The Chumpi Initiation is performed as a closing ceremonial exercise for each student who completes the intensive training program titled Essentials of Shamanism, presented by Paul Sivert of the Shamanic Healing Institute…
I have studied and practiced the spiritual healing arts of shamanism, especially those practiced in the Andes Mountains and Amazon Region of South America, since the mid 1980s. I have been fortunate enough to receive many initiations that have confirmed my commitment to personal spiritual growth and effectiveness as a special healer, who – in the language of the Qero – is called a Paqo.
The Chumpi Paqo is an individual who has been trained to perform the ceremony of delivering the chumpi (belts of energy) to another individual. The language of the Qero – who are the descendants of the Inka – is Quechua. It is an oral language that has only recently been translated into a written format. The Quechuan word chumpi literally means belts; symbolically the belts have colors and certain characteristics or properties. However, each belt is an energy source and a form of perception offered by the Chumpi Paqo with a special set of stones called chumpi khuyas. There are five different stones and five energy belts.
The five energy belts correspond to seven energy centers of the human body, which roughly correspond to the seven major chakras. Each belt also contains an eye (nawi) which is a center of perception that is activated by the Paqo’s chumpi khuya. The advancement or development of the eye of perception associated with the belt of energy is left to the discretion and responsibility of the individual. I am going to describe each belt of power in the order they are received in the ceremony.
The first energy belt is called Yana Wara, the color is black and corresponds to the base of spine. The black belt is associated with water and the flow of our impulses.
The next is Puka chumpi, the color is red for the blood of mother earth, Pachamama. This center is at our navel, which is called qosqo, and corresponds with the element of earth and our emotions.
The third center is the heart, the sonqo nawi (the heart eye). The belt is called qori chumpi, the gold belt. This belt is associated with the sun, Inti Tayta. The perceptual quality corresponds to the feeling of love. The Quechan word for this kind of love is munay or love and beauty.
The throat center is next, with the kunka nawi, the neck eye. The color of the belt is silver, the qolque chumpi. This center is associated with the element of the moon (killa), and the air or wind. This center is about our perceptions of emotions and creativity.
The fifth chumpi is comprised of three centers, our right eye, pana nawi, which is associated to the mystical side of tradition. It is also about our communication to the spirit worlds and energetic connections. The left eye, lloque nawi is associated with the magical side of the tradition. This center is about the practical application of the Andean healing arts and the use of spiritual healing techniques and protocols. The third part of this center is the area of the brow between our two physical eyes, qanchis nawi. The third eye is the visionary eye, the ability to see the true reality of God. This belt of power is the kulli chumpi, the color is violet.
The five chumpi belts of power are activators of the seven centers and their corresponding eyes of perception. As you may imagine, this initiation is powerful in removing our heavy energy that we have acquired living in a cultural environment that supports the development of our soul within the parameters of separateness from our life force. The Quechuan word for this force is kawsay. This ceremonial ritual is an example of how an individual can be reconnected to the living light energy of kawsay to experience vitality and love.