Friday, 01.09.2023
Welcome, BIENVENIDO AL PERÚ
Our hearts were full after having taken in the wisdom of Slovenian Nature Worshipers. Now we are ready to move on. We’re flying to the western part of the globe to dive deeper into Ancient Wisdom to start our September with the South American tribes of Peru.
Peru is home to 51 indigenous communities, all of whom have a unique culture and way of life. From the high Andes to the jungles of the Peruvian Amazon, there are many thriving indigenous people of Peru to get to know. Nevertheless, we have decided to spend our time with the Quechua tribe in the Andes. Living in a harsh, inhospitable landscape such as the Andes requires a special level of toughness and adaptability – and the Quechua have it in spades. These communities have spent centuries living at high altitudes, so they have a whole lot to teach us about survival amid extreme conditions.
Thank you for being with us on this green warrior journey back in time and back to Self, dear ALL.
With Love from PERU in SOUTH AMERICA, Sasa.
Saturday, 02.09.2023
Self-reflection Saturday with the keyword of the month: Creativity
Quechua proverb of the day: Yachaqqa yachaq tukuntsu, mana yachaqmi yachaq tukun – The wise man does not presume that he knows. It is the ignorant one who presumes he knows.
May we invite you to take a moment and reflect on this Saturday Quechua thought and the increasing ignorance in the modern world?
Saturday, 02.09.2023
Self-reflection Sunday with the keyword of the month: Creativity
Quechua proverb of the day:
Wakinkunata shiqiyqam hinchi kay. Kikikita shiqiymi aypa kay – To win over others you have to be strong. To win over yourself you have to be great.
May we invite you to take a moment and reflect on this Sunday Quechua thought and on the difference between being strong and being great?
Monday, 04.09.2023
About the Quechua Tribes
The Quechua are often the first indigenous people of Peru that travelers get to know upon visiting the country. They predate the Incan Empire (Inca is the name for Quechua royalty), and their way of life continued long after the empire collapsed in the 16th century. That’s also one of the main reasons why we have decided to get acquainted with their teachings.
As the largest indigenous group in South America today, most of the Quechua communities live in the high Andes and are focused on farming. The Quechua are known worldwide for their beautifully intricate textile arts, and for their ability to thrive in high-altitude environments.
It’s important to note the distinction between the Quechua people and the Quechua language. Around 10 million people speak the language of Quechua, while not nearly as many identify as Quechua themselves. Alongside the teachings from the Quechua shamans, we are also going to bring some Quechua language lessons during our self-reflection weekends.
Stay tuned, dear ALL. It’s going to be awesome and quite different.
Tuesday, 05.09.2023
On Wisdom Keepers
The Quechua community in Peru, we stayed and spent our time with, are direct descendants of the Inca who honor Mother Earth (Pachamama) and the mountain deities (Apus) as their sources of ancient wisdom. After centuries of isolation, these shamans began to descend from the top of the world to share their knowledge for the benefit of the planet and for the healing of humanity.
As Wisdom Keepers, they teach us how to live our lives in the moment, full of spirit, and how to shed a life bound by stress and disease. They understand that surrounding each of us is a luminous energy that holds a record of our emotional, physical, and spiritual traumas, a blueprint that determines how we will live, heal, and even how we might die. As shamans, they work to bring balance to these energy fields.
We will dedicate the next two weeks to the teachings the ancient Wisdom Keepers graciously shared with us regarding a healthy way of living and socializing. Please stay tuned, dear Green Heart Warrior.
Wednesday, 06.09.2023
On Simplicity
‘Simplicity means to live with little but to live fully’, said the shamans.
Material goods are not something everyone aspires to. In fact, what most matters to the indigenous Andean people is to focus on the quality of life in the serene embrace of their native countryside, whilst being nurtured by their families and friends. Having a lot means something different to them: a lot of laughter, a lot of peace of mind, lots of timely rains, and good health.
Their bling is a well-watered plot of land, a robust and healthy cattle animal, a llama or an alpaca, a coca plant with thick long leaves, a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee, a clear night sky with billions of twinkling lights to count shooting stars.
These are things wealth cannot provide, right dear Green Heart Warriors?
Thursday, 07.09.2023
On Gratitude to Panchamama (Mother Earth)
The indigenous view of Pachamama is overarching. She is the only one that we can rely upon. Her love is reflected in every image the day and night paint in our lives. Her kindness is shown in every breath we take, the food we eat, and the beauty of the plants and animals that she protects. Without her, there is nothing; happiness is impossible, and life is hopeless as fear reigns. Andean people feel this gratitude and live it daily.
They understand that Pachamama can be lethal at times, and her wrath is triggered by the way humans disrupt the balance of nature. Ancient Andean civilizations knew this, and the archeological sites that one sees while visiting Peru are a reminder of what happens when we neglect and abuse her.
Friday, 08.09.2023
Live interview with Mario Moisés Tapia Meza
Join us, dear Green Heart Warrior, for the live interview with Mario Moisés Tapia Meza, the Quechua guide who joined us at the sacred site of Machu Picchu.
Certainly, the most famous tangible pieces of evidence of the Incan culture are the ruins left behind. And at the top of most travelers’ lists is Machu Picchu. Although a popular tourist spot and a bucket list item for so many, for us – after spending valuable time with the Quechua and learning from them – it was a place that imbued us with deep respect and gratitude to the native indigenous tribes for allowing us to be here.
Machu Picchu is not Disneyland. Paying humble respect is perhaps one of the most advanced and down-to-earth forms of spiritual expression that anyone can have for the living sacred sites around the globe. In fact, it is something everyone on our planet should emulate.
Thank you, dear Panchamama and the Quechua community for your hospitality. With Love from PERU, Sasa.
Saturday, 09.09.2023
Self-reflection Saturday with the keyword of the month: Creativity
Quechua proverb of the day:
Llaqtakunaq atipayninwan, teqrimuyuta kuyuchisunchis – When the villages work together, we can turn this world around.
May we invite you to take a moment and reflect on this Saturday Quechua thought? It’s all about team spirit and community everywhere our ancient wisdom journey takes us, right?
Sunday, 10.09.2023
Self-reflection Sunday with the keyword of the month: Creativity
Quechua proverb of the day:
Allinta uyariyta yachaspaqa, allintataqmi yachanki – If you listen and pay attention, you will learn well.
May we invite you to take a moment and reflect on this Sunday Quechua thought? Are we able to listen in this modern, noise-filled world – truly and actively?
Enjoy your SUNday, dear ALL.
Monday, 11.09.2023
On Reciprocity (AYNI).
‘Give back what you get, give it in the same spirit, and do it because it is right’, said Mario, our Quechua guide, and continued, ‘Since ancient times, every single Andean culture and their peoples have relied on the one ingredient that can transcend commodity exchange, money or wealth as the means to get things done. It is a practice that in the Andean peoples’ dualist world outlook is understood as a form of giving back what one receives from others as a moral obligation toward the community.’
Andean people have called this practice AYNI. It has survived the Inca Empire, the invasion of the Spaniards, the onslaught of capitalism, and the merciless passing of time. Ayni finds expression in the work one performs for others in the countryside, in the return of goods, tools, or other forms that we understand as favors. Ayni cannot be paid in money but in its original reciprocal way. Ayni loses its meaning when it doesn’t come from the heart.
Tuesday, 12.09.2023
On Respecting the Elders
‘Respect the elders. Reciprocity works mainly amongst people’, said our Quechua guide Mario in Urubamba, concluding our conversation about the wisdom called AYNI we addressed yesterday.
Everyone will grow older; everyone has the responsibility to learn and to teach. The elders are not a useless thing to be put away in nursing homes and ultimately hospices once they become too much of a burden. Andean people believe that they are a treasure to cherish, a fountain from where priceless stories and lessons spring forth, and with whom one needs to connect before going off to live independently. Frequently, indigenous families share the same multigenerational household, with three or four generations in one house at times. Every meal means a large gathering of people; there is no particular time to celebrate, as the time is always right for the family. Lots of happiness and plenty of laughter and banter. Children learn to respect and listen to their elders, adults try to follow their elders’ advice, and that’s how the unbroken cycle of family life runs.
Wednesday, 13.09.2023
On Ancestors
‘Never forget the ancestors, to neglect them is to neglect the future’, said the shamans we have met in Peru. Andean people believe that everything is intrinsically connected. Time is circular, not linear. The memories of the ancestors live in the hearts and minds of the living ones. The places where ancestors once lived have a special meaning, and the connection to those places is of utmost importance. The dead have a time of their own, a place to be remembered, and the living have a duty to honor this. In this special time, children can learn from the ones who came before their parents and grandparents, an opportunity to learn about their ancestors and what they ought to do in the future when they take the responsibility to continue with the tradition. As a matter of fact, this is a celebration with which some Westerners are familiar, and you as well may indeed know it as the Day of the Dead. On this day, people gather in cemeteries in a festive, party-like atmosphere; this is the time to bring the dead back to life, an opportunity to celebrate their past existence and their legacy, and the time when both the living and the dead drink, eat, cry and sing together again.
Thursday, 14.09.2023
On Generosity
Remaining generous and open-hearted with everyone is a by-product of being alive and present. Welcoming foreigners is how the Quechua show their level of spiritual development. One can witness these things while traveling in Peru, the detachment toward material things, and the selfless generosity of the people.
Anyone who has hiked in the Andean mountains of Peru will agree with this if they have ever crashed at an Andean person’s house. A plate of food is always available, a llama or sheep blanket is never an issue, and a kind smile and the keenness to help unconditionally – these are all things that characterize Andean people. This is something that perhaps a lot of Westerners could find valuable in times of bigotry, hate, and rampant nationalism.
Let’s take a moment and think on this one, shall we, dear ALL?
Friday, 15.09.2023
Live interview with Valeria Suaña Coila Aymara
Join us, dear Green Heart Warrior, for the live interview with Valeria Suaña Coila Aymara, a community member from the fairytale-like Uros Islands, and the owner of Titicaca Marka Lodge. We stayed with Valeria and Jose while at Lake Titicaca. And in this interview, Valeria explains how their Uros floating islands are made entirely from totora reeds and how life here has begun almost 100 years ago.
Beyond interesting, dear Green Heart Warriors, so please stay tuned.
With Love from PERU, Sasa.
Saturday, 16.09.2023
Self-reflection Saturday with the keyword of the month: Creativity
Quechua proverb of the day:
Khuyakuyqa yachaypaqmi, mana yachaspaqa usuchiwaqmi – If you don’t know how to love, you will lose your love.
May we invite you to take a moment and reflect on this Saturday Quechua thought?
Enjoy your day. Much Love to ALL.
Sunday, 17.09.2023
Self-reflection Sunday with the keyword of the month: Creativity
Quechua proverb of the day:
Maychawtan kushikuy patsa? Pimay ashin. Pipis tarintsu – Where is the land of happiness? Everyone looks for it. No one can find it.
May we invite you to take a moment and reflect on this Sunday Quechua thought about the quest to find happiness outside oneself?
Enjoy your SUNday, dear ALL.
Monday, 18.09.2023
On Peruvian Cuisine
Peruvian cuisine is one of the world’s best-kept secrets, and long before the term “superfood” was coined, South Americans in places like the Peruvian Andes, have visited, have long been growing foods renowned for their health and life-giving benefits.
The Quechua, for example, combined their knowledge of food production with their country’s wonderful environment, which is very suitable for agriculture, giving rise to nutrient-dense foods. This helped them lead long and healthy lives. Now, contemporary science is meeting ancient wisdom with foods that have been grown for millennia, recognizing their health-promoting benefits.
Today the term superfood is used for any food that is rich in antioxidants or provides unique healing properties. “They are indigenous foods used for centuries to heal body and mind,” explained David, our Quechua nutritionist guide, who took us to an organic farm and food market in Urubamba, a little town in the Sacred Valley of Incas.
Stay tuned, dear Green Heart Warriors: in the following week we are going to present a few healthy ancient superfoods to keep your body energized.
Tuesday, 19.09.2023
On Superfoods: Sweet Potato
This humble veg is a tuber native to Peru and is believed to be one of the world’s oldest food crops.
Sweet potatoes are very nutritious, being a great source of fiber, vitamins A, B6, and C, as well as minerals manganese, potassium, and copper. They are also rich in antioxidants.
The fiber and antioxidants in sweet potatoes promote healthy gut bacteria. They are incredibly rich in beta-carotene which gives them their orange hue. In the body, beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A and used to support healthy vision. Beta-carotene and anthocyanins may boost eye health and help prevent vision loss.
Purple sweet potatoes have also been linked with improved brain function in animal studies, probably because the anthocyanins have protective effects by reducing inflammation and free-radical damage.
Wednesday, 20.09.2023
On Superfoods: Quinoa
Perhaps one of the trendiest superfoods, quinoa is grown for its tiny edible seeds, which are high in protein and fiber. It is native to the Andes, where it was a staple food for pre-Columbian Inca, Aymara, and Quechua peoples, among others.
“It’s one ingredient that the new science suggests to those with gluten intolerance or coeliac disease as a ‘mix-it-up’ alternative to brown rice,” our Quechua nutritionist guide David said. “It’s also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and contains nine essential amino acids, so it’s a good inclusion for vegans and vegetarians.”
Quinoa is also high in magnesium, B vitamins, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and various beneficial antioxidants. It has a low glycemic index, which means it can be helpful for blood-sugar control.
Spending time in Peru, we were able to try quinoa in all forms, such as risotto, salad, and soup, among others. On top of it being really healthy, it also tastes amazing. Do try it, dear Green Heart Warriors.
Thursday, 21.09.2023
On Superfoods: Maca
Considered a gift of the gods by pre-Columbian cultures, Maca is a plant native to Peru. It is related to broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale, with a long history of use for boosting libido, fertility, and energy. The main part is the root, which is commonly dried and used as a powder, but nowadays also comes in capsules and liquid extract form that can be bought worldwide. It is commonly added to smoothies and cereals.
Maca’s reputation as a libido enhancer is based on research, with a 2010 review concluding that at least six weeks of consumption upped sexual desire. In men, there is some evidence that it may bolster fertility.
It has also been linked with improving menopause symptoms, reducing anxiety and depression (especially in menopausal women), and improving exercise performance. Furthermore, some evidence suggests it may enhance learning and memory.
Dear ALL, we need to try Maca 😉 Be sure to let us know how it worked for you…
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Friday, 22.09.2023
Live Interview with Quechua guide David, organic farm owner Alejandrino, and master chef José Urubamba, Peru
Join us, dear Green Heart Warrior, for the live interview with our Quechua nutritionist guide David, organic farm owner Alejandrino, and José, a master chef from Sol’y’luna, who were super kind to invite us to Alejandrino’s organic farm and the local food market in the Peruvian Sacred Valley of the Incas. We had a fascinating discussion on Peruvian superfoods and the importance of consuming local, fresh, and organic foods for our wellbeing. It’s been super interesting, check it out.
With Love from PERU, Sasa.
Saturday, 23.09.2023
Self-reflection Saturday with the keyword of the month: Creativity
Quechua proverb of the day:
Hatun kayqam ichikpitam qallan – Greatness begins from the little things.
May we invite you to take a moment and reflect on this Saturday Quechua thought? Even Nikola Tesla had to have his first day, right? Don’t lose faith and just keep on passionately moving forward.
Sunday, 24.09.2023
Self-reflection Sunday with the keyword of the month: Creativity
Quechua proverb of the day:
Wamra karnin yashqakunata wiyar yachakurqaa. Yashqa karnin wamrakunata wiyar yachakuu – When I was young, I listened to my elders. Once I was an elder, I learned to listen to the children.
May we invite you to take a moment and reflect on this Sunday Quechua thought?
Enjoy your SUNday, dear ALL.
Monday, 25.09.2023
On the Chakana, i.e., the Inca Cross
The Chakana is the Southern Cross constellation as seen from the Southern Hemisphere, which according to the Incas, was the center of the universe. The Inca cross possesses a complex symbology. One of the reasons for this is the Incas didn’t have written language, no documents, no books, and so on, therefore they used to leave metaphorical messages carved in stone or on the mountains. It all points to the Chakana being some kind of summary of the entire Andean-Inca worldview and wisdom.
The center of the Inca Cross or portal first represents the achievement of spiritual wisdom, the awakening of our Divine Self after completing the evolution of our personality, integrating the personality that fuses us with our highest consciousness or True Self. In essence, it serves the same purpose as the center of the Buddhist Mandala or the Atman in Hinduism.
The Chakana is a symbol of the collective unconscious, which is mainly a map for complete spiritual development that the Andean people were able to realize.
Tuesday, 26.09.2023
On the Symbolism of the Number 3
The number 3 had great significance for the Incas. For instance, the Incan cross we mentioned yesterday is a 3-stepped symmetric cross. Also, Incan cosmology is built on three main spirit animals:
Uqhu Pacha: the underworld and death – represented by the snake, symbolizing Wisdom.
Kay Pacha: the world of human life – represented by the puma, symbolizing Strength.
Hanan Pacha: includes the stars, heavens, and gods – represented by the condor and symbolizing Harmony.
The Incas also believed that every person must cultivate three-character strengths: love, knowledge, and work. For this, they have to perform three types of works: for others, for the state, and the gods, and abide by three general commandments: Don’t steal. Don’t lie. Don’t be lazy.
In this way, the Incas were able to establish a strong state with an organizational structure based on common sense and justice. This fact was also observed and noted by the people who later went on to destroy the Incan Empire – the Spanish conquistadors. More about this tomorrow 😉.
Wednesday, 27.09.2023
On Indigenous vs Modern Man
Don Mancio Serra de Leguisamo, one of the last survivors of the original conquerors of Peru, wrote: “We found these kingdoms in such good order, and the said Incas governed them in such a wise manner; that throughout them there was not a thief, nor a vicious man, nor an adulteress, nor a bad woman admitted among them, nor were there immoral people. The men had honest and useful occupations. The lands /…/ were regulated and distributed in such sort that each one knew his property without any other person seizing it or occupying it, nor were there lawsuits respecting it … the motive which obliges me to make this statement is the discharge of my conscience, as I find myself guilty. For we have destroyed by our evil example, the people who had such a government as was enjoyed by these natives. /…/ When they saw that we put locks and keys on our doors, they supposed that it was from fear of them, that they might not kill us, but not because they believed that anyone would steal the property of another. So that when they found that we had thieves among us /…/ they despised us.”
Thursday, 28.09.2023
On the Concept of Buen Vivir
A key concept attached to the Quechua philosophy is that of Buen Vivir, which refers to the indigenous paradigm of human beings and nature living in harmony. It implies a holistic and integrated vision of the human being, immersed in the great earth community that includes water, air and soil, mountains, trees, and animals. It is in fact a true harmonious symbiotic relationship, it is the affirmation of a deep communion with this recognized and prayed divinity, Pachamama – Mother Earth, with all the energies of the universe and with God.
The Buen Vivir or Sumak Kawsay in Quechua, is what we can call a culture of life, which thinks of new forms of organization and development between people, of interaction with the Living, and of understanding the world and its metaphysical relations.
It is the philosophy behind which, we – the Green Heart Warriors from the Living with a Green Heart movement – can truly stand behind and live by. Thank you for being with us, dear ALL.
Friday, 29.09.2023
On BEING Humble
Dear Green Heart Warriors, Living with a Green Heart and its social sustainability movement, is forged from the ancestral indigenous traditions that advocate that the existence of each member of the community is interdependent on that of the whole, and therefore any attack on Nature is in fact an attack on Humanity itself.
IT IS TIME, to remember our roots, the universal truth, and humbly, respectfully co-exist with this beautiful planet we call HOME.
Thank you, PERU, you gave us more than you’ll ever know. With love to ALL.
Saturday, 30.09.2023
Goodbye PERU
Words can’t really describe the magnitude of South America and the energy that the Quechua community, the Andean Mountains, and the Wisdom both hold gave us. With every tribe we visit, we – the LWGH team – are more grateful and hopeful that there are communities out there that are holding the map to man’s search for meaning in the labyrinth of the modern world.
It is with utmost gratitude that we are bidding goodbye to you, dear Peru, as we are flying over to the Natives of North America.
Thank you for believing and being on the journey with us, dear ALL. Let’s our journey goes on.