Sacred Stones and Spirit of the Sun
Solstice Teachings with the Q’ero, from the Andes to Avebury: Ceremony, Spirit, and Sacred Reciprocity. And a New Andean Infused Shamanic Training Begins...
Last weekend, during the Summer Solstice, I had the honour of returning to Avebury, one of the most sacred and energetically alive sites in the UK, to sit in ceremony with Don Alejandro Apaza, a Q’ero Maestro from the high Andes of Peru. The event was beautifully hosted by my former student, Louise, of The Way of the Hummingbird, and it was deeply moving to witness her now walking the path of service with such grace.
There is something profoundly timeless about Avebury. Unlike its more famous cousin, Stonehenge, Avebury allows you to walk among the stones — to touch them, lean into them, and feel their wisdom. This ancient landscape has been a place of ceremony for thousands of years. It’s great stone circles, long barrows, ley lines, and guardian trees form a sacred container where spiritual work seems to unfold with ease.
In the centre of the Henge, we gathered with open hearts for a Despacho ceremony, led by Don Alejandro. This traditional Andean offering invites us to enter into sacred reciprocity with the forces of nature — in this case, with Tayta Inti, the Sun, whose Solstice light marks a powerful turning point in the Wheel of the Year. In the Q’ero tradition, the Sun is a Grandfather spirit—life—giver, illuminator, and source of divine masculine energy.
Each person was invited to create a K’intu — three leaves arranged with care and reverence — and whisper their prayers, names, and origins into them, and blowing their breath across the leaves. In the Andean tradition, these small but powerful offerings are used to communicate with the nature spirits: the mountains, rivers, stones, animals, ancestors, the moon and stars. But as Maestro gently reminded us, nature doesn’t automatically accept our prayers. It’s a relationship. One we must nurture, earn, and tend to with humility.
Humanity, after all, has not been the best steward of this Earth.
We spoke of this as well, how many of us are called to reclaim our sacred responsibility as Earthkeepers. The Q’ero believe that we are living in a time of great remembering, a time when we must re-establish our trust with the natural world. We must shift from being disruptors to becoming collaborators — not dominators of nature, but beloved children of it. This begins by listening deeply, acting with integrity, and walking gently in the world.
As the Despacho was completed, two red kites danced overhead, weaving and gliding in perfect harmony. For many of us, this moment cracked something open. It felt like a blessing from above — a British echo of the Andean Condor — and it brought tears to many eyes.
Then came the blessing. Each person was called forward to receive a personal blessing from Don Alejandro, standing between the ancient stones of Avebury Henge — a site that has held ritual and ceremony for thousands of years. The moment felt timeless. Anchored. Sacred.
Then we rose together as a group and began to sing and dance in joyful unity, giving thanks to the Sun, to the land, to Spirit, and one another. It was spontaneous, light-hearted, and soul-deep. Afterwards, Don Alejandro gave each of us a personal blessing beside the great standing stones, with sacred breath and touch.
Finally, we walked together toward a quieter edge of the Henge, where four majestic Beech trees — known locally as the Four Sisters — have stood sentinel for many generations. With their exposed roots and ancient presence, they are revered as Wishing Trees, places of memory, prayer, and deep listening. There, beneath their canopy, we rested. Held by this sacred land, the nature spirits and by each other.
What the Q’ero Remind Us
One of the reasons I love the Q’ero so deeply is their humble joy. They carry great wisdom, yet wear it lightly. I’ve met many spiritual teachers over the years who approach this path with heaviness and ego, where laughter is somehow seen as unspiritual.
The Q’ero remind me, again and again, that joy is medicine.
When I was in Peru two years ago, our Maestro César said something I’ve never forgotten:
“It’s all just a game. Let’s play!”
It’s now something I say often in my own teachings. Because yes, life can be serious — and it is hard sometimes — but our work doesn’t need to be heavy. We are allowed to laugh, to dance, to celebrate, even - perhaps especially as we heal.
The Q’ero have kept their traditions alive in the high Andes for over 500 years, protecting them from colonial destruction. Only in recent decades have they begun to share their medicine with the world, not for fame, but because the time has come. Their prophecies speak of a great remembering, a time when we will awaken to the truth that we are not separate — we are one. One Earth. One humanity. One heart.
🌿 Want to Go Deeper?
The Shaman’s Way: Immersion
If this speaks to your soul, I invite you to join me on a 2-part Shamanic Immersion — a deep training in Earth-based spiritual practice, energy work, ceremony, and connection to nature and spirit.
This is my core course — the same material offered in my longer 13 Moons journey — but delivered in a two-week format:
Part 1: June 30 – July 4
Part 2: September 15 – 19
This is a rich, experiential immersion that includes practical tools, ceremonial training, and deep personal transformation. We gather in circle, in nature, with rhythm, joy, and a whole lot of spirit. If you’ve been longing to reconnect with the Earth, with your intuition, with your own inner shaman — this is your invitation.
There are a couple of spaces still available for the June training, and I would love to welcome you.
The Shaman’s Way: 13 Moons
The year-long 13 Moons program begins again in October for those who prefer a slower, year-long cycle. But the Immersion is the best way to step in now — to receive the teachings and start living them straight away.
You can also join us for drum circles, cacao ceremonies, and other community events to stay connected and nourished.
The Q’ero remind us:
Now is the time to remember who we are.
Now is the time to come back to the circle.
With love and light,
Sorrell, Plant Spirit Medicine Woman
