In the traditions of the Andes, there are five ways of living.

llankay, which is action, associated with the second chakra. It suggests the attitude of service through work. In its highest form it manifests as personal power and physical strength achieved through self-discipline. It represents right livelihood, a way of living that is ecologically sound, promotes the welfare of others, and encourages service performed in the spirit of munay (see below).

Living in llankay means that if we know we are out of balance, and if we are feeling in a place of internal dissonance, it’s best not to go out into the world and act. Instead, it’s best to take your own inventory and to sit and to do some inner work. So right action involves not just doing good deeds. Llankay involves really being conscious of what is happening inside of you before you start externalizing yourself in the world, before you start bringing your movement into the earth plane.

The second is munay, which is compassionate feeling, unlimited love, incorporating empathy and selflessness, associated with the heart. Its outer expression is natural beauty and loveliness. It signifies tranquility within and without, and is experience characterised by harmony, symmetry, correctness. Beauty is the outer wrapping of munay, inside is kindness and love. To the Q’ero beauty and love are inseparable. When you have these in your heart, you are peaceful. As one learns and grows, munay becomes impersonal love that embraces all things.

The third is yachay, which is wisdom beyond the intellect, associated with the third eye. It is learning and knowing and in its highest form suggests the superior consciousness one arrives at through the proper cultivation of love and work - munay and yankay. To practice munay, you have to clear your heart. To practice yachay, to have to let go of opinions, judgmental behaviour and the idea that the accumulation of information produces knowledge. Munay cannot exist when the mind is conflicted, so yachay also implies unlearning.

There is also yuyay which is a disembodied spirit awareness, connecting with something that is a wisdom far greater than oneself and aligning with that.

And huñuy, which is to unite, to bring all the others together through one's behaviour that establishes the ethical and moral principles and standards of a collective harmonious living. Living in ayni.

In the Western world, consumed by narcissism and the quest for power, beauty, materialist things, happiness in a pill, and overseen by social media, we have lost many of the above qualities, although they are represented in almost every wisdom tradition throughout the ages, which I will discuss more in my next blog on the revival of the Perennial Philosophy.