Who are the Q'ero Inca Shamans (Paqos)?
At the highest altitudes in the Andes Mountains in Peru, live a group of indigenous Indians called the Q'eros. They are the direct descendants of the ancient Incan people who were invaded by the Spanish Conquistadores in the 1500's. During that time, many of the Incan people were forced into labor in the gold and silver mines by the Spanish, but a few others escaped to the "villages in the clouds" in the refuge of the holy mountains (apus). These people survived and safe-guarded much of their sacred knowledge, keeping it intact over the centuries.
Other Incan tribes, who stayed behind, were strongly encouraged to forget their traditions and convert to Western ideologies of the church and other cultural views. The Q'eros have miraculously been able to preserve and orally pass on their sacred Inca healing traditions and ceremonies from one generation to the next. They have successfully been able to keep drawing on the wisdom of the advanced Incan societies that had previously flourished for 1000's of years. They have also been able to continue developing these advanced techniques in healing, divination, ceremony and kept a strong connection with the spirits of their homeland.
Inca prophecy, to bring back balance in nature and Mother Earth
In recent years, the paqos or Inca shamans (holy men and women, healers, priests, and specialists in medicine) have seen their sacred mountain glaciers begin to melt. This was a sign from an ancient prophecy that they should come down from the mountains to share their wisdom with Western civilization. Mother Earth (Pachamama) was in dire need for people to know what to do to bring back the balance in nature and society that has rapidly deteriorated in the past century. This they have willingly done and are now sharing around the world in special schools and workshops where they travel to teach about their rich heritage with open hearts and open arms. Despite the way their ancestors were treated, they do not hold a grudge nor do they hold onto any anger. The reaction of some other indigenous peoples has understandably been to keep their traditions away from those who wish to know about them. But the Q'ero people believe they should share their knowledge and energy because it is crucial for the preservation of life on this planet and our health. Many Westerners have lost touch with nature, in general and lost all meaning in life, along with their peace of mind, wellness, and true purpose as souls. The Q'ero Inca shamans help to teach us how to live in balance and give back to Mother Nature in reciprocity (ayni) and with each other. The Q'ero do not see themselves as separate from each other as we do in the West. They realize deeply that we are one with nature, with spirit (God), and other people. Nature has so much to teach us, if we only know how to listen, respect, and take time to love. The Q'eros see the divine in all nature and speak to each mountain, rock, plant, river, animal and human with attentiveness and care.
Pampamesayoq and Altomesayoq, the main Inca shamanic paths
Two main paths that the Q'ero Inca shamans follow are called Pampamesayoq and Altomesayoq. Each one is important and one does not rank over the other. The path of the Pampamesayok is as an Earth healer and one may also specialize in a variety of functions, such as cocoa leaf reader, pulse reader, healer, or one who works with other specific energies. The path of the Altomesayoq differs because one must be chosen by the mountains in the form of being hit by lightning three times and surviving. The Altomesayoq then works specifically with the mountain energies and stars in his or her own way. But both Pampamesayoqs and Altomesayoqs work with mountains, earth, and the stars.
In fact, the Q'ero Inca shamans believe that they are descendants of the star nations, particularly from the Pleiades, but also connected to other stars and planets. They teach several healing techniques, give initiations, and explain about this ongoing connection with the Pleiades. They teach a healing technique called the Koto Kanchay(healing with the light of the Pleiades) and also the Koto Kuna Kanchay Karpay (initiation with each Pleiadian star energy).
Serena Anchanchu School of Inca Shamanism
For the past ten years, the Q'ero paqos have been traveling to Europe and the United States to share their wisdom and fulfill their prophecies and visions. They were brought to these countries by the co-founder of Serena Anchanchu School of Inca Shamanism, Dennis Alejo Mango. It was his dream, along with the Q'ero paqos that came together to manifest the growth and spread of the school, along with the wishes of the paqos, every step of the way. He travelled tirelessly year round to transport the paqos to each branch of the growing school of Serena and translated all the teaching for them from Quechua to English. He had been visiting their communities for years to learn about their cosmology and spiritual teachings and spoke Quechua as a native, himself. They developed a deep and lasting friendship and respect for each other. The school was firmly established under his direction and the leadership and agreements of the Q'ero communities. Don Mareano, the co-founder of Serena Anchanchu School of Inca Shamanism, is an elder, healer, and respected visionary (Kurak Akulleq) who represents the collaborative wishes of the community and helping spirits that guide the process. He directs the decisions and teaching content of the Serena school. After the passing of Dennis in 2014, his brother and paqo Luis Alejo Mango, stepped up to help the school continue on its mission with the same strength and effort as his older brother, Dennis. He already had been working closely with the Q'ero community for years and his native language is Quechua, as well. As well as having an education in the travel industry, he has been a student of the Q'eros and has learned their wisdom teachings of healing. He and his brother, Dennis, both have ancestral ties to the Q'ero Incas.