South American reflections

Hello warriors!

My husband Miguel and I just went to Peru for vacation - and I wanted to share a few things with you.

Through a maya that happened to us (too long to write here) we ended up staying with some wonderful Sahaja yoginis in Peru for longer than we expected. The extra time we spent there corresponded with their presidential election which was VERY dramatic - one of the candidates claimed he wanted "Indian" rights. It is a popular movement in South America these days - Bolivia's current president is an Indian and won claiming his fight for "Indian rights" as well... he is socialising everything, so we'll see if it really benefits the Indians or not.

In Peru, the Indian candidate lost - but only by a few percentage points. The point, though, is the huge movement happening there - Indians are demanding more and more of what was stolen from them. It was a remarkable and eye-opening trip... I really think we should keep our eyes (i.e. attention) on South America. We might learn something from them.

The poverty and living situations for the South American Indians is horrendous (as bad or worse than in North America) but they somehow have managed to keep their language (Ron in Pine Ridge was telling us of the terrible impact of losing the Lakota language) - and now they are uniting in a way never before seen in South American history. Most of their religion is gone - smashed by the Catholic Church - but their soft, deep spirit remains...

Miguel and I meditated in the Andies Mountains (the Ida Nadhi of the world) and listened to the beautiful pan flutes that the Indians play... truely they are divine beings...Let us keep them in our attention.

Love,

Alia (Sharmila)

(first posted to e-w yahoogroup, June 19, 2006)