Initiated in the healing and spiritual traditions of the Andes and Amazon, Marcela Lobos is no stranger to mythic journeys. As a medicine woman, her passion is guiding others toward wholeness through ceremony, archetype and the sacred energies of nature. As a senior teacher with the Four Winds Society, she has helped usher in a new generation of shamanic practitioners at a time when she believes the world needs them more than ever.
We spoke to Marcela about energy medicine and the Peruvian Q’ero shamans who will join her at Esalen this month for The Heart of the Shaman: The Oracle and the Art of Divination.
Esalen News: What started you on the path of the shaman?
Marcela: Through my own intuition I follow my path in life, and at age 19 that led me from Chile to Peru, straight to the source of our Andean teachings. I went to Lake Titicaca, Machu Picchu, Cuzco and the Sacred Valley. At that time I recognized my path to becoming a medicine woman. Then I took a karmic detour.
I got married and had kids and I learned the harder lessons of life, the challenges. Going through this difficulty was so important. It gave me more compassion; if you don’t have compassion it’s very difficult to become a healer.
I also have studied intensively with a Machi healer in southern Chile, who is part of a matriarchal lineage that holds the wisdom of the feminine. They are drummers, very fierce. I worked with her for 10 years. Then I got to a point in which I had completed my cycle with this mentor. I realized I am my own unique person born in the Western world, and I have my own way. So I divorced all the traditions to find my own authentic way to become a shaman.
Esalen News: What is shamanic energy work?
Marcela: Shamans create sacred space. They bring any situation into sacredness and give it meaning and the potential to heal and transform. When we enter sacred space, we tap into a non-ordinary region in the brain, moving from the limbic system, which is more dominant in Western culture, to the neocortex and frontal lobe. Operating from this region helps people experience communion, safety and oneness, and tap into the place that can rewire our way of connecting with reality, and bring it to a more authentic place. That’s where we find meaning. And then we can go back to our lives with clearer purpose.
Esalen News: Why is this medicine important today?
Marcela: We have been pulled out from our roots. We have forgotten the wisdom of our ancestors; we have forgotten the medicine of the earth, land, plants, forest and of nature. Because we have forgotten, we Westerners find ourselves drifting in times of upheaval, chaos and uncertainty. It is difficult to find our true north, our true purpose. More than anything I can help people remember their full potential, and that we are all medicine — we are all children of the earth and heavens.
Esalen News: Who are the Q’ero shamans joining you at Esalen?
Marcela: The Q’ero are part of an ancient culture from high in the Peruvian Andes that stayed isolated for 500 years. They hid from the Inquisition, the Industrial Revolution and the Western world. They came down from 16,000 feet elevation only in the 1950s.
The Q’ero are keepers of a prophecy that foretells the coming of a new era. The shamanic processes they share help people envision and dream a new world into being. Working with them illuminates a deep, deep connection with nature and primal tradition.
Don Pascual, in particular, is so much of the old ways that he seems to come from another dimension! He is coming to California and crossing a portal to the 21st century. Don Juan is younger, he is of both worlds. During our time together at Esalen, we will experience a sacred leaf ceremony as part of our exploration of oracles and sacred space. Just being with don Pascual and don Juan is such a deep transmission of ancient knowledge. We will learn to work with archetypes and read the energies of the times to come, and support the most auspicious possibilities for the future.
Learn more about The Heart of the Shaman: The Oracle and the Art of Divination with Marcela, don Pascual and don Juan.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Initiated in the healing and spiritual traditions of the Andes and Amazon, Marcela Lobos is no stranger to mythic journeys. As a medicine woman, her passion is guiding others toward wholeness through ceremony, archetype and the sacred energies of nature. As a senior teacher with the Four Winds Society, she has helped usher in a new generation of shamanic practitioners at a time when she believes the world needs them more than ever.
We spoke to Marcela about energy medicine and the Peruvian Q’ero shamans who will join her at Esalen this month for The Heart of the Shaman: The Oracle and the Art of Divination.
Esalen News: What started you on the path of the shaman?
Marcela: Through my own intuition I follow my path in life, and at age 19 that led me from Chile to Peru, straight to the source of our Andean teachings. I went to Lake Titicaca, Machu Picchu, Cuzco and the Sacred Valley. At that time I recognized my path to becoming a medicine woman. Then I took a karmic detour.
I got married and had kids and I learned the harder lessons of life, the challenges. Going through this difficulty was so important. It gave me more compassion; if you don’t have compassion it’s very difficult to become a healer.
I also have studied intensively with a Machi healer in southern Chile, who is part of a matriarchal lineage that holds the wisdom of the feminine. They are drummers, very fierce. I worked with her for 10 years. Then I got to a point in which I had completed my cycle with this mentor. I realized I am my own unique person born in the Western world, and I have my own way. So I divorced all the traditions to find my own authentic way to become a shaman.
Esalen News: What is shamanic energy work?
Marcela: Shamans create sacred space. They bring any situation into sacredness and give it meaning and the potential to heal and transform. When we enter sacred space, we tap into a non-ordinary region in the brain, moving from the limbic system, which is more dominant in Western culture, to the neocortex and frontal lobe. Operating from this region helps people experience communion, safety and oneness, and tap into the place that can rewire our way of connecting with reality, and bring it to a more authentic place. That’s where we find meaning. And then we can go back to our lives with clearer purpose.
Esalen News: Why is this medicine important today?
Marcela: We have been pulled out from our roots. We have forgotten the wisdom of our ancestors; we have forgotten the medicine of the earth, land, plants, forest and of nature. Because we have forgotten, we Westerners find ourselves drifting in times of upheaval, chaos and uncertainty. It is difficult to find our true north, our true purpose. More than anything I can help people remember their full potential, and that we are all medicine — we are all children of the earth and heavens.
Esalen News: Who are the Q’ero shamans joining you at Esalen?
Marcela: The Q’ero are part of an ancient culture from high in the Peruvian Andes that stayed isolated for 500 years. They hid from the Inquisition, the Industrial Revolution and the Western world. They came down from 16,000 feet elevation only in the 1950s.
The Q’ero are keepers of a prophecy that foretells the coming of a new era. The shamanic processes they share help people envision and dream a new world into being. Working with them illuminates a deep, deep connection with nature and primal tradition.
Don Pascual, in particular, is so much of the old ways that he seems to come from another dimension! He is coming to California and crossing a portal to the 21st century. Don Juan is younger, he is of both worlds. During our time together at Esalen, we will experience a sacred leaf ceremony as part of our exploration of oracles and sacred space. Just being with don Pascual and don Juan is such a deep transmission of ancient knowledge. We will learn to work with archetypes and read the energies of the times to come, and support the most auspicious possibilities for the future.
Learn more about The Heart of the Shaman: The Oracle and the Art of Divination with Marcela, don Pascual and don Juan.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
Initiated in the healing and spiritual traditions of the Andes and Amazon, Marcela Lobos is no stranger to mythic journeys. As a medicine woman, her passion is guiding others toward wholeness through ceremony, archetype and the sacred energies of nature. As a senior teacher with the Four Winds Society, she has helped usher in a new generation of shamanic practitioners at a time when she believes the world needs them more than ever.
We spoke to Marcela about energy medicine and the Peruvian Q’ero shamans who will join her at Esalen this month for The Heart of the Shaman: The Oracle and the Art of Divination.
Esalen News: What started you on the path of the shaman?
Marcela: Through my own intuition I follow my path in life, and at age 19 that led me from Chile to Peru, straight to the source of our Andean teachings. I went to Lake Titicaca, Machu Picchu, Cuzco and the Sacred Valley. At that time I recognized my path to becoming a medicine woman. Then I took a karmic detour.
I got married and had kids and I learned the harder lessons of life, the challenges. Going through this difficulty was so important. It gave me more compassion; if you don’t have compassion it’s very difficult to become a healer.
I also have studied intensively with a Machi healer in southern Chile, who is part of a matriarchal lineage that holds the wisdom of the feminine. They are drummers, very fierce. I worked with her for 10 years. Then I got to a point in which I had completed my cycle with this mentor. I realized I am my own unique person born in the Western world, and I have my own way. So I divorced all the traditions to find my own authentic way to become a shaman.
Esalen News: What is shamanic energy work?
Marcela: Shamans create sacred space. They bring any situation into sacredness and give it meaning and the potential to heal and transform. When we enter sacred space, we tap into a non-ordinary region in the brain, moving from the limbic system, which is more dominant in Western culture, to the neocortex and frontal lobe. Operating from this region helps people experience communion, safety and oneness, and tap into the place that can rewire our way of connecting with reality, and bring it to a more authentic place. That’s where we find meaning. And then we can go back to our lives with clearer purpose.
Esalen News: Why is this medicine important today?
Marcela: We have been pulled out from our roots. We have forgotten the wisdom of our ancestors; we have forgotten the medicine of the earth, land, plants, forest and of nature. Because we have forgotten, we Westerners find ourselves drifting in times of upheaval, chaos and uncertainty. It is difficult to find our true north, our true purpose. More than anything I can help people remember their full potential, and that we are all medicine — we are all children of the earth and heavens.
Esalen News: Who are the Q’ero shamans joining you at Esalen?
Marcela: The Q’ero are part of an ancient culture from high in the Peruvian Andes that stayed isolated for 500 years. They hid from the Inquisition, the Industrial Revolution and the Western world. They came down from 16,000 feet elevation only in the 1950s.
The Q’ero are keepers of a prophecy that foretells the coming of a new era. The shamanic processes they share help people envision and dream a new world into being. Working with them illuminates a deep, deep connection with nature and primal tradition.
Don Pascual, in particular, is so much of the old ways that he seems to come from another dimension! He is coming to California and crossing a portal to the 21st century. Don Juan is younger, he is of both worlds. During our time together at Esalen, we will experience a sacred leaf ceremony as part of our exploration of oracles and sacred space. Just being with don Pascual and don Juan is such a deep transmission of ancient knowledge. We will learn to work with archetypes and read the energies of the times to come, and support the most auspicious possibilities for the future.
Learn more about The Heart of the Shaman: The Oracle and the Art of Divination with Marcela, don Pascual and don Juan.
“Remembering to be as self compassionate as I can and praying to the divine that we're all a part of.”
–Aaron
“Prayer, reading, meditation, walking.”
–Karen
“Erratically — which is an ongoing stream of practice to find peace.”
–Charles
“Try on a daily basis to be kind to myself and to realize that making mistakes is a part of the human condition. Learning from our mistakes is a journey. But it starts with compassion and caring. First for oneself.”
–Steve
“Physically: aerobic exercise, volleyball, ice hockey, cycling, sailing. Emotionally: unfortunately I have to work to ‘not care’ about people or situations which may end painfully. Along the lines of ‘attachment is the source of suffering’, so best to avoid it or limit its scope. Sad though because it could also be the source of great joy. Is it worth the risk?“
–Rainer
“It's time for my heart to be nurtured on one level yet contained on another. To go easy on me and to allow my feelings to be validated, not judged harshly. On the other hand, to let the heart rule with equanimity and not lead the mind and body around like a master.”
–Suzanne
“I spend time thinking of everything I am grateful for, and I try to develop my ability to express compassion for myself and others without reservation. I take time to do the things I need to do to keep myself healthy and happy. This includes taking experiential workshops, fostering relationships, and participating within groups which have a similar interest to become a more compassionate and fulfilled being.“
–Peter
“Self-forgiveness for my own judgments. And oh yeah, coming to Esalen.”
–David B.
“Hmm, this is a tough one! I guess I take care of my heart through fostering relationships with people I feel connected to. Spending quality time with them (whether we're on the phone, through messages/letters, on Zoom, or in-person). Being there for them, listening to them, sharing what's going on with me, my struggles and my successes... like we do in the Esalen weekly Friends of Esalen Zoom sessions!”
–Lori
“I remind myself in many ways of the fact that " Love is all there is!" LOVE is the prize and this one precious life is the stage we get to learn our lessons. I get out into nature, hike, camp, river kayak, fly fish, garden, I create, I dance (not enough!), and I remain grateful for each day, each breath, each moment. Being in the moment, awake, and remembering the gift of life and my feeling of gratitude for all of creation.”
–Steven
“My physical heart by limiting stress and eating a heart-healthy diet. My emotional heart by staying in love with the world and by knowing that all disappointment and loss will pass.“
–David Z.
Today, September 29, is World Heart Day. Strike up a conversation with your own heart and as you feel comfortable, encourage others to do the same. As part of our own transformations and self-care, we sometimes ask for others to illuminate and enliven our hearts or speak our love language.
What if we could do this for ourselves too, even if just for today… or to start a heart practice, forever?
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info@esalen.org