In this post I am going to provide you a teaser of a new book, tentatively titled Andean Mystics: The Supernatural World of the Andes. I am working on the life story—and full training—of Juan Nuñez del Prado, and some of the story of his son, Ivan. We hope the book will be out late next year, but that depends on the publisher. It is an incredibly detailed record of the entire tradition as passed on to Juan from don Benito Qoriwaman, don Andres Espinosa, and don Melchor Desa, among other paqos. This is the “real deal” of the tradition, and I am honored to be helping Juan preserve the tradition and make it widely available through the written word. Until the book in your hands, here is a little taste of what you will find there. (The “me” refers to Juan. Please note that like all the posts in this blog, this story is copyrighted.)

During the car ride back from Machu Picchu, don Melchor told me the story of the hummingbird as the messenger of God. It went something like this: Once the birds gathered to choose a king. As Andean birds, they called an ayllu meeting. All the different kinds of birds came. Because they were Andean birds, they had no false modesty! Everyone expressed their powers, capacities and virtues. One by one they talked of their kaypay, their personal power. The last bird to speak was the condor. He said, “I should be king because I can do something none of you can. I can fly the highest—to the very border of the hanaqpacha.”

The other birds were suitably impressed, admitting they could not fly that high. They decided the condor should be king of the birds. But at that moment a tiny bird arrived and spoke up. “Wait! You cannot make him king, because I am capable of flying to the very center of the hanaqpacha. He cannot.” This bird was the hummingbird, and all the birds were amazed that the tiny hummingbird had challenged the condor. But beyond that, being Andean birds, they were skeptical. They did not believe hummingbird could fly farther than the condor. So they asked for proof, for a demonstration, but they decided to do that later. Everyone has tired and hungry. They wanted to rest or have lunch or go home to take care of all the things that must be taken care of. So they decided to postpone the demonstration until the next day.

The next day, early in the morning, the first bird to arrive was the condor. Soon all the other birds arrived. But the hummingbird did not. Because they were Andean birds, they were very patient. They waited and waited, but hummingbird did not show up. It was almost noon, and everyone was getting hungry and they had things they had to do in their homes. So they agreed they wouldn’t wait anymore. But being Andean birds, they were not only skeptical but had given their word, and they would have to follow through on their word. So they told condor that he had to show them how high he could fly.

Condor began a slow flapping of his enormous wings, and then lifted off into the sky. He flowed with the currents, flying higher and higher. He flapped his wings, and flapped some more. Soon he was very high, but also was very tired, almost exhausted. He was just reaching the border of the hanaqpacha when out from his feathers zoomed the hummingbird. The hummingbird flew off, higher and higher, leaving condor behind, until he reached the center of the hanaqpacha.

At the center of the hanaqpacha was Wiraqocha. He is a great gardener, and he as out gardening—watering the flowers, trimming the bushes, pulling the weeds—when hummingbird arrived flying so fast that he flew right into Wiraqocha, smashing into him. In that moment, he made a direct connection with the energy of Wiraqocha.

Because of his feat of flying so high, to the very center of the hanaqpacha, and because of his energetic connection with Wiraqocha, hummingbird was elected king of the birds. And he also became the carrier of the Mosoq Karpay—the karpay to the fifth-level of consciousness—to the paqos. Paqos are the flowers of Wiraqocha, and when a paqo produces refined sami—an extremely fine quality of “nectar”—then that paqo will attract the hummingbird, who will come to drink from his or her energy. Through this touch of the hummingbird, the paqo establishes a personal connection with Wiraqocha.