saraguro
i just spent 3 of the most amazing days of my life in a small indigenous community in southern ecuador, called saraguro after the name of the people that live there.
i stayed with don miguel and anita for the better part of it and enjoyed their excellent cooking and 4 children (andres, marlene, amawta, yara) among other cousins and nephews and nieces. they truly opened their home to leah and i. the children played with us and asked us many questions about our homes and customs. anita shared laughter and her phenomenal foods with us. miguel taught us the way of the andean.
the andean lives in equilibrium with the land, he does not abuse it nor take it for granted. instead, he takes what the land offers and promises respect. he lives in harmony with others because of the excellent relationship he possesses with the natural order, which gives life to all. he eats only what he grows. his animals are cared for and not a thing goes to waste! he believes that man is most alive when he is living in equilibrium with the land--that is, when he respects, cares for, and prospers the natural order around him by offering his honest work and words of petition and affirmation. to the andean, everything around him possesses energy--endowed by the Creator. everything that is natural is sacred and to be respected. this is the real life, the only way to really live.
i love nature and i feel so peaceful in it, but never before have i met a people that gave such due respect and love for the earth and for the cosmos which sustains man. it impacted me in a mighty way. i can no longer see food, or a tree, or the sky, or a rock in the same way. everything that God has created is alive in a sense, because it lives in mother earth and sustains life therein.
what impact has this? every time we eat, we must first ask questions. where does this food come from? do those who grew this food respect the earth? did they mistreat the animals or the workers in the field? if i eat it will i remain in harmony with the cosmos or will it cause the natural order harm and so cause a disequilibrium within me? even more so, do the things we buy, things we do, places we go, harm the creation that is alive and sustains us?
to really understand what i am saying is to be shocked out of your pants, it is to cause a total re-evaluation of every aspect of our life. and it begs the question--just how progressed is the american society?
i will write more later about the indigenous life, but please post your comments so i know at least someone is reading!
love
i stayed with don miguel and anita for the better part of it and enjoyed their excellent cooking and 4 children (andres, marlene, amawta, yara) among other cousins and nephews and nieces. they truly opened their home to leah and i. the children played with us and asked us many questions about our homes and customs. anita shared laughter and her phenomenal foods with us. miguel taught us the way of the andean.
the andean lives in equilibrium with the land, he does not abuse it nor take it for granted. instead, he takes what the land offers and promises respect. he lives in harmony with others because of the excellent relationship he possesses with the natural order, which gives life to all. he eats only what he grows. his animals are cared for and not a thing goes to waste! he believes that man is most alive when he is living in equilibrium with the land--that is, when he respects, cares for, and prospers the natural order around him by offering his honest work and words of petition and affirmation. to the andean, everything around him possesses energy--endowed by the Creator. everything that is natural is sacred and to be respected. this is the real life, the only way to really live.
i love nature and i feel so peaceful in it, but never before have i met a people that gave such due respect and love for the earth and for the cosmos which sustains man. it impacted me in a mighty way. i can no longer see food, or a tree, or the sky, or a rock in the same way. everything that God has created is alive in a sense, because it lives in mother earth and sustains life therein.
what impact has this? every time we eat, we must first ask questions. where does this food come from? do those who grew this food respect the earth? did they mistreat the animals or the workers in the field? if i eat it will i remain in harmony with the cosmos or will it cause the natural order harm and so cause a disequilibrium within me? even more so, do the things we buy, things we do, places we go, harm the creation that is alive and sustains us?
to really understand what i am saying is to be shocked out of your pants, it is to cause a total re-evaluation of every aspect of our life. and it begs the question--just how progressed is the american society?
i will write more later about the indigenous life, but please post your comments so i know at least someone is reading!
love
posted by dk at 10:28 PM
4 Comments:
i read it
the 3rd to last paragraph is the best. you described it very well, i thought. equilibrium is a good word that i often forget. no no, you done good.
these are questions we should be asking. they are tough ones and with socrates as are guide, we can caste away the easy life and live the true life!!
hey, how about people post actual comments instead of just saying they read it. dialogue people, dialogue.
i made an error. i meant "our" instead of "are" guide.
apologies all around.
i forgot to mention that Anita´s laugh is so contagious. i laugh just because she´s laughing.
and i think it´s "amauta" although i could be wrong.
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