Death Culture in the Sacred Valley of Peru

The Wisdom of Andean culture holds the belief that we are beings of light. We come here, from the Absolute Sun, to be in communion with our Cosmic Mother, Pachamama, our Cosmic Father, the Four Directions, our Ancestors, the Apus; to dance and thrive with Love and Spirit. To honor our relationship with Mother Earth and the Cosmos as we grow from seeds of Divine Consciousness within the container of physical “time” and “space”.

From this base of knowledge, Death is revered as a sacred transformation - the journey home, back to the Light. For thousands of years in the Andean culture, Death has been accepted as a natural part of life, and the spirit continues after death. Physical death is understood and accepted as the completion of nature’s life cycle here on earth, be it a moth or a man. And this transformation is celebrated whether it’s in preparation of dinner, or the death of Dad.  

Gliding on Lake Titicaca, Yodmar, a Peruvian guide, fondly recounted an occasion when his Mom prepared guinea pig, a special delicacy in Peru. Instructed to bring white flowers, Yodmar was curious what this was for. For blessing the spirit of this creature, she told him. He learned that the first step in preparing the meal was ceremonial; a ritual to honor the spirit of the creature with blessings of abundance for the next stages of its journey. As a family, they also expressed gratitude for the abundance and love they have and share.

Yodmar is reflecting upon the Spirit of Ayni. The essence of the deeply held belief that humans and nature are all one, holding sacred balance and divine harmony in co-creating our lives on earth, together and whole. “When you give something, you are entitled to get something back, and when you get something, you have an obligation to reciprocate and give something back.”  https://inka-world.com/en/who-we-are/

Departed family members are celebrated with flowers, and honored with a favorite beverage or dish, or something else that was enjoyed in the physical world. All Saint’s Day is not the only time Ancestors are honored and celebrated in the Andes. Spirit may be called upon in everyday affairs as well as sacred Ceremony, to hold space for our growth, expansion and healing, or to provide wisdom and guidance. Deep, heart open gratitude or another special offering is prepared in humble reciprocity, to embody and acknowledge all the gifts received in like kind. With the influence of the Spanish colonization in the 1500’s, modern Peruvian death culture does have some elements is common with the United States. Typically, family members gather at a funeral parlor with the embalmed body in a casket. The family takes time to grieve in community and in spirit with their beloved. Graves are above ground, and cremation is also a popular choice. This is quite a contrast to earlier times as indicated by archaeological findings of priests and priestesses, buried in the fetal position representing the cosmic child of Pachamama. 

The stark difference in our death practices lies in the cosmology and what it means to have a human experience on earth.

In Peru, the life experience is understood as a journey of the soul; to be abundant, joyful and expansive. All the accumulated experiences of a lifetime are in preparation of the last, final physical breath. And, with that precious last breath is the initiation to the journey home.

MATCHU PICCHU, THE CRYSTAL CONDOR

The Condor is the Animal Spirit of the Andes, a powerful and respected Ally, always honored in Ceremony. It is held that in Death our soul is carried on the back of the Crystal Condor, back to the Absolute Sun.

From an ariel view, Machu Picchu takes the shape of a Condor. Here, our guide Puma, a Wisdom and Medicine Carrier of the Rainbow Lineage from the Inca people of Chinchero, explained that after years of preparation, many enlightened souls arrived at Machu Picchu in the last days of their life. They arrived to offer their last breath and take flight on the back of the crystal condor, back to their origins. Once a person determined they were ready to give their last breath and return home, it was considered an honor to support that journey with a Ceremony to prepare for the transition.

Today, people make the pilgrimage to Machu Picchu for Initiations in Wisdom, Spirit and Enlightenment. Standing on the sacred grounds of Machu Picchu, you are connecting and communing with a powerful cosmic force in the Andes, the crystal consciousness of the Incas. The belief is still held that the condor takes our soul to the Light.

The wisdom of this culture also honors the sacred communion with plant and animal spirit allies as an integral part of the journey of transformation and transcendence. Could you imagine feeling so full, so complete and satisfied in your life experience that once you decided it is time to journey home, you are held in Ceremony, honored, witnessed and supported with compassion and grace as you embark on the threshold of transition?

I love the idea of souls on a journey of completion, being held in space and time, discovering the fullness of their truest heart essence. What’s your cosmology?

Sources:

https://inka-world.com/en/ayni-force-reciprocity/

Special thanks to:

Yodmar Huaman and Qori Qilka https://www.qoriqilka.com/

Puma Fredy Quispe Singona and Puma Adventures https://www.pumadventures.com/

Lola Young and Stephen Dinan https://theshiftnetwork.com/

JoAnn Armenta https://purposefocused.org