Climbing Our Personal Mountains in Peru
Our Paco Ruben Orellana
The Amazon
Amazonian Ancestors
Ceremonial Maloca in the Amazon
San Pedro Cactus
Saksaywaman
Our host at Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca and Mount Tata
Our Mountain Pilgrimage Mount Tata
Sunset on the Lake
Recently Inspirit hosted a trip for 14 days in Peru. We had 12 participants join us on a pilgrimage to various destinations in Peru, guided by our “Paco” (Quechua word that means Healer) Ruben Orellana who educated us on the cultural and spiritual landscape of Peru. Our trip started us in the Amazon jungle where we lived in a very comfortable retreat setting and experienced the beauty of many exotic plants, animals, birds, and insects. We met our Ayahuasqueros Armondo who talked to us about the sacred work of Ayahuasca ceremonies. This shaman guided us in two ceremonies in a sacred spaced called a “Maloca” surrounded by the sounds of the evening rains, insects, and birds. Each participant was carefully prepared and nurtured throughout the ceremony. Between the sounds of the jungle and the songs of the Shaman we experienced epic and powerful journeys of personal insight and growth. Eventually our time in the jungle ended and we moved to the environment of the Andes finding our way to Cusco and eventually to Machu Picchu where we connected with the traditions of the Andean people. The landscape, culture and the traditions of the Andes touched us all deeply as we were amazed at the ingenuity of these cultures and their capacity to create these ancient structures. We eventually traveled to Lake Titicaca which is the largest freshwater lake at 13,000 feet. The view of Lake Titicaca is amazing as this part of the country is incredibly simple and remote. We visited the floating islands (inhabitable islands made of water reeds) and eventually traveled to a small island on the lake. We arrived on the island in time for a small community celebration with song, dance, and laughter.
The water at Lake Titicaca is clear, massive and shimmers in the sunlight. Here we worked the ceremonies of the cactus San Pedro/Huachuma or the “Angelic Medicine” which enhances the power of introspection and connectedness. We engaged in our final ceremony with the plant medicine at the base of Mount Tata. This mountain represents sacred masculinity and in companionship with another mountain, Pacha Mama, that represents sacred femininity. Each of us took the medicine at the base of Mount Tata, gave each other hugs and at our own pace, at 13,000 feet, hiked to the top of Mount Tata. We did this in silence and in solidarity, spreading ourselves out as we snaked up this challenging mountain. The trail was well established but required the insight to move slow and deliberate as we took on this pilgrimage. Have you ever hiked a mountain at 13,000 feet? With or without medicine, it’s a challenge and with or without medicine you’re likely to find yourself doing deep reflection and inner exploratory work. Each of us brought our challenges to this mountain with the ambition to release and to move forward in our lives, seeking the wisdom of the plant, our prayers, and the sacred energies of the mountains. Each step moved us closer to the goals that we set for ourselves as we engaged this pilgrimage. We each dug into our ancestral guidance to help us realize what we sought from within. It became necessary to stop, catch our breath, let the heart slow down and then turn and continue the challenge. The medicine provoked moments of inspiration and inner solitude. The mind silences and the connections to the sacred web of life illuminates itself. We were surrounded by the beauty of the lake, the simplicity of our environment, the support of the ancestors, seen and unseen. Each of us walked in synchronicity with our inner selves and the medicine set the town for us to see beyond what we had previously comprehended about ourselves.
One gentleman on our trip came with considerable challenges. He came after immense lost and grief and had lost his ability to make sense of his life and circumstances. To be honest, when I saw the mountain, I wasn’t sure I could make it let alone our gentleman friend who was older and less physically agile. Our guide Ruben had already been prepared with an alternative route of lessor challenge but when given the choice our friend looked at the mountain, stood up and took on the challenge. Our guides stayed in the back to ensure a safe journey. Remember this is a steep incline at 13,000 feet. Even the athletes of the group were huffing and puffing.
The day of the hike was beautiful, on an island surrounded by the most pristine water untouched by human hands, the sky was perfect, the weather was perfect, and we had this mountain all to ourselves. We drank the San Pedro and traversed this mountain, our inner struggles, fears, and anxieties presented themselves so we might quietly in our silent hike wrestle and resolve the challenges in our lives. All of us reached the summit with tears and insights, but our friend, who needed to release his grief and anger took each deliberate step and with each moment of progress conquered his heartache and doubt. He crested the mountain full of the knowledge that he faced his challenge on his own terms and conquered. He crested that summit a legend. Bruce and I have been on these trips many times and in each group, someone stands out as remarkably transformed and our friend, who crested his challenges, stands out as a legend. When we tell stories of our journeys and the people who have joined us, we will tell the story of this man and what he taught all of us on this day. His capacity to have released and embraced life will forever be his source of strength. The ceremony reminded us of our potential, our connectedness and allowed us to celebrate each other for our daring to show up and do this deep work. Each person had a story of interpersonal liberation and wept and celebrated their status as spiritual warriors in the quest of deep life satisfaction.
How many of us have a mountain to climb? Grief, loss, hurt feelings, anger, jealously or just doubt of what we are fully capable? How many of us live as hostages to limited to stories of what might be possible never questing to learn the truth of ourselves? Every time we do these trips people tap into the unknown landscape of self and discover the pristine beauty within. Each trip utilizes the teachings of this culture, the ceremonies of the land and each of us came home determined to engage our lives more deliberately and to continue to foster the beauty within.
What does your mountain hold for you?
Stayed tuned for information regarding trips to Mongolia and Peru in 2023