As part of my healing journey I made two trips with fellow Shamanic students to Peru’s sacred valley where I received medicine rites and experienced plant medicine. These 10 day trips were based in the Cusco area with daily bus trips to sacred sites within the valley plus a one day trip to Machu Pichu. Travelling with us to the sites were indigenous Queros who carried out ceremonial rites for our group, energetically transferring to each of us special capabilities based on their ancient traditions and belief system.
Each visit to a sacred site involved a bus ride to a remote location within the sacred valley where we toured ancient stone structures built with giant blocks that were fitted together with amazing precision. Around mid-day we were assembled together in a circle to participate in a despacho (sacred bundle) ceremony and to receive our rites for that day, in that place. The Quero led these ceremonies, speaking only in their ancient traditional language. Afterward we had some time to process the effects before returning to the bus for our trip back to our hotel and dinner. On the first trip our teacher offered evening sessions in which he described what that days rite enhanced within us and led us through a practice session.
While our teacher’s Algonquin tradition did not include psychoactive medicines, Peru offers legal access to such experiences. Given this, many in our group indicated that they would like to experience an Ayahuasca ceremony. I had not planned to participate; indeed I had not even considered taking part in such an experience in which I would be giving up all control to the plant medicine. I had never touched illegal drugs such as cannabis and typically suffered excessively strong reactions to some of the treatments I had attempted throughout my healing journey. Also I had been forewarned of possible psychotic breaks or strong purging from both ends from people that had previously had Ayahuasca trips. So I did not volunteer to be included in this experience.
On the day of the optional Ayahuasca ceremony we were visiting Sacsayhuamán, a site providing a huge amphitheater built out of massive stone blocks fitted together in intimate accommodation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacsayhuam%C3%A1n#/media/File:Sacsayhuaman-Inca_stone.jpg). There had been a slight rain shower and when the sun came out I stepped aside from our tour to remove my poncho and as I did this, a stray dog approached me. I fed it some of my protein bar then returned to my tour group, only to find that it had become an information session only for those participating in the plant medicine ceremony that evening. I took this to be a sign that I was meant to be in this group, accepting that Spirit was guiding me.
The plant medicine ceremony was held in a large meeting room within the small rustic hotel outside Cusco. We were instructed to bring our own blankets and pillow and choose a mat as our place for the experience. We were also told to bring along a garbage can lined with a plastic bag since we were most likely to need this. We sat upright to accept and drain a small shot glass of the brewed medicine served by the Curandero in charge. Our teacher and his assistant were also there to facilitate, not to participate in the drinking but they would connect to the energies. When we felt the need we were allowed to lie down. If we needed assistance we were to indicate this to one of the facilitators.
In this first ceremony I have a vague memory of traveling through a narrow walled channel with dramatic sky above – and nothing more. At one point I felt the need to vomit and used my garbage can while others needed help getting to the washroom for their purging. After a few hours I was able to gather up my things and walk with a guide back to my room, eat a protein bar and crash in bed. I did not have a dramatic experience, or at least anything I could recall. Later one of the facilitators told me that he had shared in my most beautiful experience and, when I said I had no memory of this, he suggested it would come to me in time; it never has.
In my second trip to Peru most all those in the excursion chose to participate in the plant medicine ceremony and, again, it was a simple one evening event. This was quite a different experience for me. One participant insisted on singing, believing they were assisting the group in their healing while aggravating many who craved silence. I simply sat erect on my mat and connected with all flavours of love, singing “all you needed is love” over and over in my mind. I was quite blissed out. One of my fellow participants claimed to have latched onto what I was experiencing to ease their own emotional suffering.
We were warned that we might face our worst fears, believe we might be devoured or die, and this was all part of our healing. Those that struggled and resisted had the worst experiences; one was traumatized for some time afterward. A few who were determined to have wonderful psychedelic trips were disappointed; they often had a history of drug use and craved something more powerful. In both Ayahuasca sessions I knew that I had to allow the medicine to take control, to not fight or resist, and not to have any expectation of outcome. My first experience helped me reduce my need for control and allowed me to welcome change. My second experience helped me to embrace love of myself. Both helped me heal in their own ways.
