Glossary of Terminology
of the Shamanic & Ceremonial Traditions
of the Inca Medicine Lineage

NAVIGATION TIP:

Use the Firefox browser with the CoolPreview add on. CoolPreview will give a magnifying glass icon at every link when you put your cursor on the link. Click on the icon and it will open a separate, smaller window with the definition of the term in it. You can either lock the window by clicking the padlock icon in the top bar of the little window, or move your cursor off the window and it will automatically close. This is almost as good as mouseovers.

sacaca: (n) A comet. AEAA

sacramachaco: (n) Literally, bad snake. This animal has the head of a deer, with horns and large ears. It is called upon to strengthen the mareación with its magnetic arc, which surrounds the ceremonial house, and to see the different mariris as well. AYV

Sacsahuaman, Sacsayhuaman: (n) Literally, satisfied falcon. If the city of Cusco is considered to be in the shape of a puma, then the mighty fortress of Sacsahuaman would be located at the head, and its sharply zig-zagged outer walls could represent the fierce teeth of the animal. This was the real House of the Sun during Inca times. Sacsahuaman figured prominently during the Spanish Conquest, with a fierce battle taking place there between conquistadors and natives during the Great Rebellion of 1536. WIA Sacsahuaman is also noted for an extensive system of chincanas which connect the fortress to other Inca ruins within Cusco. Several people have died after becoming lost while seeking a supposed treasure buried along the passages. This has led the city of Cusco to block off the main entrance to the chincanas in Sacsahuaman. WIKI (See, Appendix D.)

sacha: (adj) Wild. RS

sacha ajo: See, ajosacha.

sach’a, sach’a sach’a: (n) Forest, jungle. PSL RS

Sach’amama: (n) In mythology, the mother of the forests, is a two headed serpent. When she surfaces she becomes the tree of life: one head eats its tail and the other points to the sky. Mistaken for the Yakumama, the two are similar in strength, length and thickness.  Sach’amama lives exclusively on the ground. THIM Sach'amama means Mother Tree [or Mother Jungle]. She was a goddess in the shape of a snake with two heads. When she passed on to the heavenly world she transformed into K'uychi. MJO Literally, spirit mother of the jungle, the Sach’amama is a huge eared boa believed to dwell in the same place for a very long time. Vegetation grows on her body and makes the snake easily mistaken as a fallen tree. She may devour the unaware hunter who has accidentally stepped on her body. EMM This big snake rarely moves, remaining perhaps hundreds of years in the same place. One can even climb on top of her without realizing one is on this dangerous animal. If prey passes by, the Sach’amama hypnotizes it, draws it in with its powerful magnet and swallows it. When a person recognizes it, he must leave right away to avoid being crushed by a tree or struck by lightning, because she produces great storms. When the Sach’amama moves to another place, she throws down the trees growing on her back and makes a path by knocking down other trees. She can make people sleep in order to devour them. She is used as a mariri by marupa sorcerers. AYV (See, Wayramama for definition and another picture, mama, boa.)

sach’a supay: (n) Jungle demon. AYV  (See, supay.)

sach’a warmi: (n) Literally, woman of the forest.  In the Amazon these plants are generally found near large rocks. They are very difficult to locate and recognize. AYV She is used as a mariri by marupa sorcerers.

sagra: See, saqra.

saiwa, saywa: (n) (1) A column of energy that energetically unites the three worlds, the three energy centers. JLH AVO RS (2) A tall column of stones built by an Andean priest to represent his/her power, or a column of living energy. RS QNO (3) One of the organizing principles. JLH AVO (See, munay, nuna, chekak, yuya, ch'ulla, kallari, kawsay.) (3) Boundary; limit.  RS (See, itu.)

saiwa state: (n) Energy column created by priests by intention and that extends from the middle world to the upper world. WMG  Just being, not doing. The three energy centers are in a synchronistic state. AVO  (See, saiwa.)

saladera: (n) A run of bad luck, inertia, sense of not living to the full (sp). SCU

salka, salqa, sallqa: (adj.) Wild, undomesticated. JLH Uncivilized. CSCR (n) (1) Wild animal. RS  (2) A synonym for the puna areas. RS

Salkantay: (n) The name of one of the sacred mountains.  The gateway to enter Machu Picchu and Vilcabamba. Salkantay’s mystical significance is to enter a place, a sacred plane where you are in tune with all realities, when you can see the multiplicity of realities.  Salkantay is chaos, domain of the unmanifested, inspiration, formless.  Shamans simply must chart this domain (salka medicine). JLH

samai: (n) Spirits.

Samaipata: The ruins of Samaipata are located in the remote mountains of central Bolivia and are one of the most enigmatic ancient sites in all of South America. Archaeologists no longer believe in the military use of the site but consider that it had religious significance. The ruins consist of two parts: 1) the stone hill with many fascinating carvings of jaguars, snakes, other zoomorphic and geometrical figures, a water tank with conduits, and a curious seating arrangement, and 2) an area to the south of the stone hill that seems to have been the administrative and residential district. The seating arrangement at the top of the stone hill was designed with 12 seats carved into the hilltop facing toward each other in a circle. Within this circle of 12 seats is another set of three seats facing outward toward the 12 seats. These three seats are back-to-back, so that each seat faces four of the seats of the 12. WSS In 2002, an archaeological expedition worked cleaning and excavating the chincana beneath Samaipata, which is approximately 30 meters deep, to investigate the existence of a communication link between the site and other major Inca settlements such as Cusco. This link has been described in legends and oral traditions. The labyrinth has not been properly investigated before. Several attempts have been made to examine it and depths of 20 meters have been reached without touching the bottom of the shaft. WKC (See, samay and pata.)

samana (AYM): (n) Breath. ASD

samariy: (v) To breathe. QP

samay: (n) (1) A strong breath into a k’intu giving an energizing influence to the object of the ceremony. (See, phukuy.) KOAK (2) Spirit, repose, breathing. RS Breath, rest. TLD (v) (1) Rest. (2) Exhale deeply. TLD

samcatha (AYM): (n) Dream. ASD

sami: (n) (1) High frequency energy that comes from being in harmony with the universe. In order to receie sami, you must give it to other people, places, objects. If your relationships are in balance, then you will be infused with sami. JAR (2) Luck. QP (See, hucha, kawsay.)

sami and hucha: (descr. phrase) Contradictory energy.

saminchaska, samiy: (n) (1) The breath through a k’intu that brings about an interchange of sami with the natural world or with spirits. (2) The performer of such a breath. KOAK (See, samay.)

samiyuq: (adj) Lucky.  QP

sanango: (n) (Tabernaemontana sanango) Used as a component of ayahuasca by some vegetalistas. The very name of this plant in Peru signifies an all-purpose kind of medicinal plant; it is a panacea in the Upper Amazon, used as a febrifuge, emetic, diuretic, calmative and for other minor ailments. It is strongly alkaloid [and seems to be related to ibogaine, an African plant famed for its ability to cure drug addiction]. AYV RTR

San Cipriano: (n) (1) San Cipriano is recognized as the patron saint of magicians. He is particularly venerated in Mexico, where he is part of curanderismo. He is invoked in order to protect people from evil spells and also to cure them from these. Cipriano was martyred in the year 272 by order of the Roman emperor, and his bones were preserved by his followers and later interred in Constantinople [now Istanbul]. Cipriano is said by his descendents in Italy to have come originally from Egypt. Before converting to Christianity he was one of the most famous magicians ever known. He was born in Antioch to very rich and powerful parents and by 30 years of age he knew all of the magical arts, at which time he then converted to Christianity. WWOC (2) A school of sorcery based on a book written by San Cipriano, who was a magician before he converted to Christianity. San Cipriano is now reclaiming his place in the pantheon of true curandero saints. He was, in fact, one of the most powerful magicians who ever lived, and he had in his possession occult wisdom that was passed down from certain other powerful magicians who had preceded him in that part of the world. WHAC

Sanguijuela Mama (Span): (n) A giant leech with four antennae on its head and no mouth. She can make people sleep in order to devour them. AYV (See, mama.)

sanitario (Span): (n) One who heals others of evil (devil things) with offerings to Pachamama.

San Pedro cactus:  See, huachuma.

sapa: (adj) Alone, each. QP Unique, the one and only. QNO

Sapa Inca: (n) (1) Supreme male ruler of the Inca. In his capacity as the representation of the Sun on earth, his presence brought warmth and light to make the world habitable. MAN (2) The male manifestation of the sixth level of human consciousness in the Inca prophecies. KOAK (See, Qoya.)

Actor at Inti Raymi portraying the
Sapa Inca.

sapanka: (adj) Each, every. QP

sapaq: (adj) Different, other. QP

sappa hihuañana (AYM): (n) Good death. ASD

saqra: (n) (1) Devil. QP (2) Negative and destructive energies under the control of the Incas that had limited power; they were well-controlled from pre-Inca times to the arrival of the Spaniards because the people lived in harmony with the laws of the universe. With the Spanish invasion, saqras were liberated and joined forces with the Spaniards, thus enabling the latter to destroy the Tawantinsuyu. WMG (adj) Filthy; nauseating; ugly; bad; rough; mean; evil. RS

Saramama: See, Mama Sara, mama.

sarara: (Anhinga anhinga) A bird considered to be one of the darkest beings of hell that Amazon sorcerers work with, all of them black animals. AYV

sasa: (adj) Hard, difficult. QP

sat’iy: (v) To puncture, to inject. QP

sawa: (n) Marriage; matrimony. RS

Sawa Siray: See, Pitu Siray.

sayk’usqa: (adj) Tired. QP Fatigued. PSL

sayk’uy: (n) Fatigue. QP

sayri (AYM): (n) Tobacco. ASD Tobacco reduced to a powder and snuffed up the nose in order to clear the nasal passages. ACA

sayu: (n) (1) The four quarters of the celestial sphere. (See, mayu.) (2) Andean  principles of dual organization often entails quadrapartition and the subdivision of paired moiety into four sayu subgroups of kindred. RFRC

saywachakuy: See, saiwa. JNP

scars (Eng): (n) Many highland people believe that physical scarring comes from an internal fear that manifests as a scar as an outward sign of that fear. IGMP

schacapa, chacapa, shacapa (Amaz): (n) (1) A tree of the rupha-rupha (selva alta) region whose dried fruits (nuts) are used as small bells. RS (2) The rattle of a vegetalista used to take away illness by means of the wind produced by the rattle, to “seal” a patient so that he/she will not be subject to subsequent attacks, and to stimulate visions in ayahuasca sessions. AYV

A schacapa nut bracelet.

Don Julio Gerena Pinedo, master palero, in ceremony. His medicine items
are ayahuasca, perfume, mapacho, agua de florida, book of magic and
schacapa leaf fan, essential tools of the ritual. EMM

scrying (Eng): (n) A magic practice that involves seeing things supernaturally in a medium, usually for purposes of divination or fortune-telling. The media used are most commonly reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals, stones, glass, mirrors, water, fire, or smoke. Scrying has been used in many cultures as a means of divining the past, present, or future. Depending on the culture and practice, the visions that come when one stares into the media are thought to come from God, spirits, the psychic mind, the devil, or the subconscious. Scrying is actively used by many cultures and belief systems and is not limited to one tradition or ideology. WIKI

second attention: (n) A term from nagualismo meaning our ability to perceive the Dreamtime. That which is knowable but not accessible by the first attention. AVO (2) The second attention, a larger portion of our consciousness than the first attention, is the awareness we need in order to perceive our luminous body and to act as luminous beings. The second attention is brought forth through deliberate training or by an accidental trauma, and it encompasses the awareness of the luminous body. The battlefield of warriors is the second attention, which is something like a training ground for reaching the third attention. TEG

Second Sun: (n) More advanced than the world of the First Sun, its people practised rudimentary agriculture. They were called the Wari Runa. This age ended in cataclysmic deluge. MAN (See, Uñu Pachacuti.)

seke (AYM): (n) Line. ASD (See, ceke.)

senehara: (n) Glacier.

Señor de Huanca, Señor de Wanka: (n) Lord of the sacred song is an important healing sanctuary in the Cusco area. (See, huanca.)

seqe: See, ceke.

shacapa: See, schacapa.

shaman (Tungus): (n) A person, male or female, who has an overwhelming psychological experience that turns him totally inward. The whole unconscious opens up, and the shaman falls into it. POM A man or woman who travels to the parallel worlds where time and space have no meaning and who uses the powers of those worlds, the subconscious, and the realities of this world to cause change. Shamans can alter a person’s health, the weather, or the relationship between a community and its surroundings. GNO A man or woman, initiated into a lineage, who enters an altered state of consciousness at will. The shaman does this to contact and utilize a hidden reality (See, nagual) to acquire knowledge and to help others. The shaman usually works with one or more spirits.

shamanic reality: See, nagual, tonal.

shamanism: (n) The body of knowledge and practice of the shaman. An ancient, worldwide practice of engaging with spirit helpers and the forces of the natural world to develop relationships, solve problems, and perform healing. MBE

shapeshift (Eng): (v) To magically assume the physical manifestation of a different entity. (See, runauturuncu, double, nagual.)

shapeshifting: (n) There are two different forms of shapeshifting: changing your luminous body to a power animal, and changing your physical form on the earth plane into an animal. Based in the premise that everything is energy, and even though we shift into the energy pattern of a tree, we are in essence still the same. JP  (See, saiwa, nagual, double.)

shimbaya huasca : See, ayahuasca.

shirimpiáre (Amaz): (n) A type of katziboréri , a smoking witch doctor who specializes in sucking tobacco cure, sending the smoke energies against disease with spells. THIM

siki: (n) (1) Base, bottom. (2) Rear end, rump, buttocks. TLD

simi: (n) Language, words.

Sinak'ara: (n) Tutelary mountain spirit [apu] of the Q'oyllor Rit'i festival. RS

sinchi: (n) Very strong person. QP Chief or strongman. ACA

sinchi amarun: (n) Literally, strong anaconda. This is the jungle Quechua term for the rainbow. AYV (See, k’uychi.)

Sinchi Roca: (n) The name of the legendary second Inca king. He is credited with having commanded the residents of the Cusco valley to grow potatoes, a staple crop. MAN

Sinchi Roca, drawn by Felipe
Guaman Poma de Ayala.

sinchi runa: (n) Strong, powerful men who have acquired not only spirit helpers, but also the souls of powerful ancestors in their yachay. (See, banco.) AYV

sipas: (n) (1) Forces of nature ready to mate, reproduce. JLHH (2) Young girl; adolescent. RS

sipascha: (n) Young woman. QP

siqsiy: (n) Itch (sensation). QP

siriy, sirikuy: (v) To lie down. QP

Situa, Citua: (n) An annual purification rite done to safeguard the health of the Inca, which was seen to indicate the health of the whole body politic. It was held in Cusco just before the start of the rainy season, when Andeans were particularly susceptible to disease. All foreigners and people with physical defects had to leave the city as a prelude to the rite. The illnesses the Inca sought to be rid of included by physical and social disorders. The ritual was seen to return Cusco to its original pristine state. ICHB

siwarkinte: (n) Hummingbird. JLH

sixth level: (n) A level of consciousness characterized by the emergence of the new Sapa Inca, an extraordinary leader and social engineer of great political skill who will bring about the taripay pacha. IEBJ

Snow Star: (n) The English name of one of the sacred festivals, Qoyllor Rit'i.

Solimana: The name of one of the most important apus. It towers 19,990 feet above sea level, towering over the Cotahuasi Valley. It is one of the most important ritual and burial sites. It was of enough significance to the Inca that they supplied extra camelids and people to serve this and other apus in the Arequipa range. JAR

sonccoqui: See, sonqoqui.

sonqo, sunqu, sonq’o, soncco: (n) Heart. QP

sonqochayay: (phrase) You small treasure of my heart, I surrender to you.  JLH

sonqolláy: (n) My own heart; my beloved. THLH

sonqoqui, sonccoqui: (n) The ever-flowing joy and abundance that manifests in our lives when we reach the higher levels of the Third Inca Law of Yachay. The joy and abundance of the Cosmos. IGMP (See, sonqo.)

sonqosua: (n) A heartbreaker. RMFA

Soq’a: (n) Twisted female nature spirit. More accurately, a third level initiate’s vision of a powerful female nature spirit.  When fear is conquered, the frightening Soq’a transforms into a beautiful Ñust’a. QNO

sorcerer (Eng): (n) A practitioner of sorcery.

sorcery (Eng): (n) Occult and magical practices considered associated with hostility, evil and darkness, tending to induce illness and death in a subject, rather than healing. This is a very general definition. More detailed definitions would be culture-specific or even teacher-specific. There are exceptions, such as the teachings of Carlos Castaneda which he calls sorcery, yet the practice of which does not fit this definition; in Ecuador, shamans are commonly called sorcerers. Sorcerers and shamans study the same occult realm, yet approach practice with very different intentions. PGO In the Amazon, a vegetalista is able to distinguish the type of sorcery his patient is suffering from by ingesting ayahuasca and observing the type of lights surrounding the patient. If he sees zig-zagging lights, it means his patient has been hit by a chontero. If he sees small waves crossed by dark lines, then the patient has been hit by a huaní. If the waves are larger, than hechicería marupa is involved. AYV: Among the ranks of the shamans were many sorcerers who practiced black magic in secret and whose malign influence was widely feared. They were associated with spiders, lizards, snakes, toads and moths, and it was bad luck to see any of these creatures near someone’s home. Even the Inca ruler feared enchantment; women attendants instantly swallowed any hairs that fell from his head lest they should fall into the hands of hostile shamans. IAWS

soroqch’i: (n) Mountain sickness. ROR

soul contract (Eng): (n) Your spiritual purpose, agreed upon before you incarnated into this life. The guided plan for your life. The source of your soul contracts is in the Divine; you co-created the contract with divine guidance and it includes many individual agreements (subcontracts) to meet and work with certain people, in certain places, at certain times. Your earthly commitments, the tasks you have been assigned, and the lessons you agreed to learn in this incarnation in order to fulfill your divine potential. SCCM

soul loss (Eng): (n) A feeling of incompleteness due to trauma. Your connection to yourself can never be lost. However, you can feel like you are not connected. The remedy is soul retrieval. TWR

soul remembering: (n) After a soul retrieval is performed, the remembering work done by the recipient is essential: to keep and root the soul parts, to learn what qualities have been returned with the essence, to discover how to use the new energy, and to release any attitudes that continue to block wholeness. During soul remembering, we gain knowledge of our soul's purpose in the world. It returns to us gifts, talents, and strengths. MBE

soul retrieval (Eng): (n) A traditional remedy based on the shamanic belief that part of our essential life energy can split off and become lost in nonordinary reality (soul loss) due to trauma and needs to be retrieved in order for the person to be whole again. SR If you are never disturbed by anything, you will never need soul retrieval. TWR

Southern Cross: (1) The Southern Cross is a constellation found in the southern region of the night sky. It is the most commonly known, and easily identifiable of all the southern constellations. LTO (Image 1 below) (2) These stars form a bridge (chacana) over Mayu. IGMP The Southern Cross (def. 1) is at the center of Mayu, not because of its revolution around the pole, but because it is the point at which two celestial rivers collide (called Calvario). (See, graphic at Mayu and image 2 below.) (3) The corresponding terrestrial cross, Crucero, formed by the rising and setting of the sun on the two solstices (image 3 below). ACES (See, Mayu for an explanation of how this mirrors the water cycle.)

(1) The astronomical constellation known as the Southern Cross (Alpha, Beta,
Delta and Gamma Crucis). Alpha and Beta Centauri on the left are the eyes of
the Llama dark matter formation (yana phuyu).

(2) The solstices and the seasonal axes of the Milky Way form a celestial cross
called “Calvario.” ACES

(3) The four quarters of terrestrial space, known as “Crucero,” show a correlation

with the four quarters of the sky cross, “Calvario.”  ACES

spaceships (Eng): These are common hallucinationatory motifs during ayahuasca experiences. Often the transportation of guardian spirits  and other beings, the vehicles and the beings are of material more subtle than that of our continuum.  Many of these beings belong to extraterrestrial civilizations that live in harmony. The ships themselves come in many different shapes and sizes. AYV

A spaceship in a detail from a painting by vegetalista Pablo

Amaringo. This craft is from one of the moons of Saturn. AYV

staff deities (Eng): Pan-Andean deities of either gender portrayed with arms outstretched holdling decorated, ritual staffs. MAN (See, another image (of staff deity Wiracocha) at sunkasapa.)

string theory: (n) Shorthand for superstrings. WIKI String theory postulates that space and time are illusions, primitive notions that will be replaced by something more sophisticated. According to string theory, the most basic ingredients in the universe are no longer point-like particles, the familiar electron and quarks. Instead, they are unimaginably small vibrating strings of some unknown fundamental stuff. String theory suggests that different configurations of strings produce different harmonic chords. The vibrating string gives rise to the particles, and the way the string vibrates determines each particle’s properties. This all takes place in a convoluted landscape of 11 dimensions. It appears that space and time aren’t essential ingredients of a universe ruled by strings. Einstein’s well-proven theories showed that the fabric of space-time, with its three dimensions of space and one of time, is not a passive backdrop for the events and objects in the universe. Space-time also creates objects and events. Imagine the universe as a performance on a stage. The stage of space-time does not act like a static floor; it also pulls and pushes the actors around. In the subatomic realm, the entire concept of fixed particles in time and space fuzzes out into an ever-shifting haze of probabilities [Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle]. Space and time as fundamental concepts may be about to disappear altogether. String theory views everything in the universe as the combined harmonies of strings vibrating in 11 dimensions. The everyday, three-dimensional universe we live in is trapped on a thin membrane [called brane] -- something like the world inhabited by characters playing out their lives within the confines of a movie screen. Unknown to these shallow, two-dimensional players, a larger universe spreads into numerous extra dimensions. It’s as if humans are like water bugs skipping over the surface of a deep ocean. Everything we know is so much foam and flotsam stuck to the surface. But there may be a whole undiscovered world waiting underneath. PGO notes from a series in LAT2 (See, ceke, Appendix I.)

Strombo: A fierce Moche demon who attacked Ai Apaec with its sharp claws. A battle ensued between god and demon, and Ai Apaec won.  

subtle energy (Eng): (n) Subtle energy is difficult to define within the current scientific paradigm. Ancient and modern wisdom traditions describe human bioenergies referred to by many names (chi, ki, prana, etheric energy, fohat, orgone, odic force, mana, homeopathic resonance, e.g. ) that is believed to move throughout the light energy body and thus is difficult to measure using conventional instrumentation. In addition, many of the complementary and alternative therapies that are becoming increasingly popular appear to involve the flow of these subtle energies through the dense physical body. In addition, it is traditionally accepted that expansions of consciousness often are related to changes in subtle energies that cannot be quantified. These latter "energies", which are said to be associated with interactions and with transcendence, may not actually be involved with known physical fields. ISEM (See, luminous body.)

sucanca: (n) Literally, that which is about to be furrowed. They were shadow-clocks. ACA Solar pillars were called both sucancas and saiwas. The word sucanca is no longer in use in Cusco Quechua, nor is its meaning recorded in the early Quechua-Spanish dictionaries. The word saiwa was, and continues to be, commonly used for marker. AEAA Fourteen universally worshiped shrines came about as a consequence of their Sun worship. These were the markers or pillars called sucanca that indicated months of the year. These pillars were considered very important, and sacrifices were offered to them at the same time as they were made for the other huacas and in places designated for this purpose. These sacrifices were made in the following way. After the sacrifices were taken to the other huacas in the order in which they were located along the cekes, ... what was left over was offered to these markers. This was because the markers were not located in the same order as the other shrines but were distributed according to the course of the sun, and each [person] came with a sacrifice to the marker-shrine nearest to his ceke. IRC

suisui (Amaz): (Thraupis episcopus), the blue-grey tanager. A tibe negro used by marupa sorcerers as a mariri. AYV

sukuacra-warmi: (n) Nymphs who live in a city below the surface of the river, a beautiful city of perfumed air. There one can find the most rapid ships, such as the supay-lancha. AYV (See, warmi.)

sullca huahua (AYM): (n) Youngest son. ASD (Note: wawa or huahua is Quechua for baby.)

sullu: (n) (1) Abortion. (2) Animal fetus used by curanderos. RS

sulp’ay niy: (v) To thank. QP

sumaq: (adj) Handsome, beautiful, tasty, nice. QP

sumaq aklla: See, aklla.

sumaq aklla cataquin: See, aklla.

sumaq kawsayniyuq: (v) Literally, beautiful energy. Honest. QP (See, kawsay.)

sumaq sunqu: (adj) Literally, beautiful heart. Humble. RS (See, sonqo.)

sumi: (adj) Extensive. RS (n) See, sumiruna.

sumiruna: (n) Also called sumi. The highest level of vegetalista, this shaman is able to master all three realms: jungle, water and air. AYV

sumpuña: (n) Musical instrument like panpipes. PSL (See, zampoñas.)

Sun: See, Pachacuti.

suni: (n) Land that is between 3,600 and 3,900 meters above sea level. RDP (See, quechua, puna<.)

Sunkasapa: (n) Bearded ones, from sunka, beard, and sapa, unique. The mythic soldiers of Wiracocha, a.k.a. the angelic warriors of Wiracocha. On the Gateway of the Sun, the famous carved figure on the decorated archway in the ancient pre-Incan city of Tiwanako most likely represents Wiracocha, flanked by 48 winged effigies -- 32 with human faces and 16 with condor heads. WMO (See, Weeping God, staff deities.)

Sunkasapa surround Wiracocha atop the Gateway of the Sun.

Line drawings of sunkasapa that surround the staff deity in image above. TAI

sunqu phatatatay: (n) A pounding heart. QP (See, sonqo.)

sunqu tupachiy: (v) To be in love. QP (See, sonqo.)

Sunttiyri (AYM): (n) God creator of all things. ASD

suntur: (adj) Round, circular. (n) Cabinet (advisors); congress; convention; council; court. RS

Sunturwasi: (n) Literally, circular house. A building that had a cylindrical shape and was used as the emblems' house: the Hatun Kancha, which belonged to Inca Yupanqui. CPO It was considered the house of the weapons and trophies and had several floors. When the Spanish arrived, Pizarro ordered that this temple was meant to be the first Spanish Catholic Church in Cusco. CPC

supay, supai: (n) (1) Devil, demon. PSL Evil spirits. WPO The original meaning was not negative and could be translated as shadow, ghost, and associated with death. It can be translated as spirit, soul, ghost or demon. The vegetalista can learn to work with these beings in a beneficial way. AYV (2) A type of sorcery characterized by stagnation, absence of flow.  JLH

Supay: (n) The name of the Inca god of death and lord of the underworld. Today the Catholic Indians of Peru and Bolivia apply the word to the Devil. WPO See, Urcaguary, Muki.)

supay-cato: (n) Literally, ghost bath. This is the weather phenomenon known in the USA as a dry thunderstorm, when there is wind and thunder and lightning, but no rain. AYV PGO (See, Wayramama.)

supay chacra: (n) Literally, devil's garden. Without human intervention, this is believed by local people to be a power-spot, and ayahuasca rituals held in this place are believed to deliver powerful and vivid visions to the participants. EMM  Also called a Ch'ullanchaki Garden. AYV (See, chacra, supay, ch’ullanchaki.)

supay-lancha, yaku-lancha: (n) Literally, devil launch. One of the manifestations of Yakumama called upon by vegetalistas and from whom benefits can be acquired. Also known as acurun and purahua, it is a kind of yakumama that can become a spirit steamboat in order to walk on the water of rivers and lakes. AYV

supayniyoj: (adj) Possessed. PSL (See, supay.)

supay-tibe (Amaz): A bird that flies around the river to attack any sumiruna sorcerer that approaches the shaman. AYV (See, supay.)

superstrings: See, string theory.

suq’a: (n) Evil spirit. QP

suruchi: (n) Altitude sickness. QP

susto (Span): (n) (1) A state of terror. ROR  (2) A folk illness with strong psychological overtones defined as fright sickness and characterized by soul loss. WAN (See, manchari.)

Susurpuquio: (n) The name of a spring outside Cusco where Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui found a crystal tablet bearing the image of Wiracocha.  MAN The crystal that Pachacuti found had inside it a tiny figure of a bearded man with three bright rays like those of the sun radiating from his head. The apparition told Pachacuti that he would conquer many, but must honor his divine protector, Wiracocha. The vision then vanished, but Pachacuti kept ithe crystal and was said to be able to look into it and see the regions he would later subdue. He had a gold statue made to capture the appearance of the apparition, which was the size of a ten year old boy. (See, Punchau.)

susuwa: (n) The steep rubble slope where the kukuchi must struggle their way uphill every night until only their bones are left.  ROR

suti: (n) Name. QP

sut’i: (adj) Clear, visible. PSL

sutichay: (v) So call, to name. QP

Sutic Toco: The damp cave at Tambo Toco. NFL  The cave, represented as a chamber in the Ukhupacha, where one goes to view all of the different life pachas of the client and to find a vision. JLH (See, Maras Toco and Capac Toco.)

sut'imanta: (adv) Clearly. PSL

sut'inchaj: (n) Prophet. PSL Also, profeta (Span). PSL

sut'inchay: (v) (1) To explain, to make clear. (2) To prophesy. Also, profetizay (sp). PSL

sut'i sonqo: (adj) Frank, honest; literally, clear hearted. PSL See, sonqo.

sut'iyay: (v) To dawn, to become clear. PSL

suwirti: (n) Luck (sp). QP

suyay: (v) To wait. (n) Hope, expectation. PSL

suyu: (n) Region. QP

Suyu Apu: A tutelary mountain spirit (Apu) overseeing an entire region (suyu). Related to the third level of the Andean Path. NND

Suyus: (n) Regions of Cusco and the Inca Empire. (See, Appendix D, Tawantinsuyu.)

synchronicity (Eng): (n) The idea of synchronicity is that the conceptual relationship of minds, defined by the relationship between ideas, is intricately structured in its own logical way and gives rise to relationships which have nothing to do with causal relationships in which a cause precedes an effect. Instead, causal relationships are understood as simultaneous ‹ that is, the cause and effect occur at the same time. Synchronous events reveal an underlying pattern, a conceptual framework which encompasses, but is larger than, any of the systems which display the synchronicity. The suggestion of a larger framework is essential in order to satisfy the definition of synchronicity as originally developed by Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung. Jung coined the word to describe what he called "temporally coincident occurrences of acausal events." Jung variously described synchronicity as an "'acausal connecting principle'" (i.e., a pattern of connection that cannot be explained by conventional, efficient causality), "meaningful coincidence" and "acausal parallelism". WIKI