Peru has been on my radar for quite some time - since reading the Celestine Prophecy in my early twenties.... It always held some kind of magic and mystery... And with plant medicine crossing my path into my 30s... the shamanic roots of Peru and its medicine was with me, if not physically, certainly spiritually.
I could feel its energy to be quite strong and dark.... having spent a lot of time in central America.... I just hadn't found my way to Peru. Exploring the volcanic landscapes of Guatemala and spending time with Tata Pedro.... sitting in ceremony in Mexico and touching upon their healing traditions..... I had been drawn to latin America for many years before I finally got the chance to visit Peru.
I wasn't sure if I would do medicine... limited to 3 weeks, I wanted to see different parts of the country... visit my partners family.... and I am a firm believer that if its meant to be it would flow, and it just didn't flow. I had a couple of leads from friends, a jewish lady - might have been nice considering current world events..., A local shaman in a village where 3 countries meet deep in the amazon -- again amazing, but maybe my Spanish needs more work for that one... Then there was my original medicine man, who I knew from the UK... an English guy from Sunderland, who had crossed my path in the most magical of ways 10 years earlier (see previous blog)
I trusted him - I felt like it was a safe space, but he just didn't respond consistently... heavy rainfall and power cuts made our conversations disjointed, and so my journey took a different direction.
Having landed in Lima... we spent the first days with his family... their warmth and hospitality is something I will never get over, when comparing the latin American culture to my own. They do act more like a tribe.... everyone included, food shared, laughter ongoing. When spending so much time with so many people, this shone a light on my own unfamiliarity of living in this way.
In the west we have somehow become so much more individualised... We need our space... We often live alone, we cook alone, and even gatherings need copious alcohol to cope, and after some hours or days together can often turn quite spiky and irritable.... often needing to retreat to alone time once more. Of Course this isn't everyone, but it's more normal than you would imagine. Whilst latin Americans would blow up and have chaos, westerners often ignore, suppress and run away from conflict.... families broken and never repaired, decades of silence... it's a very different reality.
The food was incredible - so many new things, new flavours, amazing fruits.
The city beautiful and interesting... I didn't know too much about Perus landscape... I roughly knew there was jungle and mountains but thats about it.... I dint realise the vastness of the desert or the diversity of the north to south, east to west.... it was awe inspiring.
We travelled south to the beaches where vultures feasted on Dead Sea lions... and then east and up the mountains to Cusco, experiencing my first taste of altitude sickness wasn't very fun, but slightly better than the 19 hour bus journey it took to get there.
Cusco was a beautiful cobbled traditional city... with mountain people, fresh faced, artists and street sellers. I love this type of vibe, with music and thriving with culture... we ate well and slept well from all the walking up and down the hills and the shopping.
Next we visited the north, again in the mountains but this time into the country where we stayed with family... bathing in waterfalls and showering with scorpions.... we spent our days very simply, eating far too much incredible food and knocking about with the animals.... the turkeys, dogs, a huge pig who we would feed scraps to each day.
The days were long and hot and dusty.... lost in the moment to moment of this beautiful scene, mountains and vultures and dogs barking, walking and swimming. Trying all the amazing different foods grown on the land.... exploring waterfalls and sitting in front of the fire at night. Big family vibes... a lot of laughter and sweetness.
The medicine to just let go of everything, be present, simple and relax.
This country is full of medicine from every angle... As I travelled there through miami - one Peruvian lady living in the states who had never actually been, told me she will go one day. She felt Peru to be a sleeping giant... they have to much to offer the world, so much wisdom and strength yet not quite realised.
Since visiting i must agree.... Often the confident west could do with listening a little closer to these more understated people from magical lands. So much we can learn...
Already looking forwards to my next visit - where for sure I will go for longer, and make my way deep into the jungle for some healing.
Peru stays with me as I return to the UK and to the western ways.
I do hope in coming times our communities can heal and become more friendly towards eachother. To become a community where its a pleasure to help eachother and share what we have rather than help if we have to and hoard way too much.
This is why I am commited to holding healing spaces here in the middle of England.... so we can remember who we are and start to see eachother with compassion and understanding - so we can realise all we have is eachother, and how much more nourishing and beautiful our communities could potentially be.
Holding workshops throughout summer in the midlands, hopefully returning to AHO LONDON watch this space.... and my trainings are in the distance ahead.... keep an eye out or message me for more info.
Lets transform our world into the kind of world we dont want to run from and can be proud of.
See you in ceremony.....
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