I spent about 6 nights in San Augustin, home of the ancient statues of the Pre-Colombians who inhabited the Colombian Massif in the Southwestern part of the Andes. The biggest collection of megalithic sculptures in South America stands here. Surrealist images of gods fused with animals lie all over the area. Mostly they have been found protecting tombs, the Cheifdom societies developed in the region since around 1000 BC and are one of the earliest complex societies in the Americas. In the 18th century tomb raiders and looters disrupted the tact of many of the tombs monumental sculptures. I visited all the archeological sites, and although much of San Agustins ancient civilization has been uncovered many a secret still lies under the earth. Campesinos (farmers) regularly come across new tombs. Somtimes they will keep the smaller things they find which would otherwise be taken by authorities. Some of these ancient Godly offerings have come into my posession... So thats why I was in San Augustin!
My one point of call before arriving in Colombia was this desert, finally at the end of march I arrive.
There are two parts to the desert the Red part with crazy rock formations Cuzco and the greay part Los Oyos. Tatacoa desert is pretty special as ion its highest point lies an observatory, on my first night in the desert I star gazed like never before in my life. As Colombia straddles both the northern and southern hemisphere it makes an incredible place for star gazing. I got close and personal with the first star after the arrow of Orions belt, which is actually a nebular composed of lots and lots of little stars. The blood red star beetle juice, Venus in all her blazing glory and my favourite Jupiter with his four perfectly aligned moons! The night sky.. The reminder of our place with the pespective of the galaxies... How incredible our planet is... All that us on little earth have been given... As The ever spiralling web of the universe unfolds around us... The second night I spent out in the desert alone, off on a night vigil of meditation allowing myself to be consumed by the flames of my fireside. Life is so beautiful, I feel blessed to be living it. Before meeting Luisa in pance I was really urging to get into a yogic flow. She happened to have a good friend who runs a yoga ashram in Cali! It really is a proper ashram, I got a beautiful insight during my stay into Ayurvedic knowledge for healing and yoga therapy. The ashram was beginning a training course in yoga therapy, with practice in other tools such as Thai massage - unfortunately I couldn't stay long enough to be a subject.
It's beautiful when the universe speaks so clearly, bringing the inner and outer guidance needed at a specific time. There are many reasons I am here in South America, I've been attentive to my intuition and it has always brought me to where I need to be. Now I have allowed myself to live in tune to my true rhythm, which means the flow of life is taking its course in perfect harmony. I can feel the unnatural energy blockages I cause if ever I decide to ignore the inner feeling. So if you feel a pull, a slight current that seems to be directing you to do something, however non-normal it may seem... It's more than likely that this is your true intuitive path telling you something. Follow its flow, you might be surprised to where it leads... Sian's ashram YOGENDRA http://www.yogashramcali.com/about-yogendra.html The last leg of my Cali bound adventure ended at the Pacific Coast. During my time in Pance I met some friends of who stopped by Luisa's for some delicious veggie falafel's. We spent the day by the river eating fruits, singing and dancing.
I was interested to find out that carmenza was working for a foundation based in Cali who predominantly work with women and young people who have experience sexual / physical abuse. They use types of creative therapy such as dance and drama, I was keen to know more about their work process. A week or so later I went to see the powerful performance they had been working on, alongside an after show talk in Cali. Mi Cuerpo Es Mi Historia http://www.isacordoba.com/mcmhfundacion Although this is the main focus of the foundations work they also have a project for LOS NINOS DE PACIFICO. They invited me to go down to the Pacific with them to help out with the workshops for the children of Ladriellos! This was an unforgettable experience and my heart ached to leave the kids behind, all of whom I had grown to love. It has deffinitely clarified in my mind that, at this moment off my life I need to be working with young people. The energy exchange I find through this, works on a very deeply fulfilling level. By the end of the workshops I had kids following me round the streets dancing and singing... Really I felt like the pied piper... And I loved it. (Many pictures of my time working with the kids of the Pacific coast to follow) The end of the time in the Pacific I spent relaxing on the beach and kayaking to incredible uninhabited islands... Keeping it REAL! I arrived in Cali and right away headed for nature outside the city. On my arrival at Los Farallones in Pance I met Luisa. After my beatiful walk along the river and up the mountains I went over for some homemade nettle tea. An incredible woman, who has been living in Colombia for 15 years. Currently you can find her selling delicious vegetarian food on the weekends out the front of the house, which lies directly before the enterance to the park Farallones. Her partner is a campesino whose family has been living for generations in this very place. As the park is not protected he works to help protect its natual beauty from different invasive forces which are damaging the land.
I went back a couple of days later to stay with Luisa, her lovely kids and the rest of the extended family, 20 or so, (most of which live in the house opposite). All my fire energy is behind Luisa in the hope that she manifests the money needed to transform the house as she wishes... Into accommodation for those travellers that bring with them creativity, voluntary workshops and helpful loving energy. I learnt a lot in the time I spent with Luisa an insight into a completely different way of life, and it set me on my path for the next two steps of my journey.... (sustinence farmers who work with the land) Love and Light SANTA ROSA DE CABAL, It is the place to be after a whole lot of walking, the best place in Colombia for some theraputic relaxation.
The hot springs in Colombia are called Termales. The more accessible of the two hot springs is located very near the city of Santa Rosa- I really wanted to visit the other hot spring - San Vicente, however as a lone traveller it did not appear possible; transport is much to expensive. But as we know by now the universe is set to put all in place if one is open to its magic... At these termales I made friends with a group of people, one of whom I was to spend the next few days with staying on his couch. Horhay (my new friend and now business associate) took me to the wonderful San Vicente... Worth the extra trek, you find yourself bathing in the boiling volcanic water surrounded by jungle and mountains. The place has many natural steam houses all powered by the molten heat of our healing mother earth. One could feel as though they were back in the womb.... |
CategoriesRosaliaIn The darkest moments comes the light... Archives |