Celebration, ceremony, and Pachamama

Yesterday we were open to change and were rewarded with a spontaneous trip to a festival celebrating a saint in the small town of Rumeri, outside of Ollantaytambo.  There was a mass that filled the small church that was followed by dancers of all ages with incredible costumes and movements.  The entire community came out to celebrate and spend the day with one another. 

 

After we visited AniWasi, the Sacred Valley Health, and met amazing leaders who are doing incredible work in rural communities. They train community members to be community health providers, in addition to health campaigns that are crucial to the community.  

After that came a series of unforgettable moments. We walked along terraces down to Rio Urubamba, where we offered flowers to the river and soaked up the beauty of the Sacred Valley. While there, a rainbow magically appeared and we were all humbled by this place.

 

The final experience was a visit to the shaman for a ceremony to set our intentions.  It was very powerful and we were all moved by the rituals and the words he offered each of us.  We ended the ceremony by walking out into the night, under a blanket full of stars.