Desert Bloom & Howling Moon
Present Sense № 18
Welcome to Present Sense – a weekend curation for Paid Subscribers – with 7 sensory recommendations: something to SEE, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE, TOUCH, BALANCE and ENVISION.
The egg slowly rolls down the ridge of my nose, over my lips, along my throat, circling my chest. I feel the cold delicate shell against my spine, as it follows each curve of my body. Once every part has been covered, the egg is cracked in a glass of water. This is the diagnostic.
It takes a few minutes for the egg to settle into its unique shape. It informs the shaman of the physical, emotional and psychological blocks the person is experiencing. Like reading tea leaves, the egg becomes a channel of information. It sets the tone for the remainder of La Limpia ceremony.
Once the diagnosis has been given, the Camay begins: spraying the body with sugar cane rhum. My eyes are closed and I shiver, standing almost naked in the cold room. A bundle of plants is whipped against my body, with particular attention given to certain parts. I move to the rhythm of the drums, shaking my arms, stomping my feet. My mind is blank of thoughts and my body moves instinctively. Prayers are spoken as the leaves release their sweet fragrance of juniper, rosemary, sage, and pine.
More eggs come into the picture: this time they’re vigorously shaken against the body. Their hundreds of pores are believed to absorb the negative energies. Once the “extraction” is completed, the harmonizing begins.
Stones clank around me, a flute is played, rattles are shaken, it’s a stage marked by vibrational sound. Blessings are brought in the form of flowers, through another round of Camay - this time I’m sprayed with Agua de Florida.
To finalize the process, tobacco smoke is blown around the body, a symbolic way to “seal” the healing. The recipient is then welcomed to partake in La Platica, an integrative time for conversation and questions.
The tools used during the ceremony can vary according to the various traditions and are personalized according to the recipient’s needs. The shaman also becomes an instrument, a conduit for the spirits, rather than the conductor for healing.
Though each Limpia is unique, its purpose is always to cleanse, heal and purify. The one I experienced this week is rooted in the teachings of the Yachak (birdmen and birdwomen), shamans and healers of the Ecuadorian Andes.
My friend Rachel has studied Shamanism for years and was recently initiated in La Limpia practice by various tribes in Ecuador, including los Tsáchilas, the Seikopa, and the Yachak.
We gathered at her house in the Mojave desert: three friends for three nights. Each of us have recently lost someone dear to us: a mother, a friend, and a father-in-law. So it felt like a particularly opportune time to commune and cleanse our spirit.
Rachel offered us La Limpia ceremony on the first morning, and the following two days gave us the necessary time, space and nurturance to integrate. Synching to the rhythm of the desert, we woke up for sunrise every day, cooked delicious meals for each other, and talked for hours. Tears were shed, laughter was shared, tenderness was present in all forms.
The winter rains have given way to a superbloom, with millions of wildflowers bursting into bright yellows, deep reds, and pale pinks. Spring was singing its song of renewal, showing us how to transmute pain into joy, loss into love, and death into life.
The senses are both sharpened and softened here, in the desert’s expansive landscape and its serene silence. We partake in the oldest traditions of gazing up in wonder at the sky, sharing meals, and recounting stories around the fire. It’s what our ancestors did for thousands of years and what we instinctively return to during the most transformative times.
Considered one of the least light-polluted areas in the U.S, the Mojave sky bursts with millions of stars. With the added darkness of a new-moon, we sat out every night to admire the celestial magic. We howled with delight every time we caught sight of a traveling meteorite, leaving a trail of golden dust. Here, the stars kiss the horizon, reminding us of our dome-shaped reality, this Earthly planet floating in the dark tapestry of infinity –– our sweet home in this mysterious Universe.
This week’s Present Sense is a sensory capsule from the Mojave desert with 7 delights to SEE, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE, TOUCH and ENVISION.
In Joy,
Sabrina
PS: if you’re curious to learn more about Rachel’s Shamanic offerings, I highly recommend visiting her site.
