Hannelore Fischer

During a Lucid Dreaming Class in 2023, I had a vision: I am in a cave. In the center there is a fire burning. As I rise as smoke from the hot ashes I transmute into a tall dense column of red roses. The rose column shifts again into a condor that lifts up into the sky. As condor I soar above a huge lake, then fly towards the sun who gives me the task to drop “seeds of gratitude” down to whomever is ready to receive them.

I made a collage of this vision, then painted it. The vision guided me to meet the California Condors in Pinnacles National Park in person, a unique and rare encounter and an important step towards realizing my Peruvian “mystical” journey.

In Peru, the Milkyway has the poetic name “River of Stars.” Its goddess is Mayu, a radiant celestial figure who oversees the birth and growth of stars, planets and galaxies. When she appears it is an omen of happiness, fulfillment and satisfaction.

The stone sculptures underneath the celestial river seem assembled in adoration of the nurturing and creative energy of the cosmic mother.

Ancient Inkas believed this stellar river was a heavenly mirror of the Urubamba River, connecting the spiritual realm to Earth, influencing agriculture, timekeeping, and sacred site construction.

Weaving on a backstrap loom is a very old and most respected tradition in the Andes, passed down from mothers to daughters. In the Inka era fine textiles were considered more valuable than gold. The very soft alpaca or llama wool is hand-spun and dyed with natural plants, insects and minerals.

The carrying cloth women wear over their shoulders is called “Lliqlla”. The designs and colors vary and carry symbolic meaning of community,
marital status or identity. We met a group of weavers like her in Chinchero where they are part of a flourishing weaving cooperative.

The “Moon Cave” in the Sacred Valley of Peru holds significance as a place of ritual connected to the moon deity Mama Killa who governs fertility and time.

Inside the cave we experienced a profound ritual of forgiveness and emerged changed. The group of musicians that followed us up the mountain to this sacred site provided the icaros that invoke the help of the Apus (mountain spirits) for protection and healing.

A day-long ritual with Wachuma (also known as San Pedro, native to the Andes) made this an unforgettable experience. The ritual helps find
harmony within oneself and with “Pachamama.”

In Andean folklore, the Llama is one of the most sacred animals, tied to life, fertility and reciprocity with Pachamama. This gentle animal is considered a gift from the gods to be a cosmic bridge between humans and the upper world. Llamas are seen as companions and protectors that bring luck and prosperity.

The pompons strung at their shelter and around the Llama’s neck are visible prayers. Red stands for vitality and fertility and yellow symbolizes
abundance, the benevolence of the sun and a good harvest.

While once only local goods were traded, today’s Andean markets include globally mass-produced souvenirs — side by side with centuries-old weaving and pottery, underneath bright rainbow flags.

The old Inka market as a barter system was based on “ayni,” the principle of mutual help. Trading was tied to kinship, ritual and community balance. Nothing is taken without giving, all relationships are mutual, balance must be assured across time.

The vendors from a previous time – painted in sepia tones – were inspired by an old photograph in a modern restaurant near Pisac.

The steep hike up the mountain brings us to Perolniyoc waterfall below the ruins of an ancient Hummingbird Temple. With purification (smudging) and flute music on the way we prepared for a magical experience and rebirth underneath the falling waters that drop down 100 meters.

The water spirits (Undines) that dwell here are said to have great healing powers and are not to be trifled with. They reward respect for the water and the earth, but punish disrespect. Dawn, dusk or Solstice periods are their favorite times to appear.

Water being alive, the natural world being conscious, are the teachings we take away from this sacred place.

Machu Picchu combines beauty with mystery; its spirituality is woven into the land. Built around 1450, it was a home for royalty, aristocrats, chosen women warriors and priests. It served as a ceremonial center and cosmic observatory.

It is a place where three powerful spiritual beings meet: Condor, bridge between earthly life and the sacred represents the Upper World and protects Machu Picchu from harm. Puma, a symbol for strength, wisdom and intelligence represents the power of the Middle World. And Serpent, the infinite, represents the Under World or the world of the dead.

Together they form a sacred trilogy, depicted in sculptures and paintings.

The hummingbird is a powerful symbol in Peru, representing resilience, beauty and endurance. It is often seen as a messenger of spirit bringing blessings from the ancestors, and as a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds.

The figure eight reminds me of a hovering hummingbird in the air. It symbolizes endless time and space, light and dark, inner and outer worlds. At the point of intersection duality dissolves, unity is accessed, and the energy of Hummingbird is renewed.

Indigenous healers see Ayahuasca as a supreme teacher and healer that allows us to perceive reality more fully, spiritually and emotionally.

Maestro Puma tells us: “Ayahuasca opens a portal to the soul realm. It came to us from the stars; then its physical presence became the vine and the leaf, the Chakaruna.

The first message is to always respect Pachamama. In your life, never take more than you need and give thanks for what you receive. The second message is that you are not here to struggle and suffer but to be joyful. Even grieving can become a celebration and bring happiness. Ask for clarity, harmony, absolute healing and gentle processing.”

The Despacho ritual is a traditional Andean ceremony that involves creating a mandala-like offering to express gratitude and bring balance and healing to the participants and the environment. It sends out prayers to the world.

This mandala was created for our group after ceremony with sacred plants the night before. Still filled with gratitude, we all sat in a circle and watched the maestro build it carefully with sacred coca leaves, llama fat, grains, seeds, flower petals, small symbolic items, sweets, coins, confetti and more.

After a blessing with tobacco smoke, bells and prayer bundles, the wrapped up package was given to the fire to complete the ceremony.

In Quechua and Aymara traditions, Condor is regarded as a sacred messenger, a soul guide and a link between earthly and spirit realms. In my painting, the flowers (Peruvian Lilies) represent left behind souls of the dead that are being escorted by condor to the spirit world.

Condor’s ability to ride air currents effortlessly is a metaphor for higher vision, wisdom, and transcendence. The condor also embodies the sky, sun and cosmic order. He is often invoked when a clear and elevated perspective in decision making is desired.

Carved Inkan stone portals in the Sacred Valley historically functioned as interdimensional doorways for spiritual communication and cosmic alignment. They continue to serve as places of pilgrimage, ceremony, and spiritual exploration.

Immersed in a vision of sacred beings, such as the condor, eagle, hawk, hummingbird, puma and snake, this young woman clothed in a traditional Peruvian dress is kneeling in deep meditation in this imaginary floating portal in the sky.

Coca leaves are considered sacred and are called upon for spiritual guidance. A reading begins by tuning into the natural world with an open heart in a practice of listening with the heart – to the land, the spirits, and the inner state of the person seeking guidance.

The orientation of the cast leaves, overlaps, groupings, patterns and the condition of the leaves themselves are meaningful and are interpreted intuitively.

The reading may give insights into physical or emotional imbalances, blockages, life decisions, family matters, relationships, travel, or
alignment with one’s path. The ritual ends with thanks.

Wiracocha, the great creator god of the Inka, is associated with the sky, sea, light, and the ordering of the cosmos. The ruins of the Temple of Wiracocha in Raqchi are preserved as a sacred heritage site.

Contemporary Peruvian artists have reinterpreted him as a symbol of indigenous resilience. Tour guides recount his myth: emerging from Lake Titicaca, creating the sun, moon, stars, and humanity.

This contemporary guilded and bejewelled statue of Wiracocha with rays emanating from his head was prominently displayed in a store front at the Plaza de Armas in Cusco, the historic capital of the Inka.

La Raya Pass is a high-altitude mountain pass and one of the most scenic points along the well-traveled route between Cusco and Puno at Lake Titicaca. Artisans sell alpaca textiles and souvenirs there.

Historically, La Raya was a trading and cultural exchange point for herdsmen and merchants, also a meeting place between cultures.

At this bus stop, the vast selection of goods that dominated the scenery seemed to be closely “supervised” by this pair of guardians.

A town meeting on one of the floating islands of Uros on Lake Titicaca is most likely about practical and cooperative issues — like making sure the reed islands float, how school children split the island time with mainland time, tourism affairs, fishing and hunting, wool trades, fair distribution of income and so on.

The boat is loaded with totora reeds used for building the islands as well as the houses and tourist dragon boats.

The women all sitting together have a role as anchors of the community. They don’t have any lesser status than the men. Many decisions have likely already been made by women’s networks, prior to the meeting.

Terraces along the slopes of the island of Amantaní on Lake Titicaca are built for dry farming. They capture seasonal rainfall, reduce erosion, and create microclimates. Amantaní lies 12,500 feet above sea level.

This farmer carries quinoa stalks, barley straw, maize husks, native ichu grasses and more in an oversize polypropylene sack. Farmers often make offerings of chicha (corn beer), coca leaves or llama fat to Pachamama and the Apus (mountain spirits) to ensure rainfall and fertility.

Through an ancient stone arch on the Lake Titicaca island of Amantaní flows a river that takes the older generation with it. The “River of Time” moves forward, representing the relentless progression from past to present into the future.

A homestay on the island made me wonder about what challenges the ancient pre-Inkan people of the lake – the Aymara – must face.

The arch is dedicated to “Pachatata” (Father Earth), corresponding with Pachamama (Mother Earth) on the other side of the island. Pachatata is a unique, specific location found only on Amantaní Island.

This above-ground tomb on the shores of Lake Umayo in Sillustani reminds us that the past remains present, the dead still listen.

In the Andes, the dead remain active members of the community. Burial places are about memory, continuity and a living and ongoing relationship with the ancestors. Death is not an ending but a change of state.

The ancestors continue to influence the living from their “homes”. They are visited, consulted, fed and honored with small offerings. Each tomb has a small entrance that faces East, where the sun is reborn by Mother Earth each day.

Pachamama is revered as a living, sentient being who embodies all of nature, time, the cycles of creation, death and rebirth. She is “Mother Space –Time” who came from the stars and chose to embody as the planet Earth. She sustains all life as nurturing Earth goddess. The golden Chakana (Andean cross) surrounding her symbolizes a bridge between worlds, evolution and transformation.

In my painting a woman from Lake Titicaca gives Pachamama a face. She is from an ancient race that lives on floating totora reed islands. To this day Peruvian farmers “feed” the earth before planting. On June 24th, Pachamama is celebrated with rituals and offerings during the most important Andean festival, Inti Raymi.