“Life is a game, nothing more.”
This is a quote by a shaman we met in Peru. We went with Lainie and their group to a “despacho ceremony” which is an Incan religious ceremony to give offerings to Pachimama, or Mother Earth.
We started by walking through a forest to get to the site of the ceremony. Our shaman was very in tune with nature and used the environment as an analogy for human life.
He said people should be simple yet strong, able to bloom in any condition. Kings may have everything but they are not happy. A little flower who only has what they need to survive may be the happiest thing alive. There is no such thing as fear, because men create fear. Trees fall because their roots aren’t deep; we fall because we have no trust or faith. Dry trees make dry seeds which makes more dry plants, just like humans. Life is like music; we need to know how to hit the high and low notes, but if the music stops then we are gone. Life is a game, nothing more. Human beings are merely passengers on the ride of life.
He is a very philosophical man and his words were deep and inspiring.
When we arrived at the site for the ceremony, we had to take our shoes and socks off so we could be closer and better connected with the Earth. There was a cave nearby where other shamans left pots of burned offerings.
We made an offering to Pachimama as well. There was a piece of colourful paper and our shaman put different items on it which represent wishes. For example, corn represents sustenance and is a gift to the Earth for all it has given, flower petals represent healing, loose herbs and incense are used to feed the elements of the Earth, and colourful sprinkles are used to celebrate life.
At the Machu Picchu museum, they had all the objects for a despacho ceremony laid out in a beautiful design.
Also in markets, one can buy a pre-packaged despacho kit with all the necessary materials.
The shaman was chanting prayers while a small fire was lit so the smoke would carry the prayers to heaven. We also saw this practice in the Hindu religion while in India.
Once all the offerings were on the paper, he wrapped it up like an envelope. Then each of us held the package in the air to show the offering to heaven and receive the blessings.
After, the package was buried and special wine was poured over the hole. There are other ways to give the offerings by burning it or putting it in running water, like a river. This was like in India in Haridwar where flowers and candles are floated down the Ganges River.
While the Incas thanked Pachimama for a good harvest and nice weather, we thanked Mother Earth for keeping all of us safe on our trip. I have been raised by the Christian faith, but I’ve learned all religions teach one to be honest, to respect the earth, be kind to everyone no matter their race or religion, and to appreciate what we have.
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