**Note: I wrote this entry over a week as it was quite long and involved. I decided to include both the tour bus visits as a result.
Late yesterday afternoon (October 2nd), a bus full of people came to the center to learn about Pakarinka and the Incan traditions, at least on a small level. Those who came on the bus were from several different places, mostly the United States. There were medical and non-medical persons among the group curious about the culture and the healing practices of the indigenous peoples here. They were a lovely group, some of who I had the pleasure of sitting with at dinner talking about what we are both doing here, They were genuinely pleased to hear my reasons for being here and gave me support an encouragement for my decision. I was most grateful.
After they arrived, there was a ceremony in the prayer circle outside. Everyone sat in a circle on the short grass wall of the circle while Willak sang his songs/prayers and played his flute.
There was an interpreter explaining what was happening and why. Unfortunately I was a bit distracted because Mali kept wanting to go into the circle, and Miguel wanted to play and chew my arm off. I spent most of my time outside the circle trying to keep Mali out of the circle and calming Miguel down. I do know at one point they were each given medicine similar to a tobacco offering which they would blow on, giving it their energy and then take to the fire on the outside of the circle. The idea was to send a prayer complete with your energy into the fire where the smoke would carry it up to the spirits. We did something similar to this at the Wheel in British Columbia.
We then went over to the herb/medicine garden where they grow all of their medicines for healing. It was explained that for the most part Mother Nature tells us which part of the body the plant is good for based on the shape of the flower or leaf to be used. I was at the back of the crowd and so could not always hear what was being said, but the one plant had a heart shape leaf and therefor was good for ailments concerning the heart. And so it goes. She also explained that an important part of their philosophy is that whatever is taken from the earth, the earth will be given something in return. For example, composting is a way of giving the earth something that it can use to create a better growing environment for the plants. Prayers are often offered when taking the plants as well, to offer thanks for the gift of healing and the knowledge to use the medicine.. How did we learn to use the many gifts that the earth provides us? It is through spirit, or whatever you choose to call the energy that feeds all life. In any case, it is a beautiful exchange.
We then went back to the fire on the other side of the circle and there the process of starting supper began. Before everyone arrived there was a hole dug in the earth and a seperated space held a circle of stones used for the big fire which was started a couple of hours fore everyone arrived. Under the wood were the many volcanic stone which would be used for heat in the pit where the food would be placed. Willak explained the process as his brother, using a pitch fork took the stones out of the fire pit, the wood now burned down to ashes, one at a time to be placed in the pit. There was a woman there also with a large tied bundle of eucalyptus branches. She used these branches to clean the rocks before they were put into the pit, essentially taking away any dirt or ash allowing for a clean cooking surface.
Once all the rocks had been placed in the hole, the baskets of food on the side of the pit were emptied into the pit, one vegetable placed on the other. Altogether there was potatoes, carrots, chicken wrapped in cabbage leaves, zucchini, plantain, beans, corn and peas and cabbage leaves added on the top. Once all the food had been piled on they added a large pot of water, and a layer of leaves. There were four volunteers asked to participate at this point, two men and two women (balance) who each took a corner of a large sheet stretching it between them. They created air movement by waving the sheet up and down thus fanning the air and causing steam. The sheet was laid down over the pit, a woven grass Mat on top of that and then the dirt from digging the hole shovelled on top. Like a huge pressure cooker, they created an environment where the steam could not excape by making sure the dirt covered all places there might be a hole.
At this point a glass of water had been brought to the circle to be poured on top of the mound of dirt. I had been busy watching all that was happening and did not notice Mali go over to where Willak was standing explaining all that was happening and drink out of the glass. How she knew the glass was there I don’t know, but it is a testament to the sensory capabilities of our friends the animals. Everyone had a good chuckle watching her gently drink out of the small opening completely unaware of her intrusion, then leaving when she had enough. Another glass was brought in to replace what she had taken and from that point on I did my best to keep her closer to hand.
Once the water had been poured onto the center of the mound in the shape of a circle with a cross in the center, they called the woman (there was definetly more women in tha group) to form a circle around the pit and begin tamping down the dirt on the edge. With their arms around each other and with Willak and his brother chanting and playing music, they first went in a clock-wise circle, then a counter clock-wise circle. The few men that were there then joined in forming a circle behind the women, again tamping down the earth in rhythm to the music being played.The women were going clockwise while the men were going counter clockwise, changing direction when the signal was given with the music to do so.
Once this had been done to satisfaction of the shaman, we all headed inside to begin a very interesting part of the teachings. There were 3 demonstrations performed showing different ways of finding out what is wrong in the body or in one case, an energy clearing was done. There were 3 volunteers, one for each demonstration beginning with the energy clearing. As the woman (a man for the second visit) who volunteered stood in the circle of people in the great room of the learning center, an indiginous woman began her work. She walked around the volunteer tapping her with a bundle of eucalyptus branches (and leaves) touching on many areas of the body. As she went around her, tapping she began to cough when touching certain areas of the body, mostly on her back. This indicated the areas of the body that were experiencing the worst energy blockages. When she was no longer coughing or moving with difficulty the woman doing the clearing was finished. She disposed to the branches outside somewhere while we stayed inside, ready for the next demonstration.
****These photos were taken yesterday (October 9th) at a different pachamanka (earth kettle) ceremony with a group of students. The ceremonies differed a bit, but basically it was the same process. There was no interpreter for this second ceremony, I guess because they all spoke Spanish well enough to understand what was being said.
There were three separate demonstrations, the second was done on anew volunteer with a different woman (man for the second visit) showing her skills. This woman used an egg in her hand rubbing it over the body, making breathing sounds and once again coughing when she began working over a particular part of the body that where healing was needed. When she was done her body reading, she then broke the egg into a glass of water to do her assessment based on what she saw in the glass.
The third assessment was done by this same woman, who would now use a guinia pig, a animal that is considered sacred here. They say that if you put several of these small creatures in a contained space all but one will panic and try to get away. The one which doesn’t move is the one that volunteers it’s body for this process – giving it’s life, they say willingly. The guinia pig is rubbed against the body in the same manner as the egg was (the volunteer is wearing a sheet, covering them from head to toe) with much the same procedure. Once the process is finished, the guinia pig is cut open and the discovery of all that is potentially wrong with the volunteer is revealed in the internal body of the guinia pig. In the case of the young girl who volunteered yesterday, she found out she had some health issues which needed looking after right away as they had to do with her liver function. Not serious yet, but potentially so.
Once everything was explained, there was more music and discussion while the meal was dug out from the pit and served. And a beautiful meal it was, everything was cooked beautifully and tasted wonderful. I would compare it to camping and having your meal grilled in a fire pit. The flavour is different as you know when you cook in this way. One of Willak’s nephews made a delicious hot sauce to go on the food as well – just a wonderful meal all in all. There was lots of lively discussion by one and all, everyone leaving with new ideas, a full belly and food for thought also. One of the things these students were told was that modern medicine was not the answer – that about 80% of all health issues are caused from what we ingest, the rest is through our skin, our ears and minds. In other words, we have far more control over our illness than we realize. The answers lie within us, something I realized more than 30 years ago when I began to change my eating habits for a healthier body.
My children grew up without doctors, vaccinations and antibiotics. Well in truth my two oldest were subjected to the vaccinations because at the time I didn’t know better, but my two youngest did not have them. At the time it was a bit of a struggle in the school system to insure they did not get the shots in school, but we were adamant. Propaganda goes a long way in convincing people that they should be afraid of disease/illness. In fact we have a great deal of control over what our bodies go through, most of it relating to what we ingest, what we put on our skin and breathe in (scented candles, etc.). My kids were the healthiest ones in school, and when they did on rare occasion catch a cold or the measles, I dealt with each illness by altering their diet, and using herbs to make teas, and compresses, all of which had them back on their feet in a day or two depending on the illness.
First though we must lose our fear of being sick because our body is just trying to eliminate what does not belong in the best way it knows how. So if we aid the body instead of suppressing it, we will get better so much faster and with less problems or side affects which often lead to other issues. I am not saying that there is no need for doctors, just that they do not need to have such a dominate role in our lives, our bodies are amazing in their ability to recover and heal. Doctors are there to assist us and are valuable in this aspect. But for me good health starts in my mind, believing that I know what I need and listening to what my body is telling me. And truly the number one most important aspect of healing, is to cleanse. For this though, it is very important to get assistance from a respected naturopath because each of us need to find the best path suited to our individual needs. In order to truly heal we must first clean out all the junk our body has collected over the years and stored in places like the liver and gallbladder forming fat pockets in the body, which cause many health issues. Once you cleanse the toxins, your body can then determine how best to heal. Think of it like your computers hard drive. Every so often you must clear the desktop, and wipe the computer clean in order for it to operate faster and more efficiently. Your body is no different.
Excerpt from “Finding Home”
…….”Of course my diet was a major contributor and so he made recommendations for me to begin changing my focus in particular the foods I ate. He put me on a cleansing diet, which pretty much eliminated everything I was used to eating. He gave me a series of natural stimulants to help me cleanse the toxins accumulated in my body, and he wanted me to come back after three weeks to see how I felt.
This was a very hard period for me. No coffee, sugar, pasta, potatoes, bread, meat, and only a small selection of vegetables. I felt quite sick cleansing the toxins, eating very little (except popcorn), and yet physically I began feeling better each day. I lost ten pounds though I was not overweight, and my energy returned which was especially surprising considering how little I was eating.
When I went for my return visit, I surprised him with my determination to stick to his diet, and not deviate from it at all. He was so pleased with the results and the progress I had made in such a short period of time.
Always I will be eternally grateful for this gift, which started me on a path to learn more about natural healing, proper diet, and taking responsibility for my own health…….”
It was from this point on that I took charge of not only my health, but that of my family. Any who know me also know that I rarely get sick (colds, flue etc.) I think in all the years I worked, missing only one day due to illness. The majority of my health issues are directly related to the chemical products others wear which gave me severe headaches lasting for days or lung congestion, much like having pneumonia. Since coming here to this remote place in the mountains where no one uses perfume, strong scented shampoos or body products, heavily scented laundry soap or fabric softener, and who do not use chemicals on the land, I no longer have a headache and my lungs are beginning to clear, although it will take time to get them back to full capacity. Without the severe headaches which were becoming constant, my body is beginning to relax and the stress from being in constant pain is also dissipating. I have lost the extra pounds accumulated and the cellulite is almost completely gone as I cleanse all the chemicals from my body. This has been done with diet alone, which is helping me rest or relax my body. I am sleeping more deeply and slowly I have felt myself returning to good health. I truly am in a good place.
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