Con Leonide Martin

Yucatan è un luogo di tesori sottili, mimetizzato in rovina spettacolari e affascinanti creazioni naturali. L'altopiano calcareo che supporta la savana e le foreste tropicali asciutte si intreccia con corsi d'acqua sotterranei. Non ci sono fiumi scorrono in superficie, ma sotto sono grotte e tubi d'acqua, come un grande formaggio svizzero. Quando la superficie dei corsi d'acqua indossa sottile, può collassare per formare cenotes (aperture circolari rivelando acqua limpida.) Mentre alcuni cenotes sono vicini al livello del suolo, più sono a profondità da 20 a 50 piedi. Radici di alberi pendono verso il basso, cercando il sostentamento in acqua sotto, mentre viti drappo con grazia sopra il cerchio e nidificano rondini sotto le grondaie rocciose.

L'elemento femminile, l'acqua, permea la formazione dura carsico. I libra sacro femminile appena sotto la superficie delle pietre angolari e lineari in piramidi antiche città maya. Le Mayalands sono considerati femminili dalle popolazioni indigene: Pachamama, cuore della Terra.

Dopo che avevo vissuto in Yucatan per due anni, il mio amico e spirituale sorella è venuto a visitare. Aveva viaggiato prima in questa zona del Messico, trovando piuttosto dura e intensa energia climaticamente. Come devoti della Dea, abbiamo condiviso interesse per sperimentare la sua presenza ovunque abbiamo viaggiato. La penisola dello Yucatan, al mio amico, sembrava per lo più maschile. Pianure, campi rocciosi, acque nascoste, e le rovine angolari fortemente proiettata gravità maschile. L'ho invitato ricerca del sacro femminile in Yucatan.

Uxmal

Le colline Puuc salire dolcemente al margine occidentale della pianura Yucatan. Le loro curve sono morbide e arrotondate, coperto di vegetazione lussureggiante. Ti senti avvolto nel seno della Madre Terra. Uxmal è il sito Maya dominante nel Puuc, con i resti di strade sollevate (chiamato Sacbe) che collegano ad altre città vicine. Fondata intorno al 600 dC, Uxmal raggiunto il suo apice nel 800-1000 dC ed è stato in gran parte abbandonato un secolo più tardi. Ha alcuni dei più begli affreschi e gli edifici più riccamente decorate del mondo Maya.

Il senso generale si arriva a Uxmal è l'armonia. E 'forse il più visivamente appagante dei siti, con spazi aperti tra le strutture imponenti piattaforme fondate su più livelli. Pochi alberi ostacolano la vista, e l'erba verde porta tranquillità in cui le piazze, una volta bianco riflette la luce del sole. Più sorprendente, tuttavia, è la collocazione armonica degli edifici, come l'intero sito trasuda grazia ed equilibrio. Gli anziani dicono Uxmal detiene il perfetto equilibrio delle energie femminili e maschili. In Maya geometria sacra, le strutture Uxmal sono allineati al sole, la luna, e la ricomparsa di Venere.

Durante la mia prima visita a Uxmal, ho sentito una vibrazione intorno al mio cuore mentre ci avvicinavamo. Intuendo il mio di tanto tempo fa i collegamenti qui, l'intuizione mi ha detto che il sito serviva come centro di formazione per sacerdoti e le sacerdotesse della dea IxCheel. Diversi anni dopo, Maya Anziano Hunbatz Men descritto al nostro gruppo come questo posto era una università di educare le donne, soprattutto nelle arti della sessualità sacra. Seduto sui gradini del Quadrilatero delle Monache, ha sottolineato il simbolismo primario negli affreschi per ogni direzione cardinale: L'edificio sud ha avuto piccole capanne e cereali per terra e la famiglia, l'edificio ad est ha avuto il gufo della saggezza nella griglia cielo con nove doppia testa serpenti della dualità, la costruzione ad ovest aveva serpenti intrecciati di kundalini con un pannello di fiori (simbolo della vulva), e l'edificio a nord era accatastato facce Chak (dio della pioggia e vivificante fluidi) e maschili simboli fallici.

Maestro Maya Maestro Miguel Angel Vergara Uxmal chiama "La Città della gentilezza della Luna" e dice che era una Università Cosmic femminile per iniziazioni sacerdotessa. IxCheel è stato premiato nei suoi molti aspetti come Lady Rainbow e Madre Terra, con il volto della Luna, guaritore, erborista e ostetrica.

East of the quadrangle stands the towering Pyramid of the Magician. Visitors entering the ruins are regaled with the sight of this 117-foot high structure, and it takes your breath away. Unlike nearly all Mayan pyramids, which are square and four-sided, this pyramid is oval-shaped. Steep stairs ascend the east and west sides. Facing west, a huge monster mask provides access to the interior through its gaping jaws. Perched atop the mask is a small square temple. The bulging pyramid sides suggest pregnancy, and the oval shape hints of feminine curves. In stark contrast, the straight lines of the stairs are decidedly masculine. During nights of the full moon, priestesses of Uxmal performed their rituals on the heights of the pyramid, merging the creative forces of the universe, honoring fertility and abundance.

Due south of the pyramid, a vast three-tiered terrace rises to support the imposing Governor's Palace, which is actually a temple of the sun. In front are two remarkable small structures. The double-headed jaguar throne sits on a low square platform, one head on each end facing out. With various friends, I've experiences the different energies of the two jaguar heads. One person stands facing each jaguar, hands held palm open toward the jaguar. The smaller head draws energy gently toward itself, as though receiving. The larger head blasts energy out, its power almost overwhelming for some people. Archeologists say the Uxmal ruler used this throne for ceremony. I think it brought his feminine and masculine sides into balance.

Tra il trono giaguaro e gradini centrali del Palazzo del Governatore si trova una pietra allungata di circa otto metri di altezza. Ora inclinato di circa 45 gradi, ma in origine eretta, questo fallo di pietra simboleggia la fecondazione della terra. Forse è stata autorizzata a redigere le forze creative maschili e si concentrano nella persona del leader che si manifesta cicli creativi per il popolo.

Sud-est di questa piattaforma ampia, ora circondato dai rovi brushy, è la Casa della vecchia. La struttura si sta sgretolando, con viti e cespugli che crescono tra le pietre. Pochi turisti visita qui. La vecchia è IxMucane, dea del centro della terra, il punto di convergenza delle energie planetarie e luogo di trasformazione. Chiamato la nonna, lei è la maga leggendario che suo figlio nano nati da un uovo, e magicamente lo aiutato nel suo contest per vincere il righello Uxmal. Durante questo processo, il nano ha creato l'imponente tempio del Mago in una notte.

Determined to do ceremony for IxMucane, a friend and I braved the narrow thorny path and found a small clearing in front of the House of the Old Woman. We spread our altar cloth on the ground in typical indigenous manner, and placed objects for earth, water, fire and air at the four corners. Making offerings of copal (resin of the copal tree) and ground maize (corn), we offered prayers and salutations quietly. In our meditation there, we caught glimpses of Uxmal when it functioned as a center where Maya women received both human and cosmic knowledge, learned the ceremonies of the elements and directions, and celebrated the power of creation in song and dance.

My friend was deeply moved and felt the Feminine Divine presence strongly. We agreed that Uxmal offered an amazing balance: sky-earth, sun-moon, masculine-feminine.

Xcambo

An hour from Yucatan's capital city, Merida, lies hidden the small coastal site Xcambo. My friend and I drove past palm-stippled beaches lining the calm Gulf of Mexico to Telchac Puerto, a sleepy fishing village. A short sandy road took us into the Xcambo ruins, a collection of modest structures. The tallest building, composed of five levels, rises 50 feet. On top, a large flat platform gives unobstructed 360-degree views of the surrounding marshes and the nearby gulf. Palmettos dot the marsh and water birds abound. Around the central plaza are four structures, the southern one presenting masks in deteriorated condition. The architecture is simple, mostly without adornment.

Xcambo is full of stillness and the song of the wind. It brings you in touch with the vastness of seas, the meeting of water and earth. Meditating on the high platform, we easily communed with the goddess of the sea, IxYumHa. She embodies the life of the seawaters, her crown elongating into a sea bird holding a fish. Shells rattle at her wrists and ankles, and seaweed forms her hair. Her special bird is the pelican, and she protects both birds and fish.

We reveled in the gentle feminine energy of Xcambo. Not much is known of this mysterious site, and few tourists visit. In the spring, the local Mayan villagers make a pilgrimage walk to honor the Virgin of Guadalupe with ceremonies on the high platform. A small open-sided Catholic church was appended to the structure long ago. To us, the energies of IxYumHa and Guadalupe merged, as they undoubtedly do on a deep level for the local Maya.

Although the more famous sites of the Mayan Goddess IxCheel are on the Caribbean islands Cozamel and Isla Mujeres, we discovered a strong Sacred Feminine presence in Yucatan. Just as the underground channels hide abundant water, the land and sites here conceal the Goddess; but gladly reveal her energies to those who really look.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Leonide Martin vive a Merida, Yucatan, Messico dove dà lezioni e le escursioni incentrati su insegnamenti antichi Maya, dee e calendari. Ha ricevuto una formazione come Solar Maya Iniziato fuoco e donna, ed è un ordinato Sacerdotessa di Iside. Il suo libro "Sognare il Quinto Sole Maya: A Novel of Wisdom Maya e il 2012 cambiamento di coscienza" rivela come la saggezza indigena supporta trasformazioni globali. Experiences of the Sacred Feminine through the Maya goddess tradition are offered with Trudy Woodcock at Iluminado Tours: www.iluminado-tours.com

da Glenn Broughton

Why do so many people visit ancient sacred sites each year? Why are so many people drawn to England's Stonehenge, or the Pyramids in Egypt. What is going on?

In my experience as a guide to ancient sacred sites in Britain there are various reasons why people make these journeys. For some it is a quest, such as following the Arthurian legend in a personal search to find the meaning of the Holy Grail. For others it is a modern pilgrimage to walk the paths of our ancestors. Others instinctively know that a healing awaits them at one of these places shrouded in mystery. Whatever prompts the decision to travel, journeys of this kind are almost always transformative.

Reading The Signs
Our ancestors knew the Earth intimately and understood her wisdom. Living in much closer communion with the planet than we do their sense of the natural forces of the Earth was a finely-tuned whole body awareness.

Imagine yourself as a member of a neolithic society living five thousand years ago. You are walking along and suddenly you feel a tingling in your hands or feet or maybe a rush of energy throughout your body. You have just walked over an energy hot spot. This is where you would choose to build a structure in which you could work with the energies present for purposes of healing or spiritual insight.
Today this same sacred site might appear to be just a dead relic of a bygone age. However, myths passed down through the generations tell a different story. For example, it is said of several stone circles that the stones go down to the water to drink at midnight or on a full moon. This folktale speaks of the connection between the stone circle, ever-present underground water and the earth energy that is carried by the water. This varies according to the seasons, the phases of the moon and even day and night. All holy wells have stories of healings attached to them. When we realise that strong Earth energy currents have turned the waters into something akin to a homeopathic remedy, these tales make perfect sense.

Sacred Space

Originally all energy spots were simply in nature – a hilltop, a wooded copse, a spring. The trees were the first to teach us the consequences of enclosing natural energy. The energy can be contained and built up to create a super-charged space. The Druids performed all their ceremonies in sacred groves for this reason. We can all feel these 'magic' places still, even if we don't feel energies; they create in us a sense of silence, of wonder, of gratitude. The stone circle builders developed this theme and used crystalline rocks in order to control the energies. Today we utilize crystal (silicon chips) in all our computers; our ancestors were really using the same technology but for different purposes and on a different scale.
Medieval churches and cathedrals were often built on the sites of stone circles, ensuring that these energy hot spots would empower their Christian ceremonies.

Intent

What makes the crucial difference between a tourist visit and a transformative experience is our intent. Combining this committed intent with the super-charged atmosphere of a sacred site on a spiritual journey opens the door for extraordinary things to happen. On some level we still know what our ancestors knew – that the ancient sacred sites hold power and potential. Yet, our logical thinking often tells us this can't be true. If we are prepared to quiet the sceptical mind for a while and act as if magic is possible, then magic does indeed become possible. As Albert Einstein once remarked “He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.”

Chi l'Autore:
Glenn Broughton has been researching and visiting ancient sacred sites for twenty years and is drawn to explore their energetic properties and how such places of power affect us today. He has been a tour guide for most of this time leading groups exploring the mystery of sacred sites through http://www.journeyswithsoul.com
He also lecturers internationally on sacred sites, earth mysteries and crop circles, and is the co-founder / co-organizer of http://www.earthspiritconferences.com

The iconic Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor was a gift from France, in 1886. But, did its inspiration originate almost 2000 years ago, in Turkey? A recent discovery in the remnants of excavation in one of the country's most important archaeological sites is cause for speculation.

The history of Perge, situated 18km from Antalya, in the Pamphylion Plain on the Mediterranean coast and one of Turkey's most popular vacation destinations, dates back to at least 1500 BC, the end of the Hittite Empire's period. Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia and one of the great Emperor conquered there in 333 BC But the height of the city's power was during the Roman Empire, in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD Since 1946, Perge has been carefully excavated, revealing some of the most complete and largest ancient ruins to be found in a part of the world that tells the entire story of western civilization through newly discovered antiquities, buildings, artworks and even entire towns and cities.

This in itself would be reason enough to visit Perge, and the many other ancient discoveries in Turkey but the added intrigue of Perge's “Statue of Liberty” makes a trip there irresistible. Carved into a tall column, the three-dimensional figure bears an uncanny resemblance to New York's own, including a crown and a torch held high and, as same as the American “lady,” a sword instead of a tablet of law. And, the similarities make sense because it turns out that Frederic Bartholdi's inspiration for American Statue of Liberty was none other than the Roman deity, Libertas, the goddess of freedom. Could it be that Perge's figure, with her distinctive pose and characteristics, became the model all the “Lady Liberties” down through the ages?

Americans may want to decide for themselves. In addition to a first-hand examination of the newly discovered statue, they will have the opportunity to explore the entirety of Perge's ancient wonders, which include a large agora, or market place, that served as the center of political and social life; a theatre that held 12,000 spectators; Roman baths; a colonnaded boulevard between Hellenistic gates, the city walls, gymnasium, numerous fountains and statues of Roman gods and the mother goddess Artemis, even a necropolis for the dead. Perge is also of interest because of its connections to early Christianity, having been famously visited by Saint Paul and St. Barnabas.

Adding to the appeal of a trip to Perge, of course, is Antalya itself. Some 500 miles of Mediterranean shoreline offer some of the cleanest beaches in Europe while the surrounding province contains ancient cities, picturesque seaside villages and exceptional natural beauty.

The city is noted for its hotels and resorts, appetizing restaurants, lively nightlife and shopping as well as year-round sporting events. A Cultural Center, opened in 1995, is the focal point for special events, festivals and exhibitions showcasing music, theater and other creative arts.

About Turkey

Turkey is a modern nation with a captivating blend of antiquity and contemporary and of East and West. The cradle of civilization and center of world history today stands as one of the fastest-growing tourism destinations in the world. Turkey was the site of the first human settlement; the seat of the Byzantine, Roman and Ottoman Empires; the birthplace of Homer and the last home of the Virgin Mary, just to name a few. Today Turkey, with its spectacular coastline, majestic mountains, cosmopolitan cities and quaint villages is one of the world's most fascinating destinations.

For information call 1-877-FOR-TURKEY or contact the Turkish Culture and Tourist Offices in New York at 212-687-2194 or in Washington, DC, at 202-612-6800, or in Los Angeles at 323-937-8066 and visit their Web sites at www.goturkey.com or www.tourismturkey.org