Chavin revisited

Hello there,

My name is Martin Stevens, originally from the UK I lived 30 years in the USA before moving to Peru in 2006 where I still reside. I have an ongoing lifetime interest in all forms of genuine benificent spiritual practice especially experiential shamanism.

I can be reached via email at:  martinstevens@juno.com

I don't particpate in Facebook or any other social media.

I have another blogsite at:

 www.perucalling25.blogspot.com      which focuses on the social and educational work of Estrella de Sauce, a Waldorf educational outreach project based in the community of Sauce up in Peru's northern jungle which was established in 2011 by my wife Lourdes Jibaja.and I.

Thanks for visiting this blogsite dedicated to spiritual awakening inspired by shamanic ceremonies conducted at ancient sites, especially Chavin which remains my all-time favorite place in Peru. We may also get into looking at other places of power in Peru, South America and throughout the world.

I just got back from what I calculate is my 7th visit to the 3,800 year old temple at Chavin de Huantar up in the central highlands of Peru in the province of Ancash.

I had not been there for 3 years and was privileged to be accompanied by my friend David Fields from Oregon in the USA.

David Fields up at around 15,000 feet at a high mountain lake on our way to Chavin

David deep underground in one the subterranean galleries below the Chavin temple complex.

I first went up to Chavin in 2005 as a participant on don Howard Lawler's 'Journey through Time' pilgrimage which started with ayahuasca and huachuma (San Pedro cactus) shamanic ceremonies in the Amazon jungle followed by a journey that took our small group up to Cusco for further ceremonies at Chinchero and Machu Picchu then over to the coast for more ceremonies at the archeological sites of El Brujo and Túcame.  This was all in preparation for coming to Chavin where I had a deep spiritual experience of inner light, a feeling of oneness with everything and a tangible sense of everlasting life.  Those words are the best I can do, but really it was an experience beyond words and a life-changing event for me in that it inspired me to leave my life in the USA and move to Peru where I have lived ever since.

Me down in the galleries which were no doubt used for spiritual initiations and  to prepare special selected children to become seers much like the contemporary Kogi of  Colombia still do today.

Since that time I have returned to Chavin from time to time to recharge my batteries by enjoying the contemplative athmosphere that still pervades this ancient place.

As far as anyone knows El Lanzon has been standing here for about 4,000 years and possibly more.  The whole temple complex was built around where it stands underground.  I always get a spiritual charge from spending time in its presence.

This view shows a corner of the 'new' temple completed around 750 BC with the ceremonial plaza behind.

Originally there were about 200 of these tenoned heads all around the temple.  Now only this one remains.