The room at Questhaven, filled with 40 workshop participants, rang with the refrain…
“Salk’a!” We cried.
It was our answer whenever workshop leaders Don Americo Yabar and his son, Gayle, asked us how we were.
—“Como estan, Waikis?” (How are you, Seeker-soul Friends?)
—“Salk’a!”
The workshop was about settling into our hearts, choosing the salk’a part of ourselves—for me, it was about choosing joy.
Salk’a is a Quechua word (the language of the Andes) for “undomesticated energy.” For me the words “untamed energy” say it best. “Wild” is not quite it, because that has tones of savagery, or of lacking civility. When I hear “undomesticated,” I think of the puppy that hasn’t been potty trained yet, or the stallion that hasn’t been trained to a saddle. But untamed energy… that’s just right.
When we arrive in the world, we are pure “salk’a.” Then, bit by bit, we are taught how to behave, what to think, what part of ourselves are acceptable and which are not. Especially with this last one, we lose our “salk’a” selves. We are “tamed” to society, to our families, to school, to work, and so forth.
As we lose “salk’a,” we lose our joy.
If you’ve been with me for a while, you know I’m all about rekindling your joy. All of my offerings lead in that direction. I loved finding new words and new ways to rekindle joy.
One of the major focuses of the weekend workshop was to immerse ourselves in connection with the Earth (“Pachamama”) and with the Cosmos.
This is not an exercise for the head. This is an action for the heart, for the senses, and for the spirit. It’s feeling the thrumming aliveness, the depth, expansiveness, and the amazing beauty of the Earth and the Cosmos, of the trees, the stars, the flowers, and so on.
As you invite your heart, senses, and spirit to merge in this way, your Salk’a comes zinging back to you, free and full of joy.
There will always be drama around us. We are humans. But we can choose where we engage our energy. Start by choosing joy.
Coach’s Challenge: Remember the “belly plant” I asked you to do week before last? Lying on the Earth, belly button down? Do it again. This time, instead of focusing on emptying, focus on filling, with all the qualities the Earth offers up. Leave a comment below to let me know how it goes!
