ifugao

This morning to celebrate my first month in Banaue, I had a rapeh ceremony, during which I was reminded that years ago, the same medicine showed me visions of the very rice terraces I am surrounded with today. Rapeh is sacred tobacco snuff from the Amazon, made mostly of mapacho, a strong tobacco, as well as other medicinal herbs. It is ingested through the nostrils with the help of a pipe or self-applicator called kuripe. As soon as the medicine hit, I saw the rice fields, just like I have countless times before, since 2010. I was reminded that I was in the place that had been calling me for nearly four years. It was something to really celebrate and be present with, rather than jump to the next thing.

I then saw a shiny infinity symbol made of flames, which felt like it was harmonizing both lobes of my brain, the yin and the yang.

Originally I had planned to write a post about what I ha been up to these past weeks, but somehow I am not finding the words and feel like I wouldn’t do justice to the experience. It would be much better to keep extending the invitation to visit the Cordilleras, whether I am here or not! The sky, energy and nature speak for themselves.