During a time of year in which it is so easy to get caught up in all the busy-ness and consumption of the holiday season, let us gather for a morning to stay centered in gratitude to all that we have and learn how to create a beautiful prayer mandala offering.

This jaywarikuy or despacho tradition from the lineage of the Quero people of the Andean Mountains of Peru is a powerful ceremonial practice that announces to Spirit your intention of giving thanks for the abundance we experience in our daily lives. With this appreciation comes an understanding that the give away of our time, focus and materials helps us be in greater reciprocity with the natural world. It also helps us to anchor into right relationship with the more-than-human world that sustains everything in our lives. In other words, it helps us experience a greater sense of belonging.

These prayer bundles we will construct are beautiful mandalas of leaves, flowers, seeds, animal fat and our most heartfelt prayers of thanks, enclosed in a paper packet. After you have received these sacred teachings on this simple yet potent practice, we will make our own and have a fire ceremony to burn these offerings.

You will also take home instructions and a kit to make your own offering at home!