MY PERU TRIP 2007

My family left Chile when I was 5, because of the political unrest. I had visited Italy, my dad’s home land, and found where I fitted in there. But my longing to return to South America had a much stronger pull. So 35 years later I was able to go back. Meeting my Chilean relatives was fantastic, and I was welcomed with open arms. I always wanted and felt a desperate need to visit Peru as well. So my South American trip was very emotional, and intense. So this extract is from part of my Peru experience.

Landing at Cusco airport the vast barren mountains surrounded me. I could see from the plane the angular walking trails. They feel like they connect the land to the people. The thick dirt under my feet gives me immense joy. How long have I waited for this moment, it feels like a lifetime. But here I am, finally!! My breathing feels a bit laboured, and my head hurts and I feel spacey. Is this the altitude sickness they warned me about? (3000m above sea level). I could see so many animal spirits; this land was so alive and uncluttered. Well I am more connected here, so my visions are heightened. Chewing the coca leaves helped to reduce my symptoms. Having retrieved my luggage, we were greeted by colourfully dressed Peruvian musicians energetically playing their traditional music. I’m here…. So many years of waiting. The pain deep in my chest wants to be released but I push it back down. Not here, not yet…

Our tour guide Elvis has organised for me to meet his friend from University, she was on the same plane, and is now running mystical tours of Peru. So 8 days into our trip I waited early in the morning to be picked up by Zulema, Carlos and Guillermo, a Shaman. We had to head off in the cold early morning to see the shadows at the sacred sites; they changed as the sun rose.  I returned to Q’enqo (the temple of the sun), which I had visited with my group. It was used to sacrifice llamas to the Gods. But this time Carlos explained the importance of these Atlantean sites. How powerful they are, because they are built on positive geopathic earth grids. It connects the physical to the spiritual world. The shadows transform into Peruvian sacred animals -from a frog, to a puma and to an eagle.

Walking down to the underground sacrificial alter (wacca), I place my hands on the granite flattened rock. I see visions of different symbols on a column. First the Inca cross and then Christ on the cross leaving my heart, and I feel a huge wave of sadness leave my body. A cascade of water and then more symbols appear in a column. Now….. it’s OK, let it go…I feel tears of sadness stream down my cheeks. I don’t really know why this is happening, but I know it wants to leave, to allow more joy to return into my heart.

Sitting on the top of the ruins Carlos tells me to connect to the earth’s core.
‘Breathe deep into the center’ he says.
I feel a strong pull; my body is dragged forward towards the rocks. After a few minutes I feel my body rebalance as I sit upright again.
‘Your aura looks beautiful, it's green and violet, with lots of golden rays’.
I smile.
‘Did you say you worked with angels?’
‘Yes’
‘Well there is a huge Andean angel standing behind you’.
 My eyes well up, even here; my angels follow me, thank you
‘I can see your connection to the spirits, and the gift you have in helping others’ said Carlos.
‘When are you going to write your book?’ holding his book.
‘I’m in the middle of writing, it’s a big job’, I sigh.
 

I buy a golden plaque of Tumi the pre- Inca God from one of the women by the side of the road. He is the first universal angel. The spade connects the light of the earth and the universe together. It connects at the heart, opening up the wings, lighting the heart and then the spirit radiates up into the crown.

After a simple lunch at a trout farm, we go to a bush land close to the Saccsayhuaman. Guillermo begins to prepare for the spiritual blessing ceremony for me. He places different woven cloths on the ground; his wife had dyed, spun and woven. He honours all the 4 directions, above and below, and all connecting to the heart center. He spreads the coco leaves out on the cloths, and groups them into 3’s. He blows on them, and asks for blessings from Pachamama (mother), Pachapapa (father) and the Upu (mountains). He thanked them for everything. He then asked them to bless me, my family, and my work, as he placed more offerings on the altar corn grains, cotton seeds, flowers, coca seeds.
 

I am so grateful to have met these people. The shaman does not accept payment, but he was happy to receive a donation for his work. I was given the opportunity to purchase the cloths, his small coca bag, a beaded head band and beaded bracelets. His face lit up when Zulema converted the $US into Peruvian Soles. He was delighted in what he could buy with the money. Later Zulema asked me if I wanted to organize a group of 10 people to do their 2 week sacred journey. What a great opportunity to return to this magical place. Great, why not, I’ll do it!!

The next morning we catch the 6 am train to Aguas Calientes, the closest village to Macchu Picchu. The train zig zags back and forward as it climbs the mountain. The scenery is beautiful, high jagged mountains, some snow capped; the river flowing quickly sparkles as we wind deeper into the forest. Again I am so very excited at the amount of animal spirits I can see in the rocks and amongst the trees.

I feel extremely calm as I walk through the market next to the train station. There is something very special about this town, perhaps it is the hot springs, cleansing and purifying. In one of the little shops I meet Monica, the wife of a shaman. As I get to know her, she tells me her husband is away and was frightened of him.
 

‘Can you do some healing on me?’ her eyes look desperate.
 I find it so strange that I came from Tasmania for my healing in Peru, to do one on a shaman’s wife. I work on her for an hour in my broken Spanish and using a dictionary to explain what I was doing.
‘I feel happy and so much better, and can feel the angels around me’.
She gives me a large piece of clear quartz, as an exchange. I know she does not have very much, so this is a very special gift.
I walk up the some steep stairs, (well they feel really steep), because I’m finding it hard to breathe again, and go passed a crystal shop which looks intriguing. I meet Sara a Peruvian Indian who works with gem stones, his shop is full of people. Then all of a sudden they all leave. He calls me over to his work bench and shows me a piece of chrysocolla (Peruvian turquoise). I feel like we have always been friends.
‘What can you see?’ His eyes also twinkle.
‘Look, deeply into this one, it’s very old’.
He showed me how to really look at the stones and choose the right one for me. ‘I wish you good luck on your journey. Thank you for spending time with me’, he gave me a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek.
The next morning we are up at 5 am to catch the bus up to Macchu Picchu for the winter solstice. The bus zig zags up the mountain road. We arrive in time to see the sun rise over the mountain and the first rays reach the small carved window of the winter temple. The shadow it created over the altar … the return of the sun. The Inca’s then knew the days would get longer. It was an opening of the doorway – the gateway.
I was overwhelmed with the significance, the complexity of the how it was built, again with no mortar. Tears flowed without warning. We climbed the steep stairs to the main observatory, and we touched the huge granite stone block. Many could not feel anything, but the energy from it was tremendous. Later I broke off from the group and walked to the protection gateway through the forest, why am I still crying? I must be releasing so much, I’m just not aware of what it is. But the energies are heightened because of the solstice.

As I walked in the direction of the top summer temple – the sun gate, I met Allan from South Africa.

‘I am so excited about your transformational journey of self realisation’, he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

‘As you go up there (pointing to the sun gate), release all that you are ready to let go. Today is a very special day’, he waved me good bye, and walked down to the buses.
It felt like a pilgrimage. I could see the Inca spirits walking with me, shaking their rattles. Brilliant blue sky and cobalt blue swallows, zipping around. The beauty and tranquility of the place amazes me. I know I’ll return, I have to, there is so much more I need to learn from this place.