THE ANDEAN CROSS.

The ancient Incas, wise ancestors of modern Andean people, were living in harmony with all life that surrounded them. They believed that all living creatures had their energy and consciousness unable to be measured or estimated by any means, and it was necessary to accept and respect all of them as a part of the whole process of existence.
Traveling through this very religious community of people, the Andean people, we are sure to hear a lot of stories, legends, and myths, told by locals about three worlds, three levels of consciousness, which are represented by an ancient Andean Cross, a sign called Chakana.
The Andean Cross symbolizes three universes: the underground world of the dead ancestors; the earthly world of the present, here and now; the heavenly abode of the gods.
The inverted lower level symbolizes the kingdom of the dead, as well as the depths of the earth, the place where everything originates: rivers, trees, mountains, and caves.
The Incas believed that death was not the end but rather the beginning of a new cycle. Their ancestors past to them the belief that time is non-linear, and everything is governed by its cycle that ends and begins again.
Each of the three levels of the Andean Cross is represented by a sacred animal:
-The first level is represented by a Snake. The ancient Incas believed that in the way the snake changes its skin, when a person is dying, he/she is just exchanged his/her body to a new one. Also, in the same way as a snake changes its skin and as a result of that process every year becomes more mature and wise, we shall try to recognize our dark side and find answers to the most difficult questions, and grow wiser by changing our old ways to new ways of thinking.
-The second level is the habitat of the living people, in which everything is interconnected: humans, animals, and nature. Everything has its own energy and humans must take care of it by living in harmony with nature and with other living beings, since the time in this level is only a temporary passer-by in which he/she comes and then goes back home. This level is represented by a Puma, the master of the Amazon and the snow-capped mountain peaks, able to dive underwater and then climb up to the highest mountains. The animal possesses a thick skin allowing its body to live in its natural environment remaining nearly invisible. His sight and hearing and keen sense of smell is extremely developed. It is well versed in the wild thanks the long tail that keeps the animal balance easy to maintain, moving its body smoothly and almost silently. Thanks to these characteristics, Puma became revered among pre-Inca and Inca civilizations. The animal was perceived as a mythical creature, linking the underworld, the world of the living, and the upper world all together. It was believed that a resident of the Andes had a life purpose and that was to reach the state when he/she is equal to Puma. It means able to adapt to different environmental and harshly living conditions, to become invisible to wild animals, to be strong, courageous and determined to go to a new cycle, a new level of existence.
-The third level is the realm inhabited by the deities, the most esteemed, after the supreme god Vira'Cocha. The supreme god was worshipped as a loving father giving life to everything, as a protector , and as the source of the energy that give life-impulse and life-giving fire. This level is represented by a huge Condor bird, which has three-meter wingspan, lives very high up on the rocks in the Andes mountains and contemplates everything from the high above. It symbolizes Air, and its wings and feathers -climbing to freedom. The Condor carries the spirit of a dead person to heaven, the Upper World, and is a messenger of the gods. To achieve the status of a Condor, a person must change himself/herself, to give up his/her old mentality, change himself/herself like the Condor does when the bird painfully looses all its feathers and grow new ones, to achieve wisdom and stability, then the way home will be opened for him/her.