Shamans’ inspirational and wise interpretation of life.

While I was studying anthropology years ago at uni, I was in awe of how some anthropologists, like Dr. Alberto Villoldo (clinical professor and researcher of energy medicine), could totally immerse themselves in their subject matter’s culture, belief, or practice. As I have done my own fieldwork, I realize that it is not a surprise when we see truth, value, and wisdom in some of these ancient teachings and their way of life. My own experience confirmed it. My fascination with the shamans of South America started with a documentary that I watched and my own research that I did back in 2014. In a way, this was a culmination of my childhood fascination with the shamanic path. As an adult, I studied and explored their knowledge, and today I am still learning from these wise medicine men and women and practicing this beautiful way of living in a more personal way.

I think of their central beliefs about life often. Shamans consider the Earth as our mother and the Sun as our father. The Sun and Earth both provide for us, take care of us, and are always with us, from birth to death and beyond.

Mother Earth nurtures us with flowing bounty; she holds us dearly. She is always with us no matter where we go, which mountain we climb, which sea we swim or which land we walk. She is our provider, teacher, nurturer.

Taita inti, Father Sun, as Peruvian Shamans call it, is our father. It is the essential force that feeds life and growth here on Earth. We open our eyes to him every morning, shines down on us and energizes us.. Wherever we go, he is always with us in the daytime, and in the darkness of night, we are sure that he will show up again in the morning.

What magnificent parents we have. Our spiritual parents provide with no expectations, no judgment, and no agenda. Seeing the Sun and Earth as our parents creates a different relationship between us.

The love between our Father Sun and Mother Earth is epic, magical, inspirational; it reminds me of Hafiz’s poem,

“Even
After
All this time
The Sun never says to the Earth,
‘You owe me.’

Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the whole sky.”