this story begins and takes place in the state of oaxaca, mexico at the beginning of my year long travels i am now in my 4th month of. during this time i was reading a book about Gordon Wasson's travels to Hualta de Jimenez and his time there with maria sabina.
realizing that this small mountain village was just a days travel away from where i was the idea was born to go there and seek out the famous currendera Donna Julietta who is also one of the 13 indigenous grandmothers. if your not familiar with this coalition of elder medicine women i would encourage you to read up on their work to bring peace and balance back to the world through medicinal sacred plant medicines.
the journey was not easy. its not at all part of the gringo trail and there arent really buses that go there. it took about 2 days of looking to find a way to get there and on a hope and intention i set out early morning to achieve my goal.
Hualta de Jimenez is high in the mountains of oaxaca at 6500 feet above sea level. the air is thin and the road to the town is lined with memorials of the victims that have gone over the edge into the valley below. its a one lane road with blind turns and was quite an experience.
i arrived at sunset and wasted no time looking for Donna Julietta's home. asking around and getting sent in opposite directions for hours i finaly decided to try again in the morning. i began walking back to find a place to sleep for the night.
walking down a small alley i looked up at a humble looking dwelling and saw the name "Julietta" above the door. i stood in disbelief for a min and before i could knock the door opened revealing a man in his late twenties and a smile and an invitation to come inside.
i explained why i was in here and he simply told me to wait here and left the room. 15 min later a women appeared. she was smal and between 45-55 years old and had a soft loving glow about her. she only spoke in Mazatec so her son translated for us. they informed me she would be happy to hold ceremony for me and to my suprise invited me to stay with them in their home. i was stunned and quickly accepted.
the next 2 days i spent with the family. the humble home had only an outdoor kithcen fueled by sticks and wood and the home was filled with what appeared to be orphaned children and men in need. some disabled some clearly troubled emotionaly but all treated with light and love by this beautiful family.
on sunday morning i was informed to not eat other than a light breakfast with out meat and drink only water until mid after noon. my ceremony was to begin as the sunset at 5 pm so i prepared myself in the hours preceding. shower, quite time and setting of total willingness to eat whatever was given to me with appreciation and gratitude.
at 515 pm a knock on my door signaled me it was time. i was lead to a part of the home i didnt notice before. down into the lower area i entered a door of the sacred ceremonial room. the alter was before me and infront of it was a series of mattresses and blankets as well as a chair for Donna Julietta and a small table with various objects. the beautiful scent of copal filled the cool night air and the glow of sunset was quickly dissapating.
she began with me standing and a blessing in Mazatec with some leaves im not sure what tree they came from. she instrcuted me to take a seat on one of the matresses and brought over a bundle of 13 candles in which she rubbed over my body while praying and handed me a chunk of copal.
the day light was now all but gone and she began to light the 13 candles placing them infront of the alter all they while deep in prayer evoking teonanacotl, the flesh of god, aka mushrooms.
she returned to her table next to me and picked up a plate the size of a saucer covered in fresh mushrooms and blessed them with the copal and her beautiful language. she handed me the plate and on it was about 8-10 mushrooms. the caps were between the sizes of half dollars to 4 inches across. she asked in broken spanish if this was my first time with los nino's (the children)? with my answer being no she asked me to begin eating them. i figured they were for both of us but i was wrong
!
i ate the plate of mushrooms and laid back while she continued the ceremony filled now with singing and prayers. she extinguished the candles and it was the darkest place i can remember being in. you couldn't see you hand in front of your eyes.
about every 20 min or so in between prayers she would ask me how i felt and with my reply of estoy bien, (i am good) she would say "dame la mano", (give me your hand). each time a new handful of mushrooms was given to me which i ate. this was repeated 4 more times over a 90 min period and after the 5th serving she went silent.
as i laid there in the blackness i couldn't really feel anything. i was super confused as to why. i know i just ate more mushrooms than i ever dreamed i could or would yet i was having a hard time feeling any effects. i expressed my concerns to her and she soothingly whispered tranquillo jeff, tranquillo. (relax, relax). i did notice i was beginning to understand her words or at least her meaning of them and her's mine.
laying there starting to feel frustrated i began to wonder what kind of bunk weak mushrooms these were. i felt so sad and disappointed. i came all this way, im here, i ate all that was asked of me why was this happening, WHY!
i finally had to shift my perspective. here is what i know with these medicines you get what your suppose to not what you want. for what ever reason i guess i wasn't meant to enter the desired state of the psychedelic experience this night. i then had to ask why? what was the message here? what is the lesson, and then it came to me.....
IT WAS THE JOURNEY!!! it was how i felt searching and venturing on a hope and a prayer to get there. the people i met, the lives that touched me, the perfection of the moment and the lesson of acceptance.....
and then BOOM!!!!!! like a tidal wave it all hit me! i entered a world i just cant explain but sure i dont need to in this crowd. i could hear my laughter and could hear Donna also chuckling saying "si, jeff si...".
my visions were amazing, my trip was the most healing experience ive felt with psychedelics. i could feel all the pain of childhood and hurt leaving me and the light of love entering me. i dont want to make this a trip report because its just too personal and not my intention of this report.
after a few more hours switching between periods of silence and times of song and prayer i was asked if i was ready to conclude the ceremony and i was.
she stood and slowly shuffled in the blackness to the alter to light the candles. now with the illumination of the alter now available i was well aware of how freaking hard i was tripping!!!! i burst out a huge gasp in which Donna smiled and just said "si, jeff si".
she asked me for the chunk of copal i had been given and asked me to burn it in the holder releasing my intentions into the spirit world. she then brought me a cigarette and some water and told me i was welcome to stay in the room as long as i wanted.
i laid there for a couple hours until i felt able enough to go up stairs to get my camera which i was told was ok to take pics. the pics are a bit blurry due to slow shudder speed but i hope you all enjoy them.
i know to this day 3 months later i can still feel the healing love running through my soul and body.
thank you all, i love you all.
OM''
olympus mon attached the following image(s):
539.JPG
(1,039kb) downloaded 256 time(s). 533.JPG
(1,055kb) downloaded 255 time(s). 537.JPG
(964kb) downloaded 254 time(s). 535.JPG
(1,156kb) downloaded 254 time(s). 542.JPG
(922kb) downloaded 255 time(s). 535.JPG
(1,156kb) downloaded 254 time(s).I am not gonna lie, shits gonna get weird!Troubles Breaking Through? Click here.
The Art of Changa. making the perfect blend.