I’m writing this piece as I look at a very special mountain from my window here in Cotacachi. Its called Imbabura and its actually an inactive volcano in the North part of Ecuador. In the Andean culture this mountain is an ‘apus’, a spirit manifesting as a mountain, a sentient being that literally holds the whole region together very strongly. Being here and standing at the valley beneath one can feel this remarkable energy!
I believe that we are being pulled to areas and landscapes around the planet because it’s part of the great transformation that we and the Earth are undergoing right now. We as individuals all operate as acupuncture needles – to use this analogy – for charging up with and emitting vital force in and through our body systems and the body of the Earth. When we enact our role as an ‘acupuncture needle’ landing at potent, as well as downgraded points in the Earth’s body, we can really make a difference in this world and for the benefit of all beings.
Back in the UK I used to meditate in Nature a lot, hence enacting my role as an ‘acupuncture needle’. But it was when I left the UK in the beginning of June 2021 that I have been consciously focusing and totally living this role whilst travelling the Latinoamerica as a slow nomad. Of course I was called here, initially in Mexico and then in other latino countries. The signs were undeniable. Interestingly, as a child and then as a teenager I always had this urge to be ‘free of place’ and at the same time ‘of every place’.
And so, I would like to share here a snapshot of a visit to a sacred site in Ecuador, the south American country where I currently am.
Spreading Stillness – A pilgrimage in Latin America: The Spiral Petroglyphs near Mindo, Ecuador
The final ten days in Mexico City were physically very intense because of a health-related issue that arose as part of the catalysis of the cycling of ancestral energies and their purification. I literally had to ‘push through’ this process and hang on to my own vibration, which meant FINALLY leaving central America and travelling down to South America in my first location of my ongoing pilgrimage: Ecuador. Amidst preoccupations about my health, second thoughts and worry, all part of the purification process, I booked the flight tickets and it was definitely the right thing to have done!
I have been in Ecuador for a bit over a month, having fully recovered, and not only that, I feel more grounded and more myself than ever. I feel liberated and at the same time, more focused and surrendered to Nature’s way. I have been listening to the internal and external signals as to where to go and what to do here. It has been a time of patience, harnessing Potentiality and going deeper into the purification of ancestral energies.
So, the first place I was called to go was The Petroglyphs of the Yumbo, which were located along the river Chirapi near a waterfall called Gallo de la Pena (Cock of the Rock) at Pacto near Mindo. When I came across these ancient rock carvings on the web, I got goosebumps and started crying spontaneously because it felt like a totally clear sign saying: “keep going, you are doing well”. Why this reaction? Because the symbol of my artistic expression in this world (aka my work) is the Spiral and the hummingbird. Ecuador is the land of the hummingbird, and the location I based myself in to get to the petroglyphs was the Mecca of hummingbirds: Mindo. Lushness of jungle, waterfalls and birds! Every morning, I meditated sitting on a chair overlooking a small river and surrounded by rich, beautiful vegetation and the movements and songs of hummingbirds and other birds.
The carvings of the spirals are attributed to The Yumbo tribe dating way before the Incas. Nobody really knows why they carved them but the location is frequented by local indigenous people doing ceremonies and giving offerings. Still at Quito and upon deciding to go to the petroglyphs, all doors opened up and my journey was remarkably facilitated by Nature. It was meant to be, no doubt! When at Mindo, I was spacious to keep feeling and following the signals, and so first, I managed to connect with the owner of the waterfall where the entrance to the petroglyphs were. Then I bumped into a kind driver, Vincente, whose surname was Jumbo (!) and arranged to take me to the waterfall, approximately one hour and 10 minutes away from Mindo near Pacto. The doors kept opening so when we got to the waterfall that looked closed and with no one around, as we walked in, we met one of the sons of the owner working on repairing a landslide. He welcomed us and pointed us in the right direction only to then meet the lady owner and her granddaughter, Elizabeth, who at the end led the lovely walk to the Petroglyphs.
I didn’t really know exactly the purpose of my meditating on the rock of the petroglyphs. I only found out 10 minutes before departing Mindo with my driver. I was waiting patiently for Vincente to come and pick me up from the hosteria and all of a sudden this body-feeling-thought arose from stillness saying that I needed to “release the lost children using this tool”, which was given to me by an external source that I very much resonate with (With thanks to OG). I didn’t have any plans to do this, nor did I remember this invitation to do it, which was offered a couple of months ago. It was totally off my radar. And yet, 10 minutes before leaving for the petroglyphs, I got the message, this body-feeling-thought emerging from ‘nothing’ or rather from the Source. When these messages arise, I know them well because they arise totally from stillness, they are unexpected, and the quality of being as they arise is different to that of a random or sequenced thought process. Indeed, the experience I had meditating with the spirals for the ‘release of the lost children’ was absolutely and naturally remarkable.
Elizabeth led the way from the entrance of the site to the petroglyphs and we followed. The landscape was magical, so calm and serene. Vincente loves flowers so he picks one sunflower up and gives it to me sharing how much he loves their aroma. It was lovely to see ‘my support guides’ being themselves, expressing freely and noticing the beauty all around. Very important to be with people who resonate, if not going alone, in such a sacred place. So much was the resonance and synchronicity that both Vincente and Elizabeth had ‘decided’ to wear a top of the same colour green! Exactly the same colour. We all laughed about it upon noticing. As soon as we approached the rock and saw the carved spirals at the forefront of this amazing river view, I immediately felt the specialness of this place, the energy felt so pure to me. I was left alone on the rock while Vincente and Elizabeth sat a bit further away to give me privacy and time.
I first sat by the cold waters of the river and put my feet in meditating. It felt like a preparation. Then I laid down on the rock with the spirals having the bright yellow sunflower that Vincente gave to me by my side. I felt that the sunflower would have a purpose here because nothing is really random. I put my hands by my side feeling the spirals under my skin. My head rested on the stable rock and my eyes still open, took in the tree above, the sky and the birds and insects flying. Eyes closed, I put into the space the specific focus of ‘releasing the lost children’ and then relaxing in the ever-present stillness no matter what was going on inside or outside. There was calmness, a sense of feeling at home in the place and a sense of belonging. A few moments into meditating and my body started convoluting and moving involuntarily. At this stage, when this happens, which I’m familiar with, I know that something is resetting and recalibrating through me; I knew it was the energies of the lost children. But what really confirmed it for me was the sudden welling up of sadness and tears that were definitely not my own. This sadness and crying felt foreign but moving through me. It was the sadness of the lost children. And when it passed, there was a sinking back to calm and stillness, back to quiet. I felt that the ‘job’ was done.
I stood up and approached Vincente and Elizabeth where they were sitting. I smiled again at the matching colour green and as I was trying to get a photo of us all, a little creature jumped beside my feet and startled me. It was a baby frog, not really formed yet, and it was green! Baby frogs’ meaning as an animal medicine is about renewal, transformation, purification, new beginnings, abundance and richness of life. What an amazing sign! Indeed, mission accomplished here.
On the way back to the waterfall from the petroglyphs, I felt that the flower that Vincente gave me had all the energies of love, beauty, aliveness, freedom and renewal materialised in and as the sunflower itself, and I felt the need to give it to the waters of the river to spread these energies through the capacity of the water to carry and conduct, and to materialise in this reality! The successful completion of the ‘release of the lost children’ materialised beauty, love, freedom and vitality touching everyone on this planet through the joining force of the waters.
Many beautiful moments, signs and synchronicities followed thereafter as we went to the waterfall and bathed ourselves in gratitude before leaving this amazing place. <3
Aftermath
We are all doing our part in this great change that we and our Earth is undergoing. As this grand purification and metamorphosis of our reality is taking place, it is in the stillness of our being that we reclaim our power to eject and transmute the force behind all the atrocities, negativity, interferences, control, manipulation and slavery of the world. Nature surely confirms! And my/the pilgrimage continues……
“Living the Stillness”
5 thoughts on “The Spiral Petroglyphs near Mindo, Ecuador – By Aspasia of Amate Anima”
Such a beautiful, encouraging & loving story! And felt such a purity in that… :). While reading “the inner Me/presence” was taking part of it – no seperation.
Thanking you so much for sharing !!!
Heikey, thank you too very much for sharing. Your feeling of ‘no separation’ in purity made me feel warm and smiling. Yes indeed, totally connected through Love. <3
Wow!!! Thank you so much for sharing….our power of listening in our stillness is incredible!! Much love from Canada
Thank you Judy for your lovely words. Yes, isn’t it amazing?! And when we come together expressing this stillness, like here at this blog post, we lift each other up, so thank you for your stillness too! <3
Thank you, Aspasia!
What a beautiful adventure, between power and gentleness, inside and outside of you, totally aligned with nature. And I see that you are always well surrounded by animals!
Thanks again for sharing.