Kenosis Spirit Keepers - Signs of Our Times article

Signs for our Times

by Carla Woody

The basis of the work we do through Andean mystic Don Américo Yábar is about heart connection and "being", unlearning, shedding the hucha, or heavy energy, and allowing light energy to be present — ultimately it's about alignment to our core being, our salk'a, undomesticated energy. This is also true for any of the spiritual travel programs or retreats offered through Kenosis.

The work self-organizes on the left side well before we all first meet in person as a group.* Each person who shows up in a particular group is called there to help produce a specific theme of opening and/or healing. Hence, the experience someone has one time may be different the next time. It's a matter of readiness for what is to be undertaken.

There are many levels to the work going on simultaneously. But the origin is always pushed from the left side and presented in whatever form is most useful for group and individual purpose within that timeframe we're together. Different groups seem to have different central themes. Sometimes we become more aware of the left side of our work through continual appearances of symbolic affirmation or through dreams, waking visions, paranormal encounters and the like. Other times we have forceful happenings on the right side that bring out parts of the ego personality, or woundedness, that require being brought to the surface in order to be released.

During one of our 2006 travel groups in Peru something very unusual occurred. While we were gathered with the Q'eros, engaged in ceremony at Huaypo Lake outside Cusco, an eagle and condor flew — together — overhead. It was during that trip that an intent I'd had for a number of years, to bring natives living in the USA to Peru to share traditions with their Quechua cousins, began to take physical form.

The Eagle and Condor Prophecy is well known to the indigenous people of the Americas. It says that when these native peoples reunite it will bring them a renewed sense of honor and healing, creating a shift in consciousness for us all. The eagle is the symbol of the upper world in North America. Its counterpart in South America is the condor. The time prophesied is now. While there are large gatherings taking place for this purpose, it's been my intent to provide small groups with opportunity for intimate encounters that touch the souls of those involved.

As you may know through previous notices, I announced this past March that I'd established the Spirit Keepers Fund to support this process. Through the help of Jacob Devaney of the White Buffalo Children Foundation who spearheaded a benefit concert, plus private donations and Spirit Keepers scholarships, we were able to bring a Hopi father and son, both initiated in the Kachina Society, from Shongopovi, Second Mesa, Arizona, with us for our first group this summer — a small start but a powerful one.

The journey was poignantly emotional for all of us. A number of times we were moved to tears as one or another spoke of the gratitude of being in circle in this way. When we were gathered with the Q'eros in ceremony, not only were the initial numbers who had joined with us unusually large, but they kept showing up in ones and twos. Something was drawing them. One Q'ero man requested that our Hopi friend work his medicine with the man's son who had an ear infection. It was beautiful to witness this healing exchange, only one of several that took place throughout our time together.

The theme of this particular journey was indeed the merging of the eagle and condor by bringing our Hopi friends together with the Q'ero and Mollamarka Indians. But I believe this act has larger effect than what seemed like a simple time of sharing, humor and love. During our travels the left side spoke loudly and consistently in validation. The left side presented us with numerous daily sightings of eagles and/or condors, sometimes flying together. Often it would happen when our Hopi friends were speaking. This in places where, either they're not known to frequent or sightings are few. Very early one morning while at Salk'awasi, Don Miguelito excitedly rapped on Don Américo's door to tell him he'd just seen a condor flying down the canyon under the full moon — an extreme rarity in that area.**

Some may think me a little crazy to believe in such symbols and affirmations. But I think not. There are many worlds within the world that we can glimpse if we're attuned to do so. In this case, the Mystery wanted us to really get it and leave nothing to chance, through signs hard to ignore or invalidate.

Besides, in our next group, following right on the heels of the first one, condors were entirely absent and an eagle was only sighted maybe once or so, which is more usual. I know because I was watching for them to appear again and they didn't, even though we covered much of the same terrain. And, while equally powerful, the next group had an entirely different, but also clearly visible track of intent with repeated opportunities for opening. Their work manifested differently.

I extend my heartfelt appreciation to David and Clarence Washington of the Hopi Nation for being willing to join us, and to Jacob Devaney for his help and everyone else who made donations and assistance to make this possible. I have special gratitude to Don Américo and Gayle Yábar for joining me in this vision and putting their intent behind it as well. We are now working to bring six Hopis and others with us in Summer 2008 and to make these engagements ongoing, including other tribes.

To view some photos and stories from the 2007 Spirit Keepers Journey, see the Spirit Keepers Stories page.

*In the Andean model of the world they talk about right and left sides of life. The right side is anything cultural, hierarchical, or analytical. It's any technique or ritual, any construct of the mind or ego. It's referred to as domesticated energy and where most of us put our attention — ordinary reality and everyday living.

The left side is common to everyone, but most forget it's there. In the Andes, they characterize this undomesticated energy as salk'a. It's what the Taoists identify as the original face and I call the Core Self. It's the Mystery and seat of creation.

**Salk'awasi, known as the house of undomesticated energy, is Don Américo's ancestral home located outside the village of Mollamarka high in the Andes.