Art Roffey, Ph.D. (Part 2)

I was stirred out of my thoughts by sounds of laughter. Ceremony had begun…but nothing outwardly appeared ‘ceremonious’. The Elders were laughing and telling jokes, even as they were carefully preparing to make their offering, called a despacho. The act that they were performing was taken very seriously, but they did not take themselves so at all. Intention was what mattered, not some show of sanctity.

Both the contents and manner of the despacho’s preparation are determined by its purpose. The various elements that comprise the offering are believed to energetically interact, bridging our consciousness and actions in the material world with non-physical dimensions. Alberto spoke as the Elders were working. "Through the despacho, we seek to access and influence things at their source. When working at this subtle level it is very important to maintain a focused intention. In essence, we receive in proportion to what we give."

"This despacho is both an offering of thanks and a petition to Mother Earth. The Elders’ intent is for all of us to establish and maintain a continuous dialogue with Pachamama and to formally accept our place as ‘Caretakers of The Garden’. This requires us to live in right relationship – both within and without. To do so we must balance the three fundamental aspects of our being… Llankay, our personal power and source of action, energetically centered in our solar plexus. Munay, the source of our love, centered at our heart plexus. And Yachay, wisdom, which is seated at the crown and center of

our head."

A colorful poncho, woven with the traditional symbols of the Q’ero, lay before the Elders who sat cross-legged on the ground. Don Manuel, the oldest among them – a short, wrinkled man in his 80s who readily sported a near-toothless grin – officiated as the four others; two male, two female; acted as his assistants. They laid out the 200 or so items that would comprise the offering upon the poncho. In the center they placed a square sheet of white paper and a plastic bag full of coca leaves.

Despite its unsavory reputation in the US as the source of cocaine, for over 2000 years indigenous peoples of the Andes have considered coca to be a ‘plant of power’. Like many things when taken in excess or artificially synthesized from its natural form, coca can be dangerous. You play with energy, and it plays with you. But the coca leaf also possesses remarkable healing attributes. When chewed it acts as a stimulant to overcome fatigue, hunger and thirst. It is also a pain reliever used to treat numerous ailments including headaches, rheumatism, wounds and sores. Coca is woven into the cultural and ceremonial fabric of Andean peoples. As testimony to its importance, the highest degree Q’ero shaman is called a Curak Akullek, ‘great chewer of coca leaves’.

Each Elder selected leaves from the bag and arranged them in threes, called a kintu. As each kintu was placed onto the paper, the Elder called out the name of a sacred place, a spirit or ancestor, inviting that energy into the moment as a witness and ally. The coca leaves were laid as the foundational and energizing layer of the despacho upon which all other items constituting the offering were placed.

Over the next 90 minutes, don Manuel and his helpers created a remarkable piece of art. Many items placed in the offering were a part of daily life in the mountains: seeds, quinoa (a grain), rice, wool, condor feathers, shells, etc. Other items were less familiar to the Q’ero but were included because they represented an energy that needed to be brought into harmony. Things such as red & white flowers, candy, confetti, beads, pieces of silica, a starfish, dried fruit, sugar, to name a few. Each carried its own purpose for inclusion.

For example, a small, dried, naturally-aborted llama fetus was placed in the offering. "The Q’ero have a special bond with these animals, upon which their survival depends." Alberto provided commentary as the Elders worked. "They are petitioning for the fecundity of their llama herd. Note also that llama fat is placed in the four corners of the despacho. Since fat is basically stored energy, this is to remove any blockage to a full expression of our life energy wherever we may travel, even unto the four corners of the Earth. It is a petition for an abundance of life force; that we each direct our lives with clarity so that circumstances don’t define our actions and intent. We do."

Another component of the offering was a small piece of magnetite, a naturally occurring magnetic mineral. The Q’ero believe that we are multidimensional beings, with different ‘selves’ interacting simultaneously at different layers of creation. We co-exist with worlds of finer and denser energies, and indeed have parts of ourselves interacting in those realms even as we live here on Earth. Magnetite is incorporated into the despacho to bring our various selves into harmony and balance with one another, and to collect those soul parts that have become distracted and lost through trauma and pain.

As the Elders completed their work they encircled the entire contents of the despacho with a long piece of colorful yarn. Alberto explained, "This is to weave together all our prayers and bring them into harmony." The corners of the large white paper were then folded over the contents so that they touched at the center. Then the new corners were folded to the center, making the despacho a thick, roughly square package. The offering was then carefully tied with a white string and placed within a colorful woven pouch. "The Elders would now like to bless us all; please line up!"

Under the light of the moon and stars, those of us from the North took our places beside our new friends from the South, though a few helpers split off from the larger group to collect brush and reeds. We were well above timberline – there were no branches or trees to serve as fuel for the fire here. Don Manuel held the pouch containing the despacho. Accompanied by his Elder-Assistants and Alberto, he moved down the line, ‘cleansing’ each person with the offering one-by-one. The blessing was all the more sweet and moving because the best intentions of all of us were carried in that small pouch.

As with those before me, when it was my turn don Manuel brought the despacho to his lips, kissed it, and then rubbed it heartily over the exterior of my body, from head to foot, front and back. After each pass he tapped the despacho upon Mother Earth at my feet. I closed my eyes as he held the offering upon my head while he whispered words I could not understand. He next placed the despacho at my heart and, lastly, over my solar plexus. The simplicity of the ritual, the tenderness and touch of it brought me a contentment that reached down to my toes. I was no longer cold; I was no longer a visitor. There was nowhere else in the world I would have rather been in that moment.

By the time all had been cleansed and blessed, the small fire was burning brightly, casting its reflection upon the waters and framing the outlines of the firekeepers in bold relief. After giving thanks to Pachamama, to the Apu, and to the stars above, don Manuel silently placed the despacho into the fire. Our hosts then turned away from the flames and, responding to their cue, the rest of us turned away as well. Ultimately, it is the intention and act of preparing the despacho that matters, not the material thing itself. Once we had made our petition it was up to other powers to accept or deny our request. We released all claim to that which was given away.