The Beauty of Yage (Ayahuasca)
I could write this text in a thousand ways, with a thousand different interpretations and explanations. With each of these interpretations and understandings, the Earth speaks, the cosmos, the inner temple where I live, my unique way of seeing life: what my being manages to translate from the infinite.
This interpretation will be embellished with imagery , let’s think of a large spiral that looks like a Shell or an unopened flower, the perfect design of mother nature. I will have to remember and forget at the same time. So that the essence of this sacred medicine becomes tangible in this text, as the waves intersperse with the sun to dry and moisten the shore of the beach.
BACK TO LIFE
As I write this, small tears escape from gratitude and beauty for feeling connected, comfortable and down to earth again. I am happy to be here telling a fragment of my story and my ancestral memory. It’s incredible what a night of self-contemplation can relieve, make us question, heal and accept. We understand that we are too from this infinite unlimited place.
Sheltered and entangled between trees, fed by the rivers of the Amazon, rests an eternal animal: plant, essence, bridge, between the most subtle of existence and the matter that allows us experience: cosmic, palpable, noble, soft.
Magical plants that allow us to speak with fire again, opening the subtle dialogue with silence to see the mystery of life as a lullaby.
During the encounter with this spirit (Ayahuasca), we are accompanied by human guardians of the jungles, the Chamanes/ Taitas/ Curanderas. They have taken care of medicine since ancient times. Thanks to them, this being travels in time to the beings who feel its call and gift us a second and understanding of eternity.
In the ceremonies they take care of us, while with music and singing they support us in the process of learning and encountering our own wisdom. We are moving from our dense physical body to an understanding of our lighter and spiritual form, to understanding of the state of life of algae and birds. Each body and person will have a unique and different journey but it is the same mystery of love that makes its way between everyone.
The Yagé lets us hear the deep song of the Earth and space. By taking it we open a channel towards the deepest center of the flowers and sacred plants. We see movement within stillness and the stillness of movement at the same time
You love life again, your being, your memory; You feel relief from your worries and you realize the infinite love with which life feels for being part of its creation and in turn,
You return to honor the life of every being that exists around you.
Every time I see the world I see myself, everything that is outside is also inside me. We are a tropical forest, a sky full of clouds... we slowly learn to see ourselves and name ourselves. I feel love again for everything I am, to see life with tenderness, to look bravely at my densest parts, to celebrate vomiting, the release of mucus, illness and negativity as a physical release from what I have emotionally carried. I feel the dance with which the universe contemplates me, and my ancestors descend next to me in their hammocks, their lives among nature, the hugs, the reunions.
Inside, deep inside us, the universe ends and begins. We keep the memory of creation within the fabric of our hearts. Simpleness carries cosmic depth.
A long time ago humanity was able to share with a sacred plant, which returns us to a first-born, primary state, to the fire where we have all sat.
I live this moment, this small moment between two times, my heart remembers its own memories, I return to unconditionally love the cycle of life, trust and be grateful for this divine process and internally celebrate in my sacred temple.
Wellness Blog
Our Wellness blog covers topics in wellness from Yoga to plant medicines, to equipment and Yoga spaces.
Our Beautiful Shala
It’s the age old question and dream for every yogi and/or yoga space. What is my ideal mat!? Every Yogi dreams of one day creating a uniform ordered space with matching mats, blocks, bolsters and cushions, a sanctuary of order amongst the chaos of the outside world. Candle lit practices accompanied by the best equipment to ensure those transformative and magical practices for our students. As a yoga teacher, the ambience of my class is crucial in making space for my students' Sadhana (Spiritual practice).As a yogi, some of my deepest moments of peace , realization and perspective have come just after a yoga practice.
I recently started working with the Maduka Pro Lite 4.7mm Yoga mats in the Yoga Shala at Holss Palomino, Colombia. Let me tell you, I am impressed! They provide perfect cushioning for more advanced Asanas such as Sirsasana (Headstand). My students are also impressed, they’ve reported perfect cushioning for the knees and also are thoroughly enjoying Savasana. Apart from regular Yoga classes we also use our Manduka mats in sound healing practices.
Holss Yoga Shala called ‘Maloca Sekima’ is a must visit when visiting the Caribbean coast of Colombia. There are morning and afternoon practices From Monday to Saturday as well as other workshops such as sound healing, Kirtan, primal dance, kids yoga and baño de selva (a jungle sound bath)
Holss also has a vegan restaurant the perfect place to grab a Chai Latte after your practice and boasts a comfortable and natural co-working space for digital nomads. Holss is based in Palomino, the Sierra Nevada Mountains on the Caribbean coastline of Colombia. It is the highest coastal mountain range in the world and is one of the most biodiverse places in the world. Home to 4 original indigenous towns , the Kogui, The Arhuaco, The Wiwa and Cancuama, the Sierra is a powerful ancestral territory , known as ‘el corazon del mundo’ the perfect place to spend some time on our personal work and transformation.
Even for our altar space we decided to work with natural elements that represent this incredible ancestral territory. Before each class, we cleanse the space by burning Copal , the Resin from an Amazonic tree. Copal moves negative energies from spaces and people. It has a sweet and divine smell. Our altar also features toasted ‘Hayu’ or Coca leaves (One of the many sacred plants of the Sierra Nevada Mountains), and tobacco, (A sacred ancestral plant amongst many different indigenous communities throughout Colombia).
The earthy colour palette we chose for our Manduka PRO LITE 4.7mm mats creates a grounding feel and really complements our natural altar. We decided to only use natural elements for our altar, who best to celebrate than Mother Nature herself and also represent the sacred plants and ancestral territory of the Sierra Nevada.
The mats are complemented by the Zafu half moon meditation Cushions. I love the crescent moon shape. I think as Yogis we should always remember our connection to the moon and be aligned or aware of at least the dates of the New Moon and Full moon. This way we can potentialize and intention our transformation and yoga practices.
I couldn't recommend the Maduka PRO LITE 4.7mm mats and Zafu half moon meditation cushions more. As a teacher and yogi I love their quality and durability.
We choose to clean the mats after each practice with white vinegar and store them in an upright position. Living in such a tropical and humid climate , the mats promise durability.
Check out the following links for more information about the products and places mentioned in this blog article.
Manduka PRO LITE MATS https://amzn.to/4cdtRxl
CUSHIONS https://amzn.to/3xcZoAU
HOLLS https://holsspalomino.wixsite.com/my-site
Comments are closed!