Ancient Wisdom, Sacred Waters & Unexpected Blessings
Thank you Denise Gindhart from Alchemy: The Soul of Transformation & Global Awareness Charitable Trust for this special photo!
This past weekend gifted me one of the most profound experiences I have had in a very long time.
I had the honor of participating in a private session with four Kogi Elders from Colombia, attending a sacred ceremony near the Petroglyphs in York County, and sharing in their teachings at the Hive.
The entire weekend felt like stepping outside of time and space.
🔥 A Longstanding Love for Indigenous Wisdom
For many years, I have felt deeply called to Indigenous traditions and Earth-honoring practices.
In 2008, one of my beloved Priestess Sisters, Lushanya, who carries Lakota teachings, guided our circle in Priestess Path through the complete process of creating an Inipi (Sweat Lodge) ceremony ~ from gathering materials and preparing the sacred fire to understanding the spiritual significance behind every step.
It was a day filled with wonder, reverence, sisterhood, and devotion to Mother Earth.
Since then, I have participated in numerous sweat lodge ceremonies across the country and even built one in my own backyard many moons ago.
Having a great-grandmother of Indigenous Brazilian and African ancestry, I have always felt a deep longing to reconnect with the original wisdom keepers of the Earth ~ the people who lived in intimate relationship with the land, the waters, the seasons, and the unseen forces of nature. Her DNA blesses me every day in this journey as a devoted healer.
🌎 The Original Stewards of the Americas
The Indigenous peoples of the Americas carry lineages that stretch back thousands of years.
Through courage, adaptability, and an unwavering will to survive, their ancestors migrated across vast landscapes and eventually settled throughout North, Central, and South America. Over countless generations, distinct cultures emerged, each shaped by the lands they called home ~ the mountains, forests, deserts, rivers, plants, and animals that surrounded them.
Their stories remind us of something essential:
We belong to the Earth.
And the Earth belongs to no one.
🌿 Growing Up in Brazil
As a child growing up in Brazil, I had very little understanding of Indigenous peoples.
Like many Brazilians, I learned only fragments of the story.
It wasn't until my teenage years, when Indigenous leaders visited my school to speak about their struggles, that my heart was truly opened. Their courage, intelligence, dignity, and resilience left a lasting impression on me.
That day planted a seed.
A seed that continues to grow decades later.
Today, I love seeing Indigenous voices reclaiming their stories through books, documentaries, social media, and cultural education. Their wisdom is finding new pathways to reach the world. That is remarkable!
And the world needs it.
🪨 The Call of the Petroglyphs
In 2024, after sharing photos and videos of a ceremony I facilitated in the Susquehanna River with the initiates of the Beehive Mystery School, something unexpected happened.
The Kogi Elders were shown the images.
Mamo Rodrigo became deeply intrigued by the energy of the river and the ancient Petroglyphs. Even from afar, he felt a connection to the land and expressed a strong desire to visit these sacred sites.
Soon after, they joined us for ceremonies by the river, offerings at Urey Overlook, and teachings at the Hive.
I had the honor of translating during their second brief visit last year to the Petroglyphs ~ a small gathering that became one of the most meaningful experiences I have ever witnessed.
✨ Their Return to the Hive
This spring, the Elders returned.
For the first time, they offered private healing sessions, sacred ceremonies, and community teachings here in our region.
Watching them work is extraordinary.
The Zagas, the female Elders, weave beautiful handmade bags while holding prayer and intention. The weaving itself is part of their spiritual practice ~ a living meditation that carries energy, focus, and blessing ~ the creation of Spider Medicine.
The Mamos share teachings, stories, and guidance that emerge from generations of relationship with the natural world for thousands of years.
What moves me most is that even during what appears to be a simple lecture, profound healing is taking place.
Energy is being moved.
Prayers are being offered.
The field is being tended.
As I observed their work, I found myself recognizing familiar elements within my own path of service ~ holding space, tending energy, listening deeply, and supporting transformation.
💛 A Full-Circle Moment
The Kogi people are descendants of ancient lineages who sought refuge high in the Sierra Nevada mountains of Colombia, preserving their language, traditions, and spiritual practices through centuries of immense change.
Every contribution, 100% ~ made during their visits supports their communities and the continuation of their sacred work.
As I reflected on this past weekend, I found myself thinking back twenty-three years.
Back to a frightened mother desperately offering Reiki to her struggling daughter.
Back to the beginning of my own healing journey.
Never in those moments could I have imagined that one day I would help host, support, translate for, and learn from Indigenous Elders from South America.
Life has a way of weaving threads together that we cannot yet see.
This weekend felt like one of those threads.
A reminder that when we follow the call of the heart, the journey often leads us home in ways we never could have planned.
And for that, I am deeply grateful. 🙏🏽🐝
