Living with Shamans. A Lesson in Love
My husband and I drove separately to the Philadelphia airport in the pouring rain to pick up our guests from Peru.
Not knowing what to expect, I felt an open anticipation. A few conversations had led to this moment. It struck me that these men were traveling far from home to meet a woman they didn’t know, live in an unfamiliar home, and spend an immersive week in service. I considered how much trust they had in Spirit and commitment to the path of the paqo (shaman) to say ‘yes’ to this call to Seed the Light in New Jersey. To show up within the unknown and share their wisdom, love, and healing energy.
I recognized this familiar ‘yes.’ It had led me to this highway and with that awareness, all that was unsettled within me washed away.
In that moment, I knew I’d spend the week being instructed how to live in beauty, trust, and love.
We met these beautiful, tired men with warmth and received the same. Connected, yet strangers, we gathered luggage and headed home. As Pascual played the flute in the backseat, we drove slowly through the torrential downpour. The rain offering cleansing for the Philadelphia area as the healing of the Earth, Pachamama, and all Her creatures began.
Once settled, we called our friends to lunch. They showed up with gifts.
This is the way of living in Ayni (eye-knee), the Peruvian cultural and spiritual practice of living in right relationship with Pachamama and each other. In gratitude for our caretaking, we were wrapped with bracelets and draped in shawls made by their families. Giving and receiving. Receiving and giving. After lunch, Chino did the dishes while others played flutes and rattled, cleaning and blessing the space.
Centered in our intent to care for the paqos, my husband and I consciously opened to make space to receive every blessing and gift offered.
As the days unfolded, we entered a joyful rhythm of relaxed friendship, laughter, give and take, shared meals, and quiet time on the deck. Eager to work, the paqos headed to Soul Sanctuary or our Weekend Gathering with enthusiasm. After long days and nights, they laughed and joked in the backseat on the way home. Their camaraderie and genuine enjoyment of their time together was obvious.
When I showed Francisco my “magic closet” filled with overflowing bookshelves, binders housing my creations, and mini altars, he offered to bless it.
Returning with his bells, he blessed my closet and all the wisdom within. He blessed the altars in my office. I was ready to offer my gratitude, but he quickly moved on. Generously blessing the plants and crystals in the bathroom, cleaning the energy within our clothes closet, and moving on to the bedroom and altars within. I trailed Francisco as he blessed our space and then looked to me with a question, “okay?” Okay indeed, papa, as we shared a hug.
Morning, evening, and throughout the day, I felt the delight of every greeting. I witnessed how the paqos greeted us and each other in genuine friendship and loving attention.
How different this was from the rote greeting often observed in daily living. That ‘how are you?’ without much attention to the answer.
With every meeting, something lit up in the face as the handshake or hug was offered
I felt the underlying message. ‘I see you. I welcome you. I enjoy you. I respect you.’
This wasn’t only offered to people.
It was apparent in how the paqos greeted each day with reverence , enjoyed the busy birds in the backyard, and felt nourished by the greenery of the neighborhoods. Pascual and I walked along my gardens and down the street to the pond. Curious about what was naturally growing and if fish were present, he greeted the plants and the waters with “Munay Sunqo!”
This “love from my heart” greeting was often heard and sent off in all directions to all aspects of nature, including the beautiful participants in the Gathering.
As the days unfolded, in the midst of a busy schedule with many moving parts, I became still inside.
I began receiving lessons directly from the wisdom of Life Itself. The kind of teaching that quietly states, “This is how you live. This is how you love, relate, work, play, and grow.” I felt generosity move through my being in a constant flow with so many different forms of expression. Laughter bubbled up frequently without cause and tenderness claimed my heart as its home.
Witnessing the preciousness of each participant as they received a blessing or initiation threatened to dissolve me.
My eyes soft, my inbreath deep, I felt Life Itself delight in the scene before me. Like a proud Mama watching Her children enter an exchange with such sweetness and open hearts. Pachamama breathed deeply and exhaled long and slow Her acknowledgment that healing was happening and magic was returning to the world.
Something profound was seeded during these interactions, welcomed in the belly with the promise of nourishment, safety, and love.
The Seeding the Light Gathering, every part and each location, offered an alchemical crucible for a shifting of such magnitude that I was surprised the weather remained calm. The subtle movement of thunder and lightning was present in the invisible power of every ceremony, yet poured into each person like a gentle mist.
At some point, I became conscious that the desire to serve inhabited my whole being.
It was easy. No thought required, no idea of how or why, just an abiding love that wished to move in service to Life. No instruction, preparation, or even intent was required in this natural tendency.
Just the awareness that Life serves Life in all of its myriad forms. And that strangers becoming family is the natural order of things.
When the Gathering was complete, we rested, enjoyed some shopping and a taste of Philly cheesesteaks. Arriving at the airport, I moved to retrieve their bags from the hatchback. I was stopped as Francisco and Pascual adorned me with bracelets and a headband. I don’t know why I was still surprised at their grateful exchange for the ride to the airport. Receiving graciously, giving generously. Ayni in constant practice is the way for those in tune with the overflowing abundance of life.
Arriving home, my husband and I compared notes. 8 days of living in love and we were shifted.
There was no end to the gratitude we shared. With a full heart, a tired body, and many seeds of light, I settled onto my back deck. I thought to offer Munay Sunqo and Muchas Gracias to Pachamama, the beneficence of Life, our beautiful teachers, and every participant who called forth this shared experience.
Since no words were needed, Life rested as I promptly took a nap.
Peace be with you and with all. No exceptions.
HeartWarming
News
The Andean Wisdom Path invites a commitment to live the Beauty Way. As a practice, you make a daily commitment to take action to bring beauty to every situation you are in. Moment by moment you have the opportunity to notice how beauty emerges through you. As well as every space within you that withholds or denies beauty within yourself, another, or life. This is a practice of perpetual correction. A graceful bowing to the true harmony as you clean up each perception. Living in Beauty aligns you with the principle of cosmic harmony. Let’s create beauty together.
