Can you feel the energy?

I can't believe I'm already 2 weeks into my trip, with only 1 to go! Thinking back to the first couple of days feels like forever ago, and yet it's like it's gone too fast already.

Being in such a different culture and time zone, has made it feel like stepping into an alternate timeline of life, like I've taken a break from my usual environment and routine into a completely different space. Many people who travel to Peru talk about the "energy" here, especially around sacred sites, but I'm not sure I've had the experience everyone else does.

For me, I find it hard to connect with a place (and by that I mean get quiet, and tune into what I'm sensing in the environment). We all do this naturally, from picking up on the busyness and chaos when you walk through central Edinburgh during the fringe, or you sense a disagreement between colleagues at work. You know when you enter a room after an argument.

You also know if a new home "feels good" or if somewhere feels like a safe place to relax and heal, as I hope the Life & Light studio does. So when I've been taken to many special Incan sites over this trip, many of the group have commented on the energy of the place.

For me, it's very difficult to tune in when there's lots of people around. It's also difficult to try and feel something, just because I'm expecting to. I've found that I don't really connect with the Incan sites, because they are not my culture. For the shaman, these were their direct descendants and they have carried the practices and beliefs of their people through the centuries, often alongside the traditional and deep Christian beliefs.

It's maybe not surprising then, that I don't get any deep insights or feelings in these spaces. I've also been a bit bold during some tours and taken myself away from the group, trying to find my own space and time to reflect. I've even copied locals: head on Incan walls, arms outstretched, eyes closed - trying to feel whatever they feel. And I haven't.

What I connect with most easily is nature. Getting high up and looking across the mountains, taking myself to a river for my own ritual, cloud gazing and laying on the earth. All of these things have brought me much more peace, calm and awareness during this trip. None of them, were on the prescribed tours!

A trip to Ancahuasi (which translates as "eagles house") on Friday was the best. There were eagles flying low over us all day, wild foxes, mountains, ancient rocks and only our group. Our shaman taught us a soul retrieval ritual, we had ample time to wander, take in the space and reflect. The animals that appeared was a sign that apu (mountain) was happy we were there. And so were the local people who turned up at the end of the day to gift us homemade cheese and potatoes, just to be kind.

I honestly can't imagine that a trip to another tourist site could have been better than this remote, unknown one. For me it was the first time I really felt able to connect with the energy of Peru, and begin to understand what others were talking about.

It's normal for me to prefer things that are off the beaten track, and the lesson has been to find my own way of making this trip work for me. Friday was definitely a winner!

Photos: view across the valley / shamanic soul retrieval / the sacred moon stone / listening to the rocks

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