There are Jungles and some of the Best beaches in the world but to me it was More than that, Way More. It is Very sacred land.
I was entering tribal territory, I could feel Who this belonged to and each footstep felt like such an honour to be allowed there. Many people Don’t understand that aspect at all and think it’s just a holiday destination. The unconscious behaviour of many travellers got to a point that the Elders decided enough was enough and the park was closed for a while at the end of 2015. I was on retreat but you could tell what was going on with some people now it had reopened, people Still didn’t get it. I had to Keep coming back to the Four Agreements and practice not making assumptions and not taking it personally and coming back to my journey.
To get to our accommodation, we had trekked a few hours through the jungle. It was utterly Sublime. I wanted to Stop and connect with Every tree and Massive rock and dive Deeper and Deeper with each step. Everything was alive and the earth was humming and really speaking with me. It was very humid and warm and I was grateful that in the middle of Nowhere there was a man selling cool ice lollies – the best thing ever! It was at that point we started hearing the ocean roaring. The jungle goes right to the shore and merges with mangroves and that mixture is incredible. The path Kept changing all the way and I saw metaphors and teachings and medicine Everywhere. Eventually we arrived at our accommodation but our bags had not, they had been loaded on horses and they ended up at another place. My brother had his own amazing and incredibly Wild and inspiring journey to go after them and bring them back.
The reason we were staying at this particular place was to travel to Pueblito in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (It is the highest coastal mountain in the world.) I had been working Hard on this retreat and was Exhausted at all we had done so far. I was bitten and scraped and cut and bruised and emotionally wrung out, now there was the prospect of a Very Challenging and Very difficult Climb up a very sacred mountain! When they started talking about it I was trying to gear myself up and work out how it could be done and get my attitude sorted. Then I heard the word ‘horses’! For Some reason, I thought this might be a more easy path, maybe taking 30-40 minutes, a nice quiet ride through the jungle and then I could meet the rest of my friends at the top?! I thought it would be the way for me to ascend this particular mountain.
I went to meet my horse. The first one I have Ever met with Blue Eyes, which confused me for a minute and I was blown away by him. I spoke with him and connected with him and we became a team. I had a Knowing that He was going to take care of me. I was Amazed that my sister came with me and her courage and tenacity really inspired me as she strapped her 1 year old baby to herself with whatever she could fashion (She even breastfed the baby as we climbed the mountain! Just Hats Off Wow!)
And then off we went. It started fine and was through the low level paths. Then there was a palm tree clearing and the fallen leaves had obscured the path so for a little while we were lost, going round on circles trying to find the path, which we eventually did. My horse was in front. I didn’t expect that. I am not an experienced horse rider and I speak little Spanish so the guide kept shouting at me which way to go and my friend had to shout her translations. I couldn’t believe I was to lead on this horse that Just loved eating Everything it could find, no matter how I held the rains and spoke with him. We had a Lot of chats on the journey and there was a Lot about the Masculine. This horse was showing me an aspect of the Divine Masculine and how that shows up in my life to take care of me and support me and it was Beautiful and very moving.
The path became steeper, Much stepper, Much Much Steeper. I had to lean forward and I could just look at the ground and hold on and keep repeating the mantra of Trust. I felt the horse be sure footed and pick his way over the entire terrain. I was pulled through trees, scrapped by branches, cut and had my earring ripped out my ear at one point by a tree! My feet were bashed against rocks and came to the stirrups many times so I tried my best to manage that. I couldn’t even thing to take a single picture but the place was Full of THE most Stunning butterflies and strange and wonderful insects and birds of All colours singing!
At some points the path sloped downwards and then I Couldn’t look at it at all. I put my head up in the trees and Kept feeling the mantra of Trust. I felt we would all be safe and I felt ALL my guides and support around me. My Mayan Nahual is Toj, which is represented by the Macaw and I Felt that So strongly and felt that’s why I couldn’t walk up the mountain, I had to be off the ground and basically Fly!
EVENTUALLY, after I don’t know 1.5 hours or more, we arrived at the sacred site of Pueblito. My friends were there waiting for us. And with SUCH Joy we all hugged. They had had Some adventures with their climb and my friend had a spectacular cut on her leg.
Then I saw him…this Profoundly Beautiful soul.
A Kogi Mama.
If you Google the Kogi tribe you might notice that they Don’t tend to meet people and keep to themselves so this was am honour beyond my comprehension.
My brother invited me over and introduced me and I shook his hand with Such Joy.
Now I have been Deeply blessed to have sat in Satsangs with Many Enlightened souls and have sat twice listening to His Holiness the Dalai Lama and we had Already sat with 2 Incredible Elders from the Muisca Tribe that had really humbled me and affected me on this trip BUT……..
That man looked at me and the Transmission in 1 heartbeat was more than I could Ever Ever say in words, He knew Everything and Gave me So much. I Smiled at him from the depths of my soul and He Smiled Back. My heart nearly exploded to be seen with such Totality and understanding!
He gave us his time and his wisdom generously and was interested to hear from us as he sat with his Poporo. To speak with this Wise Man was Exceptional. We put all our hand made drums and the makings of our shakers and feather wands before him and he noticed everything.
He gave us Blessings and tied white threads around our wrists which meant So very much to me.
I am So earth shatteringly humbled to have shared space with this Wise Soul and just to sit with him for a while and be with him. It was the Highlight of my life to this point and his medicine touched the depths of me.
I will Never forget him.