Beyond Brighton takes Peru!
In 2019 Brighton created the Beyond Brighton program where each year two team members are picked to participate in an all-expenses-paid trip to experience end-of-life traditions around the world. But due to Covid-19 traveling was put on hold. This year we were excited to bring back the program and make up for lost trips. The first trip that our team embarked on was in April to Peru.
3 of our wonderful team members flew into Lima and explored the ruins of ancient civilizations while viewing some of the most spellbinding scenery. They traveled through the Sacred Valley of the Incas and observed how time has stood still in the peaks of the Andes where they discovered the magnificent Machu Picchu.
Our team learned about reflexology, reiki, yoga, and meditation, met with a Shaman, learned all about death doulas, and gave back to the local communities. This experience was once in a lifetime for Kim, Laura, and Elizabeth.
Hear firsthand from Kimberley Hall about her amazing experience on the Beyond Brighton trip in the beautiful country of Peru.
“It is hard to describe the amazing experience of going to Peru representing Beyond Brighton this year, but I will try.
First meeting the team in New York was so fun- we were able to spend the day with Carol from Learning Journeys and ask any last-minute questions as well as take a whirlwind tour of New York City from a native New Yorker! We covered over 8 miles of walking and saw the city on a boat tour. Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty were so inspiring to see- and what a contrast of going from the welcoming point of America to a whole other country the next day!
Arriving in Lima after a very long series of flights was so exciting. We stayed in a hotel close to the airport to be ready to leave for Cusco the next day and enjoyed the national drink Pisco Sour- made with pisco vines and very refreshing! The drink is offered everywhere, and Peruvians are very proud of their national drink.
The next stop was Cusco- which is Peru’s historic capital city and full of history and architecture. More about that later as it was a stop on the way to the small village of Huilloc where we were welcomed by locals who met our van with a small group playing Peruvian music with handmade flutes and drums. The villagers walked us to a group of houses where we learned about custom weaving, and how they made the dyes from natural sources like vegetables and minerals found in the valley. They made us local herbal tea and showed us how they make the beautiful blankets and costumes- dressing us up to feel like a local!
In 2019 Brighton created the Beyond Brighton program where each year two team members are picked to participate in an all-expenses-paid trip to experience end-of-life traditions around the world. But due to Covid-19 traveling was put on hold. This year we were excited to bring back the program and make up for lost trips. The first trip that our team embarked on was in April to Peru.
3 of our wonderful team members flew into Lima and explored the ruins of ancient civilizations while viewing some of the most spellbinding scenery. They traveled through the Sacred Valley of the Incas and observed how time has stood still in the peaks of the Andes where they discovered the magnificent Machu Picchu.
Our team learned about reflexology, reiki, yoga, and meditation, met with a Shaman, learned all about death doulas, and gave back to the local communities. This experience was once in a lifetime for Kim, Laura, and Elizabeth.
Hear firsthand from Kimberley Hall about her amazing experience on the Beyond Brighton trip in the beautiful country of Peru.
“It is hard to describe the amazing experience of going to Peru representing Beyond Brighton this year, but I will try.
First meeting the team in New York was so fun- we were able to spend the day with Carol from Learning Journeys and ask any last-minute questions as well as take a whirlwind tour of New York City from a native New Yorker! We covered over 8 miles of walking and saw the city on a boat tour. Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty were so inspiring to see- and what a contrast of going from the welcoming point of America to a whole other country the next day!
Arriving in Lima after a very long series of flights was so exciting. We stayed in a hotel close to the airport to be ready to leave for Cusco the next day and enjoyed the national drink Pisco Sour- made with pisco vines and very refreshing! The drink is offered everywhere, and Peruvians are very proud of their national drink.
The next stop was Cusco- which is Peru’s historic capital city and full of history and architecture. More about that later as it was a stop on the way to the small village of Huilloc where we were welcomed by locals who met our van with a small group playing Peruvian music with handmade flutes and drums. The villagers walked us to a group of houses where we learned about custom weaving, and how they made the dyes from natural sources like vegetables and minerals found in the valley. They made us local herbal tea and showed us how they make the beautiful blankets and costumes- dressing us up to feel like a local!
A shaman was present who lived in Huilloc and was responsible for creating offerings and prayers for the water, mountains, and earth. He performed the sacred art of an offering ceremony and invited us on a hike to the mouth of a special cave where we buried the offering as thanks to Mother Earth or Pachamama. We were all crying by the end of the ceremony, as it was a very sacred and beautiful experience.
We stayed in a beautiful hotel that specialized in wellness- we were able to experience modalities such as foot reflexology, reiki, and yoga. These gifts allowed us all time to reflect and process the events of the past 2 years with a worldwide pandemic and all the stress and changes we had absorbed as hospice workers. Peru is a beautiful place for self-care, reflection, and appreciation for nature and the beautiful world we live in. We also experienced the fresh, healthy cuisine of the Sacred Valley- with fresh fruit, vegetables, and farm-to-table meals. We had the opportunity to meet with a Shaman who performed an assessment of us and gave us tips for general health and wellbeing.
Our experience in Machu Picchu was preceded by a preparation day where we climbed the Incan ruins in Ollantaytambo. The altitude in Cusco and the Sacred Valley is around 12,000 feet so it is essential to stay hydrated and pace yourself. We were able to learn so much about Peru and specifically the Sacred Valley from Mario our tour guide. He was born and raised in Cusco and had a great deal of knowledge about health care, traditions, local life, and history. Mario introduced us to friends, and we were able to see how people in the communities lived and worked. We toured an Incan city just below the ruins we climbed and saw firsthand what a family house looked like. We spent time with a husband and wife who raised Guinea pigs inside their home. We counted at least 50 of them, living right alongside the family.
The train ride to Machu Picchu is famous as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. It lasted about an hour and a half, and we saw beautiful sites- mountains, streams, cattle, and villages along the route. Arriving in the town at the base of Machu Picchu felt like a ski village. It is very touristy and packed with hikers and backpackers. The visit to one of the seven wonders of the world is hard to describe. It’s green, lush, and full of llamas and history. We saw up close examples of Incan architecture including sacred temples, stones, and rivers. Our guide showed us how to conduct an offering to the site and express gratitude for visiting- another example of the deep connection Peruvians have with the land.
Returning to Cusco gave us the opportunity to visit museums dedicated to educating us on the Incan view of death and dying. The dead were preserved in such a way that they could be placed underground in the fetal position as if they were a seed- ready to be reborn into another realm. Peruvians today are 80% Catholic after the Spanish invasion, but many still cling to and recognize the beliefs of ancient Peru. Death is viewed as Mother Earth – Pachamama taking one back to the earth to be reborn in another way. Our team had ample opportunities to explain western health traditions and hospice. Peruvians do not really practice a formal hospice experience and were fascinated to learn what we do as hospice workers. Our team did as much educating as we received, and many interesting conversations took place during our time in Peru. I was so honored and proud to listen to Laura and Elizabeth articulate the sacred work they do every day at Brighton.” – Kimberley Hall, Administrator, Las Vegas, Nevada
We are so excited to announce that Beyond Brighton will be taking another trip in October to India so keep an eye out for more to come.
