In preparation for an upcoming healing ceremony in which I am participating, I did some research on Despachos, an ancient technique handed down through medicine men and women of the Andes, dating back 5000 years.
The technique of creating Despachos, a type of prayer bundle, involves arranging various items together, along with written intentions and breathing your intentions into leaves, then bundling them together in a package that is wrapped and can be burned, buried, or placed in a tree or under water, depending on the desired effect of the intention.
To create a Despacho, start by defining your intention. Next, write down your desire, wish, goal or prayer on a piece of paper. Then, start to gather materials related to your intention.
By choosing contents like sugar for sweetness or love, or salt for grounding and a greater connection with earth, or other candies and herbs that are symbolic of our intentions, we build the energy that will be released through burning the offering.
You can choose to release that energy quickly by burning the package, or achieve a more slow and steady realization of your intentions, by burying your Despachos or sending them off into the universe by offering them to the wind, by hanging them in a tree or releasing them into a river or stream.
Directions for creating your own Despachos:
1. Cut a 24" square of wrapping paper and lay it out, right side down.
2. Write out your intention(s) on a piece of paper and place in on the wrapping paper.
3. Next add contents (suggestions follow) related to your intention.
4. Collect leaves and 'blow your intention' into those leaves and place them on the contents, in a way that symbolizes the 4 seasons and 4 elements.
5. Wrap the package by folding the paper over and tying it with gold and silver ribbons. Place more leaves and flowers within the ribbons.
6. Burn your Despachos and wait for your intentions to come true, which they often do, both in subtle, as well as dramatic and sudden ways.
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Ideas for Contents for Despachos:
VEGETABLE PRODUCTS
COPAL: Offering to the Lower World, the Shadow
FRANKINCENSE: Offering to the Upper World, the Light
PALO SANTO: Holds Space for our Prayers
COCA: Sacred Wisdom of the Mother
TOBACCO: Offering to the Sky Father
SAGE: Purification, Banishment of the Negative
ANISE: Celebration, The Senses
BERRIES: Rewards, Fruits of Labor
CEDAR: Wisdom of the Forest
CORN: A Gift of the Earth, Our Daily Sustenance
CORNMEAL: Offering to the Earth Mother
COTTON: Dreams, Clouds, Mountain Snows
FIGS: Ancient Mountain Spirits
FLOWERS: The Beauty of Nature, the Power of Light, Reproduction & Fertility
GARLIC: Absorption of the Negative, Banishment
GRAINS: Sustenance, Abundance
LAVENDER: Purity, Purification
LAUREL: Sacredness, Victory over Adversity
LEAVES: Honoring Nature Spirits
LIMA BEANS:Sacred Places, Huaqas, Power Spots
LIQUOR: High Energy, Honoring the Spirit World, our Ancestors
PEANUTS: Caves, Places for Elemental Spirits
POLLEN: Offering to all Living Creatures
RAISINS: Offering to the Dead
RICE Offerings to the Spirit World
SWEETS: Fertility, Beginnings, Potential
SUGAR: Sweetness, Feeding the Spirits
VEGETABLE OIL: Our connection to the Nourishing Power of Nature
WAYRUROS: Seed of Protection
WINE, RED: Honoring the Mother, Menstrual Blood
WINE, WHITE: Honoring the Moon, Fluids of Purification, Urine
MINERALS
GOLD: Masculine, The Sun, Insight
SILVER: Feminine, The Moon, Intuition
AGATE: Acceptance, Emotional & Physical Balance, Raises Consciousness
AMBER: Protection, Memory, Calming
AMETHYST: Higher Knowledge, Insight, Grounded Psychic Growth, Courage, Self-esteem
AVENTURINE: Joy, Mental Clarity, Positive Attitudes
BLOODSTONE: Blood & Heart Healing, Vitality, Courage, Higher States of Consciousness
CALCITE: Astral Projection, Balances Yin/Yang qualities
CITRINE: Successful Relationships, Letting go of Addictions, Self Confidence
COPPER: The Earth’s Gift, Conductivity
DIAMOND: Removes Blockages, Balances the Mind, Sexuality & Power
FLUORITE: Practicality, Getting Things Done, Ability to Perceive Higher Levels of Reality
GARNET: Circulation, Stimulates Imagination, Self-esteem & Willpower, Calms Anger
HEMATITE: Protection, Aids Astral Projection, Increases Self-Esteem
HERKIMER: Cleanses Subtle Bodies, Past life Memory, Clairvoyance & Dream work
IRON: Strength, Persistence, Endurance, Direction
JADE: Good Luck & Prosperity, Strong Immune System, Divine Love, Protection
LOADSTONE: The Power to Attract & Bind Together
MOONSTONE: Open up to feminine qualities: Receptivity, Intuition, Sensitivity, Clairvoyance
OBSIDIAN: Removal of Obstacles & Negativity, Prophetic Vision
OPAL: Protection, Cosmic Consciousness, Intuition, Emotional Balance
PERIDOT: Clarity, Patience, Clairvoyance, Positive Emotional Outlooks
PYRITE: Material Realization, Good Fortune, Eases Anxiety
CLEAR QUARTZ: Purity of Perception, Purity of Intention
ROSE QUARTZ: Love & Romance, Purity of Feeling, Confidence, Expression, Creativity
SMOKEY QUARTZ: Purification, Elimination of Shadow Aspects, Fertility, Creativity, Joy
RUTILATE QUARTZ: Breaks old Patterns, Childhood Blockages, Ease Depression
RHODOCHROSITE: Cleansing of Subconscious, Self-Identity, Strengthens Androgyny
RUBY: Spiritual Balance, Heart Healing, Confidence, Flexibility, Vitality, Leadership
SALT: Protection, Boundaries
SAPPHIRE: Communication w. Spirit Guides, Clairvoyance, Telepathy, Expression
TIGER EYE: Works on Mass Consciousness to Separates Desire from Need
TOURMALINE Dispels Fear, Negativity & Grief, Promotes Balance, Eases Compulsiveness
TURQUOISE: Fresh Starts, Offering to the Ancestors, Strength of Entire Body, Protection
ANIMAL PRODUCTS
ANIMAL SHAPES: Honoring our Relatives in the Animal Kingdom
FAT: Purest form of energy
BLOOD: Life Force
BONE: Our Inner Core, Structure, Connection to Animal Relatives
CORAL: The Power of the Sea, The Subconscious
EGGS: The Unborn, Purity, Healing
FEATHERS: Connection to Birds and to Native American wisdom
FETUS: The Unborn, Pure Potential
FUR Boundaries, Our Relations in Nature
HUMAN HAIR: Honoring our Connection to the Animal World
INSECTS: Time, The Web of Life
MILK: Connection to the Mother, Honoring Trees
PEARLS: Infinite Wisdom & Purity
STARFISH: Foundations, Successful New Beginnings
SEAHORSE: Delicacy & Balance
SHELLS: Power of the Waters: Depth, Faith, Flexibility
MAN-MADE SYMBOLS & SYMBOLS
ALPHABET NOODLES: Language of the Soul, The Unwritten
ASHES: Offering to Our Personal Ancestors
BEARS: Personal Power
BUTTERFLIES: Happiness, Spontaneity
CANDLES: Celebrations & Rejoicing
CANDY: Compassion & Love
CIRCLES: Completion, Good Luck
CONFETTI: Happiness, Celebrations
COINS: Good Fortune, Wealth
IMAGES OF COUPLES:Marriage, Love, Reproduction
CROSSES: Decisions, Coming Together
DICE: Good Luck
FISH: Abundance, Prosperity
FLUTES: Voices of the Ancestors
FROGS: Keepers & Guardians of the Waters
GOLD LEAF: Wisdom, Direct Knowledge from Nature. Message from the Mother
SILVER LEAF: Intuition, Clairvoyance, Message from the Moon
GOLD THREAD: Connection to the Earth Mother
HANDS: Sensitivity, Mastery
HEARTS: Working from Love, from the Center
HOLY WATER: Blessings, Protection
KNOTS: The Web of Life, Interdependence
MEN: The Masculine Principle
MOON: The Feminine Principle, The Shadow, Nourishment
RAINBOWS: Meeting of Ordinary and Extraordinary
RABBITS: Fertility, Reproduction
SEQUINS: Happiness, Joy, Celebrations
SILVER THREAD: Connection to the Mountain Spirits
SKULLS: Power of the Past, Power of the Ancestors
STARS: Hope, Aspiration
SUN: The Masculine Principle, The Light, Creation
SUN & MOON: Balance of Opposites, Harmonization
BUDDHA: Enlightenment, Attainment
THE GODDESS: The Feminine Principle Made Flesh
THUNDERBOLT: Expression, Power of the Voice,
TURTLES: Healing Power
WOMEN: The Feminine Principle