Condor Eagle Retreat

Elemental Rituals with Intention

Preparing our Spirit

Familia,

Here are some simple and beautiful practices rooted in the Condor Eagle ways that can help us connect and be in reciprocity with the spirit of the Earth. These practices will ease us into the week of prayer we will share together and help us begin to incorporate aspects of the traditions we will be immersed in.

We encourage you to choose at least one practice per element—whichever ones feel most aligned and natural to you in this moment. The idea is not to force ourselves, but to gently open our hearts to the gifts of the spirit, in gratitude for all that we have already received, and to create a positive, aligned mindset for what is to come.

Water

Wake up every morning and drink a big glass of water! Water is alive. She is the creator of life and our mother since the beginning of time. Honor her ancestral spirit by saying “thank you” each morning, and whenever possible.

Sing to her, speak to her, pray with her.

If there is a body of water near you, such as the ocean, a river, spring, or lake, bring a flower and offer love and appreciation. After that, ask for her blessings.

Fire

Create an altar in your home with elements that remind you of the beauty of life—such as crystals, art, seeds, flowers, textiles, pictures, medicines, small sculptures, etc. Light a candle with intention and prayer, inviting the light of the Grandfather Fire into your space to illuminate your journey.

If possible, create a small fire outdoors and connect with the spirit of light, transformation, and renewal. Offer tobacco or cedar, accompanied by a prayer of gratitude and intention.

Say hello to the Sun in the morning!

Take some time to feel that warmth and connect with the energy of the Sun.

Earth

The greatest gift we can give ourselves, the planet and this time in humanity is to plant.

Put your hands in the Earth and feel the presence of this beautiful blue green planet and mother that holds us with so much generosity.

Find seeds and plant them in your garden!

Walk barefoot on grass, earth, sand, or stone, and feel the energy of the Earth. If you can, lie down on the Earth. She has a powerful electromagnetic field that can help transmute energy and bring renewal.

Remember, we are all children of Mother Earth.

If you find garbage at the beach or in the forest, help keep these natural sanctuaries clean by collecting it and disposing of it properly. Be mindful of making less waste yourself, and contributing to a more sustainable planet.

Air

Light an incense on your altar with intention. Cleanse your yourself and your space and home with the natural perfumes of incense—such as copal, sage, palo santo, lavender, pine resin, eucalyptus, rosemary, or any herbs that are available to you.

Offer your energy through your voice to the four winds!

Sing to Mother Nature, and watch how, in subtle ways, she may respond to you, perhaps in the songs of birds or the falling of leaves from trees.

Practices like these remind us to slow down, and remember a time when prayer and connection to the natural world were once just as important as productivity. In the fast-paced world we live in today, let’s take a moment to pause, reflect on our path, and offer our energy with love to the medicine and abundance that is already present in our lives. Let’s also honor the incredible blessing we have to gather soon in the lush beauty of Costa Rica and reconnect with the ancestral ways of being.

Let’s embody the wise ancestors of past, present and future by expressing to the elements of life that we are awake and aware of our place in the magical web of life.

The Condor Eagle Retreat is a moment where we will immerse ourselves in native culture and find that remembrance within, as a group, in ceremony. Our intention is to learn from these ways with gratitude and lightness, because we recognize the incredible gift of life in having this opportunity.

I feel deeply blessed to open this prayer with Kuauhtli, a great grandfather who holds precious wisdom and the light of his ancestors shining beautifully in his heart, as the peyotito has shaped and formed him over many years.

I am honored to be a woman sharing her voice in a space of respect and devotion, to receive you in our ceremonies and at our altars, which are our family’s home and roots, and to express my family’s heart through divine music, chanting, and prayer.

~

May we all walk in beauty, embracing every moment and every precious drop of life.