The heart in the understanding of the Shipibo (Amazon)

For the Shipibo, an indigenous people of the western Amazon region in Peru, the heart has a central spiritual meaning. In their language, the heart is called "jointi" a term that goes far beyond the physical organ and encompasses life, soul, memory and the deep connection to plant spirits and ancestors. Illness is often described as a "darkening of the jointi". The curandero (healer) uses Icaros - sacred chants - and blows specifically into the heart area in order to jointi energetically. It is the centre of healing, love and soul balance.

- a spiritual diet with master plants. The plants reveal their songs to the healer. These songs act like energetic surgery: they penetrate deep into the inner being, organise and cleanse energetic blockages and strengthen the soul thread. Each Icaro is individually tailored to the person and can dissolve sadness, awaken joy or open access to visions. The heart is the central place where the healing effect is absorbed and anchored.

There are different types of icaros, each of which has an effect on the heart and mental balance:

• Heil-Icaros (curación icaros): to cleanse the heart, to dissolve illnesses and blockages.
• Protection icaros (protección icaros): to strengthen the heart against external influences or negative energies.
• Connection Icaros: open the heart to access ancestors, plant spirits and cosmic dimensions.

The Icaros connect man, nature and cosmic order. They remind us that the heart does not exist in isolation, but is in dialogue with plant spirits, ancestors and energies. Many Shipibo healers report that the plants themselves "sing through the heart" and thus set healing in motion.

Sources: cayashobo.com, templeofthewayoflight.org, arkanainternational.com, shamansmarket.com, Wikipedia - Icaro

The heart as understood by the Aborigines (Australia)

The heart is also a central organ of consciousness in the spiritual traditions of the Aborigines of Australia. In many languages, the heart is understood as the seat of emotions, intuition and truth. In the Gija language (Kimberley region), the word means "kiningen" literally "to carry someone in your heart" and is used in the sense of "I love you". In other Aboriginal languages, the phrase "ngangk min"which means "good heart" and stands for joy, well-being and inner balance.

In addition, the heart has a deep spiritual dimension for the Aborigines: it is regarded as the place where the connection to the ancestors and the Dreamtime stories (Dreaming) remains alive. The heart is understood here not only as the seat of the emotions, but also as a spiritual organ which Resonance of the songlines carries within itself. Songlines are those invisible paths that criss-cross the land and were created by the ancestral beings in the Dreamtime. They connect people, landscapes and cosmic forces. The heart is seen as the point at which these invisible lines are "heard" - not through the ears, but through an inner perception.

which is considered a creative force in many Aboriginal communities. It has shaped the rivers and landscapes and inscribed the songlines in the world. In these traditions, the human heart is described as the place where the vibration of the rainbow serpent can be felt. When the heart is open, it can hear the Dreamtime and connect with the creative order.

which is told throughout Australia. These ancestral women travelled across the land and left traces in the form of sacred sites and songlines. In many versions, it is said that the heart receives the voices and songs of the Seven Sisters so that people can orientate themselves in the vastness of the land. Here, the heart is the organ that preserves the sound of the ancestors and thus forms the inner compass for life in harmony with creation.

It is not the head, but the heart that "hears" the messages of the spirits and conveys them in dreams and visions. This makes it the actual organ of spiritual orientation.

Sources: emotionlanguageaustralia.com, medium.com, en.wikipedia.org - Rainbow Serpent, AIATSIS - Seven Sisters Songline

Similarities between Shipibo and Aborigines

Both the Shipibo and the Aborigines see the heart not as a mere organ, but as a spiritual centre. It is the place where man, nature, ancestors and invisible forces meet. Illnesses are often described as heart loss or heart failure. Healing means reconnecting the heart - with oneself, with the community, with nature and with the cosmos.

Summary

(other Aboriginal languages) make it clear that the heart is understood as the seat of the soul, knowledge, love and the connection to ancestors and nature. In Aboriginal spirituality, the heart is also the organ that allows the invisible songlines and the Dreamtime to resonate. Stories such as those of the Rainbow Serpent and the Seven Sisters show that the heart is understood as the receiver of these cosmic songs. At the same time, it is seen as a vessel for the voice of the ancestors, which is not heard through the head but through the heart. Among the Shipibo, it is the icaros that purify and strengthen the heart and connect it with the plant spirits. In both traditions, healing means bringing the heart back into balance. This view connects many indigenous cultures worldwide and shows the universal importance of the heart as a spiritual centre.

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Concrete examples for Icaros:

• which is traditionally chanted to strengthen the heart and create a protective space for the patient. It invokes the plant spirit of tobacco and liana to ward off negative energies from the heart (
• A Icaro de amor is used to open the heart, bring forth love and connection and transform sadness into joy. Such songs are closely connected to the heart energy and act as a bridge between healer, patient and plant spirits (templeofthewayoflight.org).