The ancient tribes of Huichol Indians of Mexico built pyramids of rocks on the earth as part of their sacred ceremony. They believed this allowed them to communicate through Mother Earth with their brothers and sisters in neighboring communities and that all the apachetes were connected one to the other through the ley lines or energetic grid of the earth.
Jim and I were recently introduced to Apachetes by our colleague and ‘spirit guide’ Denine Savage. Somewhat like the tradition on the Inuksuk in our Canadian north, apachetes speak to the power of connection through the four elements – earth, air, water and fire.
Admittedly I am very attracted to ancient traditions and have found myself through the years searching for information from other cultures including our aboriginal peoples. For all that has been written and recorded, it seems to me that much of what we need to know is embedded in the ancient traditions of those who lived from the land and who walked this earth long before us.
As we prepared for the fourth annual Goddess Camp two weeks ago, Denine and Jim decided to build two apachetes on our property. Both Denine and Jim are highly sensing, in tune with the energy around them and able to communicate with the land. Many of you can probably relate to this as you feel things more than others and take information in through your senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch and intuition more than others. If you have this ability, cherish it, for it allows you to tune into ‘energy’ as well, something you may be doing without even realizing it.
As I observed my two energy workers, it was like watching a dance. The first apachete was built where we already had a number of large rocks, our Zen garden. The three of us set about gathering a number of other stones in assorted sizes and colours, reaching only for those which spoke to us in some fashion. Yes I participated and I have to be honest, I was listening for messages but noted that Denine and Jim seemed to be engaged in real conversations with the stones that they chose. Once gathered, everything was transported to the garden and then one by one stones were placed in the pyramid. I placed only one rock as I felt much more called to observe as both Jim and Denine wove their choices together.
And then there was Cleo, our black and white tuxedo cat. She participated and propped herself up on the stones, as if she knew what was being built.
The first apachete completed, our attention turned to the Fairy Garden, a garden room located in the forest just off the labyrinth in our back yard. It has a magical energy and Jim felt compelled to add a second apachete. He laid the first stone followed by a second placed by Denine. Immediately Cleo ran across the garden and placed herself directly on top of the first two rocks, blessing them and somehow acknowledging what was being created. The rest of the apachete was built around her until she finally decided to move. I tried to imagine what she was seeing or experiencing through her cat’s intuition..
There is no doubt that something was shifting energetically. It is still palpable without actually being able to describe for you what that is. An apachete is simple a way for you to connect with the earth and to be part of something greater than you can possibly understand. As the weekend proceeded I learned that apachetes do not need to be built outside and they do not need to be built of stone. They can simply be a collection of special objects placed together by you. The placement of what you choose is intentional; you carefully and thoughtfully put the stones, feathers, shells, hearts, objects together in a way that is meaningful to you. From that point, supported by your intention, this becomes a sacred place for you, a place which you can visit, use to become more grounded, or meditate.
As Jim and I looked around our property and within our home we realized that we had been doing this and have identified 2-3 other locations where apachetes already existed. Interesting or simply a SIGN that somehow, without knowing or understanding, ancient wisdom was channeling through to us. My invitation to you – take this opportunity to build your own apachete, create your sacred space and join in the ‘grid’.
You can read more about Denine Savage’s work at http://evolutionaryprocess.com/apachetes/
Until next time,
Betty