Return to Essence

The Five Huaquas: An Invitation to Return to the Essence of Our Humanity

by Valorie Cheyne

What does it mean to live a truly fulfilled life as a balanced human?

Within the teachings of the Five Huaquas -- happiness, health, humor, hope, and harmony -- we are offered a timeless map back to ourselves. The essence of these qualities asks us to stretch, grow and evolve beyond the personality and its immediate concerns. The Huaquas are an invitation to expand our relations and connections so we are helpful to others and become solution seekers. As we shift our attention from the outer world of appearances to the deeper movement of the soul toward Dharma and the 5th World, these spiritual qualities begin to strengthen within us.

These are the ultimate qualities of an awake and aware balanced individual. The full expression of a person living life in alignment and harmony with everyone and all the worlds of Grandmother Earth. The Huaquas are not goals to achieve, but essences to remember. They are already within us waiting to be lived.

Each of us, over time, has been shaped by parents, mentors, partners, influencers and many others that have guided us along the way. We learned to look outside ourselves for approval, to know if we fit in, are recognized, accepted and loved. Without even realizing it, we sometimes find ourselves living a life designed to meet the expectations of others rather than a life that reflects the truth of our own soul. And maybe, somewhere along the way, the following question has come up for us to ponder:

Am I living the life I truly want to be living?

The Five Huaquas invite us to sit with this question for an honest assessment. They help us to look inward toward what is meaningful, authentic and deeply nourishing. In this way, they connect us to what might be called our ‘hungers‘ ..…..those inner longings that give our lives direction, purpose, meaning and vitality. These hungers are not something to suppress; they are the fuel that keeps us going and engaged with life. Our hungers and our huaquas are connected as they form the foundation of a fully balanced human being.

The Five Huaquas are often associated with a direction:

In this first reflection we begin with happiness, the quality most commonly connected to the South. The other 4 Huaquas will be discussed in future postings so stay tuned.

Happiness: The First Huaqua

Happiness lives in the heart of a Sacred Human. Happiness is not someplace we arrive at nor something we are able to hold onto nor something we chase. Happiness is something that appears along the path. In many ways happiness is elusive – fleeting, difficult to define and impossible to pin down. And yet, it is one of the most common desires expressed by people everywhere. Often, when people are asked what they want in life, many will simply say, “I want to be happy” as if happiness were a steady even state to be achieved and maintained.

But happiness is not a destination.

It is the byproduct of how we live and it will come and go. It emerges when we are present, when we are engaged, when we are giving, sharing, caring and loving one another without condition. It shows itself in moments of gratitude, in the quiet recognition of who we truly are, and in our ability to meet life with openness, acceptance and being of service to others.

At its core, happiness is the felt sense that we are aligned with our true nature and we are able to feel this deeply within our being.

Happiness comes from where we place our attention. If our focus is limited only to the surface level of demands, distractions and routines of everyday life we can, unknowingly, starve those deeper parts of ourselves. The soul requires we expand, live and explore more fully in order to experience the authenticity of our essence. To be a balanced human, we must be grounded in purpose and integrity, we must consciously choose how we live. We must begin to orient our lives around what truly nourishes our soul. How do we know if we are living at a soul level? It is a sense of quiet rightness. A feeling that even amid difficulty, we are moving in alignment with something deeper. Our choices begin to reflect who we truly are, creating an inner coherence between our values, how we act and how we show up in the world. We experience an inner knowing and understanding of our vision and purpose, we feel content and grateful for a life path that gives us a feeling of love, open heartedness and a connection to the everything. We feel at peace.

For further exploration on aspects of each Huaqua review pages 390-397 in The Thirty Sacred Laws Part 3.

With gratitude to the following works that informed this reflection:

· Song of the Deer by Thunder Strikes with Jan Orsi, 1999

· Shamanic Wheels and Keys by Harley SwiftDeer Reagan, 2009

· Elder Wisdom by Thunder Strikes with Jan Orsi, 2021

· The Thirty Sacred Laws, Part 1 by Claudia Barner, Ph.D. advised by Thunder Strikes, 2000

· The Thirty Sacred Laws, Part 3 by Claudia van Corva, Ph.D. advised by Thunder Strikes, 2009

Whispering Winds Work Day

Join us for a fun work day at the farm on Sunday, April 26, 2026 from 9:30 AM to early afternoon followed by a light lunch.

This is a wonderful opportunity to gather in community, spend time outdoors and lend a helping hand in caring for the land that supports us when we do ceremonies, have parties and host study group and drum team.

Please bring work gloves, water, bug spray, sunscreen, fully charged equipment, your favorite hand tools, rakes, clippers and a joyful heart.

Chores to be completed:

Re-tie the Lodge as needed, clean the shed, rake, tidy up and beautify the area, harvest the autumn olives and put them in the fire pit to burn, sweep and clean out the outhouse, clear car paths in, out & around space so cars aren’t scratched, trim low hanging branches. There may be a few more things, but that’s generally the list.

Drummers will be coming and cleaning out the loft space in the barn and will then be joining us on the back 40 to help complete the above tasks. Please consider offering a few hours of your time to support the farm and all that it provides. Each small effort adds up, and together, many hands truly do make light work. Your willingness to show up is deeply appreciated and it helps keep this special place thriving for all to enjoy. RSVP Valorie Blue Storm

Shamanism for the Fifth World

Shamanism for the Fifth World Session 3 on Wednesday, April 29, 7-10pm EST features the Animal Totems and Medicine Wheels and Bundles Teachings. Don’t miss this opportunity to be with Debbie Mast, RN MSN is a Lodge Leader and an A-Roadperson. She is a qualified instructor for all years of Red Lodge and Bravo White Lodge, and a certified Healing Paradigm Trainer. She is the founder of 3 Arrows, and the Women's Hoop, a ceremonial program for women now in its 34th year. Register NOW.