Peru 6

Visit: Train: Cuzco to Puno Photo Gallery

In the heart of Machu Picchu was a complex of rooms, one of which contained a Sacred Water Temple. We performed a Water Ritual there, and I was guided to follow the flow of water as it made its way down and out of the city. It flowed through multiple channels cut in the stone throughout the many levels of buildings. We occasionally lost sight of the water, but every time I was guided where to go to reconnect with it.

The water eventually left the last channel that was cut for it by human hands, and poured back into the earth over the edge of a wall, within the lowest reaches of the city. The area was well below any buildings, in a deep overgrowth of vines and vegetation. We blessed and thanked the water for the many centuries that it had flowed, enabling so many generations to prosper and flourish at the site.

Even though the rooms were not fully intact, the stones of the buildings still carried amazing resonance. One building was famous for its acoustics. Sound was amplified as it bounced off of the stones in an amazing way. This opened up our voices, as well as our hearts. We were called to tone and chant throughout the maze of buildings. We tapped into each room and were guided to tone certain sounds in certain areas. We played with sound, and used it to connect to the life-energy of the site, as well as for healing. Sound Healing emerged as another important focus for us throughout our world journey.

After traveling back to Cuzco from the Machu Picchu area by train, we embarked on another train, going from Cuzco to Puno (Photo Gallery). This began a glorious 10 hour trip on a beautiful first-class train, the first part of our journey to Lake Titicaca. Daniel spent most of his time on the train resting with his head upon his arms on the table in front of him. The energy of Machu Picchu had blasted him a bit, and he felt that his body had begun cleansing itself to allow him to more openly receive the energies of Lake Titicaca. He made frequent bathroom trips, and rested as much as possible.

I spend most of the trip in the last car of the train. It was comfortably open to the air, and afforded me a wonderful opportunity to connect with the spirits of the land and people. We passed village after village, and in most cases the people waved their greetings to us. Children love to strike poses, but some of the elder women turned their backs and clearly did not care to be photographed.

I was able to experience and feel what life was like in both the rural and more populated areas. The striking beauty of the higher elevations was awesome. Being able to feel and experience Peru this way felt like heaven to me. I felt total freedom of being while safely and comfortably traveling the far reaches of the country, clicking away with my camera. The entire train trip was delightful.

The farmland appeared lush, and the farm animals looked healthy. The land felt rich and fertile. Many non-native plants had been recently introduced, including African grass and Scotch Broom. The Scotch Broom bloomed gloriously yellow along the train tracks, though it was strongly competing with native species. The ecosystems were being forced to adapt to huge changes.

Tending animals was a big part of the villager’s lives. Animals were tied out on short ropes to graze right beside roads, even grazing directly on train tracks. The lack of carcasses on the tracks implied that their owners were right on schedule with the trains. Cows were tied by their horns, and the pigs were all hairy!

I saw a small boy leading two huge cows. He was snapping a stick at their backs, laughing while they pulled him along as they ran. Another young boy in a small town happily waved as he walked with his large sow down the street. He had no rope or stick, but she followed the curb in front of him obediently. People came forward to wave as our train passed. They felt openhearted and happy.

I did see two dogs struck by the train we were on. Neither had been immediately killed, but they were both down and yelping. My heart ached for them, as it did for all animals that suffered, and I prayed that someone would come to their aid. I saw several kids who tightly held onto their dogs and puppies as the train passed by them. Chasing trains does seem to appeal to dogs for some reason, and these young ones protected their animals with care.

As with most of Peru, many women chose to maintain their customary native dress; long flowing woolen skirts, small round hats, and long braided hair usually tied together in back. The women carried their goods across their shoulders in round cloth bundles. Most men wore modern clothes regardless of their age or location. It was an interesting clash of styles.

When the train passed through more populated towns the effects of urbanization were obvious. Trash was everywhere, and the life force of the people felt very dim. A few people flipped us an obscene gesture or two. It was such an intensely different energy than the countryside. The people seemed to be caught between two worlds.