🌀 My trip to Peru was very impulsive – I felt a sudden urge, and it took only two weeks until I was on a plane to Lima. So this modern interpretation of the Chakana replaced my talisman six years ago.

⛰️ I bought this Andean cross from an old man on a hill in Sacsayhuaman. My intuition led me, on my first day in Cusco directly to this mysterious place, where an estimated 20,000 people once worked on its construction. I sat with the man on the hill for about half an hour, and he explained his interpretation of the Chakana to me, along with this site, which was likely used for military and ritual purposes.

🌐 The original Chakana existed about 2,000 years before the rise of the Inca Empire. The triangle is a modern variation for tourists; however, it symbolizes the trinity of the condor (upper world), puma (this world), and snake (underworld), and perhaps the three moral principles "do not lie", "do not steal", and "do not be lazy". The four planes represent the cardinal directions, seasons, and stages of life. It has 12 edges, like the months of the year. In the center, as a unifying element of origin, is the sun, a central deity.

🏔 The traces of the Inca were visible throughout my entire journey. Rock carvings, often with animal motifs, can be found on almost every mountain. Every mountain is alive, and many are sacred. It was a deeply nature-connected, inquisitive, organized, and spiritual culture. In Quechua, "Chakana" roughly means "acting as a bridge". The old man told me – even if it was his imagination – that the Inca at Sacsayhuaman would repeatedly undergo ritual cycles of the cosmos here before setting out to other places, like Machu Picchu. My journey also led me toward Machu Picchu a few days later, and the pendant accompanied me on this exciting adventure.

🧭 A few months later, I created "megagroundsloth," and to this day, I wear this pendant daily because, for me, it’s not only a powerful memory but also a symbol of guidance and encounter.