The Shuar believe that the Earth is our true mother, that every thing we need comes from her, and that we must sacrifice whatever is required to take care of her. The four elements are sacred. The goddess of the Earth, Nunkui, lives in close harmony with the goddess of the waters, Tsunkqui, the sun god, Etsaa, who brought fire, and the wind, Nase. Each alone is very powerful. Together, they are invincible. A fire is always kept burning in a Shuar lodge—day and night—because its energy attracts the good spirits. Rain and wind are welcomed even when they interfere with daily activities. The staple food of the Shuar, manioc root, is never harvested without first singing to Nunkui and obtaining her permission.
"You know," the Shuar shaman continued, pointing into the jungle, "the spirits are all around us. Out there in the air." He bent down and pressed his hands into the earth. "Here, Nunkui. And here." He raised his palms to the sun. "When we leave this life, we shapeshift through many stages. At last we all become the rain."
I thought about that night as I sat in the high Andes watching Iyarina prepare this group of Northerners to be healed and taught by her great grandfather. These men and women had already experienced so much. During the six days they had spent in Ecuador, they had shapeshifted. In a physical sense, they had traveled into the jungle and lived with the Shuar. They had hiked through dense jungles to the Sacred Waterfall where, according to legend, the first man and woman were created. They had taken dugout canoes down rivers that were formed in Andean glaciers and would become the mighty Amazon. Yet, their experiences had gone far beyond the physical. They had participated in all-night psychonavigational journeys led by the Shuar shaman who had spoken to me of dream change back in 1992. They had drawn upon powers and skills that previously they could not have guessed they possessed. And now here they were back in the high Andes, seated in a circle in an Incan temple, next to the highest active volcano in the world, just a few miles from the Equator. The Quechua live very differently from the Shuar; yet their ideas about the power of the dream and the need to restore balance to the Earth/human relationship are similar.
Taita Alberto performed several healings that night. He cured one U.S. psychologist of a lower back pain that had plagued her for a decade, another of migraine headaches, and a third of an intestinal disorder. He "cleansed" and energized eight more. Despite his age, he was remarkably vigorous. He was careful to constantly point out that all the healing came from Pachamama, Mother Earth; he told us that he was only a conduit who "blew nature's energy and health into others."
When the healings had been completed, most of the twelve followed Iyarina out of the shaman's lodge to watch Mama Kilya (the moon) rise from behind a gigantic volcano. A few stayed inside with me. We moved closer to the small carpet spread out on the dirt floor and asked Taita Alberto to tell us about his huacas—the sacred stones he had set out on the carpet before beginning the healings.
He looked his huacas over carefully. Then he took an ancient axhead into his wrinkled hands and caressed it tenderly. "This is a woman," he said. "Her name is Maria Luz. And this—" he picked up a smaller stone that was rounded like a ball with five distinctive points radiating from it (I assumed it once had a handle and served as a battle mace, possibly Incan) "is Maximo, her husband. Male and female. They must always be balanced." He raised each stone to his heart. "All of these," he said after a pause, waving his hands over a dozen beautiful stones, "are powerful spirits. They talk with me. They guide me and help bring Pachamama's healing energy into this room so I can take care of you."
He pointed toward Chuck and his wife, Shirl. "You are each powerful people who can see into the future, who know things that are revealed to few others." He held his two hands up, the palm of one facing Chuck, the other Shirl. "Male and female; it is good to have you each here and wonderful to feel your balanced power." He bowed toward them. "Welcome."
Taita Alberto picked up a bottle of trago—a cane sugar alcohol that is considered sacred. He took a long swig from the bottle and then, leaning forward, blew it in a fine mist across his carpet of huacas. He wiped his chin with the back of his hand. "They are happy now." He took another swig, this time swallowing it. He chuckled, his eyes sparkling in the candle light. "So am I." He passed the bottle to Chuck, encouraging him to drink, then to Shirl and the rest of us.
Later that night, after we shared food with Taita Alberto and the five younger generations of his family, we clambered onto our bus and headed for the hacienda where we would spend the night. I sat beside Chuck. Mama Kilya shone brightly through our window.
I had read Chuck's first book and knew about his psychic abilities. I had been waiting for the right moment to ask him what he could tell me about myself—now, following this evening with Taita Alberto, seemed appropriate.
He requested that we swap seats, explaining "I do my best work when you are on my left." Immediately he began to "read" me. He looked into my past and told me things about my relationships with many people, especially my parents. Then he delved into my past lives and described how my former manifestations were impacting my current one. He led me through this into the future.
It was amazing. All that he said rang true to things I either already knew or which made absolute sense to me once he said them—not just intellectually but also on a deeply emotional level. His descriptions were detailed and poetically graphic. Some of them took the form of teachings I could use to help guide me into the future. Many psychics have given me readings over the years, but none have been so inclusive or done it with such clarity.
I was very impressed. I tried to express my gratitude by telling him that I thought his powers were symbolic of the union between the Condor and the Eagle.
He turned away to look out the window, and his voice came to me almost like Taita Alberto's chanting. "The Condor of the South and the Eagle of the North." He turned back, facing me. "These are incredible times. What magic!"
I peered into his eyes. They sparkled in the moonlight. I felt certain that he was destined to share that magic with many others. "The spirit of Merlin is within you," I said. "How will you empower it?"
"I’ll write another book—the next step."
Introduction
Ever imagine what it would be like to be transported to another time and place to sit at the foot of a mystic? How would you like to be able to communicate a .loving thought to a family member after they've departed the physical plane, or be able to receive information from your personal angels or spirit guides about the true purpose of life—and the part you've selected to play in it?
I have . . . and through the pages of this book I will share a few of·my experiences in order that you might discover your true purpose by activating your natural psychic self.
My bizarre metaphysical tale began twenty years ago, when I was in my mid-thirties. I was an ordinary guy, cruising through life with the statistically typical family: a wife, a son and daughter, a dog and two cats. I was a partner in a family-owned construction business and had by this time in life purchased a modest home in suburbia, accrued reasonably good moral values, and accumulated my share of credit card receipts.
Then suddenly, at 6:45 P.M. on an October Sunday evening, I discovered that I was psychic. For the next fifteen years, I experienced some truly amazing adventures and witnessed some extraordinary events.
Now, a few traditionalists might take issue with those claiming to be intuitive or psychic in any form. They relish quoting specific scripture to illustrate God's decree to beware of false prophets. I have no disagreement with this proclamation but, at the same time, wish to make a clear distinction between directions issued from ego-based oracles or prophets and spiritually-directed psychic or intuitive knowing.
I think