“Water Medicine Mandala”

A prayer for the constant renewal of Water.

This design originated from a traditional Buddhist Mandala, incorporating indigenous symbols and representations of the Amazon Plant Medicine.

The spiral at the center comes from an ancient design in southern Chile, used by the Mapuche shamans on their ceremonial drums. It represents the sun of our solar system, our source of life.

The eight-pointed star, also from the Mapuche tradition and used widely in their weavings, represents Venus, in honor of balance and beauty. In their ancient language, spoken only, for no written form existed, the word for beauty and the word for perfection are the same, add. I placed it at the center in reference to this elevated concept of beauty and balance.

The eight petals are part of the original blueprint. The four directions and the four elements remain faithful to the traditional form as well.

The most relevant additions to this medicine wheel are the depictions of the chacruna and the caapi, the leaf and the vine, which combined create the brew known as ayahuasca. This is a sacrament of the ancient peoples of the Amazon basin, a brew considered by all who have experienced it to be one of the most revealing encounters with the great mystery of life, and a profound healing of mind, body, and spirit.

The other personal addition to this blueprint is a large blue circle surrounding the four elements. This circle is a prayer for the perpetual renewal of water, the most precious element that sustains all life, a circle of invocation to water, always purifying, nurturing, and renewing us.