This was the title of my article published in a 2012 edition of Astronomy Ireland Magazine. Travel has been a source of inspiration in my life and has been instrumental in my healing process and path to authenticity. When I visited Peru for the first time I experienced a creative shift, some call it an un-blocking or an opening. The article below is part of that opening.
This has to be my best summer of astronomy ever. The world’s most distinguished scientists were visiting Dublin for a conference and the visit coincided with breaking news regarding the discovery of the ‘Higgs-Boson’ particle. Dr Rolf-Dieter Heuer, Director General of Cern was about to address an audience at Trinity College and I had managed to get a seat in the auditorium.
Minutes before the event kicked off, a friend had shown me a winning cartoon analogy that explained the Higgs Boson particle. The cartoon depicted a famous person attempting to pass through a room full of journalists at the speed of light but because of his fame the journalists gather around him and slow him down, simulating the gathering of mass.
Just then, I did something I wouldn’t normally do. I got up from my seat and hurried to the front row of the auditorium to where Dr. Heuer was seated. I put out my hand and said 'Dr. Heuer, Tá meas agam duit' – which in the Irish language means I respect you. The Irish word for respect is meas, pronounced as mass and it had struck me how its meaning also fitted with the cartoon analogy.
"The Irish word for respect is meas (pronounced mass)."
In that same year, I visited Peru and witnessed the genius of ancient Nazca and Inca civilisations. Their enduring designs incorporate art, engineering skill and spiritual belief with precise astronomical measurements.
The Nazca lines are etchings stretching over 450km2 of a rocky plateau in south Peru. They date back to 400BC and were created over a period of 800 years.
The local planetarium credits German mathematician Dr. Maria Reiche as the person who re-discovered them in the 1940's. She dedicated her entire life to uncovering the lines and researching their significance. The line drawings are believed to represent constellations and spiritual Gods. Some are used as markers of the rising and setting of celestial bodies and paths to water sources.
Outside the planetarium we viewed the constellations of Scorpios, Southern Cross. Vega in Lyra, Mars and Saturn were clearly visible. As a special treat we observed Saturn through a telescope and for the first time I saw two of its moons. Coastal clouds prevented a sighting of the ISS but the beauty of the crescent moon on its back was stunning.
Peru is also the home of the famous Machu Picchu, sometimes referred to as 'The Lost City of the Incas'. It was uncovered in 1911 by explorer Hiram Bingham. It is splendid and is only one of many examples of the importance the Incas placed on astronomy in their daily lives. Their architectural sites always include a temple to the Sun.
Winter Solstice June 21st (southern hemispheres shortest day) was especially important, many of the Inca-built windows are aligned with this event. Carved embodiments of animals in rock faces align the with winter solstice sun, including features such as the eye of the llama or condor.
Shallow cylindrical rock pools of water in the ground are thought to have been used to observe the reflected night sky. Shadows cast by rock sculptures and steps were designed to create the Andean Cross, a sacred symbol of the Incas. The region of Cuzco, including Ollantaytambo and Sacred Valley, is home to several of these stunning sites of astronomy and worship. I highly recommend a visit to Peru to see it all for yourself.
Are you seeking ways to unblock your creativity or are you searching for meaning and purpose? Are you curious about the opportunities and adventures that could unfold if you dared to step out of your comfort zone? Do you know what holds you back?
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