The Outsider Goes to Peru

       Lately there have been gaps between the update of the blog. Part of this reason is busyness and partially it is also due to my growing apathy towards religions use in general. Suffice to say that interest was reignited by two things. One of my best friends telling me about faith work during the tornadoes in Oklahoma in his work for FEMA, and trip to Peru.

      The trip was largely a family trip but also was through my Mom's work, so I got to meet more people who my Mom knew or who were worked with my Mom. Suffice to say the group was amazing! On the trip no one got sick, and the differences in age was a non-issue. There were always ways to talk and connect regardless of our differences.

      The next entries will be exploring what I saw, learned and experienced. I would see how much of the indigenous faith still lives on, even after the Spanish Conquest. I would see and learn about the complexity of the Catholic Faith in Peru and how in many cases it has been integrated (or figures from it like Mary or Santiago) have been integrated into faith practices of the people, along with the faith of their ancestors.

      I wouldn't say that I believe in the supernatural anymore than I do before. The trip didn't change me in that way. I don't know if God or any other supernatural thing (spirits, demons, angels, etc.) actually exist outside of our minds and I haven't been convinced that when I do have a spiritual experience it is in fact a supernatural event or supernatural player who created it. I always remain open to the possibility but that is not mean I know or am convinced of it.

    This trip didn't change that fact, but this trip was also a chance to learn a lot about myself and grow with the help or silence, prayer and the rituals we did with our guide who is a Medicine Man and Shaman. The next many entries will be that story.