Today's word the day inspired today's blog post. The picture used is from a despacho ceremony I participated in while in Peru. I was part of a shamanic tour arranged and led by Lee Carroll who channels Kryon.
The despacho ceremony, as described from The Four Winds website, is performed after each earth cycles to renew and re-imprint the powers of nature on our luminous body and to connect with the Universe. The items being offered in the prayer bundle represent a gift of power that will spark the momentum for energy shifts and healing.
You can be your own shaman and create your personal despacho ceremony. The Four Winds and other sites describe how to do it. The key is intention for for the items being offered.
Here is how to start:
Begin with a large piece of white or colored paper for your wrapping (the gift to the universe). Flip chart paper, or non-foil wrapping paper are good choices.
Fold the paper so you have 9 squares. To do this you fold the paper into thirds one way and the thirds the other way.
Start with the center square, begin to layer the burnable objects that have been informed with your breath, so the energetic essence of your prayers is within each item.
As you add the contents, there are no real rules. Be mindful to create it in such a way that it has meaning to you. Once filled with your prayers and vision for yourself and the Earth, fold the bundle into a shape of a gift. The corners of the large paper are then folded over the contents so that they all overlap at the center to form a smaller square. Tie the despacho without flipping it over so that all the prayers are sustained. Tie it with a white cord and add three leaves from a native tree (informed with a prayer).
The despacho can be either buried (for slow, steady results), burned (for quicker transformation), or fed to the running waters ceremonially within a reasonable amount of time after it is prepared. When the despacho is placed into the fire, participants generally do not look towards the flames until after the offering has been burnt. This symbolizes non-attachment to the outcome and release of all claim to that which has been given away.
Below are some suggested items and what they are meant to represent (copied from thefourwinds.com):
Large piece of white paper: Envelope of dreams in which we “write” our prayers. Blow your intent for reciprocity and balance in to this empty, folded gift.
Sugar: Represents sweetness and love.
Qintu: In Peru, they typically use three coca leaves, but you can utilize three small leaves from trees native to your area. We often use bay leaves, so look for leaves about that size.
Red and White Carnations: Red for the Earth and white for the mountains. Place a red and a white carnation petal on top of the Qintu (to represent the snow-covered mountains reaching the Heavens) on top of the red petal representing the Earth.
Build the foundation of the despacho with the Quintus, informing each with your prayer (use a minimum of 12 Qintus).
Cover the Qintus with a little more sugar, representing even more love and sweetness.
Place one open shell in the middle of the prayers, representing the womb of the Earth, our source and birthplace. This holds us, nourishes us, and provides opportunity and safety.
. Now feed your prayers with a handful of what sustains you:
Rice: Fertility and abundance, to bring your prayers into fruition.
Various grains: Sustenance.
Nuts: Gifts for the Plant People.
Beans: For protection, abundance, power places, and the springs that nourish us.
Corn: Sustenance, gift back to the Earth for what we have been given.
Raisins: Spirits of our ancestors, our blood lineage.
Figs: Spirits of the ancient ones who dwell in the sacred mountains.
Alphabet noodles: To step outside and beyond language.
Animal crackers for animal spirits, and health.
And then add a few more pinches of “sweetness”:
Candies, candy hearts, sweet gum drops, candy corn, etc.: Represent everything we are in relationship with.
Chocolate: Pachamama LOVES chocolate.
Loose sage or other incense: To feed the elements of the Earth.
Black licorice for protection.
Gummy or candy frogs: Represent messengers, envoys to carry our prayers; and cycle of waters.
“Play” money (one piece): To ensure successfulness of the despacho.
Unraveled cotton balls (clouds): Represent aware-time and dream-time.
Confetti stars: Represent connection to the stars.
Colored confetti or sprinkles: To celebrate all life.
Rainbow yarn: Represents the bridge between the worlds.
Red and white cord: Represents the “red” road and the Hatoon Yan, or road to the stars.
Flower petals for healing.
When I was Peru and witnesses my first despacho ceremony, I remember think that it was really playful with the candy, toys and play money, yet beautiful with the flowers and the deliberateness of how it was constructed.
I plan to do my own despacho ceremony, maybe on my birthday in February. I will let you know.