Transmissions in the Sacred Valley...

Peru had not been on my radar. I just had never really given the idea of traveling there much thought. But I am coming to believe that when it comes to travel, places call you, and then provide the opportunity for you to come.

My husband and I already knew that we were going to go to Costa Rica, and when I saw that some of our favorite musicians were playing at a retreat in Peru I (half-jokingly) suggested that we go there too. The next thing I knew Michael had sent me a message telling me he had booked it!

Admittedly, this caused a couple of dilemmas’. The first was “who is going to take care of our dogs while we are gone for a month?” and the second was “how do we pack for a month in two completely different climates without paying a lot in luggage fees?”

As it turned out, neither was a problem (confirmation that my theory about places calling you is correct!) A dear friend became home-free shortly before we left, so she was available to stay with the girls. And packing wasn’t as challenging as I thought – at least on the way there; who knew that my husband was such a shopper! (I’ll share my packing list with you on another post.)

Our first week in Peru was to be spent at a retreat in the Sacred Valley and put on by the Four Winds Society. Some of our favorite musicians were there and everyday we visited sacred sites and did ceremony with the Peruvian Shamans. We were given the opportunity to have a private healing with them as well.

I hadn’t really planned on doing that, but my husband thought it was a good idea, so I scheduled my session. When I entered the room two shamans were sitting there, a husband and wife team. They had a mat laid out for me and indicated that I should lie on it, so they could begin.

They started with whistling, ringing bells, clacking rocks together and chanting to begin the journey and call in the spirits. I quieted my mind and set my intention to be open and receptive to the healing.

As I lay there I started to notice, in my minds eye, that I was beginning to experience and “see” what appeared to be puffs of black smoke coming out of me and being blown away. I could feel my self-becoming lighter, as if there was suddenly space between my cells, and my heart opening.

I realized that there was another voice that had entered the room, and at one point the (now) three shamans seemed to be sitting back and talking quietly amongst themselves. Although I don’t speak Quechua (or even Spanish), I had the sense that I could understand what they were saying. They were talking about me, saying something about my being fearless. I felt like one of them was suggesting a deepening of the healing they were doing, and the others were encouraging it because they believed I was ready to accept it.

They did more of the whistling and were lightly hitting me with the chacapas, blowing on my head and belly, and clapping the rocks. Then, one of the shamans gently tapped my arm and told me it was over, that I should get up and go. I realized when I opened my eyes that a third shaman had entered the room. All three of them gently smiled at me as I got up and walked out the door.

I noticed that as I walked down the steps that I was feeling shaky, like I couldn’t really trust my legs. I wandered around until I saw my husband. But when I walked up behind him and put my arms around him I burst into tears! I couldn’t even tell him why because I didn’t know!

For the next few hours I found it difficult to speak and I cried a lot! I don’t tend to cry much, but I just couldn’t seem to stop. I knew that something had shifted within me, but I was unable to identify what that was. I just knew that I felt lighter, and somehow cleaner.

Over the next few days I could feel the shift in my being. I felt more open and receptive to the people around me. I felt like a healing had occurred.

The next week we stayed and explored the area around Cusco. One day, we hired a driver to take us to various archeological sites. We wanted to visit Laqo and Kusilluchayoq, the Temple of the Moon, and the Temple of the Monkey. We had to walk a little way from where the car was parked to get to the site, but it was worth it! On the way there we passed a couple of women selling things (more shopping para mi esposo!) and they also gave us gifts.

When we arrived at the top of this huge rock we were looking around and suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a man appeared. He started telling us about the temples and showing us the carvings. At one point he told us that a certain slab of rock was one of the altars for the Temple of the Moon and he indicated that I should lie down on it. As I did he stood at my head, shielding my eyes from the sun, and said I should open my eyes then close them and tell him what colors I was seeing. “Purple and blue,” were my colors and he told me that this meant that I was a healer. He then blew into my crown chakra and performed an energy transmission on me before doing the same with my husband.

When we were both finished he told us that we would each now have four times the healing abilities than we had before. Since that day, people have been asking us, even without knowing any of this, to perform healings on them. It has been interesting to see who comes to us.

Next, he took us down the short walk to Kusilluchayoq, the Temple of the Monkey, and showed us the carvings that were there, pointing out the monkeys, serpents, condors and pumas whose spirits were captured in the ancient engravings. The condors were of particular interest to me as I’ve known of my connection to Condor medicine for many years. I had even received a condor fan on our earlier visit to Pisac.

I could feel the spirits of my medicine totem soaring through the air around us. Soon our guide suggested we step into a small cave where there is an altar where offerings had been left to the Monkeys. We placed our foreheads against the altar, as he suggested, and felt the rush of playful and powerful energy that was there. The energy was so strong that my husband almost fell over!

Soon it was time for us to go and my husband asked our guide to tell him about himself. His name is Hector and he is a shaman who has been doing ceremony in these temples for 30+ years. In gratitude for all that he had shown us we made an offering to him, then headed back to our car and driver.

Another transmission and we felt changed and energized by our experience. We were coming to the end of our journey in Peru, and I could feel Mother Ayahuasca already beginning to work with me and prepare me for my journey with her in the upcoming week. The transmissions I received in Peru opened my heart and mind to what was to come, preparing me for the magic that was in store! I felt then, and now, that all of this was meant to open me to a deeper connection with my spiritual journey. Many thanks to all of the teachers and healers we met in Peru. You have all been a blessing to us!