Ancient cultures throughout the Americas have long been aware of the Sun and its apparent movements throughout the year. Indigenous peoples have always been attuned to relationships between the sun, moon, planets and stars. They have not only observed them and kept accurate records of their movements in time but also intuited and made use of their energy as sacred beings. It is one thing to track and observe great celestial cycles, but quite another to understand how to interpret and use the power of certain alighments. Many remnants of such wisdom remain today, but not many are able to grasp or use the knowledge as it was used in the past.
At Lake Cuicocha, a volcanic crater lake in the highlands of Ecuador, there is a solar calendar situated above the lake. Shaman visit this lake at specific times of the solar year for sacred ceremonies. In the center of the lake are three domes of volcanic rock which form two large islands. These were once lava domes which formed after the huge volcanic eruption that blew off the top of the mountain, but are now covered with vegetation and separated by a water channel, called the “channel of dreams”. Its name derives from a pre-inca language: “Tsui cocha” meaning “lagoon of the gods.”
You are very fortunate to live in this sacred area…i chose to create a spiritual retreat there in 2008 and one of the outings we all made was to this lake…Unfortunately, it was crowded that day with tourists out for a quick peek and the ability to check another spot off their list of places they could talk about later…never realizing what they were floating over or what could have been gathered there.
Love the discovery of solar clocks wherever we might find them…most erased in other parts of the Western Hemisphere so it is necessary to go to Latin America where they are not so hasty to destroy what they know little about.
What a blessing to be able to take outings to this spot!