AYNI: A Women’s Circle in Peru
Sacred Valley & Machu Picchu, Peru

September 10 – 18, 2011

We invite you on a journey to the mystical and mysterious land of Peru.  Join us as we walk with reverence on the ground of the Sacred Valley in the Andes and enter the ancient cities and temples including Machu Picchu.  Our dream for this retreat is to come together with open-hearts and intention to attune ourselves to our deep beauty nature as we simultaneously recognize the beauty in each other.

As we stand in truth and gratitude, we will receive the ancient, feminine, healing energy of this sacred land.  In the Inka tradition of Ayni, as we offer our attention and loving recognition to this holy land and people, the land and people will return to us healing energies, so that we may receive their gifts to us. Ayni is a Quechua expression meaning sacred law of harmony … giving and receiving in balance and reciprocity.  When we join in this ancient energetic principle, Ayni, we enter into an eternal, endless loop, an infinity of love and healing energy.  We create a world where all beings are recognized and appreciated, for the good of all.  Is it possible …can you imagine … entering a portal into this collective dream.

We begin our journey in Cusco, where we will stay for two days, walking the cobblestone streets en route to the Korikancha Temple, the holiest site during Inkan times.  The next day we will journey to the Inkan ritual fountain at Tampumachay, where we will participate in a water ceremony to balance and open our energy centers, activating and enhancing our creative and healing forces. A coca-leaf ceremony will invite you to tap into the energies of Pachamama, Mother Earth.

We then journey to the Sacred Valley of the Inka, where we will be staying at the Willka T'ika Guesthouse, a spiritual retreat center where you will enjoy the peace and tranquility of nature surrounded by an abundance of Andean flowers, medicinal herbs and unique native birds.  We will have time to relax in the spectacular Chakra Gardens, learn about Andean healing, and participate in authentic ceremonies.  We will weave our sacred circle in a beautiful palapa, where we will share our wisdom and integrate our experiences.

You are invited to participate in a ritual led by a practicing healer who is a seer in the Andean tradition and a modern day representative of an age-old line of spiritual authority.  A pakko – a ritual specialist – invites our group to participate in a special Andean offering ceremony to Pachamama. Conducted for the well being of the group and practiced by Andean Quechua for thousands of years, this despacho healing ceremony invites you into their spirit-filled world.  The despacho ends with a fire ceremony, preparing our mind, body and spirit for our pilgrimage to Machu Picchu.

We will visit ancient Inkan sites in the Sacred Valley as well as go to Machu Picchu where we will participate in a traditional shamanic sound ceremony.  As we explore the Andes we will be accompanied by a local guide, who will share her wisdom as you open yourself to the traditions and spiritual energy of each ancient site.  Time is set aside at Machu Picchu for hiking and/or your personal exploration and meditation inside this sacred site.  We will be staying overnight in Aguas Calientes, where you can wander through the colorful town, soak in the outdoor thermal baths, visit the craft market, and have lunch along the river.

When at our abode in the Sacred Valley, we will wander through local markets, hike in the valleys, and walk to indigenous communities where we will visit with the vibrant and colorful Quechua people in their mountain villages.  At Willka T’ika, you will have time for meditation, mindfulness and stillness in the sacred Chakra Gardens.  There will be time to schedule a private massage/healing session, a crystal bed treatment, or a soak in the hot outdoor Andean baths filled with minerals from Pachamama and medicinal herbs and flowers from the gardens.