Initiation and Freedom

I´ve begun training with two shamans here in Guatemala. Both have been incredibly unique interesting experiences. The first has been with a native Mayan shaman. Every morning I take the Tuk-tuk, a three-wheeled little car over to this town called San Pablo chatting in Spanish with my driver about the weather or his life. Get into the town, and walk over to his place surrounded by native Mayan culture. Women walking with baskets on their heads in colorful garbs of intricate patterns. Getting open-eyed hellos and smiles, a gringo is rare in this town. Then we spend the morning out in sacred spots learning techniques of Mayan shamanism amidst the most amazing view of a blue lake swallowing all worries as volcanoes encircle it reaching towards the heaven with fiery mouths agape with wonder.

The second shaman is a being with the most evolved consciousness I´ve met yet. He is without a doubt the guru I´ve been looking for. Infinitely kind and full of love with the ability to heal along with a number of psychic abilities such as energy healing, astral travel, and lucid dreaming, I can learn a lot from him. Apparently my talents lie in intuitive healing and working with energy, Reiki was just the first step. Upon initiation with him all my physical discomforts and tensions from the past are gone and everything is peace, freedom, and awareness. We´ll see what lies further through this door, I love the view already.

Adventure in a Surreal Paradise

I´ve now been in San Marcos only since last friday, and have already undergone massive transformations. This place has a powerful energy. Every time I leave my room in the morning with not much of a plan this place creates an incredible day for me. And intention seems to become real here as well. I went to a nearby town trying to find a place to make a didgeridoo at, and next thing I know I meet a local Mayan guy who makes them, and go to his house the next day to make one with him. Weather´s beautiful and warm, have begun wearing the Guatemalan style around here. Have begun training with a shaman and learning indian head massage next week. Life is good, we´ll see where the future takes me, my waking life is not much different than dreaming life at the moment.

Chicken Buses, Shamans, and Montezuma´s Revenge

Having a great time over here, definitely a few problems so far, but no adventure is entirely positive. Arrived in Guate City, the biggest and most dangerous city in Central America on Thursday night. Two hostels were waiting outside the airport with Chris Rollins on the sign. Foolishly admitted being Chris Rollins to the first guy and got in my first Spanish argument. Stayed at a sick hostel, but was warned that I would probably get robbed if I went walking around for some dinner, this was in the safest zone. Something like 80 people a day die in Guatemala City. Chatted with this dude at the hostel about the women of Columbia, apparently they´re not to be missed. Told me about one girl whose husband had died as a guerrilla, didn´t escape that encounter with his Ipod or money, she robbed him when he was in a post-sex daze.

Friday made my trek over to San Marcos La Laguna. Decided to go the cheap local way on these decked-out US school buses called chicken buses. Had to transfer several times getting lost in one of the towns. The chicken buses drive like maniacs and constantly go right into incoming traffic to pass people, guess the name is fitting for them. Packed in tight with Guatemalans as the only gringo.
Then had to ride on standing up on the back of a pickup truck down a treacherous road since landslides had devastated the main roads. Made it to Lake Atitlan and gazed out on an epic scene of towering volcanoes and gorgeous water. After a series of boat rides with jacked-up prices for the gringo, made it San Marcos.

As soon as I got off the craziness began, went to this bar my friend had told me about, chatted with this dude about life, then took off with this Ramji guy to meet a variety of awesome locals, lots of Germans here. Ended up at Merlin, the local shaman´s place. Amazing people and fascinating conversations. One girl told me about flouride in our water supply blocking our pineal glands. Merlin tossed water on a lava rock with wax on it and made flames explode out. Became the only non-Spanish speaking person in the room for a bit, realized I really need to learn some more in order to make it here. Jam circle outside with native Mayans singing soulful melodies to the spirit world as others played drums, guitar, and didgeridoo. Crashed on the floor and woke up with Montezuma´s revenge, got zero sleep and puked through the early morning. Wandered around in a delirious stumble through the town, finally made it to an open hotel and crashed.

We´ll see what´s next.

Lucid Dream - Curious Freedom

Longest lucid dream yet, lasted about an hour and a half of total control and awareness. It started out in the town I'm off to tomorrow in Guatemala called San Marcos. I had moved into this huge housing complex, and hung out with these two locals, one had long dreadlocks. When a girl came in, I said "nice to meet you", but she replied with "I see you." They started to jam, but I didn't have my didgeridoo! But realizing I was dreaming, I conjured one up and did a mind-melting solo.

Decided to explore, flew through the wall over an expansive urban sprawl, looked out over the horizon at a scene of vibrant moving clouds illuminated by the sun. Went inside a building and began questioning everyone how it felt to be a character in my dream. Responses varied from ignoring me, to anger, to intense curiosity. I ran into one group who claimed to be other lucid dreamers, we shared stories for a while, they pointed me towards an arcade down the way. Headed towards it and began engaging in a game in which I had to maneuver a blue octopus through the afterlife. Interesting concept, but had other things to do!

Chatted with two dream characters who ended up becoming friends for this dream and appeared periodically. One had a very interesting response when I questioned him on being a dream character. He replied, "Well Kant describes how you can only find confirmation for not being in a dream by the agreement of those around you that you are in reality, but if everyone around you is claiming to be in reality how can you know for certain?" He made a good point, looking around me things were just as vivid as real life with individuals walking about engaged in what seemed to be autonomous lives. We talked about how maybe I was entering their reality temporarily, decided to continue my journey, floated through the wall and up into the sky.

Flew past a series of condominium balconies, families sitting down to lunch, a couple angrily arguing about their finances, landed on one where two women were talking about Spanish. One of them told me about her trip down to South America. Suddenly a party erupted around and the host began a speech. Time to continue on!

Decided to try meditating, sat down on a concrete lot and brought my awareness within. Some dream characters appeared attempting to distract me, but willed myself deeper. Suddenly I was pure consciousness floating above the clouds, these bizarre looking entities were drifting around going about their life. Upon seeing me they stopped to observe. They looked like ancient doors covered in Mayan design, a giant golden sphere being with hundreds of arms came over, and I disappeared from the place.

Suddenly I was back home, went to my neighbor's door, willed it to open to Guatemala, and as sunlight erupted around the edges knew it would open there. Appeared inside a boat watching the sun rise over what looked like Lake Atitlan with two other dream characters. We marveled at its beauty.
Ended up in this industrial area, a big gathering was going on. Decided to try shapeshifting, had been unsuccessful before, willed myself into a wolf and ran around the lot.

After more wandering ended up on this bridge that reminded me a lot of Burning Man, my two dream character friends from before were at my side. There was artwork alongside the bridge, and dubstep blasting all around. I told my friends to look, and focusing on the sky, I turned it into a whirling psychedelic pattern of clouds.

One thing that made this dream so much longer than previous lucid dreams, was I finally figured out how to stabilize my dream and keep from waking up. Periodically and whenever things would fade a little, I would look at my hands and focus on the details in them, and if I suddenly started to drift awake I would spin in circles until the dream came back.