The Will of the Heart, Earth Energies and Vision

ceremony, Mystic, Shamanic and Soul Inspiration, Vision in Nature, Vision Quest

Discussion, excerpts and wisdom from The Time of the Black Jaguar by Arkan Lushwalah by Sandra Cosentino

Modern Day Mystic Series

Arkan Lushwalah from Peru speaks from his heart and sources of spiritual inspiration in The Time of the Black Jaguar. At the core of the earth-spirit tradition of his ancestors is munay–which Arkan translates as “will of the heart.” “Munay is an active energy that makes compassion come together with the willpower that makes us enact our love with the whole heart, with courage and with a deep desire to serve another.”

I resonate with his lyrical voicing of the energies generated by conscious human connection with the sentient energies of our Earth. Hopi and Navajo traditional peoples carry similar wisdom that they too bring into their life and ceremonies. We humans have an active role in co-generating higher frequencies that support life and growth.

Sedona sunset, digeridoo player

Didgeridoo homage to sunset in Sedona. Photo by Sandra Cosentino

Arkan speaks of his practice of spending time in the temples and sacred sites where he would “walk in silence, pray and receive the memory and instructions that our ancestor left recorded in the stones.” As he sat, eventually the stones would talk to him. “It is evident that the work of creating these sacred mirrors to produce and freely share high-frequency vibrations was extremely important to them.” I too have had profound moments of knowing come to me while spending meditative time at hundreds of prehistoric sites in the Southwest and Peru and in the wilds of Alaska and the American West.

Ceremonial honoring and invoking

“When a fire is lit in order to sing, dance, and pray, these vibrations resonate over all of Creation. The continuity of life is fed by the ceremonies that we do at the important cosmic dates — those days when all is open and aligned”, Arkan says.

He points to the power of actions from humble hearts being used with intention to bless all of Creation and for continuance of life. “We are careful to do it all from our heart, allowing the Great Mystery to conduct us and to make us say and do wonders that contribute to the creation of a good life for everyone.”

Through ceremony and prayer, ancestral peoples generated energy that they say “has to always be circulating, moving in small and big circles, for all life to always stay alive and full of the original vitality of the light of Creation.” Illness is perceived as stuck energy.

Solar eclipse ceremony we held in Sedona. Photo by Sandra Cosentino.

Solar eclipse ceremony we held in Sedona. Photo by Sandra Cosentino.

Vision Quest–being available to Spirit

To Arkan, vision quest is a ceremony of becoming available to Spirit. He sees Spirit as “an immense sacred power in permanent motion. This sacred power circulates around the Universe, touching all forms of life on its way, like an immense cosmic musician playing his instruments.”

“Memory lives within the spirit that flows in our blood. The access to this memory and experience that we have when the state of amnesia is over is what Indigenous people call vision.”

The Earth herself “has a very big Munay (active heart-connecting energy) acting on our behalf. To be struck by Her Munay is like being struck by lightning.” She gives us a jumpstart and then it is up to us to “keep that fire lit in our heart alive in our daily life.”

Milky Way Galaxy viewed from Sedona -- opens us to awe. Photo by Monica Parsley

Milky Way Galaxy viewed from Sedona — opens us to awe. Photo by Monica Parsley

We change our reality being out alone in sacred circle away from our daily life praying for “a gift from spirit in the form of a vision,” Arkan says. A key part of this process: “connecting our human mind with the mind of our spirit is about becoming available to the natural wisdom of the universe.” This truth is abundant and available all around us if we take time to listen and make ourselves available to receive it.

“Those who make themselves available,
receive instructions and guidance directly from the source.”

“Our spiritual mind needs to be active and our heart open to receive the sacred energy of the gift of creation. The sacred power of creation lives in seeds of light that we store in our heart. Munay, the will of the heart, where these gift of the light dwell, can grow and become very powerful.”

“The vision anchors our present reality in the possibilities that come from the future, freeings us from having to dwell in the past be conditioned by its endless consequences.”

Returning from vision quest brings us a “great gift to experience directly, the Munay of the Earth, the Munay of the entire universe, and the awakening of our own Munay.”

In my many decades of experience with this vision quest practice on my own and with guests, I know the major work is in clearing the mind chatter and opening to deep listening without expectation. Key to this is staying present in the moment, developing skill at being in vibration with the natural energies flowing around you, and being at home in nature.

I believe that even in these changing times–as we listen to our own heart’s calling, humbly and courageously release our self-imposed barriers, and share our heart/prayers/songs with the heart of the earth and cosmos and each other, we play our role in positive evolution.

Inherent within each of us is this direct connection to source of life, no matter what our cultural upbringing might be. Many of us, who many not be from a living tribal culture, also carry an awakened sense of love of Mother Earth and deep longing for more connectedness and creative expression in our lives that flows from our authentic source.

article first publish August 24, 2016

Related Experiences:

Mystical Nature Shamanic Journey

Soul Journey Sessions: Shamanic Journey – conscious evolution mentoring & insights

Be Your Own Shaman-Seer Insight Retreats

Sedona Vision Quest Retreat

Sandra Cosentino has developed these mentoring experiences based on a lifetime of exploring and connection to the energies of wild nature, and 3+ decades of experience with ceremony, lucid dreaming, vision quest, mindfulness practices, meditation and insight retreat facilitation, and sharing in respect and friendship with Native peoples. She has been working with shamanic journey for more than 25 years with a dedication to empowering others to be their own Seer.

Native peoples have given me a model of how to see from the heart, to honor all peoples, to pray from the heart with gratitude knowing in absolute trust that the universe will respond.  Native peoples have a real mastery of letting go–a powerful role model for those of us who live in cultures of acquisition. 

Related Articles:

Ceremonial Circles article

Nature Mysticism–Pt. 1 in Earth-Spirit Ways

Attention…A Core Mystical Perception Skill–
Pt. 2 in Earth-Spirit Ways