The river is a mirror, reflecting everything that exists above its surface and creating an inverted, illusory reality. Sometimes the reflection is so crisp that it becomes impossible to tell where the world ends and where its mirrored double starts. 

Right under its surface another dimension begins. One said to be inhabited by spiritual beings. In the Amazonian tradition, these beings are known as the Yacuruna, guardians of the underwater realms who embody the river’s mysterious intelligence. In other cultures, such as the Indian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, they appear as Nagas: serpent water deities who protect hidden treasures and maintain the balance between worlds. 

Thus, the river is perceived as the umbilical cord between these world:. In our world, it is an essential conduit of life, sustaining plants and nourishing both humans and animals. In the Amazon, it is the primary mode of travel, connecting all the small and large communities along the rainforest. In the spiritual dimension it serves as a channel for cleansing energy and healing, bringing fresh life force into the body, while carrying away the negative energies that, when accumulated, become the source of affliction. 

As I drift along the surface of the water, surrounded by the endless reflections of trees and plants, I wonder if there is truly any real separation between the physical world and the spirit world. What I see as solid and real is the result of my limited perception. Everything - from sight to touch - is mediated through my senses. In Buddhism reality is understood as insubstantial. It has no independent existence. Reality is often compared to the reflection of the moon in water: clearly seen but impossible to grasp.

In Buddhism this insight is at the heart of the Prajñāpāramitā, one its most important body of scriptures. According to this tradition, the scripture was given to humans by the serpent-deities Nāga from deep aquatic realms. 

Nature gives me the possibility to relax my mind’s tight grasp on perceived reality. More than anywhere in the world, I feel this along the rivers in the Amazon. My perception starts to open up to a world in which intelligence and life force flow effortlessly between the (human, animal, plant and the spirit. Right then, in these moments, I begin to appreciate the true beauty of this world. 

Matteo Callegari 

Matteo Callegari is an Italian born, New York based artist and environmental activist. He holds a Master of Fine Arts from Hunter College and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Ca’ Foscari University in Venice. His multidisciplinary practice includes painting, drawing, sculpture, embroidery, and video; exploring themes of nature, ecology, and spirituality. 

Callegari has exhibited at Giovanni’s Room in Los Angeles, Flatmarkus in Zurich, Oolite arts in Miami, Thomas Brambilla Gallery in Bergamo, Carl Kostyál in London, Ramiken Crucible in New York, and other international venues. 

He has spent significant time in the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest researching local healing traditions and is also a student of the Nyingma school of Vajrayana Buddhism. Callegari is the founder of Light for the Amazon, a non-profit organization based in Santa Maria de Ojeal, a village along the Amazon River in the Loreto region of Peru. The project is aimed at promoting ecological early education, sustainability, and the preservation of indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants.