Inca priests Don Juan and Ivan Nuñes del Prado are living proof of the Incas' enduring wisdom. Hilde Bolt spoke with both men, exploring their thoughts on self-reflection.
Don Juan and his son Ivan Nuñes del Prado are great sources of inspiration and teachers for me, both as a person and in my work. Through their extensive travels, genuine curiosity, and deep anthropological, historical, and psychological knowledge and wisdom, they uniquely connect worlds and perspectives. This is essential for today’s world.
How do the Incas view the world’s current issues and challenges?
Don Juan: “According to Inca tradition, there’s a prophecy about the transition to a new Golden Age, marked by a genuine re-encounter among people. We are on the path to reconnecting with ourselves, enabling us to truly connect with others again.
The Andean tradition is highly systematic—it’s not about a single date of transformation, but about gradual changes. According to our great teachers, the initial movement toward change began between August 1, 1990, and August 1, 1993. This was followed by seven years of preparation for the new era until 2000. From 2000 to 2012, the true Golden Age began to manifest. Interestingly, this coincides with the end of the Mayan calendar and aligns with the prophecies of other traditions, such as those of the Hopi and the Kali Yuga prophecy, all pointing to 2012 as a significant turning point.”
“It’s crucial to realize that we are all part of a single humanity.”
Ivan: “In the prophecies of the Q’ero people, there’s a belief that different children of God, diverse groups of people, will begin exchanging knowledge and experiences in this era, learning from one another to develop a new, shared universal wisdom. They will share their knowledge, actions, feelings, and intentions, ultimately uniting as one kind of ‘children of God.’
To achieve this, it’s necessary to recognize and honor the diverse groups and cultures and to see that we all belong to a single humanity. When we come to hold shared values, seeing God and each other as equals, we’ll become brothers and sisters. Our tradition says that this will create a truly human understanding, enabling us to begin a new era where we recognize that we’re all cut from the same cloth and that all people are equal.
We see this as a beautiful development and believe in miracles, but these miracles must be created with our own hands. We cannot just wait for them; we must actively work to build this future.
For this, we need to build bridges between different traditions, which requires people we call ‘of the fourth level.’ This is what we are trained for—people capable of connecting various traditions, serving as a bridge, and helping others to understand and embrace this process. It’s our responsibility to create the peace we long for.”
Could you tell us more about these levels?
Don Juan: “According to this vision, we’re transitioning from the third level to the fourth. The third level still entails certain conflicts among peoples and friction due to duality. For those at the third level, the world is polarized, divided into right and wrong. So, ‘if I’m right, then others must be wrong, and we fight for our truth,’ which leads to conflict.
The fourth level is about building bridges, seeking connection, and working to overcome and resolve differences and contradictions within ourselves and with others. It’s a completely different, transcendent way of ‘being.’ The tradition holds that this transition marks the shift in consciousness from one level to the next.Those at the fourth level are the bridge-builders who help others to understand and reach this new era.”
Is there a role for the Inca tradition in this transition according to the prophecies?
Don Juan: “In this metaphor, the prophecy, the Incas are the bearers of what we call Munay, the power of love and will, Llank’ay. Western people bear Yachai, the power of intellectual knowledge (mind).
According to this tradition, ‘ordinary people’ hold the power of Llank’ay: will, action, or labor. Thus, we must all share and exchange these powers, our strengths.
Each person must become the owner of all three powers: Yachai, intellectual knowledge and wisdom (mind), Munay, love, and Llank’ay, action or will.
When we have fully developed these three powers, we will be the people of the new age, the people of the future.”
“It’s our responsibility to bring about the peace we desire.”
I know that you both also found refuge in Buddhism. How does this relate to these three dimensions?
Ivan: “Buddhism primarily focuses on the mind, Yachai. We speak of human powers that we all possess but don’t always develop. Each of us, and each tradition, have varying degrees of development in these powers, which can focus more on certain aspects of them.”
Don Juan: “Technically, meditation is mind training, and this is the focus of Buddhism. His Holiness the Dalai Lama says: ‘It’s about training the mind, and when you do this, you can solve everything with the mind.’
Buddhist tradition works with the inner Buddha as a high-quality factor, guiding one’s path to enlightenment. When you find this within yourself, or as some traditions say, remember it, then you’ll be enlightened.
In the Andes tradition, you’re asked to search for your ‘Inca seed,’ the high-quality factor within yourself. When you connect with this Inca seed, you can develop the qualities of the Inca, referring to Pachakuti, who was enlightened according to the tradition. For us, Inca also means ‘enlightened.’ In both cases, the goal is enlightenment—the light produced by an enlightened human."
“Our tradition asks you to seek your Inca seed.”
Don Juan: "Our tradition says that as your consciousness rises, you start to radiate this natural light. Similarly, Buddhism describes Shakyamuni, who, after reaching enlightenment, glowed as he walked into the marketplace.
In our tradition, the Inca meditated by a lake, experienced a spiritual connection and returned radiating a new light. This is why he became the new king of the Incas.
The goal is the same: finding the light within yourself. You have this seed within you that you must cultivate, which our tradition teaches. In Buddhism, they say, ‘Remember you are a Buddha,’ and you understand.These are parallel processes, both pointing to that inner factor within yourself.”
This reminds me of something you said last year, that you see yourselves as ‘farmers’ who care for your own seed.
Ivan: “Yes, we are a tradition of farmers, and all our metaphors relate to that. You have a seed that you must nurture with water, sun, earth, wind, and air so it can sprout. When your seed sprouts, your process of development begins.
So, all our metaphors are about plants, seeds, and watering.
I should also emphasize that I believe the Inca tradition and Buddhism are the most respectful toward other traditions. They fully respect other traditions, giving them value and a place in the world, which is an essential foundation for building bridges across traditions and religions. Both the Incas and Buddhists deeply respect other traditions.
Once, during a meeting with the Dalai Lama in London, he said something remarkable: you don’t even need to convert to Buddhism; simply make the most of your own tradition. That can be enough.
The Dalai Lama once said, ‘A well-trained mind is the most powerful tool to end suffering in the world.’ And in our tradition, we say that you must cultivate your mind. Cultivate your Yachai. Train your wisdom and your mind, but also train your feelings, your love, and will, and train your actions—your skills, your work, your ability to create with your own hands.
These three aspects are crucial: the things you do with your hands, your mind, and your heart. You feel it! For us, these three aspects form the pillars of personal development.”
“A well-trained mind is the most powerful tool to end suffering in the world.”
The theme of this edition of Optimist Magazine is ‘self-reflection.’ How does your tradition view self-reflection?
Ivan: “In our tradition, there is a belief in the search for God outside oneself. We believe that God—Viracocha in the Andes—exists beyond ourselves. So, we are meant to seek God outside ourselves, yet we’re also convinced that we all have a high-quality factor within, which we call the Inca seed.
Thus, there’s a resonance between God outside and this high-quality factor within ourselves. In a way, you could see it as a drop of the great spirit within. When you connect with this inner factor, you can see yourself reflected in God.
Some traditions may choose one or the other: God outside or God within. The Andes tradition encompasses both, allowing you to see yourself reflected in God. This, to us, is self-reflection. You can recognize that there’s something of high quality within you that connects to God. Many people speak of ‘God’s Will,’ which seems to be the overarching plan for life or the universe. But when you discover this quality within, your own will may resonate with God’s Will, leading you to live from a higher quality.”
With gratitude for these wise words, we conclude our conversation, carrying beautiful answers and inspiring new questions. I marvel at how differently self-reflection is approached here. We often think of self-reflection as ‘constantly thinking about yourself,’ which, when overdone, leads to dysfunctional and self-critical navel-gazing. This perspective offers so many more possibilities for openness and growth.”
(This article was published in April 2024 in The Optimist)
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