The Chakana Oracle Guidebook: Ancient Wisdom for the 21st Century

By Drake Bear Stephen and Robert Wakeley Wheeler

In many ancient cultures divination was used to determine if an action taken would be favorable. In ancient Greece, an oracle was a seer who was the intermediary between the people and the gods and goddesses. In The Chakana Oracle, the cards themselves play the role of the ancient oracle, connecting the user to an ancient Andean lineage

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wisdom Weaver Press
• Release date: Oct 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9780986249839

Drake Bear Stephen

Drake is certified as a Transpersonal Hypnotherapist, Shamanic Energy Medicine Practitioner, NLP practitioner, and a Reiki Master. Drake specializes in Past Life Therapy but has a variety of background experiences that includes a 37-year career in telecommunications and a B.A. from Antioch University in art and psychology. Drake's introduction to shamanism began over 18 years ago with an interest in Two Spirits because they identifies as pan-gendered. Their preferred pronouns are the singular they, their, and them. Drake has a private practice that focuses on energetic self-empowerment for clients as well as teaching classes on gender and sexual identity, the Afterlife, and other topics of transpersonal metaphysics. Drake is the author of Soul Sex: The Alchemy of Gender and Sexuality. In addition to being the photographer, illustrator, and layout artist for The Chakana Oracle and Soul Sex, Drake also produces all of their own websites and advertising materials.

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THE CHAKANA ORACLE

GUIDEBOOK:

Ancient Wisdom for the 21st Century:

Designed & Written by: Drake Bear Stephen and Robert Wakeley Wheeler

Illustrations & Photography by: Drake Bear Stephen

Copyright © 2020 Drake Bear Stephen and Robert Wakeley Wheeler.

Except as acknowledged. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder, except brief quotations used in a review.

Although the authors and publisher have made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information contained in this book, we assume no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. Any slights of people, places, or organizations are unintentional.

Library of Congress PCN#: TBD

Library of Congress Title: The chakana oracle guidebook

Printed in the United States of America.

First printing, June 2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

DIVINATION & CARD LAYOUTS

ANTISUYU (Northeast) SUIT (Green):

P’acha Q’epe (Woven Textiles) To Be 28 Cards

Apu (Sacred Mountain)

Chakana (The Southern Cross)

Ch’ily Q’ocha (Body of Water)

Chuku (Brimmed Hat)

Ch’ullu (Ceremonial Hat)

Ch’unchu Qhari (Indigenous Masculine)

Ch’unchu Simi (Indigenous Soul)

Ch’unchu Warmi (Indigenous Feminine)

Inti (Sun)

Inti Watana (Sun Tie)

Kunka Chuwina (Scarf)

K’uychi (Rainbow)

Llama

Llikla (Shawl)

Mastana (Mesa Cloth)

Ñawi (Eyes)

Pallay (Pattern)

Pallay Tukuy (Finishing Design)

Pampa (Plain)

Q’enqo (Zig Zag Pattern)

Q’enqo Chukuy (To Join Together)

Q’eperina (Blanket)

Quipu (Knotted Threads)

Tawa Inti Q’ocha (Four Sun Lake)

Tawantinsuyu (Four Quarter Cloth)

Tupu (Shawl Pin)

Unkhuña (Inner Cloth)

Unku (Poncho)

QOLLASUYU (Southeast) SUIT (White):

Khuyakuna (Sacred Stones) To Emerge 19 Cards

Huq K’uchu Chumpi (One Point Stone)

Iskay K’uchu Chumpi (Two Point Stone)

Kinsa K’uchu Chumpi (Three Point Stone)

Tawa K’uchu Chumpi (Four Point Stone)

Pisqa K’uchu Chumpi (Five Point Stone)

Soqta K’uchu Chumpi (Six Point Stone)

Qanchis K’uchu Chumpi (Seven Point Stone)

Hiwaya Rumi (Meteorite Stone)

Illa Rumi (Shaped Stone)

Kinsa K’uchu Rumi (Triangular Stone)

Llank’i Rumi (Smooth Stone)

Muyu Rumi (Round Stone)

Ñanniyoq Rumi (Path Stone)

Punku Rumi (Doorway Stone)

Qespi Rumi (Crystal)

Qhasqa Rumi (Rough Stone)

Tawa K’uchu Hina Rumi (Square Stone)

Tiha Rumi (Tile Stone)

Tupanaqui Rumi (Tapping Stone)

KUNTISUYU (Southwest) SUIT (Yellow):

Rikchaykuna (Carved Images) To Vision 18 Cards

Chacra (Field)

Ch’askakuna (Star Nations)

Chinchay (Jaguar)

Illapa (Lightning)

Inti Tayta (Father Sun)

Kuntur (Condor)

Kutiy (Turning)

Mama Killa (Mother Moon)

Muyuma (Spiral)

Phaqcha (Waterfall)

Qhapaq Ñan (Inka Road)

Sachamama (Snake)

Siwar Q’ente (Great Hummingbird)

Taqe (Storage Structure)

Tawantin Wayrakuna (Four Winds)

T’ika (Flower)

Wasi (House)

Yakumama (Rain, Snow, & Hail)

CHINCHAYSUYU (Northwest) SUIT (Red):

Ruruchina (Energy Companions) To Master 29 Cards

Canopa (Offering)

Chanrarakuna (Bells)

Chaqchana (Rattle)

Choqe Varayoq (Golden Staff)

Ch’uchukuna (Marbles)

Ch’uspa (Coca Leaf Bag)

Haywarikuy (Energy Offering)

Huywiy (Whistling Vessel)

Kaspikuna (Sticks)

Kero (Cup)

K’intu (Prayer Leaves)

Kuntur Phuru (Condor Feather)

Lloq’e Maki (Left Hand)

Paña Maki (Right Hand)

Mama Sara (Mother Corn)

Muña (Andean Mint)

Pachamama & Pachatata (Earth Mother & Father)

P'akikuna Sapap'uchaq (Confetti)

Pinkullu (Flute)

Pututu (Conch Shell)

Q’apachi (Incense)

Q’ocha Puku (Scallop Shell)

Suyu Qawaq (Celestial Compass)

T’ika Unu (Flower Water)

Tinya (Drum)

Wamp’u (Spirit Boat)

Warak’a (Braided Sling)

Waska (Rope)

Willka Nina (Fire)

GLOSSARY

REFERENCE LINKS

QHATU (The Marketplace)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

INTRODUCTION

SOURCING THE DECK

The Q’ero received a prophecy: come down from the mountaintops and share…

Many of us have been drawn by that call, journeying to the Andes and meeting the stewards of the land.

We (the authors) immersed ourselves in the culture and opened to the teachings of this place and its people. We returned, again and again; walking the land, exploring, asking, experiencing. We began to collect a heartfelt selection of images; illustrations of the Q’ero Lineage as we’ve understood it. And, by sharing these photos, we reveal principles, practices, and blessings of the medicine people who live there.

Our reference point is the mesa (medicine bundle), a synergy of cloth and stone; a traveling storehouse of symbolic interplays, mythic tales, and raw energy itself. We sensed the mesa’s components, envisioned its related images, and placed each one upon a card. Many aspects of the Q’ero Cosmology are revealed here.

Our goal is to illustrate aspects of this Q’ero Lineage as we understand it, and to invite you to engage them in your own way; to enter the Kawsaypacha, the land of living energy. In the spirit of this Lineage and in honor especially to those who choose to share it, we offer back these images of our own Indigenous Soul.

The Chakana Oracle is designed to connect us to the ancient wisdom of the Q’ero tradition so that we may learn from this body of knowledge and benefit from it in our daily life. Using the sacred symbology of the Andes, the cards help us to tap into the ancient voices that have spoken and sung to us through time. We can adapt these ancient ways to our contemporary world to support our navigation of it.

The development of this deck is our co–creation, based on our training with the Q’ero, our visits to the Andes, and our participation in the indigenous ceremonies of the paq’okuna (Andean medicine people). The information in this guidebook has been collected from journeys, discussions, ceremonies, and initiations with indigenous teachers. There are common themes of cosmology in the Andes yet the people have some unique beliefs and language differentiations that vary from region to region and time to time. We have drawn on these experiences, meditated on the meaning of working with the Andean cosmology, and have applied our findings to the contemporary context of life in the 21st century.

We each take our place at the tribal fire with our own ways of perceiving the world. Our perceptions are born of, and profoundly influenced by, the culture in which we’ve been raised. In order to more fully and respectfully appreciate the Q’ero Way, and perhaps begin the process of shifting our perceptions to include other ways beyond those we were born into, it is helpful to cultivate an understanding of the culture out of which a tradition was born. For this reason, The Chakana Oracle was designed so it can also be utilized as reference cards to learn about the words, tools, dress, and lifestyle of the Indigenous Soul of the Andes.

The first two sections in this guidebook introduce the Andean cosmology and discuss various ways in which the The Chakana Oracle cards can be used. The next four sections explain each card in the four suits. The last section provides a glossary and some reference links.

The indigenous language of the Andes is Quechua, an oral language that was not put into writing for many centuries. As a result, it’s not uncommon for Quechuan words to be spelled in a variety of ways. Wherever possible, alternative spellings have been noted in the descriptions of the cards.

We hope that this card deck will enhance the user’s connection with their own spiritual purpose. Just as working directly with textiles, natural items, sacred places, and medicine bundles are useful vehicles to rekindle connections to the earth and to the Cosmos, it is hoped that working with The Chakana Oracle will also serve to promote connection. Over time, with dedication and awareness, we can each rekindle and remember our own personal cosmology. In doing so, we are engaging ayni, a sacred reciprocity of both receiving and giving back to the energy universe, the Kawsaypacha.

We invite you to share your experiences. Is this deck seeding new practices or perspectives for you? How are you incorporating them into your daily life? What ways have you found your understanding of these practices to be growing and informing your perceptions or world view? In other words, share with the greater ayllu (community) how you are using The Chakana Oracle to transform your soul’s journey and to build or refresh your personal cosmology.

We also invite you to post your comments and read others’ observations on social media. (Please refer to links at back of this guidebook). We would love to hear feedback from you and any new discoveries you have made so that we can add it to our knowledge base. In this way, the connectivity between the Spiritual Collective Consciousness, the textile weavers, the lineage of Q’ero healers, and ourselves will continue to grow.

THE Q’ERO

Herders and farmers of the High Andes, the Q’ero were the spiritual advisors to the Inka, the civilization of energy and light. Many of these Q’ero masters still live in their rarified mountain areas, permeated by the raw power of Wiracocha or Wiraqocha (Creator God). The Q’ero have always known that they are in direct relationship with the fullness of Pachamama (Mother Earth) in all her myriad manifestations. They honor her, give offerings to her for their sustenance and for the gifts of her living abundance to the people. They receive messages about the invisible energy universe and they weave these images into their sacred cloth and carve them upon their chosen stones.

We recognize the Q’ero as true wisdom holders of the Kawsaypacha (Living Energy World) and so are using the Andean indigenous cosmology, or world view, as the portal for The Chakana Oracle.

The Q’ero cosmology is a bridge that connects the past, present, and future. As modern travelers on that bridge, we can visit our origins to learn about the general structure of the universe, space, time, causality, and freedom. This knowledge can provide guidance that supports our earthly journey.

KAWSAY

"Kawsay in Quechua means living energy." The Inkas, the Energy Masters of the Andes, believe we are immersed in and permeated by great fields of activated energy called the Kawsaypacha (Living Energy World). These interlacing invisible Fields of Luminosity include our own moving and shining vibrations.

A basic shamanic principle is that everything is composed of energy. In the Kawsaypacha everything is not only alive but also has awareness and the ability to communicate. Since we are energy, we are all related and connected not only to each other but also to Source. This animistic belief is a fundamental principle shared by all shamanic cultures.

Kawsay is the