Participating in Ancient Rituals: The San Pedro Experience
Immerse yourself in the pre-Colombian legacy of the Chavín de Huántar culture as you follow the transformational path of the ancient San Pedro ceremony.
The fascinating magic of nature puts everything in place, order, and harmony.
Since I was young, the universe has spoken to me. Its vastness makes me feel small, important, and insignificant, all at once.
I was born with a certain sensitivity. I have memories that feel strange, a little too mature for my age. I have always been taught that innocence and wisdom are understood as opposites, but for me, spirituality binds them together As time goes by, I have a growing calling to explore my ancestral side, to understand myself and the world better.
As part of that path, I finally gathered the courage to embark on a solitary journey to the depths of the Peruvian Sierra.
I arrived in Chavín de Huántar in March 2022 to work as part of the program of the Peruvian chapter of Teach For All, "Enseña Perú," to contribute as a teacher in a school for two years. Very soon into my stay, I heard an ancient rumor: “Chavín chooses you.” The mystique of this ancient place started speaking to me, communicating that it was no coincidence they had sent me here.
Between 1500 and 550 B.C., the mysterious culture of Chavín was formed. Defined by a magical and transcendent atmosphere, Chavín was one of the most important civilizations in the Andean region of South America. This culture stood out for its architectural and artistic achievements, but above all, for its deeply rooted religious and spiritual beliefs.
People from various parts of the region would come on pilgrimages to this ceremonial center in search of healing, and medicine, and to connect (or reconnect) with the natural energies of the world. The ideal process for this connection was the San Pedro Ceremony.
Thousands of years later, I stood on the ancient grounds of Chavín, wondering about what the ceremony would have felt like to our ancestors. I had my doubts, as the ceremony includes hallucinogens, and I have never consumed drugs. San Pedro, the substance used in the ceremony, contains various alkaloids, including mescaline, a compound with psychoactive effects. In some way, after living in Chavín for six months, I felt enthralled by the city’s mystique and its oozing energy. One afternoon, I was invited to participate in the ceremony with two Masters and a group of other visitors.
San Pedro, also known by different names such as Huachuma, Achuma, Wachuma, or Aguacoll, is the Master Plant, a medicine of dreams and self-knowledge. It had whispered to my ear and heart, making me feel ready to seize the opportunity that had presented itself.
Illustration by Isabella Ibanez ©
The experience
I arrived at the great Temple of Chavín, an archaeological site where the Ceremony used to take place in antiquity. In front of the Falconid Gateway, a representation of the feminine-masculine duality, day and night, I took the Master Plant in liquid form, a bitter and heavy taste that was difficult for me to swallow. While doing so, I had a clear intention: to ask the Medicine for clarity and healing for my heart.
The first thing I did was take off my shoes and socks. I wanted to anchor myself to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) and let it hold me through it all. I walked in deep meditation. I greeted the Four Directions, north, south, east, and west, and all the great Apus which resided on each horizon.
The first image I saw was the Square Plaza, once dry and yellow, now flooded by a crystalline turquoise river that quickly vanished to make way for lush green grass. I remember being impressed by the vision and also amazed and terrified because I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Sitting beside the Stone of the Seven Mortars, configured like the seven stars of the Pleiades in the constellation of Taurus, I saw a glimpse of a small snake on the earthy ground. With my fingers, I tried to uncover it and remove the dirt, but it disappeared.
I continued walking, following the call and guidance of the Masters, until I reached the high hill between the Falconidae Gate and the Circular Plaza. There, I stood for a while, appreciating the beauty of the Sun as it hid between two hills. It was a spectacle that I doubt I will ever forget in my life. Accompanied by the sound of a bone flute played by one of the participants, I saw the Sun like never before. Its rays waved to the rhythm of the music, and I felt a genuine sense of gratitude for its light, its warmth, and for always being there. I didn't take my eyes off it until the sunset was complete. I bid farewell to the Sun, standing, watching, and honoring it until its last ray was out of sight. It was there that I understood my primary intention had been granted—the medicine had given me clarity.
I climbed the path to the entrance of the Underground Labyrinth Gallery and ventured into its deep darkness, guided only by instinct. I felt the scent of damp earth and heard the voices of dozens of ancestors gathered in that place. During the journey, I thought I would become paranoid about the lack of visibility, but I was guided and always accompanied.
When I emerged and saw the lunar light, I sat down. My body melted, and I transformed into a Serpent. I began to undulate and zigzag with my body, feeling the earth and the ease of movement now that I was at its level. It was a magical process, where I felt the reptile taking hold of my entire being.
The Masters led us to a chakra (a plot of land they owned) where we could rest for the remainder of the evening around a bonfire, under proper energetic care. We greeted the fire that would welcome us and settled on blankets to continue living the ceremonial experience.
For a while, I felt nothing but peace. The trees grew and shrunk in rhythm with my breath, the starry sky moved in hundreds of directions, and I felt the mountains speaking to me, and I listened. My body underwent a second possession—the jaguar. I felt its strength, its stability, and its desire to devour the world. I sensed its authority, its majesty as if its mere presence was enough for everyone to understand who the King was. I began to scratch the earth, grinding my teeth in a way that I couldn't consciously, and I looked at everyone present with total dominance.
The third possession was of a priestess. My body moved as if it remembered everything I once was. I made my offerings to the Earth, solemnly greeted everyone, and performed rituals in my space of land where I was sitting. My body oscillated between this archetype and Jaguar’s, both varying and delving into each other with respect. Meanwhile, I felt the energies of each person. I felt their pleas, their intentions, their desire to heal, and something inside me knew that I had to channel it all. I began to absorb the energy of each person, one by one, trembling as I transmuted it in my body and released it into the Universe. It was a long and exhausting process, as I meticulously took care of each individual. This alternating process between the Jaguar-Healing Priestess lasted four hours.
After living everything so intensely for such a long time, I felt relieved when I reached the last person. It was in this process that I understood the message of the Medicine and the answer to my intention. The Universe told me this clearly - your heart heals when you help others heal.
THE AFTERMATH
I began to feel my fingers lengthening, and feathers started to emerge from my skin. I understood that the Condor was arriving. I let it take hold of me, and I flapped my new wings with pleasure and satisfaction I had never experienced before. I flew and felt the wind on my face. Right then, I knew the experience had finished.
I spent the following hours in serenity, resting and meditating on each of the processes I had witnessed. The Ceremony and the Medicine had taken me to a spiritual journey to truly understand Ancient Chavín.
About the Author
Sebastian Alanya is a Peruvian journalist and author who started his career in the literary world at the age of 16 with a YouTube channel dedicated to books and reading. Later on, he has written various articles for different media outlets, worked in the press and public relations, and has a strong interest in social, transformative, and educational activities related to culture. Furthermore, he has written two books of poems, and a third one that will be officially launched at the Lima International Book Fair in 2023. For more information, you can visit his Instagram page @sebastianalanya.