Love Lies Bleeding

Lisana-
The call I make to Jeremy is urgent as the equinox approaches and my belief that timing is tantamount. Having now extended my time in Peru twice it will be this day, of what would have been my return flight, that I now call Jeremy with a request for him to re-unite with me in a most powerful mission, potentially our most difficult. No one else can fulfill this but my twin flame, for it is not just his skills, more so the effectiveness of our shared vibration and that will make this a successful mission. 

Jeremy-
As soon as I accept the recall to Peru it seems as though a screen of interference is laid upon us. Numerous calls are made incomplete conversations with news of ticket prices escalating with complications for Patty and Lisana in Cusco, computer anomalies and banking issues all present obstacles for flight. 
The crunch occurs when a ticket purchase sends me running to the airport, 2 1/2 hour journey in the middle of the night, to bounce at the check-in from a failure of purchase.
A repeat trip to the airport the following night as Lisana assures me that the purchase went through for the next red eye.
Already weary I embark on a twenty two hour journey which seems to go relatively smoothly. Rewarding me with a familiar feeling as I jump the taxi van in the bustle of Cusco, my senses delight in the nuances of the Andean air.

Lisana-
Upon Jeremy's arrival we reconnect our hearts affirming in a moments glance after our long embrace. He returns fully embodied as White Eagle, I receive him back to the land of the condor. 
This mission will take us up a very powerful mountain, Pachatusan, meaning the sustainer of the planet. At the base stands the monastery holding the christed energy. While below in the valley holds a blanket of beautifully rich shades of burgundy, the world's capital of amaranth being harvested from this small town of San Salvador, meaning holy savior.
Our day begins early for this will be my first official big mountain hike and understandably to ascend the mountain and return we must have an early start. Jeremy will carry all of our altar tools, including many crystals, a pyramid, his ceremonial handmade full length leather coat, wand and other needed (or so we thought) items. I will be asked to carry my own water as well as my singing bowl, this already is too much and I am sure will slow me down. We are climbing a mountain that can reach the tops of the Andean clouds at about 16 thousand feet, this altitude coupled with my first ascent is going to be extreme for me. But how can it be fair if Jeremy is already packing 30 pounds to burden him with more.

Jeremy-
While celebrating the beauty of the amaranth fields with Lisana on our way to the monastery I feel compelled to declare to the couple of Peruvian kindly folk that in England we have the name of "love lies bleeding" for this scarlet annual. 

Lisana-
The van delivers us to the monastery where we stop at the holy waters to anoint our heads as we request permission to approach this most powerful mountain.
Reaching the large rock where we held ceremony months ago and deposited a phantom quartz crystal that must now be recovered to take to the top of this sustaining Apu.
Already feeling the intensity I am alarmed and share with Jeremy that I am having difficulty staying grounded. His attention offers the energy needed for the moment to assist my plight. We continue on this first level of the mountain with clear skies offering a view of the craggy castles that line the magnificent ridge. Jeremy's innate sense of direction on the planet is a marvel, I completely trust his awareness and skills, surrendering entirely to his guidance.


Jeremy-
Having guided people before and being a lover of camping in  nature, I have a pretty clear understanding of the dangers of dramatic weather. Therefore it is odd why we would ascend without sleeping bags or shelter. I believe some part of me is convinced we can get down today, yet the reality is never more expected as this will be an overnight journey. However, I did prepare for some eventualities, although finding myself quite hindered by the load of crystals that we agreed to bring. We enter a small adobe village that cultivates the lower slopes of the mountain, numerous streams carve their passage through the sweet, lush, green turf and channels for irrigation. Continuing upwards we reach the highest house where we investigate our best possible route beyond. Being stalled by tethered bulls we backtrack to renegotiate from the house, where appears a gentle Incan man with a lovely smile. Leandro ushers us into his home, where we stand in one chamber which is separated from the wood fired kitchen by a half door. The essence of a simple traditional life permeates the fabric of this dwelling.
On entering you are presented with a more than life size depiction of Jesus Christ that all but overwhelms the space. The few other possessions disorderly gathered around the edges of the room hold audience to the portrait, obviously painted by Leandro himself. The moments spent felt thick and heartfelt with the allowance for us to look deeply into each others eyes. 

Lisana-
The modest space is imbued with his wisdom and sacredness of his ancestry, sharing with us living water from the mountain and guidance for our journey, Leandro suggests that we sleep on the mountain. Insisting to put us on the right path he leads the way offering to carry while assisting me with a few tough spots. I have a feeling he is going to be aiding us on our journey from his watchful position. As he reveals our path he states to us that he will be up the mountain in the morning to recover his sheep which are grazing I have a sense he will check on us as he is aware of my fledgling ascent.

Jeremy-
From the monastery to the village our pace was slow but deliberate until it slowed a little more until the breaks became longer. Already having taken an hour and half we are barely on the mountain and happily wave farewell to Leandro after his boost of energy in accompanying us and receiving his full blessing on our journey of ascension, for this allows a marker that we have made some progress. 
Weaving our way through eucalyptus groves and into lofty rock fields, the cactus grow more plentiful as must our sure footedness, as a stumble could result in punctures and thorny entanglement with the euphorbia milii (crown of thorns).  

Lisana-
I can feel that level two of this mountain with the narrow sheep trail adds additional intensity, slowing me down we have to make several stops on this part of our journey as I make endless 90 degree turns all the way to the last level with it's steeper incline and no real trail. 

Jeremy-
I am quickly realizing that we will be lucky to reach the peak this day let alone a return, my focus becomes directed toward gaining as much altitude as well as seeking a safe campsite, aware that Lisana has not much left in her for further exertion. 

Lisana-
Suddenly I find myself facing almost vertical climbs, several times I have to call out to Jeremy to assist as I hang on the side of this mountain with nothing to grip to. Surprised, as my feet have no ledge or rock to rest on and as my hands reach there is nothing to grab; I sense I am about to slide down. "Help" I cry out "Jeremy, I have nothing to hold onto". Quickly he removes all the gear to rush to me offering his hand. Realizing this is now quite difficult I can only hope it doesn't continue in this way. Not really sure how long we have been nor does it even occur to me that we may not get back down tonight, Jeremy stops declaring we will have to sleep here and that he will scout out a safe place. I try to find a spot to hold tight to while he leaves me. Calling out to him as he disappears from my sight pleading his return for I realize how dependent I am to his care, I trust him fully.
With a disappointing tone in his voice upon his return he declares he cannot find a cave or overhang, and that we will have to camp out on the flattest surface he could find which is a rock that sticks out like a balcony to the valley below. Guiding me there he quickly begins to set up camp and asks for me to stay out of the way. I am having a bit of vertigo as the valley below is distracting giving a sense I will fall at any given moment.
It is getting dark and I can always tell when he is stressed, his patience is quite low for me, so I try to stay out of the way while I follow his command to gather rocks for the fire ring.
He sets up our make shift tent with a heavy poncho and my small wool blanket, admittedly we were lacking equipment.
We will have to lie still and compact and though I am not thinking about anything with fear I am concerned I will take on dampness.
We settle in with the fire right by the opening where he will tend throughout the evening, or so we think. Within the first hour pacha-mama decides to pour her love onto us in the form of tears, rain that is and it is so hard on the tarp I cannot hear Jeremy. While lying paralyzed under the deluge I recall him telling me a year ago about the consequence of being cold and wet and now the relevance has crashed into my reality. I yell out in urgency for I feel I am doing something wrong, "Jeremy I'm getting wet, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry".
Then I feel it pouring in and now I am soaked, we can't move or it will be worse so we hold tight. The rain breaks after about 30 minutes, quickly Jeremy jumps up and commands me over to the rocky edge off the sodden ground where he lays down a blanket for me to sit on. Aware he is that I have been running so cold for the entire time in Peru his attention is fully on my well being. Covering me with the foil thermal sheet he sets hot rocks around my feet and between my legs. Already shivering and uncomfortable I surrender to the moment as the realization we cannot get down this mountain tonight and we are wet and cold and nothing will change that until the break of day, about 9 hours away.
Jeremy joins me under the foil, face to face with our foreheads touching and when I peer out to the sky I see a huge lightening bolt and declare that we are like jiffy-pop popcorn. Jeremy doesn't seem to get it, maybe he is too worried or maybe the British didn't have jiffy-pop.
With the fire out and now the rocks cooling off and the intensity of the lightening Jeremy decides that we will lie on the ground placing the tarp over us as there will be no way we can sit for the duration of the night on the edge of this mountain head to head. With teeth chattering and my body convulsing I grow aware that I am at the mercy of Jeremy's care and his love.

Jeremy-
Knowing not to be in fear whilst factoring in possible dangers during a climb, is necessary. The lack of a shelter would be a problem depending on how hard and when the rain would fall.
I had assumed there would be rain as my recollections of staring at this mountain from afar without a cloud upon it were few and far between. Being one of the tallest mountains in this section of the sacred valley there would often be a daily dusting of snow left from the night times theater. While digesting the possibilities of our hike on the way up I made an agreement - to keep Lisana alive no matter what.
Part of our worksheet was to remove an earth virus from the grid that the node of this mountain represents and to allow the regenerative energy that this vortex channels to be unhindered. 

The worst case scenario happens, the rain pours down uncontrollably, it doesn't matter whether we have a tent, this kind of rain turns the mountain side into a torrent in every direction downward. Although I remain calm I know we are in for it. Now that we are both wet I feel the need to be on high alert. Thankfully the fire lasted long enough to heat the rocks and will be our first line of defense. Followed by half hourly position changes with periodic forced movement sessions. I spend a lot of the night laying on top of Lisana while breathing down her neck insisting in full responses of her condition and level of well being.
To my amazement she never once complains, is always prepared to laugh and holds an innocence to the predicament we are in.
It isn't until we both admit to each other how cold we are, that my concern peaks. I feel we are approaching the darkest hour before the dawn, when I begin to flood with feelings of surrender. Flashing back to the meaning behind "love lies bleeding" and the reason for announcing this in the beginning of our journey. The symbolism intoxicates me and triggers an opening of my heart. I stream tears while sobbing out loud, for the sight of a woman, mother, priestess crawling up the side of a mountain to pray and worship the connection between all things through love and determination for change in the highest. For some reason this act shifts the reality paradigm and the realization that ceremony has begun. Lisana commences to wretch involuntarily, we now seem to have a new set of problems as I can barely hold onto her as she purges into the darkness below. Each time she groans I feel a surge of scourged energy roll through my etheric body and release it back into the universe to be transmuted to the light.
This goes on until we are both delirious and exhausted and just when I feel a gentle returning to a normal state of mind Lisana lets out a primal scream which reverberates off the many enormous cliff faces over hanging the sacred valley. Now, much to our surprise we apparently feel warm throwing back our covers we witness the brightest corona around the waning moon as we proceed to kneel and pray to the mountain for permission to establish a pure conduit to connect the core of mother Gaia to the galactic central sun, through the twin flame coded signatures of unconditional love, where our "love lies bleeding".