Reference
Quechua Glossary
Every Quechua and Andean Q’ero term used in the INTI NAN system — defined, pronounced, and placed in context.
What Is This Glossary For?
The INTI NAN system draws on the Quechua language and the cosmological tradition of the Q’ero people of the Andes — one of the most intact lineages of Andean spiritual knowledge surviving today. Quechua was the administrative language of the Inca Empire and remains spoken by approximately eight million people across Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, and surrounding regions.
Many of the terms used in the INTI NAN framework have no precise English equivalents. This glossary provides pronunciations, literal meanings, and the specific context in which each term is used within the three-world system. Every term on this page appears somewhere on the platform. Every pronunciation guide uses standard English phonetic approximations.
For the full self-discovery framework, start with the How It Works page, or take a free assessment in any of the three world pages. To discover your complete named pathway, begin the Karpay.
Frequently Asked Questions About Quechua Terms
What does INTI NAN mean in Quechua?
INTI NAN (pronounced IN-tee NYAHN) means Sun Path in Quechua, the language of the Andean peoples of South America. Inti is the Quechua word for sun — also the name of the Incan sun deity — and Nan means path or road. INTI NAN is the name of the platform and its self-knowledge framework, representing the journey toward light and self-understanding rooted in Andean Q’ero cosmological tradition.
What does Karpay mean in Quechua?
Karpay (pronounced kar-PIE) is the Quechua word for sacred initiation or transmission. In the Q’ero tradition of the Andes, a karpay is a ceremony of empowerment in which spiritual knowledge or energy is passed from a teacher to a student. In the INTI NAN system, the Karpay is the primary tri-dimensional assessment that maps a person across all three worlds simultaneously — Hanan Pacha, Kay Pacha, and Ukhu Pacha — to reveal their named pathway among the 189.
What is the difference between Hanan Pacha, Kay Pacha, and Ukhu Pacha?
Hanan Pacha, Kay Pacha, and Ukhu Pacha are the three worlds of Andean Q’ero cosmology, collectively called Kimsa Pacha (Three Worlds). Hanan Pacha (Upper World) is the realm of spirit and soul essence, corresponding to Soul Type in INTI NAN. Kay Pacha (Middle World) is the realm of everyday reality and personality, corresponding to the Enneagram. Ukhu Pacha (Lower World or Inner World) is the realm of the unconscious and transformation, corresponding to the Healing Pathway. The intersection of all three produces one of 189 named pathways.
What is Ayni in Andean cosmology?
Ayni (pronounced EYE-nee) is the Quechua principle of sacred reciprocity — the understanding that all things exist in a dynamic relationship of giving and receiving. In Q’ero tradition, Ayni is one of the foundational laws governing right relationship between humans, nature, and the living world. Everything that is received must eventually be returned, and everything given eventually returns. In the INTI NAN system, Ayni underpins the commitment to free access to foundational content: wisdom flows freely in both directions.
What language is Quechua and who speaks it?
Quechua is the language family spoken by the indigenous peoples of the Andes, including the Q’ero of Peru, and was the administrative language of the Inca Empire from the 13th to 16th centuries. Today approximately eight million people across Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia speak Quechua in various regional dialects. The Q’ero people of the high Andes of Peru are regarded as one of the most intact lineages of Andean spiritual and cosmological tradition. The INTI NAN framework draws on Q’ero cosmological concepts and Quechua terminology as its primary intellectual foundation. Scholarly documentation of these traditions is available in sources including the Pacha (Inca mythology) article and the work of Constance Classen, Inca Cosmology and the Human Body (University of Utah Press, 1993).
Quechua terms on this page draw on the Q’ero tradition of the Andean highlands of Peru. Academic documentation of these traditions can be found in the Pacha (Inca mythology) article and in Constance Classen, Inca Cosmology and the Human Body (University of Utah Press, 1993). The Michael Teachings tradition, originally channelled by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, provides the primary source for the Soul Type framework as integrated within the INTI NAN three-world system.
Platform Terms
Core Terms Used Throughout INTI NAN
The name of the platform. Inti is the Quechua word for sun and the name of the Incan solar deity. Nan means path or road. INTI NAN — the Sun Path — is the name for the journey of self-knowledge rooted in Andean Q’ero cosmological tradition. The platform integrates three dimensions of identity (Soul Type, Enneagram, Healing Pathway) into a single named pathway for each person among the 189.
The Quechua word for sacred initiation or transmission of spiritual energy and knowledge. In Q’ero tradition, a karpay is a ceremony in which a paqo (spiritual practitioner) passes understanding to a student. In the INTI NAN system, the Karpay is the tri-dimensional assessment that maps a person across all three worlds simultaneously and names their specific pathway among the 189. Chapters 0 through 4 are free. The complete 11-chapter initiation is available for $49.
The name for the complete three-world cosmological framework at the heart of INTI NAN. Kimsa is the Quechua word for three and Pacha means world, earth, or time. Kimsa Pacha encompasses Hanan Pacha (Upper World, Soul Type), Kay Pacha (Middle World, Enneagram), and Ukhu Pacha (Lower World, Healing Pathway). The intersection of all three coordinates produces one of 189 unique named pathways.
The Quechua word for beginning or starting point. In the INTI NAN system, the Qallariy is the free starting point finder — a short orientation tool that helps a person identify which of the three worlds to explore first based on what they are most ready to look at. It is the threshold of the journey, not the journey itself. The Karpay is the full initiation.
The Three Worlds
Hanan Pacha, Kay Pacha, Ukhu Pacha
The Upper World in Andean Q’ero cosmology. Hanan means upper or above and Pacha means world, earth, or time — so Hanan Pacha is literally the world above. In Q’ero tradition, it is the realm of spirit, higher perspective, and the divine. In the INTI NAN system, Hanan Pacha is the domain of Soul Type — the essential orientation a soul carries across lifetimes, prior to and beneath personality. It is guarded by the Condor, who sees the full landscape from above. The question of Hanan Pacha is: who are you at the level of essential nature?
The Middle World in Andean Q’ero cosmology. Kay means this or here and Pacha means world — so Kay Pacha is literally this world here, the realm of everyday reality, lived experience, personality, and human relationship. In the INTI NAN system, Kay Pacha is the domain of the Enneagram — the nine personality patterns that shape how a person moves through the world before conscious choice. It is guarded by the Puma, who moves with precision through the terrain. The question of Kay Pacha is: how do you operate?
The Lower World or Inner World in Andean Q’ero cosmology. Ukhu means inner, beneath, or inside and Pacha means world. Ukhu Pacha is the realm of the unconscious, ancestral patterns, shadow, and deep transformation — the world beneath the world of everyday experience. In the INTI NAN system, Ukhu Pacha is the domain of the Healing Pathway — the specific mechanism through which a person’s particular nature transforms. It is guarded by the Serpent, who moves between worlds and sheds what no longer serves. The question of Ukhu Pacha is: how do you transform?
The Three Guardians
Kuntur, Puma, Amaru
The Condor is the guardian of Hanan Pacha, the Upper World. In Andean cosmology, the Condor soars at the highest altitudes and sees the full landscape that cannot be seen from within it. It is the messenger between the human realm and the spirit world. In the INTI NAN system, the Condor guards the Soul Type dimension — the view from above the personality patterns, the perspective that reveals essential nature rather than adaptive behaviour.
The Puma is the guardian of Kay Pacha, the Middle World. In Andean cosmology, the Puma is the master of the earthly terrain — precise, present, and powerful in the world of lived experience. It moves with intention and complete awareness of the ground beneath it. In the INTI NAN system, the Puma guards the Enneagram dimension — the personality patterns that determine how a person moves through the terrain of everyday life, relationships, and choice.
The Serpent is the guardian of Ukhu Pacha, the Lower World. In Andean cosmology, the Serpent moves between realms — above and below, seen and unseen — and sheds its skin as a living demonstration of transformation. It represents the capacity to release what no longer serves and emerge renewed. In the INTI NAN system, the Serpent guards the Healing Pathway dimension — the specific mechanism through which a person’s nature transforms in this lifetime.
Hanan Pacha
The Seven Soul Types in Quechua
The Quechua name for the Server Soul. Uywaq means the nurturer, the one who raises, feeds, and sustains. The Server Soul carries the essence of compassionate service — the orientation toward holding, feeding, and sustaining the community. There are 27 Server pathways in the INTI NAN system.
The Quechua name for the Artisan Soul. Kamaq means the creator, the animator, the one who brings form to formlessness. In Andean mythology, Kamaq is associated with the creative force that shapes the world. The Artisan Soul carries the creative fire — the orientation toward making, forming, and expressing what did not exist before. There are 27 Artisan pathways in the INTI NAN system.
The Quechua name for the Warrior Soul. Awqaq means the defender, the protector, the one who stands between the vulnerable and what threatens them. The Warrior Soul carries the orientation toward action, protection, and direct engagement with the world. There are 27 Warrior pathways in the INTI NAN system.
The Quechua name for the Scholar Soul. Yachaq means the one who knows, the knowledgeable one — also the term for a healer or wise person in Q’ero tradition. The Scholar Soul carries the orientation toward observation, study, and the preservation of understanding across time. There are 27 Scholar pathways in the INTI NAN system.
The Quechua name for the Sage Soul. Rimaq means the speaker, the one who gives voice — also historically the name for Incan oracles and the river deity of the Lima valley. The Sage Soul carries the orientation toward communication, expression, and the transmission of truth through language, story, and teaching. There are 27 Sage pathways in the INTI NAN system.
The Quechua name for the Priest Soul. Hampiq means the healer, the one who restores — related to the root word hampiy meaning healing or medicine. The Priest Soul carries the orientation toward inspiration, spiritual vision, and transformation through connection to the sacred. There are 27 Priest pathways in the INTI NAN system.
The Quechua name for the King Soul. Qhapaq means the sovereign, the magnificent, the one who leads with wisdom and authority. In Inca tradition, Qhapaq was an honorific title of the highest rulers. The King Soul carries the orientation toward mastery, responsibility, and the creation of order from complexity. There are 27 King pathways in the INTI NAN system.
Ukhu Pacha
The Three Healing Pathways in Quechua
The Quechua name for the Energy Healing Pathway in INTI NAN. Kawsay means living energy or life force — the animating vitality that flows through all living things. Hampiy means healing or medicine. Kawsay Hampiy is the healing modality focused on the present-moment field of living energy: chakras, aura, luminous body, and the energetic patterns that shape health, relationship, and awareness in the now. Those who carry this pathway heal through working directly with the living energy of the present.
Explore the Healing Pathway world page or take the free Energy Healing assessment.
The Quechua name for the Karmic Healing Pathway in INTI NAN. Nawpa means before, ancient, or that which came before — referring to ancestral time and inherited patterns. Hampiy means healing. Nawpa Hampiy is the healing modality focused on ancestral lineage, inherited cycles, karmic patterns, and the wounds and gifts carried forward through the bloodline and through prior lifetimes. Those who carry this pathway heal through resolving what was set in motion before this life.
Explore the Healing Pathway world page or take the free Karmic Healing assessment.
The Quechua name for the Shamanic Healing Pathway in INTI NAN. Paqo is the Q’ero term for a spiritual practitioner — a person who works between worlds and with the forces of nature and spirit. Hampiy means healing. Paqo Hampiy is the healing modality focused on the spirit world, ceremony, nature connection, and the realms beyond ordinary perception. Those who carry this pathway heal through direct contact with the unseen dimensions of reality.
Explore the Healing Pathway world page or take the free Shamanic Healing assessment.
Andean Principles
Core Quechua Principles Underlying the Framework
The Quechua principle of sacred reciprocity — the understanding that all things exist in a dynamic relationship of giving and receiving. In Q’ero tradition, Ayni is one of the foundational laws governing right relationship between humans, nature, and the living world. What is given is returned, what is received must eventually flow outward again. Ayni is the principle underlying INTI NAN’s commitment to free access to foundational content.
The Quechua name for the Earth Mother — the living intelligence of the earth itself. Pacha means world or earth and Mama means mother. In Andean Q’ero tradition, Pachamama is not a metaphor but a living being, the source and sustainer of all physical life. The Q’ero understand themselves to be in reciprocal relationship with Pachamama, not above or apart from her. In the INTI NAN system, Pachamama represents the principle of grounding that holds all three worlds.
The Quechua word for living energy or life force — the animating vitality that flows through all things. In Q’ero tradition, kawsay is the living fabric of the universe, the field of energy within which all beings exist and interact. It is the root of the Energy Healing Pathway name (Kawsay Hampiy) and the underlying concept for the luminous energy body that practitioners of Andean healing work with. All three healing pathways operate within and through the field of kawsay.
The Quechua word for love, will, and the power of the heart — simultaneously the capacity to love and the capacity to intend. In Q’ero tradition, munay is one of three foundational human capacities alongside yachay (knowledge) and llank’ay (work). Munay is the motivating force of the heart, the quality that makes action sacred rather than merely effective. In the INTI NAN system, munay underlies the understanding that self-knowledge is ultimately an act of love.
The Quechua word for knowledge, wisdom, and the capacity to know. In Q’ero tradition, yachay is one of three foundational human capacities alongside munay (love) and llank’ay (work). It is the quality of knowing that informs right action. The Scholar Soul’s Quechua name, Yachaq, derives from this root — literally the one who knows or the wise one. In the INTI NAN system, yachay represents the understanding dimension of the three-world journey.
The Quechua word for work, service, and purposeful action. In Q’ero tradition, llank’ay is one of three foundational human capacities alongside munay (love) and yachay (knowledge). It is the quality of engaged action that manifests what the heart intends and the mind understands. Llank’ay is the bridge between insight and embodiment — between knowing your pathway and actually living from it. It is the practical dimension of the three-world journey.
The 189 Pathways
Quechua Elements Used in Pathway Names
The 189 pathway names draw on Quechua words, Andean cosmological figures, and indigenous Andean concepts. Each name is a unique configuration that exists only within the INTI NAN system. The following are the Quechua elements that appear within pathway names across the 189.
The Quechua word for lightning and thunder, also the name of the Andean deity of storms and weather. Illapa represents the power that clears the way, the force that purifies by striking with precision. Appears in pathway names such as The Illapa Heart.
The Quechua word for wind — the invisible force that moves seeds, carries messages, and cannot be caught or contained. Wayra represents freedom of movement, the carrier of life between places. Appears in pathway names such as The Wayra Walker.
The Quechua word for fire — the element of transformation, purification, and warmth. Fire illuminates darkness, transforms what it touches, and must be continuously tended. Appears in pathway names such as The Nina Keeper and The Nina Qhapaq.
The Quechua word for dream, vision, or the realm of the imagination. In Q’ero tradition, dreams are not merely personal experiences but communications from the spirit world and the unconscious. Appears in pathway names such as The Mosqoy Weaver.
The Inca recording system of knotted cords used to encode information, history, and patterns. A quipu keeper was the custodian of ancestral records. In the INTI NAN system, the quipu represents the capacity to read patterns across time, to decode what is encoded in the threads of experience. Appears in pathway names such as The Quipu Keeper.
The stepped cross of Andean cosmology, representing the bridge between worlds and the structure of the three-world system. The Chakana encodes the relationship between Hanan Pacha, Kay Pacha, and Ukhu Pacha in geometric form. It is the symbol of connection and crossing between dimensions. Appears in pathway names such as The Chakana Bridge.
The Quechua word for rainbow — the bridge of light that appears after the storm, the symbol of hope and the connection between earth and sky. In Andean tradition, the rainbow is sacred and associated with transformation and the passage between states. Appears in pathway names such as The K’uychi Weaver.
The Andean deity of the sea, lakes, and all bodies of water. Mama Qocha is the feminine principle of depth, nurturing, and boundless holding. She sustains what lives within her without depletion. In the INTI NAN pathway system, Mama Qocha represents the quality of giving that overflows naturally rather than giving from scarcity. Appears in pathway names such as The Mama Qocha.
The Quechua name for the spirit of a mountain — the living intelligence and protective deity of a specific peak. In Q’ero tradition, the Apus are among the most powerful and accessible spirit beings, guardians of their regions and intermediaries between the human world and the divine. The Apu speaks rarely, but when it does, landscapes shift. Appears in pathway names such as The Apu Voice.
The 189 pathway names are proprietary to INTI NAN and exist nowhere else on the internet. They represent the complete set of identity configurations produced by the tri-dimensional system. To explore all 189, visit the 189 Pathways page. To discover which one is yours, begin the Karpay.
Disclaimer: The Quechua definitions and Andean cosmological concepts on this page are presented in the context of the INTI NAN self-discovery framework. They are not a substitute for academic anthropological scholarship, nor do they represent the full depth of living Andean tradition. The INTI NAN system is a framework for self-discovery and personal growth, not a religious teaching. For academic sources on Andean and Q’ero cosmology, see the Pacha (Inca mythology) article and Constance Classen, Inca Cosmology and the Human Body (University of Utah Press, 1993).