Philosophy of Pen

In the hands of R since

09/2017

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What's your name? You may give a pseudonym if desired.

Renee

What is the story behind the name you've chosen for your pen?

We had just purchased our first house when I decided I wanted to attempt a master plant dieta at Niwe Rao Xobo for two weeks. This entheogenic technology involves consuming a plant daily, sometimes as a tea or with macerated leaves, roots, and/or stems in water, in order to build a relationship with what is sensed to be the spirit of that plant.  Each of these "master plants", the Shipibo believes, specializes in certain lessons.  As some Amazonian plants synergize well with each other, you are always under the guidance of your master plant by day and ayahuasca at night.

The seeds for doing this dieta had actually been planted at my prior ayahuasca ceremony, of which I'd had around a dozen or so at this point in my life. I had been working on this pen at a good pace just prior to leaving for Peru - with a little bit of guilt I admit - because doing this was taking away from building out our house.  Nevertheless, I shaved my head and set off for the jungle off the Ucayali river, in a town near Pucallpa.  Having traveled alone often one does attract a bit of attention, but I think it was especially so because I was bald.  The climate was dry, but lovely. No mosquitoes are always a plus.  

I didn't know which master plant I'd be dieting out of the seven they offer.  How they determine this was through a one-on six interview: yourself, with the shaman, Maestra Ynes, her husband, her two daughters, a close cousin of the family, and a translator of English or Spanish to Shipibo (herself apprenticing to become a shaman).  It was a powerful family; every time I was near them it felt like they bent gravity around their bodies and I couldn't help but feel physically "tipped" towards them.  I stepped into the maloka, a little bit nervous on what exactly they'd ask me.

The shaman was flanked by her daughters Laura and Lila.  Isaias, the cousin, and David, Ynes' husband and steward of the land, were also present.  After a brief introduction, they asked, "what was it you were looking to find out here?"

I knew this one too quickly.  

I told them I was looking for "the thing that's, you know, underneath everything.  That part of life that pulls everything towards it, yeah. Like we call it a pot, but it's the hole that we actually use, right?  Does that even make sense?"  My words came out faster than my head could make it coherent.  

And after all that elevator speech practice too... yikes.

They laughed a little bit, then began to speak amongst themselves in Shipibo while looking at me.  I couldn't tell if this was just the way they communicated in intimate family hand gestures or (I believed, but my heart was racing) pointing at the air around me as if making comments on some world I couldn't see.  Nods, pauses, nods.  It had to have been only fifteen seconds, but being openly read like that felt like a eternity.

They recommended marusa, pfaffia iresinoides,  a perennial herb commonly found in the Amazon rainforest. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family.  Its adaptability to various soil types makes it a resilient and widespread species in the Amazon - the sides of waterways are often lined with marusa.  I later learned this plant is one of the first plants given to those interested in training to become a shaman, at the beginning of their master plant dieta journeys.

Tiny white flowers and leaves like blades, this plant works in the realm of love. She is good at balancing masculine and feminine energies and restoring the nervous system to a state of rest. She helps you attract benevolent people with good intentions and helps you to set healthy boundaries with people in your life who create or possess chaotic or challenging energy for you. With marusa, you will experience greater love, increased self-esteem, and self-love and be aware of more beauty in life. You learn to truly love yourself and others.

-Niwe Rao Xobo, "Master Plants"

to be continued...

What words would you like to share with others who might be reading this, or might get to know you through this project?

My heart's in this one, you know? :)

Giving Back fund choice: 50/50 split between MAPS and the International Association of Penturners (what is this?)