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And Finally a note about Despacho CeremonysThe Despacho then is the complete ritual.. there are no empty words here, no words or actions that mean anything other than that which each person present brings in the moment. ‘My thanks for the tree that I loved to climb as I grew up’ ‘my thanks for the teachers I have in my life’ ‘my thanks for the grass.. the skin of the earth’ ‘my thanks to my father who was my greatest teacher’. ‘A song of celebration of difference that brings harmony to my world’ The ritual itself depends on the ‘presence’ and ‘intention’ of all those present. The beauty and grace of this ceremony means that although if may be a ritual that is 500 years old, it is totally fresh and new each time it’s done because it relies for its fresh aliveness of the presence of those it serves. This is no empty remnant of some long past forgotten ceremony; I believed this is the difference between what has become dogma/religion in the Western World and what a truly Spiritual Practice. When we are being told about it by someone else and then asked to use another’s words or actions then a ritual can begin to lose it’s meaning for the participant, especially over time it becomes a bit like Chinese Whispers. We end up not knowing why we are saying these words because we lost (or in some cases never knew) the original meaning. Alternatively, when we have the Direct and Full experience, when we bring ourselves fully into it, when we know that each one of us has a Vital Part to Play, then it becomes something that Lives within us, that we fully understand, and then we get it at a deep, cellular level. Its like life.... If we really knew and understood that we each of us has a place in the UNIVERSE that only we can fill, then we would step fully into it with pride and joy for who we are. What happens in our world today is that we aren’t encouraged to think of ourselves as unique human beings with a place that is ours to fill. The myth that we live by is that we have been kicked out of the Garden of Eden, that we have sinned from the beginning of time, and we have to earn our place, to struggle and fight for our place.... or in most cases we end up living lives of quiet desperation because we didn’t know there was a place for us here at all. We are all human and that very fact connects us to each other.... and that as humans we all have underneath the same longing for connection to something bigger than ourselves, the same yearning for meaning and purpose in our lives. One of the participants in a Recent Despacho Ceremony said that as the Coco Leaves (Bay Leaves) were being passed around and each of us blew our ‘selves’ into them she felt the threads of light that connected us all. Then as the second set were passed around and we all blew our dreams into them, she felt the threads of light connecting us outwards into the world. So that she truly felt the connection that we all have with each other and with life itself. Traditional DespachoA Traditional Despacho is created by Medicine People who work in alignment through their Spiritual Power. The Despacho brings us back into the right relationship with our world, and with ourselves. It’s an offering to the Earth and to the Heavens, a Thanksgiving, and A Prayer of Gratitude. In order to create a Despacho, the Altomisayoc must perfect a specific Shamanistic Manoeuvre, the Harmonization and Balancing of three “BANDS” or levels of consciousness: yankay, the physical universe, yachay, the spiritual or wisdom realm, and munay, the feeling or heart centre. The Despacho contains symbols of everything: The Elements, The Four Directions, Weather, Clouds around Mountains, Rainbows, Lakes, Rivers, Fruits of, Earth, Stars, human labour, Emotions, Ideas, and so on. Every item represents a part of the Andean Cosmology, is imbued with intent for connection to the Mountains and the Cosmos, and affects the totality of energy in the universe. When the offering is completed, the entire assemblage is folded, ties and wrapped in a sacred weaving. It is then offered to the Forces of Nature either by burning, burying, or by casting into water. The energy of collective intention captured and contained in the Despacho is thus released into the universe, where its message of reciprocity and gratitude can reach the most appropriate agent for manifestation. The result is renewed harmony and balance in ordinary life. Ayni.. The word itself means reciprocity, “As I give so shall I receive” ‘Whatever I sow, so shall I Reap’ This is a beautiful way to Dream our world into being. When we create an Ayni Despacho we do this to manifest into our world all that we need in order to step into our becoming. As we work with our Despacho we create a harmonious energy and we envision a world of Munay (Love), of balance and abundance that we can step into. The Shamans have always known that by aligning ourselves to the forces of nature, the natural forces of the universe. We are able to create a reality that doesn’t collude with the collective dream of scarcity, lack and fear, but a reality based on the natural forces of the universe which are powerful, creative and vital. When we come into right relationship with the earth, with the heavens and with ourselves we align ourselves with this natural life force of the universe. The life force that flows through every living thing that informs every living atom. We live in an abundant world that is naturally beautiful. The Shaman when creating the Ayni Despacho holds a vision of what is possible for the world that is based on beauty and abundance, the sweetness, the nectar of life and the wisdom that we all inherently hold. The Despacho is a prayer that allows us to thank the universe for that which we are about to receive! And it does this in the spirit of service to the Family/ Community/ Village/ Society that we live in. Because when each of us grants ourselves the gift of Abundance, we become Abundant, Radiant, Generous Human beings who do what they love and love what they do. So Creating a World in Balance. Preparation: Andean Weavings – Paper any colour: - The offering is created on Andean Weavings that represent the masculine and feminine in balance. (If you are unable to obtain Andean Weavings then please use Paper, any colour). White paper, for clarity, is placed on the weavings for a base. Large piece of paper: - Represents an envelope of dreams which we will write with prayers. – Fold into 1/3 d’s horizontally and vertically to create 9 squares. – Red Wine, Vodka, White Wine : - As the Cermony begins, Red wine, Vodka is offered to the Spirits of the Mountains and to Mother Earth. Toss the two drinks outside the paper to bring together heave and earth, to call the elementals of the three worlds. (Red Wine) Blood of Pachamama (earth) Call on Pachamamma to Bless this first layer. Hold glass; pray into it. Use a red flower to sprinkle the Despacho with the Red Wine. “Be with us, thank you Pachamama for our lives” Thank you for nourishing and nurturing us. (Vodka) Offering to the Mountain Spirits, The holy Mountains. Call on the Montains to bless the Despacho. Use a white flower to sprinkle the Despacho with spirit. “Be with us, thank you Apus, Montain Spirits”. Thank you for your wisdom. Sugar: - Represents – Love and the sweetness of life. Place sugar on all four corners of the paper – representing four corners of the world and the four elements. – Make small cross in the centre of the paper with the sugar to represent the Soughtern Corss. “What is in heaven is reflected back to me” “As above so below”. Use sugar liberally throughout. Incense: - A bed of incense is laid, to carry the prayers of the offering into the cosmos. Any aromatic flower/essences Flower petals : - (Red for Pachamama, White for Mountains) are laid in a pattern, commonly in a circle ( clock wise), four directions, cross, or flower pattern, depending on the intent. Rice: - Sprinkle rice over the whole paper for fertility/abundance/to bring our prayers to fruition. The Medicine Persons and all the participants feed each other Coco Leaves (Bay Leaves in UK) – the sacred plant of the Andes – into which their prayers / wish’s have been blown. These gifts are a sign of community and strengthen connections. For the Inca there is no word for ‘I’ so that each Leave represents the community / the village / us and grows in intention as it is passed around each person blows their intention/prayer into it. Coco Leaves (Bay Leaves):- 3 sets of coco leaves (Bay leaves), called Kintus, each person involved prays, use your right hand clockwise blows into their leaves clock wise, with intent (wish’s, forgiveness, better health, relationships etc) ask for what they wish for themselves, ask for what they wish for the earth, prayers of the earth, prayers of manifestation, and prayers for this land. Passing the leaves around the group allows the prayers to gather momentum by each participant, and then placed in a pattern on the offering, again reflecting the particular intent. Uhupacha – Keepers of the riches of Pachamama. Kaypacha – Middle World. Hanaqpacha – Upper World – The Luminous Beings. 3 sets of Coco Leaves (Bay Leaves) assembled face up stem down together, these represent: 3 worlds 3 Worlds : Uhupacha – Keepers of the riches of Pachamama. – Underworld. - Kaypacha – Middle World. - Hanaqpacha – Upper World – The Luminous Beings. 3 qualities: Power (Yanquay) – Love ( Munay) – Intellect (Yanchay) 2 States of Self Past: Present – Future – Becoming. Give SOUND to these prayers / Give voice to your Intent. Intention is everything. When prayer comes from our deepest self, it becomes a Mantra, and allows us to access the bridge all possibilities. BREATH: - The most important act of doing a Despacho is the BREATH. It’s an active prayer of engaging the sacred. Breathe into the Leaves. Tell it who you are (who you really are merged with your external identity), Tell it your myths, your wounds, your contracts, your promises. Tell it who you are becoming. Call on all the place of source: Apus (mountains) Pachamama (earth). Call on your teachers, anyone and everyone who has contributed to who you are now. With your right hand clockwise place Leaves onto this foundation layer. Shell: Place 1 x shell in the middle; this represents the womb of Pachamama our source / birthplace. Holds us and nourishes us. Provides us with opportunity and safety. Represents mother of water – Sachamama – Great Serpent. Figurine: (Male & Female) Represents the Masculine and Feminine within. Complementary opposites (Yananti/Mesinti) balance / communion. After the initial “Bed” is created, some or all of the symbolic representations are prayed over, offered up, and added: Everything after this Basic Foundation can be created as you wish:
When the contents of the Bed of your Despacho are complete, typically encircle them with a long thread or piece of yarn, often this string is died with colours of the rainbow. Place your Red and White flowers, then your cotton wool. Sprinkle with Red & White Wine. The yarn weaves together our prayers and offering and bring them into harmony. We seek to create a vortex of energy in order to manifest our prayers. The corners of the large paper are then folded over the contents so that they (all corners) touch at the centre. The Despacho is now a smaller square. The new corners of the square are also folded to the centre. Tie the Despacho with white and yellow yarn. White – Clarity Yellow - Harmony Wrap in a cloth and use to cleanse the energy body of everyone participating in the ceremony. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE DESPACHO NOW? There are several options. Bury the Despacho – for slow steady results. Burn the Despacho – for an explosive transformation Or feed it to Running Waters ceremonially within a reasonable amount of time. When it’s placed on the fire... turn away from the fire, do not look towards the flame (it’s usually put on the fire at the end of a fire ceremony) this signifies non-attachment to outcome and release of all claims to that which was given away.
Possible meanings to be used in a Despacho Offerings.Possible ingredients: This is a short list of the possible meanings to be used in Despacho offerings. You can add to this list or substitute other items that could also have a similar interpretation. VEGETABLE PRODUCTS COPAL: Offering
to the Lower World, the Shadow ANISE: Celebration, The Senses
ANIMAL PRODUCTS: ANIMAL SHAPES: Honouring
our Relatives in the Animal Kingdom MAN-MADE SYMBOLS & SYMBOLS: ALPHABET NOODLES: Language of the Soul, The Unwritten GOLD BEADS Represents the Sun SILVER BEADS Represents the Moon GOLD CORD Connection to Earth SILVER CORD Connection to Mountain Spirits CHOCOLATE For the Earth SEEDS That Feed Us LENTILES Abundance of the earth SPRINKLES Represent the elementals LIQUORICE Protection MONEY To ensure successfulness of Despacho – Measure of success COTTON WOOL Clouds – Provider of waters RAINBOW YARN Connects the Clouds / Bridge between the Worlds / Rainbow RED YARN Path of life (Red Thread)
GOLD: Masculine, The Sun, Insight |
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