Visiting the electric and heart magnetising Pachamama and Pachatata temples on Amantani island on Lake Titicaca, Peru, I’m struck by their shaping in the landscape.
Pachamama temple, the place of divine mother is subtle in her exterior blending with the environment around her, yet inside she is a glorious display of concentric circles containing an altar that feels to me as if it has a clitoris as it’s centre piece. Like female or internal genitalia, this temple is a whole cave of inner worlds and delight.
And then on the opposite mountain top stands Pachatata temple, the place of divine father, which penetrates the horizon in its angular structure and can be seen from afar. Like external or male genitals it’s proudly on display, like the glorious tale of a peacock.
The twisting turning path that leads to Pachamama temple is a perfect representation of the beauty way of the feminine that is the most exquisite path, meandering here and there to take in all the delights along the way, intimately engaged with each moments experience on her path. Pachamama temple herself is not so visible from a distance, it wasn’t until I was deep within her midsts, engrossed in her mystery, and tantalizingly close, that my eyes looked upon her form.
The path to Pachatata temple is an almost straight line cast across the landscape leading to it’s gates, and again is a perfect representation of the direct path of the masculine, that is, the most efficient route, the most straightforward passage, like a flash of lightning striking all the way to it’s gates.
So grateful to feel and witness the wisdom of the feminine and masculine principles carved into the landscape here. And honoured to spend time near these active temples that are entered by their communities just once a year in January, although many visitors local and from afar come to spend time beside them and make offerings to the divine mother and father.
Blessed be divine mother and father! I am humbled by your great holding and nurturing.
Watch this space for some exciting mixed gender group temple arts offerings that I’ll be making in autumn 2022!
