For a week I slept surrounded by the towering sacred mountains in Maska, Peru on the Kausay Punku farm owned by the Kallpa family. The experience was so different then previous mountain adventures. Like many trips to the mountains I found myself in awe with the landscape but the land and the circumstances in which I was experiencing the land brought so much more rawness. The mountains in the sacred valley are rich with history and when I was not working on the farm with my operation groundswell group, we were showered with ancient Incan knowledge and guided by one of the Kallpa brothers, Dario to experience the mountains up close and personal. He took us to the Pisac ruins for a private sunset tour. The manipulation of the land in order to accomadate for the lifestyle of the Incas was absolutely incredible. The Incas had immense respect for the land and the mountains, and all of the planning for their community was made with high regards to the state of the natural landscape. The manipulation of the land to host their buildings and agricultural projects added beauty to the land and as we hiked through the mountain, I found myself holding deep respect for the ingenuity of the Incas.
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My interest with backpacking is rooted in the fact that the trips I take help me stay grounded and give me a chance to reflect on my observations. I am currently traveling in Peru with an organization called Operation Groundswell. I decided to take my backpacking to the next level by traveling abroad. The program is called Mind and Body, so our focus through out the six weeks in Peru revolve around concepts that draws connections and offer new perspective about how our bodies and mind are connected with one another as well as how they can be effected by our external environment. Before the group I am with travels to the Andes, we are spending a week in Lima. Lima is the Capitol of Peru. The buildings are tall, car alarms and horns are always in earshot, animals run and speak freely, and the streets are full of people hard at work. During our time here we have taken a Meditation course called Arte de Vivir. I struggle with centering myself and having a peaceful state of mind and it usually takes me going to the mountains to sort through my thoughts and feel refreshed. I am very excited to incooperatethe tools I have been taught in the Arte de Vivir classes. We have prioitized time in our busy schedule to do yoga and practice our breathing. We practice in busy parks, surrounded by the active city yet I am still able to unwind and focus on my breath. I can feel my internal framework being adjusted appropriately to allow for a more focused and genuine approach to my day to day. Some general concepts I really enjoyed musing about are; don't put conditions to your happiness, you can channel happiness from within where ever you are; a kite is like your thoughts, aimlessly moving from past to present but the breathe can act as the reel to help center the kite to the present moment; breathe work and meditation is like choosing a healthy diet, do not wait until you feel poorly to change but instead incooperate the practice in your routine for increased longevity; the ego holds you back from acceptance of yourself and causes you to fear the perception of others; we are always trying to control the external universe but the reward comes with control of the universe that is within you. As we transition from the city to the mountains, I look forward to more meditation and more adventures. |
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January 2017
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