Enjoying Pisac and the Sacred Valley

October 14, 2014

"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection."

The past couple months I have settled in Pisac, Peru. Ever since I arrived in May, I seem to be drawn back. There is a beautiful community and awareness here that makes me feel at home. Since Pisac is located in a valley of the Andes Mountains, there are lots of places to enjoy, and many incredible people to meet.

Ausangate

more pictures and stories to come when better internet is found...

Myself, Persona, PJ and Laura strut our stuff on our way to find lunch in a small town between Pisac and Ausangate

The VW van sits in front of Ausangate Mountain at 4200 meters. There are several of us soaking in the natural hot spring left of the van. Nice morning!

Pisac - Yin Yang Home

Housemates - Laura, Sanne and Tuula on bottom row. Myself, PJ and John

Frontal view of Yin Yang Home

Yin Yang Home where I lived for 7 weeks in September and October. What a lovely place to call home!

PJ, originally from rural Ireland, enjoys a book at the Yin Yang Home. So comfortable!

Preparation for a homemade vegetable lasagna!

View from inside Moto Tax. These vehicles make me laugh every time

We experimented with sourdough bread, an active yeast that comes from flour and water. And what delicious bread we made...

Tuula, originally from Finland, helped me a lot with making breads. Thanks Tuula for your enthusiasm!

Incan Terraces in Pisac. Hundreds of years ago, they grew food for thousands of people from these terraces

Kinsa Coccha

There is a Hiking Club that entertains hikers every Monday around the Valley. This hike we went to the Lakes of Kinsa Coccha, which in Quechua translates to mean three lakes.

Learning Meditation

Vipassana Retreat

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched -- they must be felt with the heart" Helen Keller
 

Housing Quarters for men

I learned of this ten day silent mediation retreat years ago. It intimidated me. No communication for ten days! Ten hours of mediation everyday! Sounds intense. It is. Words echoed in my memory when thinking of a challenge. "The  greater the challenge, the greater the reward." I decided to do it for multiple reason but mainly to learn more about myself and how my mind  works.
 
All over the world, Vipassana style mediation retreats are given throughout the year. The style of mediation was invented and gifted to the world over 2,500 years ago by Siddartha Guatama, more famously known as Buddha. The course provides the location, a place to sleep, healthy food, teaching and and environment where there are few distractions. At the end of the course, you can give a donation of whatever amount you feel is just.
 
What I experienced?
This was one of the most mentally challenging things I've ever done. It was quite the roller coaster of emotions. Certain days, and throughout these days, I would feel excited, tired, doubt, faith, pain, motivated, unmotivated, loneliness, community, the whole spectrum. Sometimes very strong, sometimes very subtle. And I was to process all these emotions without communicating!
 
What I learned?
Wow. I learned, and I am learning so much from this experience!
One goal is to observe your orderless, erratic 'monkey mind' as it jumps from one emotion or thought to another. These thoughts happen so fast and have no sense of order, and most of us live without control or awareness of it.
I am learning to observe these thoughts and emotions without judgment, without labels of good or bad. Just observing. I am more conscious of when my mind wanders off on irrelevant or unimportant topics. I am more conscious of how my body feels throughout the day. I am learning how authentic appreciation and giving generously makes us feel true joy. I am learning patience as I take small steps on a long path in my spirituality.
 
Who can do it?
Anyone! There is no religion affiliated with vipassana. Any person from any religious or atheist practice will benefit from the practice. So anyone who feels like they want more balance in their life, more awareness and joy, I strongly recommend this retreat.

There is a small river that runs through the property in Calca. A beautiful place to spend time during our breaks

Mom visits me in Peru!

August 19th

'You are now becoming what you are someday going to be.' - Jim McEachern

The past couple weeks my Mom and I have traveled around Peru. What a special treat to have Mom around! We met in Lima, the capital of Peru. The next day we traveled to Ica and visited an oasis in the middle of the desert. Then to Nasca to visit the famous and ancient geoglyphs in the desert. And the past week we have been relaxing in the Sacred Valley near Cusco. We volunteered at an Eco Yoga Farm near San Salvador, visited Incan ruins in Pisac, partied with Hare Krishna friends for their holiday, and met amazing people.
Thanks again Mom for making the time to visit me here in Peru. We will remember this forever!

We climbed some ancient Incan terraces in Pisac

Mom wanted to see what a local home looks like. So we knocked on a door and asked to be shown around. We are standing in the kitchen, very simply and small. This woman was extremely nice.

Mom and I take a ride in a motor taxi. This is a motorcycle with a sitting area attached to the back. They are abundant, super cheap and quick to get from place to place

Mom and I volunteered at an Eco Yoga Farm in the Sacred Valley. We practiced yoga, meditation, cooked and shared meals and enjoyed the beautiful nature.

Here a man walks behind two oxen plowing a field in preparation to plant seeds. Incredible that the locals use this technique instead of what we see normally, tractors and heavy equipment.

Machu Picchu and Colca Canyon, Peru

July 27th, 2014

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into order and acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie

Ricky Gamp, my childhood friend, and I decided to do some trekking in the Andes Mountains around Peru. To arrive to Machu Picchu and their sacred ruins, we hiked several days over the Salkantay Pass (4630 meters or 15,190 feet) and through the Sacred Valley. In the Colca Canyon, which they say is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon in Arizona, we hiked and camped for four days. Enjoy the pictures!

Salkantay and Machu Picchu

Ricky arrived to Peru with two cousins, a mutual friend and his girlfriend. Here they pose as we are begin the multiple day trek to Machu Picchu 

Soryapampa offered donkeys to carry our heavy backpacks up the steep climb to the Salkantay pass at 4630 meters. 

Arriving at the pass as the sun sets. So beautiful

Waking up the next morning about a 1000 feet below the pass. Stunning

We stopped in a small pueblo along the way for a bite to eat. I saw this girl enjoying an orange and thought it would be a great photo.

Ricky and I hitchhike a small portion from Santa Teresa to Hidroelectrica. The view is from the back of a flatbed truck.

Ricky skips rocks as the train goes by in a valley nearby Machu Picchu ruins. 

Machu Picchu ruins

Colca Canyon

Condors fly over the canyon. These birds have a wingspan of about 10 feet!

The trek into the Canyon begins here. You can see the Colca river that runs at the bottom

Here geysers steam from the river. There are hot, very hot springs here

Ricky enjoys the hot tub in the valley