Over-Stimulation, Getting the Business Up and Running, and, Whoops, Puppies

Saturday was a quiet day at the house. Well, at least it was later in the day. In the morning I decided to take Elicia to the Barotio, the new-and-used-but-mostly-used-stuff market about a 20-minute walk from my house. It's not the safest place to go, but the deals make it worthwhile. "Barrato" means cheap in Spanish, so Barotio came out of that (essentially "cheap market"). Basically, every Saturday vendors pour out onto the streets of this neighborhood and sell whatever they have. Piles of clothes from the U.S. (including many with tags still on), kitchenware, knock offs, books, pick axes (I kid you not), and electronics. Now, I'm hesitant to call this market dangerous, but there's nary a tourist in sight and when there is, we usually become a target. But Peruvians aren't safe from theft there either. A few weeks ago I was there with Humberto and his cell phone was stolen right out of his deep front pocket. The funny thing was we just turned around and bought another (presumably stolen) phone from someone at the market and went to Claro (equivalent to Verizon) and got a new chip.

That day, though, I could barely stand the craziness of the place. It was too intense for me and I started to feel sick. The energy work and Reiki training I'd been receiving has made me hyper-sensitive to my surroundings at times and that morning was no exception. The market is intense even when you're not hyper-sensitive, so sadly we only stayed for about 1/2 hour -- long enough for me to find a 3-sole NY&Co. sweater and Leesh to find a 1-sole cute shirt. After we made our purchases, we headed home.

As soon as we got back to the house, I asked Leesh to call Gab to my room. When she came, I explained what happened and asked her to do some Reiki on me, as I could barely move. She brought her stones in, placed my new smoky quartz in my hand and the others on my forehead and chest and went to work. When she finished the Reiki, she started to play her new didge. Now, keep in mind she's had this didge for all of a day, but the sound and vibrations she brought forth were quite moving and a perfect finish to our mini-session. I was able to calm down and sleep for a while and when I emerged from my room, I joined Gabs and Leesh in the sun for a good chunk of the afternoon.

While we were sitting in the sun, Jessica was finishing our new sign for the business. We changed the name of our house from Yoga House to Healing House, as it better fits the inhabitants and the work we do. The sign is gorgeous and we hope to put it out this week -- after we purchase chains and locks to attach it to our door (otherwise it'll get stolen).

Jess making our awesome new sign

On a slightly funny but concerned note: Jess has been house/dog-sitting for Shana, a friend of ours, while she's back in the U.S. Shana told Jess that Chi-Chi, her rescued Cusquenan dog, was sweet tempered, slept all the time and barely ate anything. Jess soon discovered that while she is EXTREMELY sweet tempered, she loves to get into garbage, eats all the time and barely sits still. And after about a week and half with her, she discovered why. Chi-Chi is pregnant. Whoops.

Shana gets back in the next couple of days and we hope Chi-Chi can keep it together until then, but we're all bracing ourselves for the inevitable: puppies.

Pisac, Stones and Didgeridoos

After Gab decided she needed (not wanted, but needed) a didgeridoo, she, Elicia and I decided we were going to take a trip to Pisac to buy some crystals (they are pretty powerful down here -- especially the ones in Pisac) and find her a didge. Humberto's friend has a car (a rarity here) and arranged for all of us to take a field trip to both Pisac and Moray (cool ruins)last Friday.

Now I thought Italian drivers were scary. But this was on a whole other level. Yes, I take taxis here every day, but because we're in the city it's a lot of stop-and-go. And even if I'm almost in an accident about 75% of the time I'm in a taxi here, there's still no comparison to a Peruvian driver on the open, winding, mountainous road. And to top it off, Gab and Leesh get motion sickness. Woo hoo!

When I could look out the window and NOT wonder if we were going to drive off the road, the scenery was breathtaking. I've been through the Sacred Valley a bunch of times, but the views never get old. These are the moments I have to pinch myself to remember that I LIVE IN PERU. Hell yeah.




We made our way to the stone shop Niki recommended and as soon as we walked in I was overwhelmed by the energy. The room was loaded with stones piled everywhere, various types of quartzes, amethysts, etc. I was immediately drawn to a large smoky quartz (about the length of my hand and half the width) shaped like an obelisk. I picked it up and fell to my knees. The power of the stone was so intense that I just had to sit there for a while. Gab was intent about finding a didge first, so we eventually left the shop, promising to return within the hour (and I asked the shaman who ran the shop to hold this quartz for me).

It wasn't long before we found her didge. Karen, a woman Gab had met once before, owns a shop that sells various handmade jewelry and instruments -- including didgeridoos. Gab found hers immediately. We spent a little time there letting Gab get to know her new baby and after she bought it (for only 150 soles), we went back to the stone shop.


Gabs on her new didge

(from left to right: Miguel (with the car), Humberto, and Gabs)

My quartz was 120 soles (about $40) but I didn't have enough money on me. I started to look for something smaller and less expensive but was having no luck. The shaman also knew that I wouldn't find anything else because, as he said, "when it's your stone, it's your stone." He told me I could pay him the next time I came to Pisac, so I left him with 50 soles and a promise to return soon.

Gab chose an amethyst and the shaman offered to clean our stones for us, going through a ceremony of blowing smoke and rose water over them. As he was doing this to mine, I felt another surge of emotion/energy and had to sit down again. I began to cry and Gab put her (extremely energetic) hands on me and held the space for me, letting me get out whatever was coming to the surface. She also experienced some strong emotions when the shaman cleaned her stone and we both left the shop exhausted and a little emotionally drained (and cleared).

The rains started to come, so we bunkered down at the Blue Llama, a favorite restaurant of ours when we're in Pisac. We took over all the comfy couches and chairs and had a fantastic 2-hour lunch, playing Jenga and talking. With my new stone in my pocket, I was so steady and grounded that Humberto couldn't win a single game of Jenga against me, as much as he tried to sabotage my every turn.


Me kicking Hum's butt in Jenga

Miguel taking a nap at the Blue Llama

Humberto and Jenga

We opted to go home instead of Moray, as the rain would make the visit unpleasant and muddy. We got home around 3 and collapsed. It's amazing how much energy a day like that can take out of you.