Soaring. Defined as that time when things are flowing, gracefully. My recent journey to Peru was once again filled with wonder and magic. We were at the right place at the right time, all of the time.

Before I left it felt like there was a possibility I would be making an orchid essence. I didn't know which one or what for- and didn't commit to anyone or myself about it. Gotta have the signs... And to keep in mind- as we are still in this time/space thing- there was only one day that there would be an orchid opportunity, which happened to be the day after the equinox. (Of course that was perfect, so the essences have that download of equinox energy.)

There were two major energies that were released during the equinox (March 20, 2012):

1. Total Self Love. Loving and Honoring every aspect of ourselves. 

2. The Male/Female Balance, equality and wholeness, and to honor our own personal gender (inner or outer).

After our ceremony at Machu Picchu on the day of the equinox, our wonderful guide and friend, Nilo, was talking about the different medicinal plants. Nilo did his thesis on medicinal plants of Peru. He began to describe the Yanali Tree. I had a complete body rush as soon as he said its name- and knew right then that the plant wanted to be an essence. The medicinal gifts of this tree are vast. One thing it addresses is Rheumatoid Arthritis, and fibromyalgia came up as well. I was thinking about what it feels like to NOT have Arthritis. That would be flexibility. "Coincidentally" that was the word that I had picked from the Angel cards that morning in our group meditation! I felt that was a sweet confirmation.

Nilo and I made a plan to go the next day to a place called Mandor Falls, and everyone in the group wanted to go. We took the local train towards the hydroelectric plant and had the conductor make an unscheduled stop to let us off. That morning we were in search of the Yanali for sure- and- to see if an orchid would call.

Right after we walked onto the trail to the waterfalls Nilo spotted a Yanali Tree. An auspicious sign. As we walked there was one orchid that was literally lining the path. A beautiful green one. It seemed to be everywhere, glowing. In fact, nearly all of the photos I have of it look overexposed, I think because it was emanating so much light! It really wanted to be chosen.

On this trip a theme had been duality. In Peru there seems to be a "male" and "female" for everything, including the mountains. This orchid, that was fairly monotone in its greenness, told me it was beyond duality. It was about unity, Oneness.

The Ida jamesiorm oakley Orchid essence is called "Light Codes of Unification" and addresses ascension, unconditional love and acceptance, humanitarian consciousness and other aspects of spiritual expansion.

The moment this essence was complete, David Wolfe (raw food teacher and enthusiast, amazing being, and friend) and his group appeared- going to the waterfalls. I had wanted to "cross paths" (I kept using that phrase) with David- knowing we would be in Peru at the same time. We literally crossed paths several times. Such fun!

After making the Orchid Essence, I could feel that my group was ready to go back to town and eat. I felt great, not hungry, and there back at the beginning of the trail was that Yanali tree, and it was saying- hey, here I am. We had not seen another Yanali Tree on the trail, and this one was perfect. I stayed and made the essence. 

The Yanali Tree essence is called "Wilka Mayu" (meaning "Sacred River" in Quechua, the indigenous language of Peru). It addresses physical and emotional flexibility (including joint and mobility concerns), fluidity, and self-acceptance.

The last time I came to Peru was with a group- in Nov. 2009- and even then I was looking for the Ellianthus capitatus Orchid. It wasn't its season. My dear friend Roger Valencia, an orchid expert, said "Come back in March." The orchid flower said the same thing. I got a very strong message at Machu Picchu that Nature could certainly work miracles and make it bloom- and it would be better if I would honor it's cycles and come back at its natural blooming time. (I also received the message that I would be making another very important essence on that 2009 trip, and Brave Heart was born: click here to read the story of Making the Penka Penqa Essence.)

The Ellianthus kept speaking to me. It is a cone shaped flower. The Pineal Gland is cone shaped. Did you know that the biggest statue at the Vatican is a pine cone? And the staff the Pope carries has a pine cone on it? The pine cone is signifying the pineal gland. The flowers on the cone shaped orchid open in a spiral. I didn't want to say too much before I came to Peru this time, since Spirit sometimes has a funny way of directing me. I really did want to find the orchid (and of course I knew I had to remain unattached haha). I wanted things to be graceful and filled with signs. And that is exactly what happened.

The magic actually began on the flight- the plane had 3 seats in the middle, and I had an aisle, and there was a big guy in shorts from Fiji named William in the middle, and on the other side on the aisle there was another woman, Diane. We noticed we were both wearing purple. She was going to see John of God in Brazil. We both had veggie meals. She is from Ojai. Ahhhhh such a small world. Then we find out that William is a Roman Catholic Priest. I told him about the pope and the pine cone... That guy really got an activation sitting in the middle of the two of us. At the end of the flight Diane mentioned that her guides kept telling her to tell me that one of the gifts of the essence would be that it would cleanse the pineal.

Roger had one available day while I was in Peru and that happened to coincide with exactly the time I felt for the essence. It wanted to be made a little after the exact moment of the equinox so the flower was carrying that equinox energy. When we arrived at Aguas Calientes in the early evening (the town at the base of Machu Picchu), Roger had this feeling not to go inside the site of Machu Picchu, and that we should instead take the train toward the hydro-electric plant and walk back, and look for the Ellianthus Orchid. In the well over 20 times I have been to Peru, Roger has always managed to take me to a place where I have never been, and this time was no exception.

Roger checked on the train schedule and said he would buy tickets at 6am the next morning. We met at 6:15 and he had the tickets and we got on the train. The funny part was that he had a ticket for a local (much cheaper) and I had a tourist ticket. They were for different cars on the train, and even though there was no one else on the train, they made us sit in different cars. We laughed. Roger spoke to the conductor and convinced him to stop at a place that isn't a stop.That short ride gave me an opportunity to get into my trust mode. Roger and I had switched backpacks because mine was really heavy with bowls and bottles and stuff. So I was on this train having no idea where I was going, knowing we were going to walk back, and it really started feeling like a long long ways (it actually ended up being a perfect hike).

Roger had 3 people checking to make sure I got off at the right place- thank goodness. We started walking and came to a little sign for a "restaurant," which was actually someone's house, and Roger decided we should check it out. It was really fun to watch and listen to him interact with the folks there. They brought out an orchid book and we saw some beautiful birds (bright orange Cock of the Rock and some cool hummers with really long tails). It was fun to be hanging out with the locals. They brought us some cooked bananas that I decided tasted like that cornmeal stuff that are on the outside of tamales. No resemblance to any banana I've ever eaten. Not a trace of sweetness. They also brought some avocado and I had some fresh mint tea (yes, one of the ladies went and picked it) and Roger had coffee from the beans grown right there.

We continued our walk and search for the orchids, not seeing too much in bloom. Then we came to a place where you can pay a few soles and the locals will unlock a gate so you can hike to some waterfalls, which we did (no one else was there except for some workers). Suddenly, Ellianthus was everywhere! Really! It seemed like it was dancing and singing! It was the most prolific of all the flowers there. I was jumping for JOY! We hiked a ways and then Roger noticed a little path that had just been cleared and it went... well, basically straight up. I was glad I had decided to bring my best hiking boots, even though they are the heaviest. Roger had the feeling we should go up up up. We climbed to the top and what was there to greet us? Yes- Ellianthus!!! So pristine, and saying, "Choose me!" Which we did.

I'm sure no one else had been up there. It was brand new and really not a path at all. They had just cleared some space with a machete (undoubtedly "just for us"). We went back down and got water from the fast flowing water beneath the waterfall and put the bowl in the water with the flowers to absorb that amazing pulsating water energy. We watched the flowers dance and become purified by the water that would splash into the bowl. We did a meditation and felt super happy that everything had happened so gracefully. I know that many of you were tuning in to us during that time- which also added to the powerful energy.

There was a total abundance of the Ellianthus Orchid- the one who has been speaking to me for over 2 years! I remember seeing them in the past a few times, and there were never very many. This time it was like a parade of Ellianthus. It was such a strong and beautiful confirmation for me.

I am always the most amazed one about all of this. On our walk we did not see even one of the Andean Orchids that we already have essences of. I feel so fortunate to have made each essence when I did, knowing now that that experience can't be duplicated. Making the Ellianthus essence was another of those extraordinary high moments, of feeling and being in another realm.

The Ellianthus essence is called "Pineal Light Infusion" and addresses the pineal gland/third eye, assisting with clearing, reprogramming and expanding this powerful inner vision and brain center. It can also help to balance sleep patterns and like all of the essences, has myriad other gifts.