In the Andean Shamanic Path, (Inca Medicine Wheel) during the South first direction, we are given ceremonial rites of passage. One of those rites is the seeding of Ayni Karpays - where, seven archetypes are blown into each of our chakras.  

Part of our homework/stepping into the path as shaman-healer, is to feed and grow these seeds/karypays with sacred fire ceremony.  We are asked to offer seven individual fires for each archetype before coming to the next session of the West direction.

The great archetypes of the Andean tradition are organizing principles of the Universe.  They are the forces that we call to create sacred space and they are the energy beings that have been planted as seeds in each of your chakras. It is important to remember that you have received them as seeds, they are pure potential - it is your own engagement with them and your relationship with them that will grow them into the powerful forces that inform your chakras in new ways. That is why you do the fire ceremonies, to grow these seeds with fire.
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Take time after each fire ceremony to source yourself from the archetype in each chakra, see your world from that perspective, so that you get your own sense of connection to each archetype.  lnstead of being exclusively informed by our histories and by our cultural prescriptions, these organizing principles of the Universe, begin to organize our energy centres. 

Mother of the Waters:  A giant serpent, the mother (spirit) of waters, mother of rivers, deity of the river.  She is the archetype of the healer though out many cultures.  The one who teaches us to shed our skin in one whole piece... to shed our personal past like she sheds her skin.  The primary life force, the one who dives deep, deep - who knows the way into the deepest places inside of ourselves - the One who walks with beauty on the belly of the Mother- the One who knows the way back to the Garden, the place of innocence. 

Mother-Sister Jaguar:  The one who knows the way across the rainbow bridge to the world of mystery - the one who swallows the dying sun, teaching us to step beyond fear, violence and death.  The archetypal connection to the life force of the jungle, everything that is green; steward of the life force - Luminous Warrior who has no enemies in this world or the next -represents the Life/Death principle and renewal.   Jaguar is a master tracker - chews and mulches hucha, heavy dark energy.

Ancient Ones and Hummingbird: The place of the ancestors, Grandmothers and Grandfathers, ancient memories, ancient wisdom - the Ones who have stepped outside of Time but slip through the veils to help us remember the ancient ways - the way of the Hummingbird, who drinks directly from the nectar of Life -- not built for flight yet undertakes and accomplishes the impossible epic journey.   Hummingbird teaches us about the joy of life in the present moment.

Condor + Eagle:  The great archetype of the East, the place of the rising Sun, the place of our Becoming, of who we truly are - principle of seeing from high perspective, vision of clarity and beauty, the great wings of the condor hold the heart, teaches us to see with the eyes of the heart – the One who pushes us out of the nest to spread our own wings so that we may always fly wing-to-wing with the Great Spirit.   Eagle teaches us about new birth and new beginnings.

Huascar:  Lord of life; Lord of death. Historically, one of two sons of Pachakuti lnka (the lnka who read the prophecy of bearded men with sticks that spoke with fire who would turn the world upside down). Huascar was the keeper of the medicine teachings; he was killed by his brother who then negotiated with the Spanish. 

He became the harmonizing principle of the Lower World - the chaotic dark place of all creative potential. He/she is the renewer of the Earth and our own personal need of renewing our own earth, fields that are fallow, places that need aerating.  The gift of Huascar is to harmonize our relationship with our Shadow. 

Quetzelcoatl:  Lord of the morning/the dawn; the Day Bringer, Morning Star;  Quetzel is a beautiful jungle bird and coatl is serpent, reptile, a feathered, winged serpent that has acquired flight - the organizer of the middle world, brought irrigation, medicine plants and stonework, walked the Americas, brought stability, music, dance, flutes, drums- though it has been lost in our culture, we can call on it individually, an animistic knowledge of the ways of the Earth - organizes your relationship with the Middle World - when you come into relationship with Quetzelcoatl you don't have to micromanage your life.

Pachakuti:  Historically, the lnka king who was given the prophecy that the world was turning over (coming of the Spanish) the keeper of the possibilities, organizing principle of the Upper World; - embodies the concept of circular time, stepping outside of linear time - makes time stand still- brings order, heavenly order- coming into relationship with

​Pachakuti allows us to recognize what can be changed and changing it before it is born. 

The above descriptions come from Dr. Alberto Villoldo.  Come to learn and build your own relationships with the seven archetypes - by engaging with them, getting to know them, building those relationships of power - by feeding them with sacred fire ceremony.

The above artwork, Rainbow Chakana, Great Serpent, Jaguar, Hummingbird and Great Eagle by carol weaver creative © copyright, all rights reserved - Huascar; Inca Glossary, Quetzecoatl; Pinterest, Pachakuti, Wikipedia -- thank you!

​Sing/chant them as well:

If you read my last e-News last month, you'll know that we received unexpected notice to move in January - to be out of our home by April 1st... 

And, needless to say, we didn't have much luck here in the Burnaby/Vancouver area finding anything...  As you probably know, the housing market in the lower mainland has really gone crazy with prices skyrocketing all over the place...  Also, property taxes were raised as well - here in Burnaby, a whopping 17%.

This has also affected renting in the lower mainland in a huge way... and, during our search we weren't seeing much option that was affordable nor much availability.  This really surprised and shocked us...

We were becoming concerned when still hadn't found a new home into late February... We had put out our intentions, offered ceremony and did our best to remain positive that something was indeed awaiting  us... though, time was ticking by...

One very early morning, under a few weeks ago, i was awakened by a very strong dream... When i have a strong dream like that, i know that spirit is wanting my attention...

In the dream, i am on the deck of an old rickety house in the woods... i wasn't alone as there were a bunch of people gathered about... someone warned me that i needed to be very careful to not let 'that' bear in past the gate... i was aware that a black bear was wandering about outside the gate...

I fumbled with the gate's door handle over and over without being able to keep it closed or locked...  I kept feeling a sense of urgency and frustration... this went on what seemed like, forever...

The scene shifts where i realized the bear was now coming in through the gate and onto the deck with me...  I found myself now huddled down in a far corner to protect myself from bear... i was definitely concerned and upset that i had failed with the gate...  Next, big mama bear was right over me, right up close, leaning on me and sniffing me all over my head, neck and shoulders... it was sooo real... i could really feel her... smell her and sensed her long rough fur on my skin... the weight of her head pressing her wet nose... hearing her snort and sniff....

As she continued to sniff me out, i felt some fear rise from within me... mama bear growled deeply when she sensed my fear... i realized that i had to stop my fear now and did... she wouldn't stop sniffing and sniffing... at first she was a black bear and then morphed to the colour cream and then back to black... she then stopped her intense sniffing and simply laid her head in my lap resting...

Next scene... i'm still crouched down and now two smaller animals like badgers (i think) are now on either side of me and rise up on their hind legs to sniff out my ears as intensely as the bear did!  After that, three black dogs came up onto the deck...  and, then i woke right up!  = holy whoa...

I shared my dream at our journeying circle that next week and my friend Glen offered some insight... of which i found very helpful... here's some symbolism he shared...

• The Bear in some traditions represents personal medicine, spiritual gifting...
• The House can represent the spiritual life or path...
• The Gate in front are the limitations that have been placed on that path...

In the dream the house is old which perhaps has been there for a long while... a path that has been developed over time. There is a gate that blocks limits access to the house.  Sometimes the gate is open, then other times it is closed to keep the “bad” or fearful out.  At this moment I am trying trying to close that gate without success to keep that bear out. Trying to limit the the medicine on my path. (it is not a conscious, effort)...

Despite my best efforts to keep the bear out, the bear gets past the gate and past the limitations that have been placed in its path.

The good news is that the medicine is morphing - changing from a black bear to a Kermode or spirit bear (colour change from black to cream colour)... Still a black bear but looks very different.  The bear lays its head on my lap.  No fear - only love, peace and tranquility even though bears are huge and powerful.

My friend suggested i connect with the spirit of Bear to help me... of which i did... i connected with a lovely photo of a black bear (right)... and went within to say 'hello'...

It's interesting, back in September, a black bear paid me a visit when i was parking my car... i had just got home and was just getting some groceries out of the car when s/he came trotting right out of the forest towards me.... we shared quite 'the hello'... 

It was a brief encounter though a very exciting one... I was sooo taken with her size, beauty and grace and how fast she moved!  I didn't think much of that encounter at the time... though knew inside my heart that i had received a sweet blessing...

After the dream, we were then guided to look further for housing out of Vancouver and over to the Island in and around Nanaimo... We noticed that prices weren't so high and more affordable... perhaps there was some hope here?... The thought of moving away from Vancouver/Burnaby was a concern... as i have lived here most of my life... my family was here and my work was here...

We still weren't finding much there either when, we began to see some rentals on Gabriola Island... we had seen a couple that looked good though, we assumed were gone - as they had been posted back in January.

Something nudged us to contact one of the ads we kept seeing - just to see if maybe, it was still available and, low and behold, it was!   We made contact and arrangements to go over to 'Gabe' to have a look and meet the owner.  On the way over, on the ferry we decided to contact another more recent ad and the owner answered and she interviewed us over the phone... The owner then decided to fly out from Alberta to meet us later that next day.

So, in the end, the second house turned out to be 'the one' - as soon as we walked in the door, we both felt strongly we were 'home'... we made the decision to say yes and make this big move to 'Gabe'...

We weren't expecting this at all...  though i know deeply that spirit has directed this big move in so many ways...and time will reveal more i'm sure...  I believe that mama bear has marked this new 'pacha' for us when she showed up out of the blue last September when she walked out of the forest and completely sniffed me out in my recent dream... She helped us 'sniff' out a new home... to embrace a whole new pacha-shift in our lives.... we've been invited to go even deeper within our own spirit... an opportunity to grow a strength connected much closer to mother earth...

I now stand in complete wonder... amazement... and, some fear beginning again so anew... and some sadness all at the same time... = holy wow...

Even though we are leaving the 'big city'...the Vancouver area to live on Gabriola Island, please know i am not far away - that i will still be back working in Vancouver on a regular basis (and other areas i have been been)... please see my calendar of what's coming up in April and throughout the year... I am open to all that is new in this shifting change...  thanks for taking the time to have a boo... 

with brightest blessing of much love + light...
​weaver x (((o)))