Making the Penka Penqa Essence: The Story of Brave Heart

by Star Riparetti

[During the 2009 Peru Sacred Adventure] I went specifically looking for a particular Orchid that I kept seeing in my inner vision. Roger told me it was the Ellianthus capitatus Orchid. Roger knew it wasn't its real time to bloom, and we also knew that magic always happens and anything is possible. We began our search by looking in two different Botanical Gardens at Machu Picchu (places I had never been). We were looking to get an idea of what was in bloom (not to make an essence in the gardens...). What we found were many of the Ellianthus- ALL with very spent blooms... After seeing so many of them with last year's blooms, I felt the obvious message that essence wasn't happening. [It happened a year and a half later: click here to read the story of Making the Ellianthus Orchid Essence.]

The next day I went on a hike on the trail thru the Sun-Gate from Machu Picchu to Winay Winah to see what I might find. I stopped at a beautiful place with giant stones and did a meditation. I was told that "for everything there is a season" and this wasn't the season for the Ellianthus to bloom; that it would be good to get in touch with my own cycles; that Nature could create magic and miracles and I could find the Orchid blooming, and- it would be better to make it in its own timing... and that there would be a particular tiny flower blooming at the Chilca Lodge at the base of Ausangate Mountain where we would be going in a few days. I would know the flower- that it was a strong survivor growing there at 14,000 ft- and there would be signs- and - it would be for Post Traumatic Stress.... Yikes! It felt like very specific information...

When we reached the spot where we hike in to the Chilca Lodge it was raining. There was a choice of hiking or taking the bus at that point, and one traveler- Lori Ann, and myself decided to hike in the rain. She is a botanist (among her myriad other gifts) and we were looking at the flowers. There were 2 or 3 possibilities, and nothing that had an absolute yes.

Gentiana sedifolia 
"Brave Heart"

That night it rained a lot. (I love it when it rains before I make an essence, and everything is cleansed.) Then they got the first snow (purity of purpose) of the season... and as magic would have it the sun came out! I gathered the essence making stuff and we headed out. Nilo - our guide- was telling me about a flower he had been talking with the locals about: the Penka Penqa (as with many things in Quechua, it is spelled many ways- so I have chosen this way). They said it was for shyness and had other medicinal qualities. At that point I wasn't sure which flower was the Penka Penqa. We were walking along and Lori Ann called to me to check out this little flower with a bluish purple tint- that was RADIATING. Indeed- it was literally glowing!!! We had not seen this flower before! It had come out after the snow. Of course, this was the Penka Penqa- and as we looked around, they started popping up everywhere. Again, everything that could go right, went right. It was very easy and graceful to make the essence. We had two beautiful local gentlemen join us in the essence making (one named Santos- saint, and one named Cruz- cross...). 

After we made the essence, the sky clouded over again. It cleared for the perfect amount of time for our essence making. 

The Penka Penqa's scientific name is Gentiana sedifolia (thank you Lori Ann for botanizing and finding out who it is). We have christened it Brave Heart- which is the message that came from Betsy (thank you!) in our group. It is a happy survivor. The night I got home I was thinking about the trip and the essences and for some crazy reason I turned on the TV. In the 15 minutes I had the TV on, I heard the words "Post Traumatic Stress" three times. (That was enough TV- I got the sign- and turned it off...)

The Penka Penqa "Brave Heart" essence, addresses Post Traumatic Stress disorder and supports flourishing in the face of adversity. It fosters courage, encourages confidence, and helps one to move forward feeling graceful, gracious, safe.

Much more is being revealed about this essence. Many of you will know much more about this (Post Traumatic Stress) than I do- as I am already finding out. I am hoping that someone will get a grant to work with returning soldiers. I feel this is a very powerful essence.