed the mesa on her head, I couldn't raise the camera, as what I saw made me freeze. Waves of energy were radiating from her body, like heat waves from a hot sidewalk! I blinked my eyes to be sure they weren't generating the vision. They were not.
When the mesa was removed, the waves subsided. When my turn came I stepped onto the spot and immediately felt energy radiating up from the ground. It intensified when he put his hand on me and the mesa was placed on my head. I felt feelings of release and unity with all, an experience which was repeated several times during the trip. Our shaman explained that in this healing and energy-balancing he was addressing 5 "rings" similar to chakras, with the colors purple (3rd eye), silver (throat) gold (4th chakra), red (3rd chakra) and black (1st chakra).
The heavy influence of native shamans was shown when our guide pointed out a multi-story building in the process of demolition. He said shamans had predicted a future earthquake of a magnitude the building couldn't withstand, so it was being removed to prevent the compounding of a disaster.
As we flew by the back side of Machu Picchu mountain I felt the first of what was to be many energy "rushes." It was an overwhelming feeling of being in an electromagnetic field that came and went as we passed the mountain. (I'd experienced similar feelings at "power spots" in Sedona, Arizona, but nothing nearly as strong.)
As the bus slowly wound its way up the mountain to the ruins I was stunned at the beauty. A huge circle of peaks surrounded us, with snow covering many tops - an incredible setting for the focal point of this ancient civilization.
After presenting my ticket and passing through the gate I was greeted by one of the most spectacular sights on the planet. There before me lay the ruins of a large town and in the background rose a magnificent peak, Huyana Picchu. Entering the ancient city itself was like landing on another planet. It is much larger in reality than any picture can convey. Many of the walls are built of stones fitted together with laser-like precision. (One of the ancient beliefs is that they are evidence of the civilization of Mu [Lemuria], whose members had laser-like crystal cutting devices.)
A message soon came:
"... You see before you the wonder of ancient civilizations and now you can see why they came and went into demise. It is the same as with your own. Listen to your heart and think on the glory of what you see and what it took to get here. Never again will you see this place. Make the most of it while you are here."
I resolved to do so, but asked how I might best do it:
"In the way you are doing it now - by appreciating the beauty of what you see."
The next three days were spent in deep appreciation of the place and the energy surrounding it.
The shamans gave us many pieces of information about the spiritual/energetic aspects of the area. I recorded as much as I could, but much was missed. Here are some of the major points:
M.P. energy is between green (grass) and blue (sky);
Some of the stone of which the ruins are constructed is white granite (crystal which looks
like stone);
There are 3 "father" mountains of which M.P. is one. Together they create an
energy pattern;
M.P. is an energy source for the Amazon;
M.P. is probably the center of the center of the Andes;
There are many sacred sites in the Andes which relate to M.P. (48 of them have been found
in the last 4 years.)
In a central meadow a monolith lies flat, having been toppled from its original upright position (said by some to have been the model for the monolith in the movie 2001). We were told it was the "gateway" for the altar on an adjacent pyramid. Members of our group reported various experiences while touching it. One said he merged totally into it as he lay upon it. Eager for such an experience, I rested my hands on it and noticed the boundary between my left hand and the stone had disappeared and I could no longer feel it as a separate object. It had become an extension of my arm!
The next day I returned, eager to extend the experience. Leaning against the stone with my forearms, I was irritated not to repeat the effect of the prior day. After a couple of minutes however, I noticed something else was happening - my breathing pattern had completely altered and someone/thing else was controlling my respiration. The realization then suddenly struck me - I was breathing in sync with the Earth Mother (Pachamama to the Incas)! Tears came to my eyes as I realized why I'd always felt a strong pull towards rolling hills and mountains - they are a part of my inner being and we are permanently linked.
Many spots within Machu Picchu have spiritual significance. There are "ley lines" running through it connecting these spots and M.P. with other spiritual centers throughout the Andes. We were told M.P. was a gathering place for Inca ascended masters. Their energy was said to run along the lines. Some of the connections represent geo-magnetic pathways and some relate to celestial formations. The shamans said most Inca temples were also astronomical observatories and showed us how buildings and their windows and doorways were aligned to recognize the solstices, so important to a civilization whose livelihood depended on knowing the timing of the rainy and dry seasons.
There are several large rock outcroppings in M.P. that look like piles of stone left over from the building of temples. They are not. Each has a significant placement with respect to the others and some represent chakra points. They were also said to contain many tombs with pottery and rose crystals. We were told it is possible for people stationed at each of the points to set up a telepathic network. Our attempt at this was not successful however, perhaps because it came late in the day when our interest in getting down the mountain to dinner muddied our communication channels.
One day I was bringing up the rear and came around a corner to see members of the group pressing their bodies against a wall. Not knowing what was happening I did the same and felt nothing. As people shared their spiritual experiences of the spot that evening, I felt "left out," as I had had none. Some described seeing flashes of blue lightning or merging with the wall. Not 'til the next day was I to discover the secret.
Passing the wall again, I asked Dottie what she'd done to make a connection. She pointed out a large triangle that had been obscured to me the day before. Placing my body against it, with my head at the top and my hands at the other corners, I waited for the lightening to strike. True to form it did not - instead my breathing was again taken over by a powerful force which locked it in sync with that of another entity. I felt that once again I was breathing with the Earth Mother (Pachamama) and directly connected to her!
Feeling the call of Huyana Picchu (the peak directly behind the ruins - the male energy counterpart of the complex) to climb it, I asked if it would be appropriate.
"If you must, but it is not necessary to your spiritual growth and indeed, isn't that why you came here?"
Indeed it was, but it seems my response to any large hill or mountain is a need to climb it. I resolved, however, to restrain myself, at least for the moment.
After being given the "OK" a day later, we finally made the climb. From this perspective we could see the area is the focal point of a larger circle of mountains, much as a satellite dish focuses the signals it receives on a central point. This may be why the energy is so powerful there.
At one point the path went into a cave. Entering, I felt an overwhelming "presence" and a voice in my head said:
"The spirit of the mountain lives here!"
I had no doubt.
From the top, Machu Picchu could be seen below, spread out in the form of an "X." (The shamans had been referring to an "X" and I had not understood what they meant until now.) A light rain began falling, but I ignored it - I was at the top of the world and nothing could dampen the experience! We spent some time there absorbing the view and the energy before the treacherous descent over rain-slickened stones.
Another day Dottie and I followed the mile-long section of the Inca trail from M.P. to the Sun Gate at the crest of a ridge line. After a short distance I turned to face the massive mountains ringing the area and, with hands facing outward, exchanged energy with them. Half way up were the remains of a small temple with two large upright pillars. As I stepped between them, I felt as though gravity had been suspended and I'd grown several inches. When Dottie joined me there were two resounding thunderclaps - an aberration on an otherwise clear day. We stopped and pondered whether this was a coincidence or a signal we were making a powerful connection with the ancient civilization.
Further along, I turned again towards the mountain peaks, this time seeing them as the inside of a giant drum. As this vision solidified, the drum began to beat with a steadily increasing intensity until all became part of one unified rhythmic whole and my feeling of linkage with the earth became even stronger.
At the Sun Gate I asked if there was a message:
"Yes ... it is about what you see before you. In that basin a tribe of people once grew to great wisdom and stature. Because they ignored the warning signs of the disintegration of their culture, it was taken over by others whose intent was not nearly so benevolent. This is the lesson for you today - that good intentions are not enough, they must be translated into action. A benevolent society will be destroyed if it does not take action to protect itself. Your society is now in the process of learning this lesson, but it may be too late. Do not despair, however, as those forces which would destroy can also be turned to your advantage if you only knew how."
(Perhaps then even the energy of the ultraconservative Republicans in our own Congress can be turned in a positive direction.)
Later that afternoon, as darkness fell, we stayed in the ruins rather than leaving at the official closing time. Our Inca shaman guide put on the brightly-colored outfit of his profession and, despite a light drizzle, performed a beautiful ceremony. He first built a small fire of wonderful-smelling wood chips in a brazier, blowing it out when it became sufficiently hot. He then used it to smudge each one of us in turn. He then blew a conch shell in each of the four directions and sprayed us all lightly with "Florida" water. We were then instructed to take three of our coca leaves and place them against "Roca Sagrada" a sacred rock. As we did so we were to make a wish for our deepest desire. I wished for heart opening and unity with the universe. The wish was to be granted during the rest of the journey.
One afternoon our group gathered by a large flat contoured stone in Machu Picchu. This was said to be the "bed" of the high priestess of the temples. One by one we took our turns lying on it and having a most powerful healing/energy-balancing performed. At the head was the shaman from New Zealand and at the foot was his wife, an energy-healer from Sedona. Standing by and also sending energy were the group leader (the Mongolian/Cherokee/Canadian shaman), a native Inca descendant shaman and others of the group. No drugs of any kind were involved.
As each got up after their healing, they appeared to be in a daze and some needed assistance to a place of rest. I personally had some doubts about the process, as I'd not felt much effect from energy work in the past. Once again, however, my experience was to be different in this most unusual and powerful place.
Lying on the comfortable stone, I could feel and see wave after wave of energy sweep over me. It seemed I was being caressed by the forces of the universe. When I got up it was as though in a cloud, with the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders. I couldn't speak and was able only to stare blankly into space. The concentrated energy directed towards me during the process had indeed altered the alignment of my very being. I've since come to realize these processes of healing and balancing produced a lasting change affecting every part of my life.
Could there be more to come? The next day brought with it a new experience, perhaps a result of this "healing," perhaps independent of it.
The condor is a symbolic bird much honored in Inca tradition. It is the messenger from this world to the cosmos. We went to the area known as the Condor Oracle, where a large stone on the ground has the head of a condor carved in one corner. Behind this stone a natural rock formation comprises the wings. After the group left the area I returned and stared at the scene, feeling a strange attachment. I raised my arms to conform to the angle of the rock "wings"and stood there, feeling a resonance with the magnificent bird.
Suddenly my arms began to move, not through my volition, but involuntarily as though my body had been taken over by another entity. My arms flailed faster and faster, back and forth, up and down and from side to side, as images of "Swan Lake" flashed through my mind. I realized I was in synchronization with the condor spirit and we flew together, though my physical body remained firmly rooted to the ground.
(The only prior similar experience was a Holotropic Breathwork session a few weeks before. Perhaps it had been a preparation for this.)
Approaching exhaustion, I was released, feeling honored to have had such an experience and that another link to the world of spirit had been forged for me.
OLLANTAYTAMBO
Between Machu Picchu and Cuzco are the ruins of Ollantaytambo, once a border citadel of the Inca. One one side are cliff dwellings and on the other is a wall of six crystalline-rock monoliths averaging fifty tons each! Their edges fit flush with the same precision found in Machu Picchu and many other Inca structures. We were told some of the stones were moved here from the adjacent mountain by sound power, but that after the Inca decline they had to be moved by manual methods.
We all stood against the stones with our backs to them. Mine was perpendicular to the others. As I stood there I felt a rumbling reminiscent of a California earthquake. Then for a brief moment my breathing was again locked in synchronization with that of the earth. Again, my experience was unlike those of the others. They reported various visualizations and feelings of energy waves. At one point in our ceremonies, a dark shadow passed across the ground in front of us. Only one of the group had been looking skyward and he exclaimed "a condor!" The native shaman said this was truly a significant event, as it was only the second condor seen there in 4 years.
THE HIGH PLATEAU AND LAKE TITICACA
From Machu Picchu and Cuzco we went to the Altiplano, the high plateau at 13,000 feet. The Aymara people of the Altiplano are beautiful descendants of the Incas. Living in poverty on tiny farms, they nevertheless were warm and friendly, even sharing a couple of meals with us.
We stopped at one point and were led into the "Cave of the serpent." Here another brief coca leaf ceremony was performed and then the shaman went to each of us in turn to balance our energy. The effects were profound on many of the group. One lady began weeping uncontrollably and another man fell to the ground. I felt my body begin to vibrate and went to my knees, feeling a flow of energy and a release of pent-up blockages.
Afterwards I felt incredibly refreshed, as if another load had been lifted from my shoulders. That evening, as we shared our experiences, the lady expressed her thanks for having been able to release memories of childhood trauma that had haunted her for years. The man who'd fallen to the ground said the experience resulted in a further "heart-opening" for him, though he was already one of the most open and loving people I'd ever met.
We stayed a couple of nights in an orphanage in Urubamba, made necessary by the refusal of Andean men to marry women with children. Since many girls become pregnant shortly after reaching puberty (frequently due to family members) their children are "excess baggage." The lady (Rae Pieraccini) who ran the (very lovely) place has decided to move her efforts into the arena of women's rights and concentrate on dealing with the original problem, rather than its after-effects. You can assist - her U.S. contact phone is (707)887-9839 and she has a web page at: http://www.metro.net/RAE/edu.html
At the edge of the lake was a marshy area with hundreds of flamingos lined up in regimental fashion. Nearby were several of the reed boats made famous by Thor Hyderdahl's "Kon-Tiki." I determined to get closer for a photo. The ground seemed fairly solid for a while, but suddenly gave way and I felt myself sinking! Two thoughts flashed into head - death in quicksand and reducing pounds per square inch by spreading weight over a large area. I fell forward on my face and chest just in time to stop my plunge in to the mire. I was then able to slowly and carefully crawl back to a more stable area. My shoes and pants still bear traces of the ooze. The flamingos remained calm.
In Urubamba we met Maria, a "high priestess" of the lake. She was a Yahiti, or female shaman. Though she spoke no English and only some Spanish there was much non-verbal communication. She was to accompany us on our journey.
We drove along the shores of beautiful Lake Titicaca, pausing by a small lake on the opposite side of the road where UFOs had been seen entering and leaving. Despite intense watchfulness we saw none. We then proceeded to Copacabana, chuckling at each red flag posted in front of a native hut. This meant the occupant had made a fresh batch of corn beer and it was available for sale. Those who tried it did not go back for seconds.
At Lake Titicaca we motored out to the Island of the Moon, where we spent a night with a native family (and their llama, pigs and chickens). Toyless, the children delighted in chasing the chickens and stuffing them into the (cold) clay bread oven in the yard. They were overjoyed when we gave them pens, paper and balloons on our departure.
That night Maria told our fortunes with coca leaves. She meticulously laid out a pound of them in little piles on a rug. She then stacked and restacked them, mumbling as she did so. One by one we sat opposite her, gave her some money and coca leaves and received her wisdom.
The first few readings could have come straight from the Sunday horoscope - good health, long life, prosperity, etc. Not 'til my wife took her place did the story change. Maria looked Dottie in the eye and announced (through an interpreter) that she was also a Yahiti. Not only that, but she had an ancient connection to the predecessors of the Inca. Dottie was speechless, as her spirit guides had been giving her similar messages for several days.
When my turn came, it was back to the old routine - good health, long life, etc. I decided to push for more. I said (truthfully) that lately I'd been getting more satisfaction from helping people for free than from doing work for money. Her advice was simply, "Follow your heart." I remained seated and waited for something more definitive. She looked at me and said, "You have a contract with a higher being." This was a shock, as the same message had come separately before from sources as diverse as my own spirit guides and a psychic in California who'd just met me. She next said, "You will be working very hard in the future, but not making much money for a while." This was not what I wanted to hear.
She then gave me an admonition, "You have your own guides - you should be discussing such things with them." (In fact I had been, but without much resolution.) I was now convinced that Maria was the "real thing."
The next day, on a hill by the lake, Maria laid out an elaborate ceremonial spread. She painstakingly chopped up a loaf of a solid substance, formed it into a cake and placed representational objects into it. (We were told the Aymara use tiny replicas of items of importance in asking the spirits for favors, e.g., sheep to represent flock fertility, grains to represent a good harvest or a tiny house when determining the best location to build.) Upon completion of her project, it was taken to another part of the hill and burned out of our presence. As this was being done, a Mountain Caracara (black and white bird between eagle-hawk) flew over. It was said to be a channel to the Great Spirit.
I had to admit, however, to feeling no particular energy/spiritual connection as a result. Walking slowly from the area, I encountered a chest-high red monolithic stone and leaned against it. Stretching before me was the hillside and the vast expanse of the highest navigable lake in the world. For a moment I could not move - I was attached to the stone, the hillside and the lake and we were all part of a single integrated, unified whole. I asked for the meaning of it all:
"... at this time you should be realizing the inner power which all possess. If exercised in the proper way it can be a force for good. Otherwise it represents the evil one. The people you have observed at work have been led to the light and genuinely seek to help their people. It is ones such as these that will lead the way to a new day and the beginning of peace on earth ..."
This was somewhat cryptic, but I took it to echo something the shamans had been telling us - the inner work one does on one's self is at least as important as any work done through external means. To be able to love and help others one must first love one's self. The ceremonies we had been witnessing and experiencing were calculated to balance our energies, remove energy blocks interfering with our self-realization and love and release us to be in touch with our inner being, the planet and the cosmos. In this way would we become better able to express love of others and to help heal them. The Incas knew this and the native shamans have carried this wisdom for hundreds of years and now wished to release it to the world.
We returned to the mainland from the Island and spent a night in Copacabana. In the morning some of us climbed a sacred hill which had monuments to the seven steps of the cross. Half way up (about 13,500') we had a joint ceremony presided over by a local shaman. It consisted mainly of his swinging a burning brazier of cow dung and spraying everyone with beer. Somehow the spiritual significance was lost to me.
Staggering up the rest of the way brought a magnificent view of the huge lake. (Maria had ascended easily despite her almost 70 years.) There were peddlers of the tiny objects - cars, animals, houses, etc. and Maria bought a miniature van - perhaps she planned to go on the road.
THE PORTAL
On the road back we stopped for our last heavy connection with the Andean spirits. Near the roadside was a long winding rock described as a serpent. Four holes at one end of it were said to be footprints of the puma. On the steep side of the rock were two cutouts and we each placed our feet in them and laid against the cold stone. Some felt intense energy while others, including me, did not. We then walked along the back of the serpent to the head, described as a condor, and down into a field.
Soon we came to the first part of "The Portal." Here the natural rock wall had a break which opened on a series of other openings stretching out before us. I stood in it and felt waves of energy flow over me. The message came:
"You are standing in an energy gateway. Receive it and accept it."
I did, and felt a further progression in the build-up of energy I'd been accumulating during the journey.
The second half of the experience was even more powerful. We soon came upon a huge monolith with a cutout in the bottom center and two semi-circular columnar cutouts on either side. We were told to kneel in the center with our foreheads (3rd eye) against a circular spot and our hands on ledges and then to stand with our solar plexis against the same spot. After this we were to stand in one of the columnar spaces to balance the energy we'd received.
In preparation for this process Alan, the leader, withdrew a large crystal from his pocket. He told us to close our eyes and he would send us crystal energy. When I did so, I saw a brilliant flash of light and then another, as though standing before a lighthouse with a rotating beacon. I later asked Alan if he had been directing reflected sunlight at our eyes and he assured me he had not. I have no other explanation for what I saw, than that it was concentrated energy somehow focused by the crystal.
Going through the sequence of steps at the monolith yielded no visual experience for me, but again voices came through:
"We are the spirits of the mountains. We are here to guide, guard and serve you. We will be at your beck and call ... Remember us, we will send a message with a messenger."
Once again my linkage with the earth had been activated.
Others of the group reported intense visual experiences, of merging with the stone, of purple lightning and feelings of completeness and openness. I shared the feeling of openness and also felt wonderment at the sequence of events which had transpired and curiosity as to what the ultimate effect on me would be.
That night a dream brought my answer. In it an acquaintance phoned me with an urgent request to meet in an abandoned warehouse. I rushed there and found him standing by an open elevator shaft. He intended suicide and I spent an hour trying to talk him out of it. Finally he said he would not do it, but then walked into the shaft to his death. The police came to detain me as a murder suspect and my awakening occurred amidst my protests of innocence.
To me this vision epitomized the result of the Peru trip. Despite some unwillingness on my part, my old "self" is dead and what remains is the essence of my being. This will, however, result in conflicts with my friends and others who choose not to recognize their spirituality. (I have already experienced this.) So be it - the transitional process is continuing. I can feel Inca energy even as I sit and write these words. In some ways it seems to be getting stronger.
Many others in the group blossomed and shifted during the trip. Those who were withdrawn opened up and acquired a warmth previously hidden. One or two who needed a bit of humility gained it, but all were touched by the powerful journey. We will carry the energy of Peru the rest of our lives.
THE MESSAGE
Several months after our return I began to question the information I'd received at the Portal, as I'd been earnestly waiting and no messenger had come. Then one day while biking on nearby Mt. Diablo (Devil Mountain) it came.
As I stopped halfway up to take in the view I noticed two buzzards circling in the distance. After a minute they straightened out their flight path and headed straight towards me. Onward they came without swerving, striking a bit of fear in my heart. As they approached they veered ever so slightly, with one passing an arm's length from me. The event was so unusual it caused a passing motorist to swerve to the wrong side of the road.
Stunned, I remembered the real Andean condor I'd recently seen at a local animal sanctuary, learning that the magnificent symbol of the Andes was also the buzzard of that area. I asked if this was the messenger I'd been waiting for. The answer came that indeed it was and I should decipher the message.
Reflecting on the link between the related birds of different continents, I concluded the message was one of unity and connection - of the planet and of life forms and spirits. An affirmation came and I realized the thousands of miles which now separated me from the ancient cities and spirits of Peru could evaporate in an instant and connect me with them at any time I chose.
CONCLUSION
The ancient people developed their own ways of contacting the controlling forces of the universe. These methods were handed down through the ages and appear to be effective. (After all, the "new age" is really not new, but merely a recognition of many ancient ways.)
Part of the decline of modern society is from failure to properly honor the earth. We are even filling the cosmos with "space junk." The ancients knew quite well their value and stood in awe of their beauty. They placed great emphasis on respect for the Earth Mother ("Pachamama") and they honored three levels of being, the cosmos, the human level and the earth. We have much to learn from them. While the early Incas believed in many gods, a later King consolidated those beliefs and ordered that only one god would be worshipped as God, with all other entities subordinate - earth, moon, sun, etc. This tradition was observed in all the ceremonies I shared.
Yes, spirituality is alive and well in Peru. Many forms of it coexist side by side. My own remains as it was before my trip, but my eyes and heart have opened wider to the realization that no one form of faith "owns" spirituality. It is a deep connection between the soul of a person and the universe and no one can tell another their connection is "wrong." All we can do is share that to which our experience has led us. Back to Top