Ancient Pathway

Second Wave

Group breakfast before leaving for Ausangate
© Jo Elliott Photography

Despatcho Ceremony with the Q'ero Indians

Blessing Circle for the Stone
© Jo Elliott Photography

On our way to Rainbow Lagoon to gather our stars
© Jo Elliott Photography

Q'ero by the Lake

Ausangate Peru

PERU June/July 2005

Second Wave: Represents the movement of a new wave of energy on the planet that encompasses the “old ways”, expressing itself in a new form.

About 10 years ago Paul came across a copy of “Shamans Drum”. This particular edition grabbed his attention because it contained an article about Don Americo Yarbar and the Q’ero of Peru. He didn’t realise then why he was pulled to this story. In late Nov-Dec 2004 when he knew that the second symbol was to go to the Ausangate region of Peru and he was surfing the net to find how to get there, it all fell into place.

He knew it was to go through the Q’ero who are the keepers of the ancient knowledge of the Incas. How to get there? It was miles away from the normal tourist destinations. Even when they (Paul and Phoebe) arrived how were they to convey their mission to the people as they did not speak Quechua, the native language of the Andes.

Magic Happens and lo and behold as Paul surfed the websites there was a tour going to meet with the Q’ero and to Ausangate led by Don Americo which coincided with spirits instruction of the time to place the stone.

Carla Woody author of “Standing Stark” and Calling our Spirits Home” and founder of “Kenosis” was facilitating this trip.* Carla has been taking groups of people to Peru for ten years. From the very first e-mail enquiry there was a strong connection and their instincts told them they had found the way.

Over the next six months many e-mails introduced to them the other members of the group of 12 that would be on the trip. Would they want to be part of the stones journey or would Paul and Phoebe head off at a particular time and go it alone?

Flying into Cusco they both felt as if they were coming home. Filled with anticipation and learning how to slow down to cope with the altitude, they headed off to the hotel to rest.
By the end of the second day the group (made up of people from N.Z. Australia, Germany and the U.S.A.) had found each other and we were all off to dinner. The energy created by our coming together was so strong that Carla, Oscar (the translator extraordinaire for the trip) and Cindy, Carla’s friend and assistant were pulled into the restaurant knowing that the rest of us would be there.

“The next day we went as a group to learn about coca at a place called K’uychiwasi Quosqu.

Here they make coca candies, tea, chocolates etc. Coca leaves would prove to be an invaluable part of our journey as it helps tremendously with altitude acclimatisation and acute Mountain Sickness.

It is a Peruvian non-profit organisation working to educate the coca growers so that they see many valuable uses for the plant and to help preserve Andean traditions that are in danger of becoming extinct

Day three and we are to meet Don Americo and then we are meeting with the Q’ero by the side of a lake outside Cusco. Waiki (a Quechua word which means cherished friend )Americo beams love and gentleness all around and he has already sensed the strength of the groups’ energy.

The Q’ero greet us with hugs as if we are all old friends and after they have conducted a “despatcho” ceremony which is for the earth and to open the doorway for a safe journey to Apu Ausangate for the group, we tentatively ask ( via Oscar and Don Americo) if they will bless the journey of the stone.

We are overwhelmed with their response as we all form a circle together and the stone is passed from one person to the next and each says a prayer over the stone symbol. The Q’ero then circle the group and say a prayer around us that sends us on our way. We are also told that one of the other priests is on a mountain, Salk’antay, the feminine equivalent to Ausangate, blessing the groups journey.

The group prepares mentally, spiritually and physically at Salka’Wasi the 300yr old ancestral home of Don Americo, for three days before we head off by bus (a day on winding, bumpy and many times, treacherous roads skilfully negotiated by Dante the driver) and then horse back. We spend the time meditating, doing group exercises and also connecting/sharing with the Mollamarka Indians. It is a very special time.

After two days on the road we camp on the shores of a blue lake at the foot of Ausangate.

The altitude is getting to some of us a little. The weather is colder than normal especially at night when the temperature drops to -15c but our spirits are high as the snow which has prevented groups from coming in for 10 years has held off and there is blue sky all around.

After two days Carla is unwell and unable to travel. Some of the group are ready to go back. We are all supposed to go to the “Rainbow Lake” in the morning which is at 18,500ft where we are to “collect our stars”.

We are camped at 17,000ft and the thought of going higher is a bit worrying to some. The stone has not yet found its home so Paul and I will have to go on anyway as during the night I dreamt that the stone was to go to the this Lake.

So the group took a vote and overwhelmingly decided to push on reluctantly leaving Carla behind. She was to become our anchor and in spirit was most definitely with us.

At the top of the ridge overlooking the rainbow lake we dismount our trusty ponies and are met by Don Mariano Yucra, the high priest of this area.

He and his assistants gather us together to conduct a despatcho ceremony in his Mesa (medicine circle). During this ceremony we did offerings to the mountain and through Don Americo a message was passed from Don Mariano.

He said that the stone was not to go into the Rainbow Lake “as it would not be able to do its job there.” It was to go into their Lake of initiation which was a little further down the valley.

We had not said anything to them about the stone so this message came as a big surprise. Shouldn’t have been surprised though as these people work in the highest of realms and we had been guided all the way, so why wouldn’t they know all about it. Back at Mollomarka, Carla had gifted us a coca reading with Don Miguelito. He had “seen” that we were bringing something sacred to Ausangate and said that all would go well.

At the end of the ceremony we all headed off (Shamans too) down to the Lake of Initiation where we gathered as a group at its shores. Here Paul and I introduced everyone to the symbol and the bull roarer (made from the same piece of stone) which accompanies us on all trips with the symbols. It is very much a part of the ceremonies which see the symbols to their resting places and will, after the last stone is put in place be used to fire them all up.

Paul gifts the stone to the lake and it spirals into the water. There is such an outpouring of emotion and everyone feels it and hugs each other. After caretaking for so many months I am full of mixed emotions but at this moment a huge wind comes roaring down the valley and we all know the job is done and it is time to leave.

The next morning a message is sent to us and the group ( we all now feel that we are part of a team) from Don Mariano, that the “stone has a big heart and now breathes in the Lake”.”

* Carla and her work can be viewed in more detail at www.kenosis.net

Greenstone	Dawn	Second Wave	Wave Form	The Navigator	Wanumpi The Rainbow Serpent	Itzamna