Sacred sound healing

Well yesterday was a long one, leaving Cusco at 9am and not arriving our hotel in Pisac until almost 9pm! It was magical though...

I am swiftly learning that just like in Morocco last year (when every plan was "inshallah" God willing), things happen on a Peruvian schedule which also means there is a high chance of the plans changing completely!

We drove to another ancient Incan agricultural site at Moray in the sacred valley. We were expecting a music healing from a Master Shaman but had been told the night before he was hundreds of miles away and difficult to reach. When he turned up unexpectedly at midday, everyone was delighted!

We walked down to the Incan site (full of tourists, like an Incan stone henge) and found a beautiful stone circle just off to the side. I was tickled to hear Ardriel pray to the gods that everyone else would stay away and leave us alone!

And so we enjoyed another beautiful ceremony with singing, meditation, prayer with our K'intu (the 3 coca leaves) and music! The shaman played flutes, bells, conch shells and lead us in song. It was truly special. Tourists watched from the hills above but didn't enter the space, even though they were welcome to join in.

Apart from enjoying a beautiful ceremony, what struck me was that the Andean culture allows you to bring ritual and ceremony anywhere you like - from your home, the street, or in the middle of tourist sites. They bring their traditions and rituals and have great joy in performing them out in the open!

When we were complete, the shaman gave a sort of sermon on how all humans are the same, the differences existing only in our minds. We all come from the earth and return to the Earth. He spoke about the 4 elements - wind, water, sun and fire and we had them all during the ceremony. Rain, wind, glorious sunshine and we brought the fire!

He spoke about addressing all of life with childlike joy, and these elderly men personify this as they dance, laugh and make music. There were so many lessons to take home and treasure, it's all still sinking in.

As we closed, a dragonfly flew repeatedly around the group in circles. in Peru, they are associated with the themes of life, as symbols of good fortune and spiritual transformation which seemed fitting.

The whole experience seemed to unfold organically, and we are all learning to release our expectations and go with the flow. He also shared that the circles at the site are meant to represent "the light of life" which given the name of my business, felt good for me too!

photos: Me with the sound healer: the sacred valley/ Moray site / our shaman/ healing music ceremony

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