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Inca JesusWas I mesmerized, or merely taken? Or both?By Madelyn MillerThe door sign said open, but the store appeared closed. The lights were off, but the street lights illuminated the jewelry and artwork inside. I peaked through the window and saw very unique and interesting jewelry and masks and pressed my nose to the window. My companion, Bob, noticed someone come out from a back room. A fellow travel journalist, Bob had asked if he could shadow me when I shopped because of my legendary bargaining powers .I think got more than he bargained for. My first vision of Inca Jesus was when a short Indian man with long straight black hair graying at the ends came to the door and let us in. I loved his work. I saw many pieces at $40 and asked him which one he thought would be best for me. He decided to read my “aura” He passed his hands around my head in a mystical way and pronounced me an amber (which is one of my best colors) Inca Jesus said I had lots of change in my life coming up and was confused. Since I am recently divorced, this is probably true, but doesn’t everyone have confusion and change in their life? He said I needed to repel bad men…should I tell that to any of the men I am dating? He went in the back behind the curtain where he kept, among other things, his bongos and guitar, and came out with two ”special” necklaces. The first was a teeny, tiny, square amulet with a condor feather and various local stones. The necklace came with a ritual that involved blessing it and meditating on it daily for 30 days and then burying it in the backyard. I can’t even raise plants or pets, I can’t image giving that much attention to a piece of jewelry, although at least I would not have to water it or take it for walks. The second one was smaller, and was a combination of stones shaped like a man when looked at vertically, or a fish when viewed horizontally, as have some of the men I have been dating. One of the stones repelled naughty boys, the combination of two others worked to end confusion. I think the fourth was going to attract some good stuff. Clearly I needed all this magic, but neither of the necklaces really appealed to me. The stories were great, but the necklaces were too small. And at $60 each, they were not a bargain, as Bob had hoped to watch me find. I wanted a statement piece. (INSERT NECKLACE PIC) I asked him what Bob’s “aura” was. He said Bob was an amethyst, which I found interesting since we had bought a small amethyst necklace for his daughter at a market earlier in the day. Inca Jesus said Bob was a skeptic, but open, which was kind of obvious, because he was there, but looking skeptical. It was getting late and we were supposed to meet our group for dinner at Inka Grill (lots of things have Inka names in Cuzco) But somehow I also wanted something of Inca Jesus. A token to remember all he had told me about my “aura”.
It was a representation of the impact of technology on old Inca traditions, and had a juxtaposition of ancient pieces and symbols like healing crystals with computer parts computers such as circuit boards. I asked how much it was. When he said $200 I realized I was in way over my head. Yet Inka Jesus told us he was a healer and spent half his time in the studio and all his profits went to fund the healing hospital he worked at the rest of the time. He mentioned that Shirley McClaine had written about the hospital in her book TWO WORLDS. Sn noble. To know my acquisitive spirit was funding a hospital. And my mother had asked for a mask. I hesitated and wanted to think it over. He said he was leaving right after us. I asked if he would be there in the morning. He said mysteriously that I would know. He did seem to know that I wanted a discount, clairvoyant that he was. He offered it to me at $150. (I could never have asked for a cheaper price, like I usually do, with an artist and healer.) Bob told me later that to him it seemed like Inka Jesus had my number. It was one of those must-have moments. I decided to go for the mask. As he wrapped the mask, Inca Jesus told me that at his hospital he worked with people to be “reborn” I had read that most Peruvian tribes took one or more hallucinogenic drugs such as ayahuasca, the “vine of death,” which allowed them to see and interact with the powerful spiritual world. Ever today, many scientists concede that that no one understands the jungle better than the remaining Indians. For thousands of years they have lived there harmoniously, and while they do not posses our far more powerful technology, they have an understanding of and reverence for this most complex habitat on earth which the rest of the world lacks. He encouraged me to consider trying this kind of therapy. Maybe I got off lucky with just the mask. I had been almost hypnotized by his aura and persona. As we left, he hugged me and pressed the fish/man necklace into my hand as a gift. Was it worth $200? At $150 it was a satisfying experience. At least as insightful as an hour of therapy, and I have mask and necklace to remember him by. The San Blas area of Cuzco houses many artisans and is one of the most interesting shopping areas in the city. It is open late on Friday night HOW TO GET THERELanChile WHERE TO STAYSONESTA POSADA DEL
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I told him I wanted something bigger, and he suggested
the masks. The masks were collectibles he mentioned. My attention was
instantly caught by a turquoise mask