My dear, late teacher Tom Best every year took people high into the Andes to visit the Q'ero Indians of Peru. Tom translates from Spanish to English for Don Americo Yabar.
I believe Tom, a cultural anthropology major who had studied (and studied with) Native American and Hawaiian shamans), fell in love with the Q'ero and their concepts of energy, love, reciprocity with the earth (Pachamama), and healing.
More than most indigenous communities in Peru, the Q'ero have maintained their traditions from pre-Hispanic times. They strategically integrate only the new developments that are useful and adapt old traditions to the present day.
I did not get to visit Peru with Tom, who died in April. I hope to make the trip with his wife Bobbi when that comes together.
Connecting with Energy 3:13, and something interesting happens around 1:25!
Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the right column and click the More Photos link (or just click this link) to view the photos I posted from Tom's memorial service yesterday.
If you didn't know him, maybe you can tell from the pictures how special he was.
I am happy I got to have him for a teacher and a model.
Many, many people helped make this happen, especially Katie Raver and Linaka Hana. Kudos, you two!
I just spent three days—from Friday afternoon until Monday afternoon—with other people, on retreat, then preparing for and holding a celebration of the life of my dear teacher, Tom Best, who died about a month ago, and cleaning up afterwards.
I was with some of the dearest people I know. Smart, good, resourceful people. Beautiful, fun, funny, loving, adorable, competent, capable people. I met new people I'd love to know better. People came in from Serbia, Germany, Arizona, New York, Florida, and elsewhere.
Since nearly everyone there had at least taken NLP practitioner training (Tom taught NLP, but he really taught love), and some much more advanced training, the quantity and quality of resourcefulness present in the circle honoring him was probably more than I've ever experienced. Maybe more than I'm likely to experience again. Of course, I leave room for unlikely possibilities. I don't know the future. But that was one illustrious company to be part of.
And finally, I am home, by myself, and it feels so expansive and relaxing to have this solitude.
I cherish this time to sort through my impressions, understand people more deeply, absorb and integrate the experience at my own pace.
I will post photos later. For now, I just wanted to share a bit of what it's like to be an introvert. I'm not being antisocial. I just need time alone to rebalance my energies.
Just wanted to share with you something that a dear friend of Tom Best's created. It's called "Tom Gets an Idea." David Moerbe is the artist.