Despacho

As Hurricane Irene approaches Virginia, I make my blessings to all things. Water, wind and changing weather is symbolic of the living energy that both sustains and changes us. When I show reverence for all things, amazing things happen. Aligning myself with wise earth teachings I touch profoundly what has heart and meaning.

I have recently learned of a wonderful ritual that honors all things called Despacho. This is ancient Peruvian ceremony pays sacred tribute to sending and receiving Earth prayers. This ritual creates a union of our mind, body and spirit as we show our gratitude to our interconnection with all things.

In a Despacho ceremony participants offer their gratitude to Pachamama (Mother Earth) and the Apus (Mountain Spirits). Attendees place prayers of gratitude in their offering. These prayers are then "dispatched" to the Guides and Spirits when the offering is burned or buried by the shaman or ritual leader. This ritual calls bridges the " Seen " with the " Unseen " in order to open to expand awareness and possibility.

This ritual establishes a link between the physical universe, our personal power, our source of our love and wisdom. During this despacho it allows us to transcend our literal and symbolic domains. As we express our appreciation in very beautiful offering bundle. A sequence of items are placed on a flat surface, each representing the dedication of some aspect of life, back to the wholeness. The process itself is an opportunity to reflect for all who participate. As the ceremony progresses, all involved form “kintus”, little groups of three leaves, and, with their own breath, place their prayers and offerings into these, and then add them to the ceremonial bundle.

The despacho gives respect and creates communion with our beloved world. Pachamama, or Mother nature for the closely connected to the group. Inti Tayta, the Sun or the powers of Light,and the guides or guardians of the spirit world who help and provide for the community, the family, the individual person.

Also, these ceremonies may be offered to communicate a specific need: a healing; assistance or other challenging circumstances. Very often a despacho is made for right relationship – among individuals, communities, families, or between man and Nature. The Quechua term is “Ayni”, so this is an “ayni despacho.”


In closing I wish to observe those unrecognized beings that sustain us. It has been recently estimated that roughly 8.7 million living species are life support systems that produces the planet’s air, water, and food. We know next to nothing about 99 percent of those unique species except that many of them are going extinct. May we bow to these beings that bring us life and pray for their survival.