Don Alberto Taxo

Alberto Taxo is a master Iachak of the Atik (Kichwa) people from the Cotopaxi region of Ecuador. He was given the highest honor of Master Iachak by the Shamanic Council of South America. He generously shared ancient Andean wisdom and practices with people who seek happiness, balance and fulfillment. In his book, Friendship with the Elements: Opening the Channels of Communication, don Alberto invites us to connect with the elements of nature—Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and a 5th element known as Ushai that represents the other four in balance. Through simple habits and practices in daily life, he teaches us to feel the sacredness of each moment and every place, don Alberto’s way is powerful and gentle. He creates a space where each person can experience for themselves the truth and practical applications of the ancient Andean wisdom which he brings. Don Alberto shared this wisdom for over twenty years in the United States and Europe. He was given this responsibility in 1989 at a great gathering of Andean Elders.

This coming together of cultures marks the fulfilling of a five hundred year-old prophecy that the Eagle and the Condor will fly together in the same sky in harmony. That time is now. The Eagle and Condor prophecy foretold the coming together of two great powers of life: the power of the Eagle (the power of the mind as exemplified in the industrialized nations of the North) and the power of the Condor (the power of the heart and connection with nature as exemplified in the indigenous people of South America). The harmony which this prophecy refers to lies within each person through the balance of heart and mind — as well as in the world at large.

Don Alberto was a speaker in schools and universities, at international conferences, political rallies, and indigenous celebrations. He has spoken to audiences of 600 and more, as diverse as the South American indigenous and North American medical professionals. His topics ranged from, “Preparing for Globalization” to “Ancient Andean Practices and their Application to Western Medicine.” In an indigenous uprising that paralyzed Ecuador, he performed an integral role in negotiating a settlement that respected the basic rights of indigenous people.

“I invite you to start creating new habits in your lives. These are habits of connecting, so we can open the channels of communication. It’s necessary for us to create a culture of habits that help us clean and open these channels, a culture that leads us step by step to harmony. We need to open the channels of intimate friendship with the elements, with all of Life.”-Don Alberto Taxo, from Friendship with the Elements

For more books about Don Alberto, and a CD click here.