The ancient Inca and Andean civilizations possessed profound spiritual wisdom, particularly in the realm of healing practices. Among these, distance healing stands out as a testament to their deep understanding of the interconnectedness between humans and the cosmos.

Understanding Distance Healing

Distance healing refers to the practice of transmitting healing energy across physical spaces without direct contact between the healer and the recipient.

In Andean traditions, this method is deeply rooted in the belief that all beings are connected through the Kawsay Pacha, the living energy of the universe.

Healers, known as Paqos, harness this energy to send healing intentions across time and space.

The Role of the Paqo

Techniques Used in Distance Healing

1. Despacho Ceremony – This sacred offering ritual is performed to bring harmony between the physical and spiritual realms. In a distance healing session, a Paqo creates a Despacho bundle filled with symbolic elements, such as coca leaves and grains, and prays over it to send healing energy.
2. Mesa Rituals – The Mesa is a sacred healing bundle that contains stones, herbs, and objects imbued with spiritual power. A Paqo can channel healing energy through their Mesa, directing it to a person in need, even if they are far away.
3. Chaca Rainbow Bridge – This technique teaches Paqos how to connect their energy bridge with the upper world, channeling healing energies between realms to restore a person’s vitality.
4. Ayni Exchange – Central to Andean spirituality is the principle of Ayni, which translates to reciprocity or sacred exchange. This concept emphasizes the importance of balance and mutual respect between humans, nature, and the spiritual world. In the context of distance healing, Ayni underscores the harmonious exchange of energy between the healer and the recipient, ensuring that the flow remains balanced and beneficial for both parties.

Scientific and Spiritual Perspectives of Distance Healing

The Inca and Andean traditions offer a rich tapestry of spiritual practices, with distance healing exemplifying their profound understanding of the universe’s interconnectedness.

By embracing these ancient methods, modern practitioners can gain insights into holistic healing approaches that transcend physical boundaries.

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References

• Estermann, Josef. Andean Philosophy: Inca Wisdom for Contemporary Times. University of Texas Press, 1999.
• Jara, Ulises. Saberes Andinos: Cátedra de Medicina Alternativa y Medicina Ancestral. Universidad de Cuenca, 2019.
• Sharon, Douglas. The Andean Codex: Initiations and Adventures Among the Peruvian Shamans. North Atlantic Books, 2006.
• Villoldo, Alberto. Shaman, Healer, Sage: How to Heal Yourself and Others with the Energy Medicine of the Americas. Harmony, 2000.

For the Andean culture the high snow-capped mountain and mounts are known as Apu, which means “lord” as a symbol of respect (Allen,2008), also sometimes used to refer to God (Aputayta). In other regions such as Ayacucho is known as Wamani, while for the Aymara people they are known as “Achachilla” which means “grandfather ‘or ancestor’ (Esterman, 2015).

The Mountain Apukuna and Their Sacred Role in Andean Geography

The Apukuna or Achachilla are part of the sacred geography that is within the category of Huacas (Divinities), as well as some places, rocks etc..

While Depaz (2015) says that Apu designates the spirits that inhabit the mountains, for Allen (2008) they are the places themselves that live, look and interact with the other beings.

This debate represents a complex ontological entity, be that as it may at present the Apus are still in the Andean imaginary.

The Role of Apus in Inca Society

During the Inca era, the Apus played significant roles in both religious and economic life. Pilgrimages to these sacred mountains were tied to barter and trade (Sánchez, 2006).

It is said that communication with the mountains was direct (Allen, 2008), to the extent that Inca kings consulted them before making political decisions.

Although this direct communication has faded, people today seek guidance from the Apus through coca leaf readings, dreams, unusual events, luck, and health (Allen, 2008).

Apus as Guardians and Providers

The Apus or Achachila serve as guardians, often referred to as shepherds of villages or shepherds of men (Ricard, 2008). The Q’ero people even call them godfathers.

Throughout Andean history, communities have invoked the Apus to provide abundant food, such as potatoes and chuño (Flores, 1999). People consider fertility their primary concern, believing that they influence the availability of water, rain, livestock, and agriculture.

The Healing Power of the Mountain

The Mountain in Contemporary Andean Life

In the Andes, respect for the mountains is so profound that people turn to them for guidance in understanding themselves and their society (Bastien, 1996). As previously discussed, the Wakas and Apus hold a mythical narrative that continues to shape modern life.

Their role continues as ruwal (another term for Apu, meaning “the one who does”), actively shaping community actions and even influencing global events in modern times.

Author: Joan De la colina Roman

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References:

• Allen, Catherine (2008). La coca sabe: Coca e identidad cultural en una comunidad andina.
• Estermann, Josef (2015). Filosofía andina: Sabiduría indígena para un mundo nuevo.
• Depaz Toledo,Zenon (2015). La cosmo-vision andina en el manuscrito de Huarochiri
• Sanchez Garrafa, Rodolfo (2006). Apus de los cuatro suyos: Construccion del mundo en los ciclos mitologicos de las deidades montañas.

• Ricard Lanata, Xavier (2008). Ladrones de sombra. El universo religioso de los pastores del ausangate (andes surperuanos). Journal de la Société des américanistes.
• Bastien, Joseph W. (1996). La montaña y el cóndor.
• Flores Apaza, Policarpio(2005). El hombre que volvió a nacer: Vida, saberes y reflexiones de un amawt’a de Tiwanaku.

Mountains are centers that most traditions have honored.

According to the great experts of the traditions such as Eliade and Schuon, the center is key for ancient and traditional peoples. It serves as the starting point of movement, the place to which one returns, where forces regroup, and where people experience the sacred (Ries, 2012).

Differences in Cultural Perspectives on Mountains

Although there are common themes regarding the significance of mountains in various cultures, there are also differences. For example, in Japan, Mount Koya and Mount Osores are associated with the kingdom of the dead and serve as places between this world and the other (Roman, 2010).

The Mountain as a Cosmic Axis

The mountain represents a link between earth and heaven (Dauma, 2006), the abode of the gods, and the pinnacle of human ascent. People consider it the center and axis of the world (Chevalier and Gheerbrant, 1986). According to Eliade (2011), mountains have a celestial prototype, a double existing on a cosmic level.

The Spiritual Selection of Sacred Mountains

People did not choose mountains at random; their selection reflects something deep within human nature (Evola, 2003).

The creation of myths and legends surrounding these sacred places is vast. Each culture and religion has its founding centers—sacred places of primordial events (Ries, 2012), where the sky has touched the earth and where divine grace has manifested (Schuon, 2004).

The Modern View of Mountains

Modern society has largely abandoned the symbolic and spiritual significance once attributed to mountains. While people still appreciate their beauty, successive reinterpretations have altered their deeper meaning (Roman, 2010).

However, in the Andes and the Altiplano, prayers and respect for the mountains persist. The local people consider them family and think of them with tenderness (Ricard, 2008), making them an anchor for social life.

Author: Joan De la colina

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References:

• Eliade, Mircea.(2011) El mito del eterno retorno
• Schuon, Frithjof(2004) Miradas a los mundo antiguos
• Ries Julian(2012), El simbolo sagarado
• Daumal R. (2006) . El monte análogo,
• Chevalier J. y Gheerbrant, A.  (1986) Diccionario de los símbolos
• Román López, María T.(2010) «La montaña y su impronta en la grandes tradiciones de sabiduría de la Antigüedad» en Espacio, Tiempo y Forma, Serie II, Historia Antigua.
• Évola, J.  (2003) Meditaciones de las cumbres
• Ricard Lanata, Xavier(2008), Ladrones de sombra. El universo religioso de los pastores del Ausangate (andes surperuanos) , Journal de la Société des américanistes

Shamanism has gained significant global attention, with some even referring to it as a “shamanic religion” (Alberts, 2015). Since the 1970s, research and interest have surged, and Fotiou (2010) notes that there are more shamans today than ever before.

Ancient Origins

Hultkrantz (1953) describes shamanism as a historical and geographical complex, resisting a singular or “pure” form. Siberian shamanism, for instance, is no more authentic than American shamanism, or vice versa. Many researchers, including Alberts (2015), consider shamanism to predate organized religions.

Contrary to popular belief, shamanism has roots in Europe. Evidence shows traces within the Judeo-Christian tradition and ancient Greece (Alberts, 2015). Figures like Pythagoras and Empedocles have been considered Greek shamans or semi-divine beings (Piña Saura, 2022).

Shamanism Through the Middle Ages

Shamanism in the Andes

In the Andes, despite continued persecution of “Andean sorcerers,” communication with spirits persisted. This became vital for survival and helped preserve knowledge of Andean mesas and ceremonies (Brosedder, 2018).

People understand a shaman as a medicine man, a knower, and an experiencer of existence in its fullest form. They communicate with all creatures, perceive invisible connections, and operate in an intermediate world between wakefulness and dreams, sensitivity and understanding (Piña Saura, 2022).

Author: Joan De la colina Roman

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References:

• Alberts, Thomas Karl (2015). Shamanism, Discourse, Modernity
• Fotiou, Evgenia (2010). From medicine men to day trippers: shamanic tourism in iquitos, peru
• Clottes Jean y Lewis-Williams David (2001). Los chamanes de la prehistoria
• Sophie Page (2017).
Medieval magic en The oxford illustrated history of witchcraft and magic
• Brosseder, C. (2018). El poder de las huacas: Cambios y resistencia en los Andes del Perú colonial (R. Zeballos Rebaza, Trad.; Primera edición). Ediciones El Lector.
• Piñas Saura María del Carmen (2022). La esperanza habitada: Filosofía antigua y conciencia hermética.
• Winkelman, Michael (2010). Shamanism: A Biopsychosocial Paradigm of Consciousness and Healing (2nd edition). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.
• Hultkrantz, Ake. (1953). Conceptions of the Soul among North American Indians a Study in Religious Ethnology. Stockholm: The Ethnographical Museum of Sweden.

The ancient Incan practice of Chumpi Stones Healing is a profound spiritual tradition that works to balance and cleanse the energy centers, also known as chakras.

Led by Master Don Alejandro Apaza, the last great Chumpi Paqo of the Apaza family, this healing technique brings together centuries of wisdom from the Andean mountains of Peru.

The term “Chumpi” means “belt” in Quechua.

Each belt represents a protective ring of energy that surrounds and shields a person.

These belts correspond to the body’s energy centers, forming a powerful defense against harmful energies.

Over time, these energy centers can become obstructed or weakened, making it essential to clear and balance them through the healing power of Chumpi stones.

What to Expect in a Healing Session

The Healing Process

The Role of the Stones Healing

Chumpi stones, crafted from alabaster and hand-carved by artisans of the Qero Nation, are essential tools in this healing practice. Their purpose includes:

• Clearing and Balancing Energy: Opening and clearing blocked or weakened energy centers (called Ñawis in Quechua).
• Grounding and Protection: Forming protective rings or energy fields known as “The Bands of Power.”
• Restoring Harmony: Harmonizing the spiritual, physical, and energetic bodies.
• Soul Retrieval: In cases where a person’s essence feels fragmented, the Chumpi stones assist in calling back their soul to wholeness.

Connecting to the Andean Cosmology

In Chumpi healing, the three dimensions of the Andean world play a vital role:

• Hannaq Pacha: The upper world, representing the spiritual realm and divine connection.
• Kay Pacha: The middle world, symbolizing the physical and everyday life.
• Ukhu Pacha: The inner world, encompassing the subconscious and ancestral ties.

By aligning these dimensions, Chumpi Stones Healing fosters a holistic sense of well-being and harmony.

Experience the Healing Stones for Yourself

If you seek to balance your energy, reconnect with your spiritual essence, or find protection and grounding, Chumpi Stones Healing may be the transformative experience you need. Allow Master Don Alejandro and his team to guide you through this sacred journey.

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References

• Apaza, Alejandro. (2025). Teachings of the Chumpi Stones: Energy Healing in Andean Traditions. Qero Nation Publications.
• Wilcox, Joan Parisi. (2004). Masters of the Living Energy: The Mystical World of the Q’ero of Peru. Inner Traditions.
• Villoldo, Alberto. (2006). Shaman, Healer, Sage: How to Heal Yourself and Others with the Energy Medicine of the Americas. Harmony Books.
• Jenkins, Hillary S. (2012). The Andean Codex: Adventures and Initiations among the Peruvian Shamans. North Atlantic Books.

The word sacred comes from an ancient Roman inscription “sacer” which according to Agarnben (1995) was a boundary concept of social order, that means a transition between the religious and the political.

Sacred Concepts in the Andes

The Andes offers two significant words for “sacred“:

• Willka: If you look in the dictionary refers sacred and the divine. In the Huarochiri manuscript, Willka refers to what is above, and also to the sun which is its manifestation.

• Waka: (this theme is inexhaustible), whose primary meaning would come to be the sacred, understanding this as a power that produces awe and tenderness (Zenon,2015).

Common Threads in Sacred Definitions

Among all these definitions both Indo-European and Quechua highlights something they have in common, what R. Otto (1968) has marked for the study of religions:

1. The human soul as central to sacred phenomena.
2. The sacred as numinous, rooted in mystery (something that is hidden or that muses), that evokes awe and admiration.

Rituals and Community Life

Author: Joan De la colina Roman

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References:

• Agarnben Giorgio, (1995). Homo sacer: el poder soberano y la nuda vida
• Otto, R. (1968). Lo santo, lo racional y lo irracional en la idea de Dios [1917]. Madrid: Alianza.

• Depaz Toledo,Zenon (2015). La cosmo-vision andina en el manuscrito de Huarochiri.
• Francisco García Bazán (2002). La religión y lo sagrado en El estudio de la religión.
•  Ries julian(2012). El simbolo sagarado. Kairos.