Hey there caravaners,
It has been a little while since my last post. Things have finally begun to stabilize in Lima. I have 2 more weeks to the day here, before I will hop a red eye flight back to Philadelphia. That would put this journey at right around 4 months. Since I have basically been doing nothing but going in circles here in Lima, and struggling, far away from the plant medicines of the jungle it seems wise for me to return to the US to regroup. I had planned to do this anyways, just that I had hoped it would not be on such dire terms for leaving. At any rate, I am happy and content to go back. In the states I will have the opportunity to seriously save money and plan for my next trip to Peru. I intend to get my organization's website going proper, and when I return to Iquitos a year from now more or less I have some business opportunities that I can finally begin. I intend to make my apprenticeship of a very high priority, but of the highest, and this trip has taught me this, is to make sure I have long-term lodging. Even my own apartment or house looks promising due to the extrememly low costs down there. Once I know where I am going to be living, I am looking to open up either a backpacker´s Inn/hostel in Iquitos and offer excursions into the jungle and shamanic experiences, or a small retreat center directly in the jungle and offer the same things. The ultimate goal is to have the fully sustainable retreat center and community, the Wheel of L.I.F.E., but I believe learning the ropes in Iquitos before I take on that huge venture is a good idea. One of the positives during my Lima detour is I made friends with an Iquitos native who shares a similar vision. His father owns some jungle property an hour boat ride on the Amazon river from Iquitos. I also have been put into contact with a reputable Shaman in Iquitos by a facebook friend, actually the author of a book I read a while back, Plant Spirit Shamanism. This particular shaman has been known to take on long-term apprentices which, at this point, I am. I am beyond visiting the jungle for 2 week Ayahuasca retreats and now am ready to begin the years long work of becoming a true shaman and healer. We have begun email correspondence and perhaps he and I will form a teacher/apprentice relationship and who knows, maybe he will factor into the business ideas ;)
So in 2 weeks I will be back on US soil. I am glad that spring will be in full swing by then. The nights have begun to get chilly here in Lima. Keep an eye out for a wrap up of my trip that I will do before I return home. Be well.
Love and Light,
Joey
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
The Dreaming Tree Has Died
I said it before, and I will say it again... Iquitos may lie in the rainforest, but Lima is the real jungle. I am going back to Iquitos ASAP. There is nothing here for me in Lima except for contamination. I felt very much like I was being held prisoner here, and my circumstances did in fact do that, but the clouds are parting and I am going to go back to the jungle. From there I can stay as long as I need before my trip back to the states. I gave it a valiant effort here in the city, but it is not for me...
Sunday, April 12, 2009
There´s No Easy Way Out.... There´s No Short-Cut Home.
7 Chuen
(Uuc is the number seven in the Mayan Sacred Calendar. It represents Reflection, the Source of Creation, and the Flow of Divine Will.
Chuen is the 11th day sign of the Uinal. It means ´Monkey´ and carries a colorful Western energy. In the middle of the 20 signs, this day often brims with creativity and exercises a great variety of talents and skills. Known to the Maya as the the weaver of time, monkey can hold and manipulate many different threads at once, intertwining new ideas, patterns or inventions into the fabric of our reality and changing our lives with the products of their innocent curiosity.)
Hi Caravaners,
Hope everyone is feeling well and happy. I myself have had a 3 day respite to finally sleep and recuperate from all the traveling and walking i have been doing lately. I have been fortunate enough to find a host family here in Lima to live with for a while. This is truly a blessing because I was so worn out. Now i have a safe place to rest my head everynight, and also to store what little stuff I have left!
You know, I have been thinking alot about making my return trip to the states sooner than I had said in my last blog. Part of me sees this as throwing in the towel, but if you have been following from the beginning you will see that I just need the resources of the US to regroup and accomplish what I need to before i relocate down here to begin building the Gaian Wheel of L.I.F.E.
So anyways, I will keep this one short. The deal is I am safe and secure for a while, and am going to focus my intention on manifesting a way back to the States for the summer and fall at the least, and possibly the holidays. I have resolved within myself the issue of throwing in the towel... perhaps you will get the symbolism between this saying and the title of this blog... it is a song from a famous soundtrack.... think boxing...
Hasta Pronto,
Joey
(Uuc is the number seven in the Mayan Sacred Calendar. It represents Reflection, the Source of Creation, and the Flow of Divine Will.
Chuen is the 11th day sign of the Uinal. It means ´Monkey´ and carries a colorful Western energy. In the middle of the 20 signs, this day often brims with creativity and exercises a great variety of talents and skills. Known to the Maya as the the weaver of time, monkey can hold and manipulate many different threads at once, intertwining new ideas, patterns or inventions into the fabric of our reality and changing our lives with the products of their innocent curiosity.)
Hi Caravaners,
Hope everyone is feeling well and happy. I myself have had a 3 day respite to finally sleep and recuperate from all the traveling and walking i have been doing lately. I have been fortunate enough to find a host family here in Lima to live with for a while. This is truly a blessing because I was so worn out. Now i have a safe place to rest my head everynight, and also to store what little stuff I have left!
You know, I have been thinking alot about making my return trip to the states sooner than I had said in my last blog. Part of me sees this as throwing in the towel, but if you have been following from the beginning you will see that I just need the resources of the US to regroup and accomplish what I need to before i relocate down here to begin building the Gaian Wheel of L.I.F.E.
So anyways, I will keep this one short. The deal is I am safe and secure for a while, and am going to focus my intention on manifesting a way back to the States for the summer and fall at the least, and possibly the holidays. I have resolved within myself the issue of throwing in the towel... perhaps you will get the symbolism between this saying and the title of this blog... it is a song from a famous soundtrack.... think boxing...
Hasta Pronto,
Joey
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
A Sort of Homecoming
2 Cimi
(Ka is the number 2 in the Mayan Calendar and it represents duality and balance between opposing, yet complementary elements. Cimi is the 6th day sign of the uinal. It means `Death` and carries a powerful northern energy. This is the sign of the cycle of Life , Death, and Rebirth. The Maya saw death as the creator of life, and contact with their ancestors served to activate inherent psychic abilities. This day sign is particulalry gift with these abilities.)
Dear Caravaners,
Today marks day ten of waiting for the arrival of my new ATM card. So far no dice, but what I have gotten now seems so much more. I have been attempting to process what it was exactly the had drawn me here to Lima and kept me as if a prisoner. A prisoner free to leave if he wishes, yet kept in waiting for something that would certainly help out along the journey.
With that said I have begun to formulate a 6 month plan or thereabouts. I am choosing to seek out a job here in Lima... in fact, one offer literally fell into my lap in the form of an add for an inside sales job with a US company that wants native English speakers here in Lima. Another potential option is English teaching, which may be a bit more rewarding but with less potential for earning. I will weight out all the options. The goal is to save up enough money to begin the next grand leg of my journey. I have come to the conclusion that I must return to the states for some months to fund raise for my organization, get the website going, record my album, sell artwork, spend time with loved ones, etc etc. So instead of taking the funds I earn in Lima to purchase a plane ticket back to Philly, I will instead begin a trek from South America up through Central America, Mexico, Florida and up the East Coast of the US. I plan to do this on foot, by boat, train and by automobiles. I will most likely leave room for longer stops in Guetamala to further my research and experience of Mayan Culture, hike the tallest peak in Costa Rica through the cloud forests and have a view of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans simultaneously, and then when I reach Tulum, Mexico, set up home base and hopefully spend time learning special massage techniques from Mayan Shaman Daniel Pol Pech at the Maya Spa. Once I am through in the Yucatan I can boat or take a short flight to Sarasota to visit one of my mentor/friends on Siesta Key, then take the train to Philadelphia. I don`t have a rigid time table but I would like to be back in the states by mid-october to see the leaves change color.
Once again, as I have so many times on this trip, I feel such a profound sense of gratitude for beaing alive. What seemed a major hassle and trial, the theft of my wallet, has opened up a door to accomplish all the things I have wished to accomplish this year-- as many and as impossible they may seem to complete. I must thank my friend Gina for having a dream about me going on walk-about because that opened my mind to the idea of both the trek, and earlier today I realized that it would be OK to stay in Lima and work. I had been torn between going back to Iquitos and staying here in Lima. I felt as though I would be foolishly turning my back a bit from my aoprenticeship if I should remain here for too long, but now I can see that I can have my cake and eat it, too.
So sports fans, stay tuned for my updates about my new job and a journey of several thousand miles through up to 12 countries!
Love and Light,
Joey Jaguar
(Ka is the number 2 in the Mayan Calendar and it represents duality and balance between opposing, yet complementary elements. Cimi is the 6th day sign of the uinal. It means `Death` and carries a powerful northern energy. This is the sign of the cycle of Life , Death, and Rebirth. The Maya saw death as the creator of life, and contact with their ancestors served to activate inherent psychic abilities. This day sign is particulalry gift with these abilities.)
Dear Caravaners,
Today marks day ten of waiting for the arrival of my new ATM card. So far no dice, but what I have gotten now seems so much more. I have been attempting to process what it was exactly the had drawn me here to Lima and kept me as if a prisoner. A prisoner free to leave if he wishes, yet kept in waiting for something that would certainly help out along the journey.
With that said I have begun to formulate a 6 month plan or thereabouts. I am choosing to seek out a job here in Lima... in fact, one offer literally fell into my lap in the form of an add for an inside sales job with a US company that wants native English speakers here in Lima. Another potential option is English teaching, which may be a bit more rewarding but with less potential for earning. I will weight out all the options. The goal is to save up enough money to begin the next grand leg of my journey. I have come to the conclusion that I must return to the states for some months to fund raise for my organization, get the website going, record my album, sell artwork, spend time with loved ones, etc etc. So instead of taking the funds I earn in Lima to purchase a plane ticket back to Philly, I will instead begin a trek from South America up through Central America, Mexico, Florida and up the East Coast of the US. I plan to do this on foot, by boat, train and by automobiles. I will most likely leave room for longer stops in Guetamala to further my research and experience of Mayan Culture, hike the tallest peak in Costa Rica through the cloud forests and have a view of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans simultaneously, and then when I reach Tulum, Mexico, set up home base and hopefully spend time learning special massage techniques from Mayan Shaman Daniel Pol Pech at the Maya Spa. Once I am through in the Yucatan I can boat or take a short flight to Sarasota to visit one of my mentor/friends on Siesta Key, then take the train to Philadelphia. I don`t have a rigid time table but I would like to be back in the states by mid-october to see the leaves change color.
Once again, as I have so many times on this trip, I feel such a profound sense of gratitude for beaing alive. What seemed a major hassle and trial, the theft of my wallet, has opened up a door to accomplish all the things I have wished to accomplish this year-- as many and as impossible they may seem to complete. I must thank my friend Gina for having a dream about me going on walk-about because that opened my mind to the idea of both the trek, and earlier today I realized that it would be OK to stay in Lima and work. I had been torn between going back to Iquitos and staying here in Lima. I felt as though I would be foolishly turning my back a bit from my aoprenticeship if I should remain here for too long, but now I can see that I can have my cake and eat it, too.
So sports fans, stay tuned for my updates about my new job and a journey of several thousand miles through up to 12 countries!
Love and Light,
Joey Jaguar
Sunday, April 5, 2009
El Puesto Del Sol
I just witnessed my first setting of the sun over the Pacific Ocean. I believe it will burn an imprint in my heart and mind for the rest of my life. I was sitting atop a garden wall, with 3 or 4 terraces of cobble stones and flowers and trees running along the cliffside below me to my left as the sun began to drift closer to the horizon. The coast of Lima curled to my right north and out to sea like a crescent. What I had previously thought was a mountainous portion of the coast that jutted out into the sea reavelead itself as a mountain island just offshore to the northwest. The sky was a soft peach color with hues of pink and violet and the ocean a pastel green with slate blue. The waves rolled in from the sea in large ripples, mimicking the effect of a pepple thrown into a pool of water. There were hazy wispy clouds just above horizon that changed in color as the sun passed through them. As the sun was about to meet the horizon a humming bird joined me for the show and a drink in the rose bushes below before flittering away. A single sailboat appeared in my field of vision and headed out towards the now large, brilliant magenta sun. When the sun finally nestled beyone the horizon I felt in my heart that this view was worth all the difficulties I had experienced in Lima over the past 2 weeks, and any and all difficulties I have ever had endure. These are the moments that make life beautiful.
Friday, April 3, 2009
This too shall pass...
Hi Caravaners,
I was a bit rushed when I wrote my last post but I wanted to let everybody know the situation so that everybdy did not think I was still doing this miracle work with the parapelegic girl. It seems that I was a bit bamboozled as far as that job is concerned. They were seriously looking a gift horse in the mouth! But oh well, my job is to serve, and those who do not wish to receive service are on their own. It is no longer my concern.
I am still just passing time in Lima, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new Atm/Visa card. This card really will spell my freedom at this point. I have a flight credit with back to Iquitos with Star Peru awaiting me for whenever I choose to use it. I was a bit torn up until now if I should remain in Lima and search for a job or go back to Iquitos and resume my apprenticeship. Then I got back to basics-- I called upon the medicine and remembered the plan I thought out over a month ago. So my choice now is to fly back to Iquitos early next week when my card arrives; I need it to pay for the flight change of 10 US, which is about my 3 day allowance here in Lima for room, food and transportation! Once in Iquitos I am going to reconnect with the medicine and the plants, make new contacts, and then figure out a way to raise enough money for a visit back home to the States. I seriously need to get my organization´s website going, fundraise, sell my artwork, and record an album and play gigs. This will earn me plenty of money to move back down here permenantly and not have to be scraping by day to day like a pauper. I have had it with that gig. Don´t get me wrong, the experience has been wonderful not having any money to worry about, and although I do not need to be rolling up in a Rolls Royce, I believe the middle road of having sufficient money next time around is the way to go. Not to mention that most of these long-term apprenticeship programs cost US greenbacks. So that is the plan, man. Like the name of my band: Constant Change. I should know by now!
Phew! That is a great weight off of my mind. I am looking forward to being back in Iquitos, surrounded by the magical jungle, the amazing natural food options, Mapacho (I am just about out), some familiar faces , pesky mosquitoes, and to reconnect with the ayahuasca and other plant medicines.
Some things I´d like to do in Lima before I depart: hit the beach a few more times, and visit the Apple computer outlet that is rumored to be here. My laptop charger was stolen in Iquitos before I got down here. I need to get on my computer!!!!!!!!
Until next time gang. Thanks for tuning in.
Love and Light,
Joey
I was a bit rushed when I wrote my last post but I wanted to let everybody know the situation so that everybdy did not think I was still doing this miracle work with the parapelegic girl. It seems that I was a bit bamboozled as far as that job is concerned. They were seriously looking a gift horse in the mouth! But oh well, my job is to serve, and those who do not wish to receive service are on their own. It is no longer my concern.
I am still just passing time in Lima, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new Atm/Visa card. This card really will spell my freedom at this point. I have a flight credit with back to Iquitos with Star Peru awaiting me for whenever I choose to use it. I was a bit torn up until now if I should remain in Lima and search for a job or go back to Iquitos and resume my apprenticeship. Then I got back to basics-- I called upon the medicine and remembered the plan I thought out over a month ago. So my choice now is to fly back to Iquitos early next week when my card arrives; I need it to pay for the flight change of 10 US, which is about my 3 day allowance here in Lima for room, food and transportation! Once in Iquitos I am going to reconnect with the medicine and the plants, make new contacts, and then figure out a way to raise enough money for a visit back home to the States. I seriously need to get my organization´s website going, fundraise, sell my artwork, and record an album and play gigs. This will earn me plenty of money to move back down here permenantly and not have to be scraping by day to day like a pauper. I have had it with that gig. Don´t get me wrong, the experience has been wonderful not having any money to worry about, and although I do not need to be rolling up in a Rolls Royce, I believe the middle road of having sufficient money next time around is the way to go. Not to mention that most of these long-term apprenticeship programs cost US greenbacks. So that is the plan, man. Like the name of my band: Constant Change. I should know by now!
Phew! That is a great weight off of my mind. I am looking forward to being back in Iquitos, surrounded by the magical jungle, the amazing natural food options, Mapacho (I am just about out), some familiar faces , pesky mosquitoes, and to reconnect with the ayahuasca and other plant medicines.
Some things I´d like to do in Lima before I depart: hit the beach a few more times, and visit the Apple computer outlet that is rumored to be here. My laptop charger was stolen in Iquitos before I got down here. I need to get on my computer!!!!!!!!
Until next time gang. Thanks for tuning in.
Love and Light,
Joey
Thursday, April 2, 2009
The less I have the more I gain...
So it has been a little over a week since I arrived here in Lima and things have not panned out as I originally expected. It´s like this... ´know how to make God laugh? --- ´tell him your plans!´
So here´s the deal. I spent the first 2 nights in Lima living in the nice apartment with the girls and helping Teresa out with some of her therapy. Then things began to take a turn... after coming to Lima for what I thought would be a full'time live-in caretaker position I was told my second day that they did not have the funding to pay me full-time and that I could simply work 3 hours as a PT and get payed for that. Things then deteriorated further until the story became ´we do not have enough funding period and do not need another caretaker nor can afford to pay one.´ So let´s just get this straight... I made this trek to Lima out of the goodness of my own heart, had my wallet stolen in Iquitos one hour before my flight which included about 90 US and my Atm-Visa card, shelled out an additional 200 to make arrangements to get to Lima, and then I get here to be told no dice. Grrrrreat.
So here´s what happens next... the girls offer to buy me a plane ticket back to Iquitos and give me 20 bucks which I accept because I was not about to live in that apartment all irritated as I was. I also had this feeling in my gut that I did not come down to Lima simply to have a 2 night vacation from the jungle in a fancy high-rise apartment. So the next day before my flight I head to the beach early and wound up meeting a super awesome girl and hanging out with her at the beach all day. She offered to help show me around the city and to find I job teaching english if I wanted to. I guess this was the sign I was looking for. I decided to put the flight on hold for later and to tough things out here in Lima. I had to wait 7-10 days for my new atm card to arrive and now I am expecting it between Friday and Monday.
Don´t get me wrong here... I am really enjoying the city life so far. It will be much nicer when I have a steady job and an apartment or something. I am still a little torn because I really wish to get back to the medicine and resume my apprenticeship in the rainforest, but without any soney saved up I don´t this would be possible. I may have to stay here a number of months before it will be time to make the move back to Iquitos. As for right now, I am taking it day by day--very literally. I know that everyhing will all work out. It always does. Just depends if I am gonna spend the time in between worrying, or have ing fun and living life. I think I will skip the worrying...
Until next time... hopefully I will have a new job to report!!!
--Joey
So here´s the deal. I spent the first 2 nights in Lima living in the nice apartment with the girls and helping Teresa out with some of her therapy. Then things began to take a turn... after coming to Lima for what I thought would be a full'time live-in caretaker position I was told my second day that they did not have the funding to pay me full-time and that I could simply work 3 hours as a PT and get payed for that. Things then deteriorated further until the story became ´we do not have enough funding period and do not need another caretaker nor can afford to pay one.´ So let´s just get this straight... I made this trek to Lima out of the goodness of my own heart, had my wallet stolen in Iquitos one hour before my flight which included about 90 US and my Atm-Visa card, shelled out an additional 200 to make arrangements to get to Lima, and then I get here to be told no dice. Grrrrreat.
So here´s what happens next... the girls offer to buy me a plane ticket back to Iquitos and give me 20 bucks which I accept because I was not about to live in that apartment all irritated as I was. I also had this feeling in my gut that I did not come down to Lima simply to have a 2 night vacation from the jungle in a fancy high-rise apartment. So the next day before my flight I head to the beach early and wound up meeting a super awesome girl and hanging out with her at the beach all day. She offered to help show me around the city and to find I job teaching english if I wanted to. I guess this was the sign I was looking for. I decided to put the flight on hold for later and to tough things out here in Lima. I had to wait 7-10 days for my new atm card to arrive and now I am expecting it between Friday and Monday.
Don´t get me wrong here... I am really enjoying the city life so far. It will be much nicer when I have a steady job and an apartment or something. I am still a little torn because I really wish to get back to the medicine and resume my apprenticeship in the rainforest, but without any soney saved up I don´t this would be possible. I may have to stay here a number of months before it will be time to make the move back to Iquitos. As for right now, I am taking it day by day--very literally. I know that everyhing will all work out. It always does. Just depends if I am gonna spend the time in between worrying, or have ing fun and living life. I think I will skip the worrying...
Until next time... hopefully I will have a new job to report!!!
--Joey
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