My shaman friend

It was a sunny day in Jerusalem and I had left home feeling broken hearted and sad, I was tired of being on the road and had many questions to where go next. I left home decided to let myself to be guided in the city, willing to explore an area down town which I did not know much.

On my way to the old city I decided to pass by my friend Ya’qub’s book shop, Olam Qatan (small world). Ya'qub was one of the first people I met in Jerusalem and with whom I created a good friendship. He is Canadian Jew and has moved to the city 19 years ago, where he has been running his bookshop specialized in spirituality books and Arabic music. Ya'qub has had a long spiritual search and after different experiences end up dedicating himself to Sufism.

Ya'qub and I were having our usual cup of tea and talking about my trip to Lebanon, when Manu came in. He was wearing all white and had a hippie look. As soon as he got close to me I could smell the scent of palo santo and that instantly felt very familiar. Well, Manu introduced himself as a shaman who had been sent to the Holy
Land by his guides without knowing why. And that after being there for few days he had been told to he had to perform a ceremony to honor Pachamama, the mother land.
And that he was there to ask Ya'qub to help him to make that happen. After discussing the necessary items to make such ceremony and finding a place to perform it, it was decided we would all perform the ceremony at Maya's house at 3 pm in that same afternoon.

Manu and I left together to go buy the necessary things in the Old City. The connection between us was instant and soon we were laughing and talking as if we were good friends for years. We would speak about spiritual experiences, our life stories, our hopes for the future and share our impressions of the Holy land.

We then met Gracy, a good friend of Manu and left to the ceremony. It was the last day of Sukot, when Jewish people remember the 40 years their people spent crossing the desert when they left Egypt. We were six people offering prayers and positive wishes for the land and the people of the Holy Land. It was all very beautiful and touching.

For the next four days Manu, Gracy and I spent together roaming around the Golden City, visiting, exploring and letting ourselves to be led to the special places we needed to go. We were staying on the Mount of Olives at the Peace Guesthouse. A place run by an arab man called Ibrahim, who has been an ambassador for peace throughout the world and that hosts people in his house for free. At the Peace Guesthouse there is always a great meal ready to be served to all people who come in.

Together we visited the place where Mother Mary was born, the Holy Sepulcher, the Mount of Olives and shared so much. We have shared the wonderful and magical experience of being in Jerusalem offering to it our passion and friendship, our powers and faith.

Jerusalem has brought us together. A friendship which has started with the blessings of the Holy land and is yet to grow bigger and bigger.