Mama Coca

When I was gathering desert sage a month ago, I made an offering of coca and tobacco. As I walked amongst the desert sage, I felt coca very strongly. She had a clear message for me that day. I was just beginning to envision the Altars of Wisdom, and coca said, "𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝. " She very much wanted to be a part of the sacred container.

About 8 years ago, I had a dream that she (coca) and I were in the New Mexican desert. This was before I had knew her very well, before I had dietted with her and before I lived in the desert.

Perhaps she was foretelling of our relationship, perhaps interweaving other times of past and future, calling me to remember  and embody her medicine.

Sometimes called Mama Coca, she feels to me also like a grandmother, an abuela. Abuelita Coca as she had me sing. She has a long history of being used in the Andean traditions of South America. Some say over 8,000 years. She has been used as both a sacred and as an everyday medicine. She was and still is a way of life in many places of the Andes. Even becoming used as a sort of currency, marking social gatherings, rituals, and ceremonies.

People share coca and pray together. Often for calling forth the 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗛 of the matter, or the heart of the matter. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿. Guiding us to align our voices with our 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗦. An incredible plant teacher for connecting us to our own truths, to communicate with others, and to build strong relationships. 

Physically, she supports the Andean people living and working in high altitudes - bringing warmth and strength and alleviating hunger. She helps with digestion, menstrual cramps, and as an antibacterial and anesthetic. If you've had her tea or chewed her leaves, you know that her presence enlivens and brightens anyone's experience.

In the Altars of Wisdom, we will connect with coca's deep wisdom through her flower essence. 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨. 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙.

The Altars of Wisdom is open for registration! Early-bird goes through July 24, and we begin July 28. Read more here!

Here's to more truth telling in our world!

Much love,
Jaime