Soul Connections at Sillustani

This is Roberto Flores and I sharing a loving moment over the splendour of Lake Umayo at Sillustani near Puno.

Some people believe that aliens levelled the tops of mountains so they would have a big enough space to land their craft, as seen in the plateau in the lake behind us!  

Interestingly in our photographs a large reddish shaped object appeared hovering...we didn't see it with our eyes, but we were certainly feeling something that day! Sillustani has a magical energy about it. Please see our photos on Lucid Insight's facebook page.

Roberto is one of our colleagues who we work with extensively in Peru.  He is all love energy and is filled with many wonderful stories and historical knowledge.  The chullpa's at Sillustani (see yesterday's blog) have also been referred to as "Uta Amaya" - "Houses Of The Soul".  While soaking up the energy, expanding out and connecting with the essence of Lake Umayo, it felt like I was reuniting with many of the souls who rested there.

When Roberto and I first met it was an immediate connection and our souls spoke to each other.  We were sitting in a car, and when we held hands he said, "Wow!"  I laughed, because I could feel all of our cells talking to each other and he did too.

Leisa, my business partner also came into my life on that earlier trip last year, another immediate soul connection.  I do not believe in coincidences.  It is no accident that we attract amazing people into our lives, to help us remember, to help us complete something or to help us evolve spiritually.

Life is about relationship.  Our connection with the beautiful Pachamama (Mother Earth), each other, ourselves, our faith, all goes into the big melting pot of life.  Pay attention to who you are attracting into your life and when. Everyone around us are the most brilliant mirrors to help us look deeply into our own souls and re-connect with our purest truths.

In Death there is Life at Sillustani

Nearly 13,000 feet above sea level on the shores of Lake Umayo, lies the spectacular pre-Incan burial grounds of Sillustani.  The tombs, which are built above ground in tower-like structures are called Chullpas, pre-Columbian funeral towers built by the Aymara people who dominated the Titicaca region before the Incas came in the 15th century.


The engineering involved in the construction of the Chullpas has been said to be more complex than anything built by the Incas. Free from mortar each stone is cut precisely to fit with the next one, with a larger diameter at the top than the bottom.  This photograph is of the Lizard Chullpa, standing at 39 feet tall with a 16 foot diameter.  The other side shows the 5 foot thickness of the walls.


Ancestor worship was an integral part of the Aymara culture, and the cylindrical towers were built to provide a connection between life and death.  The lizard as an archetype represents life as they are able to grow new tails.  The doors on these graves are very small only 1-2 feet wide and generally face the east, to receive the light of the rising sun; rebirth.  Ancestors would be placed inside in the foetal position along with llama's and guinea pigs, clay pots and other treasures.  

Traditionally they were shaped like a womb on the inside representing re-birth in the afterlife.  Now of course there are no further treasures as they have since been looted years ago, but have even survived dynamite attempts!  

I have been to Sillustani a few times and depending on what state I have been in, I have felt very different emotions there.  It has evoked sadness in me and also extreme happiness!  Some of the chullpa's are constructed differently and do not have smooth outer stones.  Walking around the site stirs up different energies.  Lake Umayo is a stunning backdrop for this ancient resting place.  

For all the spirits who have laid to rest there, they must be living it up on the other side because there is an energy that is very much alive, inviting, mysterious and simply beautiful. 

Amaru Muru

About an hour's drive outside the city of Puno we   turned down a long flat road between vacant fields and gazed at the magical rock formations jutting up out of the already 14,000 foot altitude.  

The Puerta de Hayu Marca - Doorway of the Amaru Muru is an ancient dimensional doorway carved in a giant wall of solid rock.  

This 'stargate' has many legends surrounding it, including the story that it is an active working portal that transports beings into and out of this world. 

Amaru Muru was the first God who had the golden disc "key" who disappeared through the portal.  No one knows where it 'takes' you, but for thousands of years shamans have been coming here to honour the Gods and tap into the historical energy still very present. 

Roberto, our lovely shaman facilitated our experience with the portal.  It is important to approach with reverence and prepare our physical, spiritual and mental selves to enter so as to connect in the deepest way and have the best journey possible.  We left kintu's, prayers with coca leaves, opened sacred space and set our intentions.

Individually we entered the alcove to the left of the portal and were cleansed with Florida water and palo santo smoke.  Then Roberto assisted each one of us in breathing rapidly, almost like hyperventilating to get into a lighter state of being. Then moving into the alcove on the right, we continued breathing into our heart and solar plexus expanding these chakra's.

Finally we kneeled at the portal and put our foreheads to the carved out divet in the middle where it is perceived that the original golden disc was placed.  Roberto holds space, meditating and connecting to the Gods' heartfelt presence at this sacred site.  I guess he is also making sure he doesn't 'lose' any of his passengers through the gate!  I don't imagine that would be great for business, but it would be pretty cool to witness!

My knees are not my strongest point, so kneeling on hard rock unfortunately put me right back into my body and I found it hard to concentrate at first, but then I noticed a profound energy spiralling through my forehead.  I could feel all the kundalini energy from the day before at Lake Titicaca stirring up again and my body started shaking from within.

I am not unaccustomed to tremors involuntarily waving through my body, but they usually happen when I am in an extremely relaxed state like at the end of a yoga class laying in shavasana.  I felt like there was a suction on my forehead and in my mind's eye I was just beginning to go somewhere when Roberto intervened.  Perhaps I wasn't supposed to go any further that day?  

Leisa had a profound healing experience in the portal, healing a suppressed childhood memory almost like a soul-retrieval.  Felix, a polite, shy young man who was our driver for the trip took part in a few of our ceremonies and it was obvious he had had a huge experience because he was absolutely transformed!  His entire personality blossomed and his intense pensiveness dissipated and by the end of the trip he was laughing and giving and receiving warm hugs.  

In one way or another everyone has an awakening, healing or transformation during our trips.  It's almost unavoidable.  I never know what is going to happen, even re-visiting places I've already been and repeating ceremonies, we are all continually evolving and the magical, pristine energy of Peru somehow pulls out the highest and best of everyone.

Floating on Lake Titicaca

The Uros islands at 3810 meters above sea level are just five kilometers west from Puno port floating serenely in the pure water of Lake Titicaca on the Peruvian side.

The ''Islas Flotantes" are made from Totora Reeds that are dried in the sun and then used to construct the Islands, boats, houses, gifts, watchtowers and probably a multitude of other less obvious things.  The reeds at the bottoms of the islands rot away fairly quickly, so new reeds are consistently added to the top layers.

The purpose of the island settlements was originally defensive. If a threat arose they could simply be moved.  The larger islands house about ten families, while smaller ones (that are only about thirty meters wide) house only two or three.  They anchor each island down from the corners so they don't wake up the next day in Bolivia!  

It is a very strange feeling stepping off the boat and feeling the earth move, literally, beneath your feet!    The islanders depend on the tourist trade and offer various crafts for sale.  In order to have some privacy for romance they take one of the reed boats out where the Tortora grow so they can get 'lost' in the vegetation.  So much for spontaneity...

There is a very pure energy about Lake Titicaca.  I remember the first time I visited when I was ten years old from the Bolivia side; the excitement of a hydrofoil skimming along the surface and peering deep down into the crystal water to see hundreds of feet below!  The Peruvian side is not as pristine, nor does it thrill with a hydrofoil, but the floating islands are an exceptional experience.

Having visited the islands before, we were less interested in the touristic aspect than simply laying flat out on the cushioning reeds to absorb all the lovely and intense lake energy.  Roberto, our knowledgeable shaman explained that Lake Titicaca is the point of all creation.  He was assisting us with "birthing" our new ideas, feelings, and the slew of realisations spiralling up through each of us. 

Somewhat anti-socially, we laid splayed out in the sun in deep conversation about the kundalini energy  we could feel vibrating up through us.  This led to some rather open discussions about sexuality and union of the highest form.   It is always fascinating to see what each place we visit stirs up, but there is usually a group consciousness that weaves throughout creating a theme for the day.  Much hilarity was had in our floating love-fest talks.

In Program Two we take our passengers to both sides of Lake Titicaca so we can experience the renown Sun and Moon Islands on the Bolivian side.  I have a freeze frame vision of my very tall father standing like a pole in the middle of a throng of Indian women while another sat on the sidelines with me, teaching me how to spin wool on a wooden drop spindle like they still use today.  

This photo was taken from the watch tower also constructed by reeds, from the island we visited.  Who knows what magic will emerge on our next trip to Lake Titicaca, but we can't wait to find out! 

Communing at Tinajani, Peru

This is me with Cezarico and Leisa at Tinajani in Peru.  The canyon is made up of fascinating anthropomorphic stone figures with narrow ravines and small streams running through it.  Tinajani is one of our stops on the beautiful drive to Puno from Cusco in Program 2 of our month long trip to Peru.

Cezarico is reportedly over 100 years old and lives with his dogs in a small house at the end of the road deep in the valley.  He is quite a jolly character and walked out to meet us.  He was very grateful to receive the bread and huge avocados we brought for him.

Roberto informed us that he rarely greets visitors but he said we had good energy.  So good in fact, that he asked Leisa to marry him once establishing that she was single!  Rumour has it he already has about six wives.  He invited us back for tea, and to spend the night with him (we're not sure if he was kidding) but as fate would have it, we had to continue our travels to Lake Titicaca bordering Puno that evening.  It was a challenge translating this conversation throughout all of the laughter.

Roberto's teacher Victor said when he was a child he would be playing there and told Cezarico many years later that he was often approached by many different 'big men who said they lived there'.  He asked Cezarico who they were and he informed Victor that they had been spirits; that no one had lived there except him for most of his lifetime.  

The giant stone figures, are mountain spirits incarnate.  We could feel the living energy practically breathing down our necks in this sacred place.  Behind the giant monolith behind us off to the left you can see two stone shapes resembling a mother standing behind her child.  Everywhere you look in Tinajani the faces and shapes leap from the stone and draw you into the ancient energy.  There are also a lot of land spirits in this magical space.

These amazing formations cover about 250 hectares.  A few more families have since moved into the valley but nowhere near Cezarico's little plot.  This particular evening the icy wind whipped through the Stone Gods and beckoned us to return.  We would like to have a fire ceremony here next time and invite all the spirits to join us so we can connect with our Peruvian ancestors and ask them to help us  let go of all the historical baggage that binds us to the past.  We want to honour the past, cleanse the energy that keeps us stuck there and release ourselves into the present so we can flow with grace and ease into our highest and best future. 

Of course we also want to see Cezarico again and perhaps bring him something a little stronger to help keep him warm at night!  

Spinning Into Forgiveness

Raqchi an Incan archaeological site in the Cusco region, also known as the Temple of Wiracocha, is just one of the sacred sites we bring people to during our Spiritual Trips to Peru.  Connecting to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) is an essential part of the Peruvian experience.  Shamanism is part of the rich culture of Peru and we like to honour that by engaging in shamanic ceremonies with authentic Peruvian experienced shamans.

Here I am in one of the 365 colqa's spinning around and around while looking at the top edge of the wall.  In my heart and mind I am asking for forgiveness, for everything I have ever wanted redemption.  Before exploring this part of Raqchi, we went into the walls of another section and chose either the masculine or feminine side depending on which part of ourselves we felt we needed to find more balance.

As I sat in the masculine side, meditating, feeling the energies of the earth pulsing up through me, I was filled with a stream of thought that answered so many un-asked questions from my life.  This happens often in Peru, sometimes we don't even know what we are searching for, yet the answers magically surface.  My business partner Leisa also chose the masculine side, sitting separately having her own train of thought.  Our guiding shaman and colleague Roberto reminded us later that each side were both masculine and feminine as there is no divide, we are all both.  Perception of energy is a relative experience.

Feedback is an essential part of soul-searching and our groups become very bonded with each other as everyone is experiencing life-changing events together.  Leisa and I stood in the "masculine" enclosure comparing notes.  Talking about our realisations with others helps us own them and spurs off even more "aha" moments when we hear others' thoughts and viewpoints in relation to our own.

Once we have connected with the earth and know what our personal theme for the day is about, we venture into the colqa's to spin around throwing off all that we want to let go of and inviting in forgiveness and fresh new light and vision.  We spin as fast as possible (which feels much faster than how it looks on video!) until we simply cannot spin anymore and place our let foot out to balance us while a few people stand close by for steadying purposes.  Meditation in motion!  Afterwards, the feeling is incredible, one of lightness and exhilaration.  I can't wait to go back.

There are 365 colqa's one for each day so the ancients could let go or pray about a different vision every day.  This happens during Program 2 on our stunningly beautiful drive from Cusco to Puno.

Program 1 is May 6th - 19th includes the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Vilcabamba

 

Program 2 is May 20th - 29th includes Cusco, sights to Puno and Lake Titicaca Floating Islands, Copacabana, Bolivia Lake Titicaca Sun and Moon Islands and La Paz, Bolivia 

Program 3 is May 30th - June 5th which is the Amazon Jungle