The Hollow Bone: Expeditions

Left to right: 1. Apu Ausangate. 2. Jose Luis Herrera, our guide. 3. Ana Larramendi. 4. Carol Parker. 5. Wakay Wilka.

Ausangate

COST: $3195 US DOLLARS
Ana’s students receive an additional discount
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $450 US DOLLARS

Early Registration Prices:
There is a $150 discount off of the trip price for deposits paid by March 1, 2010.*
There is a $75 discount off of the trip price for deposits paid by May 1, 2010.
Please send a $1000 non-refundable deposit to secure your space. Since this is a specialized journey, the spaces are limited. Please send your deposit ASAP. The remaining balance is due June 1, 2010. Payments may be made with check, money order, VISA or MC. Trip and travel details will be mailed to you once your deposit is paid.
*Please do not book your plane tickets before March 31, 2010 in case any changes are made in the itinerary. In the event the trip is cancelled, your $1000 deposit will be returned. However, airfare will not be reimbursed.

Contacts:
Ana Larramendi- Ph. 608-255-4333, email: coyote@thehollowbone.com
Carol Parker- Ph. 505-757-7003, email: clparker@cybermesa.com

For those who wish to serve and support the Pachamama, here is a unique opportunity to learn the sacred dialogue of medicine people and the land. This trip will include meeting with shamans and sharing their understanding of working with the earth and healing the land. We will experience dialoguing with the Mountain Spirits or Apus led by ceremonies conducted by Altomesayoks. We will follow the footsteps of High Initiation of Mountain Shamans receiving karpays at Wakay Wilka and Ausangate.

This high Mountain expedition adventure provides a unique opportunity to learn and work directly with indigenous medicine people around the stunning Holy Mountains in the Sacred Valley, Wakay Wilka, and Cuzco, including a special High Mountain Initiation at the Holy Mountain Ausangate. Our vision is to give participants a direct dialogue and exploration of power sites with the most prominent Medicine People from the Andes Mountains.
We work and study with the Pampamesayok shamans, exploring the architecture of their medicine bundles, their deep association with the cycles of Pachamama, and the powers in nature that sponsor light, fertility, health, and Ayni. Their cosmovision is filled with oral traditions, supernatural beliefs, legends, and colorful myths. We sit in rituals learning the symbolism and power of the many kinds of Despachos (healing bundles) and their uses. We delve into their animistic world to understand the origins of sickness, the qualities of energy, and healing modalities in relationship to the land. Next, we work with the elusive Altomesayoks. We’ll explore their legendary traditions of knowledge and their cosmology around the twelve Holy Mountains. This almost extinct lineage of shamans has the ability to summon and materialize mountain spirits for healings, information, and rituals. They share their traditions, views, and beliefs around the relationships they have with different elementals of the land, spirit sponsors, and the hierarchy of mountain spirits. The talks and ceremonies will be highlighted by field trips to ancient power sites in the vicinity of the twelve Holy Mountains.
Our expedition retraces the shaman’s initiatory journey of healing and power in ancient sacred sites. We explore the rich cosmology of healing of mountain people that remain active even after centuries of conquest and modernization. The journey begins in Cusco, the ancient capital of the Inka Empire and one of the oldest dwellings in the Americas. In Andean tradition, Cusco is known as the “navel of the world,” and is the axis where the four quarters of the universe meet. Here, amidst towering Apus (mountain deities), the Inka and Spanish architectural influence is reflected in the city’s stunning temples, cathedrals and palaces. A short bus ride away from Cusco lies the Sacred Valley of the Incas, a wide and deep valley carved by the Urubamba River that later becomes the Amazon. In this magnificent setting we are guests to medicine people who will share their knowledge about the land and lead us in prayers, meditation, and ceremony in mountaintop temples.
South of the valley of Cusco, the majestic Holy Mountain Ausangate, stands at over 21,000 ft. It is considered one of the holiest deities in the Andean Spirituality. Through rites of passage, offerings, and cleansing ceremonies, initiates receive power and healing from the Holy Mountain. For thousands of years, aspiring apprentices and mentors have gathered around sacred lagoons at the foot of the mountain; Apu Ausangate is revered throughout Peru as a benefactor for people, animals, and crops. This trekking journey retraces the initiation footsteps of medicine people, allowing initiates to step into paradigm shifts and healing. We travel across high mountain roads, ice-clad peaks, emerald lagoons, hot springs, and camp under the brightest stars of the southern hemisphere. Master ceremonialists teach us the Andean ways to personal power and attainment of perfect Ayni with the powers of the land.

This journey will gather a select group of shamans from different lineages and traditions, including Q’ero, Vilcabamba, Pakareqtambo, Lake Titikaka, and Cusco shamans.

In addition to ceremonies and sightseeing, participants will be given the opportunity to sample a variety of delicious Peruvian cuisine, as well as experience the culture of the beautiful Andean mountains.

Our Guides:
Jose Luis Herrera: José Luis Herrera is an exceptional workshop facilitator and international speaker on indigenous healing methods. Of Peruvian lineage, he brings 24 years of experience gained through extensive research, and apprenticeships with shamans from the mountains, jungle and desert. He is the Founder of Rainbow Jaguar Institute, and Chairperson of the non-profit organization the Andean Research Institute. ARI is dedicated to the research and preservation of the traditions of Peruvian medicine people and provides social outreach to impoverished villages.

Ana Larramendi: Ana is a shamanic practitioner, teacher, lecturer, vision quest guide, wilderness enthusiast, ceremonialist and chef, who has been studying different cross-cultural shamanic traditions for over 20 years. She is an initiated mesa carrier in the Inka tradition, is a member of The Foundation for Shamanic Studies, and is a founding member of the Society for Shamanic Practitioners, an organization created to support the re-emergence of using shamanism as a form of spiritual healing in our culture and integrating it with western medicine. Ana specializes in shamanic land healing, which involves clearing trauma imprints from land and buildings. She teaches an apprenticeship on Earth healing called: Caretaker of the Earth.

Carol Parker: Carol is an experienced wilderness guide, psychotherapist, and international trek leader. She is a shamanic practitioner and has been facilitating vision quests and pilgrimages in Death Valley, Canyon de Chelly, Yukon Territory, Hawaii, and Peru since 1995. Carol trained extensively at the School of Lost Borders in California and with Rainbow
Jaguar in Peru, as well as with North and South American shamans and medicine people. She has been a psychotherapist for 20 years and currently directs graduate programs in Counseling and Transformational Eco Psychology at Southwestern College, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

July 4 USA/LIMA. Departure from your home city and arrival in Lima. Usually US flights arrive late in the evening or early in the morning (next day) If you have an early departure to Cusco you should stay at the airport. Otherwise a staff person in Lima will pick you up and take you to a Hotel.

July 5 LIMA/CUSCO/SACRED VALLEY. Early morning departure to Cusco, the old capital of the Inka. Upon arrival brief sightseeing of the city filled with innumerable temples, palaces, and monuments of extraordinary architecture. Next, we are transferred on a scenic drive to the Sacred Valley of the Inkas. We have a welcome lunch and part of the afternoon is free to get acclimated to the altitude. Evening opening ceremonies, thorough orientation, introductions, and we begin our dialogues with the medicine people. L, D.

July 6 SACRED VALLEY. Morning visit to the different Wakas or Holy Altars at Chinchero on the high plains of the Sacred Valleys. This archeological site contains innumerable rocky shrines and altars. The architecture of the main old inkan temple now hosts a wonderful colonial temple with incredible frescoes of winged deities. This large complex has gone through a massive restoration process of its colossal terracing system. We sit in contemplation of the Waka of the Jaguar and Apu Sawasiray as we work with our Mesas. After Lunch, we visit the enigmatic concentric terracing system at Moray. The site is regarded as the Temple to the Andean Goddess Nusta. We are guests in a Despacho Ceremony with Q'ero masters. We return to our hotel late in the afternoon and prepare for our first Fire Ceremony. B, L

July 7 SACRED VALLEY. Land Healing Dialogues: We meet with master shamans from Peru to learn about the ways of working with the land and their cosmo vision of how to heal the land from trauma created by humans. This is a time to exchange ideas between the North and South Americas. Assisted with translators, participants can ask questions and learn the ancient ways. B, L

July 8 SACRED VALLEY Land Healing Dialogues: Morning visit to the Temple of the Visionary at Pisaq. The powerful Inka temple is perched high up on top of a mountain. An optional hike on a royal cobbled stone trail takes us past cascading agricultural terraces, ritual baths, lookouts defying gravity, and stunning mountain views..
We continue our meetings with master shamans from Peru to learn about the ways of working with the land and their cosmo vision of how to heal the land from trauma created by humans. This is a time to exchange ideas between the North and South Americas. Assisted with translators, participants can ask questions and learn the ancient ways. We finish our day with a despacho ceremony, weaving together our cultures and visions. B, L

July 9 SACRED VALLEY/ WAKAY WILKA: We go for a visit and ceremonies to one of the most important Apus of the Urubamba mountain range. We begin in the morning by visiting the local church at Torrechayok then we climb to Malaga Mt pass at 15000ft. The Paqos lead us in ceremony, prayer, and meditations. On the way down we stop at the stunning Inka Temple to the Winds at Ollantaytambo. B, L

Left to right:Wakay Wilka, Gathering for ceremony, Despacho for Wakay Wilka, Receiving the Karpay

July 10 SACRED VALLEY We visit the village of Maras and start our exploration of the mysterious Altomesayok shamans. The view of the Urubamba mountain range is stunning. Contemplation and active medicine work weave our mesas and our visons to the Mounatin Spirits. Despacho ceremonies, healings, and talks fill our day in preparation for our pilgrimage journey to Ausangate. B, L.

July 11 SACRED VALLEY/PACCHANTAPAMPA Early morning departure in our all terrain vehicles to the head trail to meet our expedition crew and horses. We drive on a newly paved road to the village of Tinki and briefly visit a remote mountain school where we leave gifts for the children. We camp next to hot springs at Pacchantapampa and begin our preparation for the Rites of Passsage with Q¹ero Medicine People. B, L, D.

Left to right:In ayni-our offerings to the children, The villagers come to greet us, Natural hot springs to soak in before we ascend

July 12 PACHANTAPAMPA/NINAPARAYOK We begin hiking or riding our ponies on a gentle ascent to our base camp at Ninaparayok between Machu Ausangate and Wayna Ausangate Mountains. After lunch we visit the enigmatic Ninaparayok Lagoon for ceremonies and study of the Andean Medicine processes. We begin with the preparation of medicine bundles for the Hatun Karpay or Grand Initiation along master Q¹ero Medicine people. Evening Fire Ceremony. B, L, D.

Left to right: Beginning our trek to Ausangate, Views along the way, Setting up base camp, Crashing after the trek

July 13 NINAPARAYOK We begin the day with a visit to the Female Jaguar Lagoon for the Chuyaska Ceremony: A Cleansing and Rebirth Ritual. This will be followed by a day of visioning: Individual questing, prayer and communion with Apu Ausangate. Each person will make a personal despacho offering to Ausangate in preparation for an evening ceremony of receiving karpays from this holy mountain. Evening Fire Ceremony. B, D.

Left to right: Basecamp, Jaguar lagoon, Coca leaf divination, Despacho for Apu Ausangate, Shamans prepare for ceremony

July 14 NINAPARAYOK/CUSCO After ceremonies, we break camp and begin our descent down to Pacchantapama where we have a chance to soak our tired bodies at the local hot springs. We board our vehicles and drive to Cusco and overnight at the San Agustin Hotel in Cusco. Free evening. B, L.

Left to right: An Apacheta left for the Mountain, Trekking back, Back on the bus, The views heading back to Cusco

July 15 CUSCO From our centrally located hotel we go for a morning walking tour of the city. We visit the Koricancha, the fabled Temple of Gold. The architecture presented is one of the most intricate and exquisite ever found of all civilization of the Americas. Afternoon visit to Sacsaywaman, the mythical head of the Jaguar city of Cusco. At Kenko we play with the subtle energies found in this site. Later, we visit The Temple of the Waters at Tambomachay. Free evening. B, L.

July 16 CUSCO/LIMA/HOME Morning flight bound to Lima, to later connect with your flight back home. If your flight departs at noon or later there's an optional visit to the Temple of Gold: Koricancha. B.