Part 4: The Fortress in the Sky — A Promise to the Mountain
- Heather Strom
- Jul 12
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 13
Peru Initiations: A Journey of Remembering & Becoming
High in the Peruvian Andes, hidden from the rest of the world, sits Waqrapukara.
A fortress in the sky.
Rising dramatically from the landscape, this ancient site feels like a sacred altar carved directly into the Earth, a powerful combination of temple, sanctuary, and guardian.
Surrounded by towering boulders and endless mountain views, Waqrapukara carries a presence that is difficult to describe.
It doesn’t simply feel like a place you visit.
It feels like a place you return to.
This Journey Looks Different
After my experience at Ausangate, my journey to Waqrapukara looked a little different.
During the descent from Ausangate, I had sustained a knee injury, making another steep mountain ascent risky on foot.
So this time, I traveled by horseback.
At first, I felt disappointed that my body needed a different path.
But as I looked up at the trail ahead, the steep, loose, exposed climbs, I felt something else entirely.
Reverence.
Deep appreciation for the strength, courage, and commitment required to make this sacred pilgrimage on foot.
The mountain does not demand that we arrive a certain way.
It asks us to arrive with presence.
Walking in Sacred Silence
Once again, our group journeyed upward in sacred silence.
This was not simply a hike.
It was an opportunity to listen.
To connect.
To feel the land beyond the surface.
As we moved higher into the Andes, the massive boulders surrounding us seemed to take on a life and energy of their own.
Some felt like ancient ancestors welcoming us home.
Others felt like wise beings, guardians of a higher frequency, holding space for humanity’s awakening.
Everywhere I looked, I saw faces within the stone.
Familiar faces.
Recognized faces.
As if the mountain itself was remembering with us.
The Condor’s Welcome
As we approached Waqrapukara, a single condor began circling overhead.
A majestic sentinel.
A messenger.
A welcome.
This was a sign I had begun recognizing throughout Peru, the way the birds seemed connected to the energetic pulse of the land.
The condors, hawks, and other avians did not feel separate from our experience.
They felt like participants.
Reminders that the natural world communicates with us when we are willing to listen.
Returning to the Fortress
When I finally reached Waqrapukara, something familiar washed over me.
Recognition.
Not a memory I could explain with my mind.
A knowing.
I knew I had been here before.
In another time.
Under different circumstances.
Rather than searching for answers or forcing memories to surface, I simply stood in the knowing.
Trusting.
Allowing.
Understanding that everything unfolds exactly when it is meant to.
The Mountain Holds Our Stories
Standing there, I felt a profound respect for this ancient land and the people who have walked upon it for generations.
The Andes hold stories.
They hold wisdom.
They hold the energy of countless souls who have loved, struggled, celebrated, and honored this sacred place.
And perhaps this is one of the greatest gifts of traveling to places like Waqrapukara:
Not discovering something new.
Remembering something ancient.
If you wish to discover your stories and your ancient connection with this planet, consider an Akashic Record Reading or a SOLO Session.
"Discovering something new, remembering something ancient."
A Night Beneath the Stars
Our group had the entire mountain to ourselves.
At 14,000 feet, our guides prepared a beautiful vegan meal beneath one of the most brilliant star-filled skies I have ever experienced.
No noise.
No distractions.
Just stillness.
Connection.
Peace.
The kind of peace that reminds you that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
Leaving a Piece of My Heart Behind
Before leaving Waqrapukara, I held a private ceremony with the land.
I breathed my essence, my gratitude, and my intention into a quartz crystal and placed it into the sacred earth.
It was a promise.
A promise to the mountain that I would remember.
That I would return.
That the connection we created would continue.
Because some connections are not dependent on physical distance.
They live somewhere deeper.
A place within us that cannot be touched by anything outside of ourselves.
When the Animals Answer
As we began our descent the following morning, something magical happened.
Our energy felt vibrant.
Aligned.
Connected.
And as we walked down the trail, we were followed by a wild dog and two wild horses.
A beautiful reminder from the animal kingdom:
When we honor the land…
When we listen…
When we reconnect…
The animals respond.
They meet us in that place beyond words.
This is something animals have taught me throughout my life, their wisdom, their presence, and their ability to guide us back into connection.
It is the same wisdom I share through my work with the K9 Spirit Guides, where we explore the deeper relationship between humans and the animals who walk beside us as teachers, companions, and soul guides.
You can learn more about this magical dynamic in my award-winning book, K9 Spirit Guides: The Healing Power of Man's Best Friend or by watching/listening to my podcast: Awakening Your Spiritual Mastery (formerly known as - Howling at the Moon)
"Discover the deeper relationship between humans and the animals who walk beside us as teachers, companions, and soul guides"
Carrying the Frequency Home
I know I will return to Waqrapukara.
Much sooner this time.
Until then, I carry my promise with me.
I carry the wisdom of the mountain.
I carry the remembrance.
And I carry the responsibility to share this connection with the land, animals, and mountains here at home.
Because the sacred places of the Earth are not separate from us.
They awaken something within us.
And once we remember…
We can never truly forget.
If you wish to experience your own self-discovery journey, consider enrolling in my unique offering, the IMME Journey (a 12-week transformational mentoring experience)
“Carrying the remembrance into your life”
Continue with Peru Journey of Remembering & Becoming with Part 5: The Rainbow Revealed — When the Earth Shows Us What Was Hidden - coming soon! subscribe to receive updates
Comments