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An intimate glimpse into the world of ancient Peruvian spiritual practice and cosmology

• Reveals the mysteries of the world of living energy (kawsay pacha) through intensive in-depth interviews with six Q’ero mystics

• Explores the energetics, spirits, tools, and practices of Andean mysticism--the real story behind the fictionalized accounts in The Celestine Prophecy

Known as the “keepers of the ancient knowledge,” the Q’ero Indians of Peru are the most respected mystics of the south-central Andes. In 1996 Joan Parisi Wilcox traveled to the Andes and was able to record the mysteries of kawsay pacha, the multidimensional world of living energy, through more than 40 hours of intensive interviews with six Q’ero paqos, masters of the ancient spiritual traditions of Peru.

The Q’ero are known for having preserved the Inca spiritual tradition more purely than any other indigenous population in the Andes. The in-depth interviews presented in this book recount the direct words of these masters so readers can discover for themselves the mind and heart space of these people. Four new chapters of this revised edition focus on the work of the mesa, the Andean form of a spiritual medicine bundle, and its use as a conduit for the healing energies of nature. The mesa is called the “heart’s fire” because it represents the finest energy--the energy of compassion--that a paqo cultivates while walking the sacred path. Wilcox provides instructions on how to make, activate, and work with a mesa, as well as other practical exercises showing how we can use the power of the Andean spiritual tradition in our own lives.

Joan Parisi Wilcox has been studying the spiritual arts of Peru since 1993 and has received the rites of the Q’ero and other Andean masters. She is the author of Ayahuasca: The Visionary and Healing Powers of the Vine of the Soul and has published articles in Shaman’s Drum and Magical Blend. She lives in North Carolina.

"Joan Parisi Wilcox has given us a mature and sensitive portrait of a mystical system as seen through the eyes of its practitioners, the Q'ero.  Written with heart and respect, this book is a gateway for serious seekers to discover the world of living energy and to learn how to live in harmony with nature and each other."
Deepak Chopra, author of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

"A treasury of shamanic knowledge and practices whose insights into an ancient wisdom can help those of us living in a modern society find attunement with nature and harmony within ourselves."
Kenneth Meadows, author of Shamanic Experience

"Treats the beliefs and religion of the Quechua people with profound feeling and a deep identification seldom seen."
Jorge A. Flores Ochoa, professor of anthropology, National University of Cuzco, Peru