Deep Intent

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Oakley Gordon

When we look back at some of the Andean meditations I have shared in this blog–connecting with the world through our llankay, munay, or yachay; operating from our left side or our right side; opening up our energy or withdrawing into ourselves–what emerges is our having a choice in how we interact energetically with society and the Cosmos. Often this is not just a choice of which behavior to exhibit, or how strongly to be connected to what is going on around us, but a choice of which facet of … Continue reading →

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Inside / Outside

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Oakley Gordon

The Andean path that I have learned from don Americo Yabar has an inherent appreciation for natural balance. There are times, for example, when we want to be fully engaged in the energy of what is going on around us, dancing with it, being influenced by it and influencing it in return. There are also times when we may want to take a break from the dance and withdraw into the sanctuary of our own Being, to be contemplative rather than active, to rest. Here is a simple meditation which … Continue reading →

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Filling in the Conceptual Corners

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Oakley Gordon

In the Andean Cosmovision the Cosmos does not play by the rules of Aristotelean logic where everything must be either A or not A. An example of this can be found in the various ways in which the Andeans conceive the difference between the energies found on the right and left side. In the previous post (Right Side / Left Side) I described how in the Andes the right side is our ability to operate in everyday life while the left side connects us to the ineffable mystery of the … Continue reading →

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Right Side / Left Side

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Oakley Gordon

The Andean Cosmovision draws distinctions between various aspects of our Being in many overlapping, non-mutually-exclusive ways. In an earlier post we looked at the Three Centers of Being; the llankay, the munay, and the yachay. In this post I would like to examine the distinction between the quality of energy we have on the right side of our body and that on the left. Our right side (called paña) handles our activities in the everyday, ordinary, realm of our life, in other words, that aspect of our reality which is … Continue reading →

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The Man with the Shining Eyes

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Oakley Gordon

One day don Americo and I were driving between villages in the Andes in his son Gayle’s red Volkswagen beetle (the car’s name is Pinky Pinky). As we were were working our way up the side of a mountain valley Americo pulled the car to a stop by the side of the road. An old man was sitting there with his back to us, looking out over the valley. When we drive through the Andes Americo brings a sack of small loaves of pocket bread to hand out to the … Continue reading →

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Thoughts

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Oakley Gordon

Ultimately, I no longer care about philosophy. I’m in love with life…and what I care about is learning how to be a better lover. (A thought that arose while I was writing the post “Remember to Wave your Warak’as“) To the scientist the Andean Cosmovision is a fantasy. In the Andean Cosmovision, the Aristotelean logic of the scientist is an illusion. (Don Americo Yabar, personal communication, close paraphrase). Don’t believe everything you think. (A bumper-sticker from www.NorthernSun.com). Our intellect was meant to be our guardian, not our prison guard. (Various … Continue reading →

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Remember to Wave Your Warak’as

Posted on February 21, 2012 by Oakley Gordon
Dancers of Mollamarka

In this post we continue to pursue an understanding of how the complementarity of opposites informs the Andean people’s understanding of themselves, their relationships with each other, and their relationships with the Cosmos. In earlier posts we looked at the basic concepts underlying the complementarity of opposites (Yin/Yang of the Andes), how it informs the relationships between women and men (Wharmi-Qhari), and how the ritual encounter (‘tinkuy’) of differing energies can give rise to new life force (Tinkuy: Confirming the Rules of Life). In that latter post tinkuy was introduced … Continue reading →

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Tinku–Confirming the Rules of Life

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Oakley Gordon
Wide-eyed Child Looking from Mother's Shawl

(The title of this post was taken from a section of Inge Bolin’s book Rituals of Respect: The Secret of Survival in the High Peruvian Andes). My post Yin/Yang of the Andes laid out the basic principles of the ‘complementarity of opposites’, a concept that is fundamental to the Andean Cosmovision (as well as to Taoism). In the post Warmi-Qhari I examined how the complementarity of opposites informs the relationship between women and men in the Andes. In this post I would like to take a look at how the … Continue reading →

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What’s Up

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Oakley Gordon

Kenosis Spirit Keepers is the nonprofit organization of which I am vice president. Our mission is to honor and preserve the integrity of indigenous wisdom and sacred cultural practices. As part of this mission we offer the Spirit Keepers Series which provides opportunities to experience and learn from indigenous people who are emissaries of their ancient and living traditions and who serve as a living bridge connecting their culture with ours. On February 25-26, 2012, the Spirit Keeper Series will feature Flordemayo, a traditional Maya healer from Guatemala and member … Continue reading →

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Warmi-Qhari (Woman-Man)

Posted on January 22, 2012 by Oakley Gordon

The Andean Cosmovision embodies the complementarity of opposites in a way that informs the Andean people’s relationship with Nature and the Cosmos, with each other, and with the various facets of their own being. In this post I would like to explore how the Cosmovision presents the complementary aspects of male and female energy. In the post Yin/Yang of the Andes I gave an overview of the concept of the complementarity of opposites, including how opposites can only exist in relationship to each other, the importance of drawing and maintaining … Continue reading →

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Yin/Yang of the Andes

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Oakley Gordon
yingyang1

The dynamic concept of the complementarity of opposites (described below) plays a fundamental role in the Andean culture, informing not only their relationship with Nature and the Cosmos, but also their relationships with each other, and the relationship of energies within themselves. The complementarity of opposites has a role equal to that of ‘ayni’ (see the posts Ayni, Ayni Revisited) in the Andean Cosmovision, in fact, as we will see (in a future post), it must. When I decided to write about the complementarity of opposites I meant to offer … Continue reading →

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Back in the Saddle

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Oakley Gordon

Greetings, I am writing again after a bit of a hiatus, having turned my attention to other aspects of my life (Christmas and the beginning of a new semester) and taking a breather from the blog to give time for my batteries to recharge. The latter is an indication to me that ayni is out of balance in an endeavor (please see the posts Ayni and Ayni Revisited), for when ayni is in balance the wind is in everyone’s sails, and when it is not, if I want to continue … Continue reading →

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