“Destiny II 2011~Peru~A Land of Transformation” Part 4

Fredric Lehrman led us in our most amazing journey through an affirmative breathing process, as we took our breath into another dimension of finding meaning to our lives today.

We ate Alpaca and enjoyed Pisco Sours, while dancing a “Conga Line of Masks”.  We laughed, we played, we celebrated in our friendships,  this particular journey had brought us together in  a bonding that could not be explained, except to say we had grown to know ourselves in a way like never before as well as a common respect and thread that held us all who were present together.

We will always remember the force and spirit within the Peruvian natives, as there are no effects that can today be attributed to the imagination, except to say that with the help of a handful of coca leaves, they can walk for days without food. The Peruvian people use this coca leaf as a royal object for sacrifices, offering by burning it in honor of their idols, as well as being used for fortune telling, magic and by native doctors for healing and for altitude sickness.  Because this plant was considered and still is as a sacred endowment with magical powers, it is also used in representing the people while making contact with supernatural forces through ritual.

As we entered the doors and walked the halls once walked by priests and nobleman, we breathed still and listened to the voices of the spirits that were still present, as they were there to guide us to our most spiritual journey through stories of days past.  We wrote these stories down as they were our foundation through a path of the 5 days of Destiny; here in this amazing land, we developed a foundation through wisdom and enlightenment, that has brought us to a life of abundance and prosperity.

Joy Elizabeth

“Destiny II 2011~Peru~A Land of Transformation” Part 3 “Machu Picchu”

Machu Picchu, name of the residential Palace of the Inca Empire, was named by the Quechua which means “Old Mountain”. This cloud draped ridge that is protected and secluded by the Andes Mountains, which sits at 8,000 feet was the royal estate of the Inca king Pachacuti from 1438 to 1471.  Machu Picchu or “Macch Pichuwas” was mostly known for it’s beauty and inaccessibility, it was a center of worship and astronomic observation, as well as having a spiritually invigorating location, another purpose was the protected source for coca.   Pachacuti, which means “cataclysm”, began the empire building these amazing structures for which the Incas are renowned for.

On this day we woke early, catching a bus that took us through the majestic beauty of the Andes across the Urubamba River into the sacred valley where we caught The Vista Dome, A high-end train that runs between Cusco and Machu Picchu.  This train took us through the Sacred Valley, a stunning and breathtaking trip full of magic rooted in history.  Surrounded entirely of glass, the Vista Dome had large panoramic windows, which will give us the connection and feel of being a part of the impressive landscape of Peru.

The Vista Dome took us through the Andean culture, through its landscapes, and into the Amazon Forest.  The journey began with a series of zigzags, then the train descended from the highest point in the Sacred Valley and the foothills of the Andes. The train passed through vast areas filled with terraces of the ruins of Inca fortresses, dividing these areas, was still visible an ancient citadel and a long abandoned road, which was approved by the carriers in the nineteenth century, which was used to travel between Cuzco and the rubber plantations in the lowlands of the Amazon.

As we stepped through the gateway of Machu Picchu, my spirit soared, my heart filled with intense joy and I was home.  Voices of ancients past could be heard in the whisper of the wind that filled this sacred land.  The amazement of finally being here created a surreal environment which still remains to this day.

Depending on weather you are ascending the path to Machu Picchu or descending the path to the right, you will have to climb or go down a series of stairs to get to the temple of the sun, also known as “Torreon”. Here you will find stonework so seamless, you cannot put a piece of paper between two stones.  The temple served as a solar observatory; here the Incas observed the constellation of Pleiades.  This constellation helped the Inca calculate when the rains would come, helping them pick the right time to plant their crops.  Here you will also find water canals that would feed a network of fountains.

Here we found the sacred fountain, our legs shook, realizing the energy this water carried beneath us.  The water we placed on our heads in some sort of ritual that the forces of the spirits that lingered there called to us.  This water seemed to make the intensity of what now appeared I front of us to somehow come to life and colors intensified, it was magical.

Shaman Don Romon gave a ceremony high in Machu Picchu, offering us a blessed necklace to wear as a symbol of Machu Picchu and it’s great forces and wisdom to take back with us, along with this gift he offered us his insight into each and everyone of us through  whimsical words he read our souls.

Machu Picchu was and still remains a sacred center, at this site magic was made and civilizations created.  Through powers unseen, this civilization built structures that we today could not comprehend, this civilization beckoned on the spirits of the sun and the stars to empower their lives giving more radiance on abilities to harvest, produce, conquer and adhere the spiritual vortex that encapsulates Machu Picchu.

Here the souls of kings and spiritual leaders past wait patently to speak, use the powerful yet inviting energy of this vortex where Machu Picchu sits, to engage the third eye to see more clearly into the wisdom that these souls of the lost city have to help guide you on your spiritual journey.

Pacha Mama and our own Peggy Dylon gave me a gift this day, I left my stone that I had been carrying since becoming sick at the temple of the moon, I left this stone on another side of Macchu picchu, in a raw organic area of the mountain known as “The Mother Stone” as this mother stone is uncut and resembles perfectly the mountain it looks out to. The mountain is duality, both male and female, the yin and the yang, it is the mother, it is Pacha Mama.  I placed my stone carefully between a crevice in the stone where organic matter grew, I gave to the mother stone and to Pacha Mama all that weighed heavy on my heart and soul, Machu Picchu now holds part of who I am and now am part of the land.  As we walked to the gates to begin our journey back trough the Amazon to mighty Cusco where our hotel waited patiently for the energy of LifePath to fill its hallways once again, Llamas highlighted the end of our day in a fertility dance, adding more substance to the perfect and absolute power and knowledge we were to take with us from this magical place called Machu Picchu.

We traveled between two sacred sites that civilizations are a part of in who we are today and all that we can learn from their culture and traditions that remain today.  These civilizations gave us inner strength and knowledge giving us spiritual enlightenment that we will plant deep in our souls, to grow and become our tree of life.

Urpichay!

Joy Elizabeth

“Destiny II 2011~Peru~A Land of Transformation” Part 2

This day we will journey into the Sacred Valley of Peru, to it’s high peaks of “Qosqo” (Cusco) which means “navel of the earth” as Cusco is believed to be the seat of civilization. Cusco sits in the mountainous territory of the Andes that sits about 11,000 feet, this is a spiritual place where the relationship of Man and God takes place through the interpretation of natural forces and the energies that are present in places believed to be sacred.  Cusco by nature is a sacred place, it is known by many names, one of them being “The House Of Gods”.

The Sacred Valley is home to Quechan descendants who still maintain the same customs and rites to their ancestors.  In it’ s native language of “Quechua”, Cusco is also known as, the Solar Plexus or Vital Center and also known as the Center of Corporal Energy where feelings reside.

One of the many reasons Cusco is found to be sacred is, sacred mountains surround the city. Here twelve Guardian Mountains or twelve Superior Spirits surround the Inca city where leaders made there home to nourish themselves with its sacredness.

10,000 years ago Nomadic Sheppard lived here, 3,000 years ago woman joined, their groups who had already discovered agriculture decided to be based in the Cucoc valley, thus being the first human settlement in this region.

Also known as the sacred city of the Incas, this was the vast Incan Empire.  With fertile lands and an excellent climate it became a major agricultural region for thousands of years.  The Incas enjoyed many years of peace and prosperity, as the Andes provided protection from the savage jungle tribes.  This area provided route to the jungles with access to the fruits and plants of the tropical lowlands.  The sacred valley served a buffer zone, protecting Cusco from incursions of the Antis, the fierce jungle tribes who would raid the highlands.

Cusco, also known as the Puma City, was a center of pilgrims (A religious devotee who journeys to a shrine or sacred place or One who embarks on a quest for something conceived of as sacred) and worship, it was a city worthy of it’s importance.  About 1420 Pachakuteq defeated the Chancas , neighboring enemies to the Incas.  As part of the ancestral practices the Chancas would lead siege to Cusco.  Cusi Yupanqui, a Cusco leader, assumed command of the battle and conquered the Chancas.  At this moment, Cusi Yupanqui was enthroned and baptizes as Pachakuteq.

Pachakuteq ordered the sanctuary built as the sacred city of Cusco.  The city’s architects decided to shape the city as a crouching feline Puma.  The astronomers planned a complex system of sanctuaries carefully aligned with the stars, to correspond to a gigantic calendar.

Our day consisted of ceremonies at the sacred fountains of Tambomachay, then a beautiful stroll to Kenco.  The breezes spoke to us, giving us answers to our quest of enlightenment.  Our souls purpose revealed intense insights as Shamans laid ink to our stomachs.  We were truly a part of a vast transformation taking place in an ancient land where the spiritual and earthly beauty come together creating balance, grounding and a look within ourselves so entirely deep it’s astounding.

The afternoon found us at Sacsayhuaman, here at this fortress, it has been revealed that there was a substantial early-Inca occupation.  The complex was greatly expanded during the period of Inca imperial rule and has now become one of the most famous archaeological sites in the Americas. There is Elfin whimsy here, The stone work is shaped of lightning bolts, giving massive amounts of energy to the area.  It is mighty, magnificent and primitive, the stonework here can be found nowhere else on Earth.
 The how, why and what baffle our minds. Our modern technology can neither explain nor duplicate.  Sacsayhuaman was a place of ceremonies, rituals and a place where great warriors and royalty lead the Incan empire.

Fredric Lehrman led us through these raw walls of this great empire, as he told stories of his own experiences here including the “Library”, a place here at Sacsayhuaman that is believed to have a grounding affect that can balance and give knowledge.  Here at this sacred site I felt connected, to the power and wisdom that the mighty stones held.  Great things happened here, both in reality and the supernatural.

That night I found myself vibrating with energy I had never known before and did not understand, Physically I felt electricity radiating through my veins and mentally I was exploding with thoughts, ideas and pure expression of space and time.  As I laid down within an instant I was back at Sacsayhuaman, roots of energy and fire entered the souls of my feet as it took over my body, I grew as tall as the walls of the fortress, as I reached the top, my arms became wings and I flew over the structure then returned becoming a part of the wall itself… I was Sacsayhuaman.  A dream, a vision, a hallucination, a beautiful thought, I will never know, but the memory I will never forget.

Urpichay!

Joy Elizabeth

Destiny II 2011~Peru~A Land of Transformation”

Destiny was the most amazing journey I have taken! I am back at home now and am still in a state of euphoria.

For all of you that follow this blog, I know it has been eerily silent.  It was a challenging few weeks to get this fantastic story to you.

Challenge #1

I remembered everything I was to take to Peru, except my computer bag!  As I wait for boarding passes, I realize that on my kitchen table still lay the bag which contained my computer and passwords for the word press sites for these blogs.  A shift in energy, I was devastated.

Challenge #2

Joe, Dave & I arrive several days early to prepare for the events details.  We dove right into the Peruvian cultural delights and experiences, eating and drinking at local Peruvian establishments, we ate Alpaca, Guinea Pig, drank local corn drinks and relished in the whole experience…It was wonderful!  By day 1 of the event, I was not feeling so well.  Richard, who was a Shaman we met when we arrived to Peru and would be controlling the ceremonies and ancient site visits for our event, came to me at the first break and said that he could see in my energy that I was sick and needed a doctor right away.  Yes, I was feeling not my chipper self, but there was no way that I was going to acknowledge that I was sick, as I had been looking forward to seeing Peru since I was 8 years old and first read about Machu Picchu with my Mother one day while at a surf competition in Long Beach, CA.  The article was in one of the travel stories of the surf magazine in which we were given.  As I lay there under the shaded tree on the shoreline I looked in awe at this beautiful place Machu Picchu.  I closed my eyes, feeling the breeze on the face, listening to the wind as it called to me.  At that moment I knew I must one day be a part of this magical place.

Our afternoon Destiny excursion took us to the Temple of the Moon. I found little strength and insisted on attending the excursion with the other LifePath Members.  We did not have far to travel as the temple of the moon sits just outside of Cusco.  The Temple of the Moon is an Incan Temple with a very small cave that holds an alter, smooth as glass and made of granite.  As you enter the cave, your hands have to guide you, as sunlight does not follow.  As you enter, on the right wall, your hand slides over a perfect, smooth shape of a snake, symbol of the inner world.  As you near the alter, a Shaman takes your hands and places them on the alter while saying a Quechan blessing, as you leave your hand slides across a perfect shape of the Puma, symbol of the physical world.  As you leave the temple you are still holding onto a tiny stone, which we had been carrying all day. This stone has now been carrying our pain, guilt and unhappiness that we had been thinking about and transferring to this stone since morning.  We were to transfer all of these past memories and feelings into this stone, so that we may give it away to the spirits and universe, releasing us of our pains, so that we could move more freely and openly into a more positive and loving light.

As we exited the temple, tears streamed uncontrollably from eyes.  Young, old, men and woman, there was not one eye that did not shed a tear.  No one can explain what had happened to them, except to say a transformation had occurred in the hearts and souls of all present, a transformation that we will take with us, and always be a part of us from this day forward. We then gave our stones to the temple of the moon… I however, never made it this far.

When the vans arrived at the temple, I began my own journey rapidly down hill.  I was unable to compose myself in any fashion except to quickly find the nearest restroom.  This was not so easy.  In this small Incan Village there are no modern facilities, which was realized quickly, as I entered a door from the cobblestone street that a woman of Incan decent held open for me as she waved me in.  I entered the door to find myself in a courtyard of a village, several woman sat on small stools next to a murky stream that ran through the village courtyard, they were cleaning purple beans and mashing corn for mesa.  Children played with dogs in this same murky stream.  The woman who showed me into this private village now in front of me opened another door for me to enter.  As I entered a room with only a hole in the ground, a putrid stench overcame me and I went further down in my journey of illness.  As I exited this room,  I walked back through the courtyard to the door I entered through, The same woman that brought me here smiled kindly and opened the door for me to exit, she said a few words in Quechan, and closed the door behind me.

The buses that took us here were now empty.  The transportation driver drove me back to the Hotel Monestario, the hotel sent for a doctor, he came to my room where I rested and he felt it necessary to take me to the hospital.  As I entered, nurses were ready for me, putting me into a room and immediately given an IV and Oxygen, I had somehow caught a parasite which now infected my stomach.   The local Peruvian hospital lay in the middle of a small cobblestone street in the town square of Cusco it was small but impeccably clean, the nursing staff spoke no English, but were incredibly attentive and understanding of my needs.  Their kind and gentle way held my trust and I allowed them to take care of me as they felt necessary.

Our Shaman Richard brought Joe to the hospital a few hours later, upon leaving the moon temple.  Richard said a prayer for me and left leaving Joe with blankets and tea as he slept by my side on a couch made of inadequate material, not for a good nights sleep.  The night was difficult; I was in a state of comatose.  The night consisted of hydration, antibiotics and parasite medications surging through my veins as I vomited and became unconscious.

The morning brought comfort.  As I opened my eyes to a kind Peruvian doctor I felt much better, the worst had passed.  Richard came back to check on us, as the LifePath Event was taking it’s members to sacred sites on this day.  I begged Joe to go, as a founder he needed to be a part of the event, he refused and said that his place was with me, by my side until I was well enough to also attend, as I had waited for this moment to be in Peru all of my life.

Through intense spiritual growth of overcoming a few days of challenges,  I missed my own deadlines of blogging to keep all of you up to date on Destiny 2011.  So, this is indeed late but not forgotten… The story of Destiny will unfold here for you all to live vicariously with us all in Peru.

See you tomorrow!

Joe Elizabeth & all of us in Peru