I didn’t expect to cry. I certainly didn’t expect to see a mountain. But then again, I didn’t fully know what to expect from a traditional Andean ceremony led by a Q’ero shaman.
The despacho ceremony took place on the second day of a six-day yoga retreat at Munay Sonqo Retreat and Yoga Center in Peru’s Sacred Valley. I was there for a week of yoga, sound healing, meditation, hiking, and rest. The ceremony took place in the midafternoon. It turned out to be one of the most deeply moving experiences of the entire retreat.
A despacho is a traditional Andean practice of making offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth), the Apu (mountain spirits), and other natural energies. It’s a way to express gratitude, set intentions, mark transitions, and release what no longer serves. These despacho ceremonies are sacred acts of reciprocity, meant to bring balance between the human world and the spiritual one.
There were seven of us seated in a circle on the polished wooden floor, sunlight slanting through the windows. The shaman—a traditional Q’ero Paqo—entered wearing a colorful poncho of black, hot pink, and orange geometric designs, and a bright woven hat with long, tassel-tipped ear flaps. He moved with quiet purpose, setting out the cloth and beginning to build the despacho on a square of white paper.
One by one, he layered flower petals, sugar figurines, grains, candies, coca leaves, metal charms, dried herbs, and other offerings. Some of the items were surprising—I think I saw cookies, bits of colorful yarn, and what might have been llama fat, which is traditionally included in some Andean rituals to symbolize nourishment and life force. While unfamiliar to me, its presence was a reminder that this ceremony belonged to a very old spiritual language—one I was only just beginning to understand. Each item was placed deliberately, forming a careful and beautiful composition. The shaman would pause, offer a prayer in Quechua or Spanish, then add the next piece.
When it was each person’s turn, the shaman brought part of the offering bundle toward them. He would circle it gently around their body while speaking blessings. I felt a fine mist hit my skin—perhaps sacred flower water or alcohol, softly blown or sprinkled as part of the ritual. It was subtle but powerful. We were told to hold someone or something in our hearts as we received the blessing.
For me, there was no question who to think of. My mother was dying at the time. I hadn’t spoken about it on the retreat. I’d been holding that weight quietly. But when it was my turn to stand before the shaman, and I closed my eyes, the tears came easily.
And then I saw her.
She was climbing a mountain. Not struggling, not fragile—but strong, steady, certain. She was walking upward, away from me, toward something vast and sacred. I somehow knew it was the Andes. She didn’t look back. She didn’t need to. I understood what it meant.
She was leaving. And I had to let her go.
When the despacho ceremony was complete, the shaman carefully folded the paper, wrapped it with red ribbon, and set it aside. Later, I watched him walk into the garden, where smoke drifted from a small outdoor oven. He placed the despacho bundle into the fire. In Andean tradition, when the despacho is burned, only the shaman watches. The rest of us respectfully turned our backs, no peeking allowed. That fire was for the spirits, not for us.
I never imagined that a ritual involving flower petals, sugar figurines, and mist would give me the vision I needed to begin saying goodbye to my mother. But there, in the middle of the Sacred Valley, I saw her on that mountain, and I started to let go.
A despacho ceremony is a sacred Andean ritual practice used to express gratitude, ask for healing, mark life transitions, or restore harmony. The word itself means “offering” in Spanish, but the practice is far older than colonization. Rooted in Incan cosmology and carried forward by the Q’ero people of Peru, the ceremony is a form of spiritual reciprocity with the natural and unseen world.
Despachos are often created for specific occasions:
A despacho is a prayer bundle crafted from natural and symbolic elements such as:
Each item represents something meaningful, and the entire offering is arranged in a balanced, mandala-like form.
Once complete, the bundle is folded carefully and tied with a ribbon. Depending on the intention, it is either burned (for transformation), buried (to ground intentions), or placed in water (for release and flow).
Traditionally, when a despacho is burned, only the Paqo is allowed to witness the fire. Out of respect, participants should turn their backs during this final sacred moment.
If you’re attending a despacho for the first time, here are a few things to know:
The ceremony is not performative. It’s not just a cultural curiosity. When approached with respect, it becomes a powerful mirror. It shows you where you are. It helps you let go.
For me, it helped me say goodbye.
Where: Arin, a small village in Peru’s Sacred Valley, about 90 minutes from Cusco
How to Get There: Fly from Lima to Cusco (1.5 hrs), then drive or shuttle to the valley
Where I Stayed: Munay Sonqo Retreat & Yoga Center
Why It’s Special: Lush mountain views, spiritual atmosphere, and quiet energy perfect for reflection or healing
Hiking Peru’s Inca Trail: A 4-Day Trek
After the retreat, I hiked the Inca Trail—a different kind of journey, but just as meaningful in its own way. If the despacho ceremony helped me begin letting go, the trail helped me move forward, one step at a time.
About the Author
Hi, I’m JoAnne—writer, wanderer, and lover of places that surprise me. I’ve traveled to 60+ countries (and counting), usually with a camera in one hand and a notebook in the other. I’m drawn to mosaics, markets, and mountains, and I write to remember what moved me. When I’m not traveling, I’m working on my blog Travels Afoot, trying new creative projects, or planning my next adventure.
