I’ve been on a grand adventure in Peru. I’m still processing so much of what I experienced here. This blog allows me to share what I’ve made sense of so far… things that might be helpful to “normal people” like you. hehe. Although I know many of you are the “not normal” flavor and would have loved to have been trekking thru the Sacred Valley with me, my friends and the Q’ero teachers communing with nature beings and learning about Andean spiritual traditions and Incan archeology. Wow… that’s a mouthful. I’ll try to work on those run on sentences.
So my subject today is leveling up, in the spiritual sense. I participated in Hatun Karpay which is a 10 day series of ceremonies from the Q’ero tradition intended to help us understand what a 4th level initiate might go thru in this cosmology. So am I an initiate to the 4th level, yes. Does this have anything to do with just the Q’ero? Absolutely not. The levels the Q’ero speak of are levels of human development.
These lovely, kind, wise folks invite we bozos/spiritual seekers from all over the world to participate in their traditions because they feel like their teachings might help people from any background to evolve a bit and thus be an asset in our transforming world .So I came here to learn more about being a better human and believe sharing their ideas about human development levels might help you all too. Follow along if it seems like your jam.
The seven levels of psychospiritual development from the Q’ero tradition and I’m using “The Fourth Level- Nature Wisdom Teachings of the Inka” by Elizabeth B Jenkins as my reference. Elizabeth has worked with the Q’ero for decades, she led our trip and wrote this book as a textbook for initiates like me to follow once we’re done with Hatun Karpay and can’t remember all the details of what went on. It was grueling AND enlightening. (grin) In this discussion, we are talking about relating not just physically with others but interacting energetically. So our interest and our energetic field reaches out to and includes more and more as we grow.
Level 1 is where we begin life as part of a family. As an infant, we are mostly fascinated with mom and our own bodies but soon, we are fully engaged with those in our household. I remember thinking everyone’s family must be like mine… wow, there was an eye-opener. We learn family personalities, traditions, values, language, tastes in food and so much more. To the Q’ero, level one includes your home village. The Q’ero consider humans but also nature beings in each of these levels. At level 1, your pets, the trees in the backyard, plants in the garden are part of your family.
Level 2 expands our interest and interactions to our city. We learn and begin to be able to interact, be aware of and care for those who aren’t related to us. We begin to open to differences in people and understand that we each have a role and responsibilities beyond our homes. We see and engage with aspects of nature- a park, a camping trip, the local reservoir. We notice how the sunset appears differently from a open field across town than it does in our own back yard- same sunset but different points of view.
Level 3 stretches us even more to our region or nation. There are more kinds of people- different races, dialects, religions that are still equal and important parts of our nation. A level 3 human is open to learn about and embrace these differences as they bring increase value to our quality of life. You are still focussing on your country
Level 4 is where we graduate in a sense to something greater. Here we begin to see our role as a member of a global community. Our attention lifts beyond the borders and boundaries of your city, state, country and mine and begins seeing that if we do not embrace our global family, our global responsibilities… then how will any of us survive.
Pause here for a moment and honestly (and privately consider what level you are operating at. Because our world is going thru such transformation, I feel like in some ways we may have slid back a few levels. Covid drew our attention squarely back on our families, in an effort to keep us safe. Political divisiveness has pitted groups against one another so we may have lost some of our wisdom to work together for the best interests of our city, region or country. You may find in some regards you’re feeling level 1 and others maybe level 3 or 4.
Regardless of what level you identify with, I feel like our fear of change has moved many of us backward to an adolescent phase of my things, my tribe, my way? It feels this way to me. The rich stash away great sums of wealth they will never be able to spend in lifetimes yet allow children in our country to go to bed hungry. We have allowed tax laws to be skewed so that a lower/middle income citizen pays a larger % of their income to taxes than businesses or the wealthy. To me, there’s no compassion here… there’s just fear. This sort of behavior feels unloving, selfish and short-sighted… adolescence?
In my studies, I come across the term true adult with a variety of definitions, depending on the source. The Q’ero and other tribal traditions I’ve studied would say that a true adult is one who sees and steps into a role as serving others and living as part of a global community. I am striving to find my way to that role in life.
The Q’ero are not the only ones seeing the coming together of a world community as being critical to the survival of our planet. I remember teachings with the Lakota more than 30 years ago of a “rainbow prophecy” where all peoples will come together for solutions and peace. In an earlier post, I mentioned “The Journey of Soul Initiation: A Field Guide for Visionaries, Evolutionaries, and Revolutionaries” by Bill Plotkin. Bill discussed our adolescent society in great detail. You can learn more about Bill and his organization thru Animas Valley Institute.
So my experience in Peru was intended to open mind and heart more to my role as a global citizen to help bring solutions for all beings in our new world. To find loving ways to engage with all different sorts of people, plants, animals, nature’s energies in loving and compassionate ways. It feels like a way forward as so many of our old systems are not structured for the good of all.
Oh yes, there is more. Levels not within my reach at this point but here’s how the Q’ero see the rest of the list.
Level 5 beings can vibrate/ resonate with the entire solar system,. They are known by their ability to heal every illness, every time with one touch.
Level 6 initiates see themselves as part of our entire Milky Way Galaxy. These are truly enlightened spiritual leaders. In history, these beings have been known to glow with their own light. Seen halos in ancients representations of holy men and women… glow!
Level 7 is the equivalent of God on earth. A being at this level can resurrect their own physical body and resonates with the entire Universe. Depending on your spiritual outlook, you may be able to think of a person or two that might fit this lofty slot.
Enough for today. Just more info on teachings I received in Peru but also a call to all of us to level up, to find our true adult, to rise above petty differences and possessiveness to open our minds and hearts to finding ways to be compassionate and loving to all the world.
Sending light and love to all of us
❤️