The Day I Met a Maya Spiritual Guide

Mayan culture is still alive in Guatemala. It can be found in clothing habits, the colors of houses and tombs, customs, crafts... and beliefs.

Exploring the beliefs of a different culture is always emotionally rich: it's like lifting a veil to another world and, above all, another way of seeing the world. Everything shifts, one loses their bearings, removing the glasses of their own culture to try to grasp those of another people.

The Mayan culture fills the air of Central America. Immaterial, it feels present. You can sense it hidden in certain movements, art, traditions... But it is in Chichicastenango that I felt most immersed (not to say overwhelmed) by Mayan culture in Guatemala.

Chichicastenango is a small village located about 2 hours by road from Antigua Guatemala. Renowned for its market, this village is not limited to its craftsmanship or colorful fruits: Chichicastenango also features a unique church, a testament to the syncretism between Christianity and Mayan religion.

I enjoyed visiting this church just as much as exploring the park of Quinta da Regaleira in Portugal. What do they have in common?

The symbolism, the hidden meanings... and the beliefs.

Chichicastenango in Practice: Market Days: Thursday and Sunday

Surrounded by a market that seems to want to invade it with its sounds and smells, the church of Chichicastenango was built on an ancient Mayan temple, dedicated to the sun, life, and the day, facing another temple, linked to the moon, death, and night.

The conquistadors, in their desire to erase traces of the existing culture to impose Christianity, built the village church on the foundations of the Mayan temple. However, despite their efforts to convert the inhabitants, the original beliefs were never lost. Thus, some Guatemalans today still venerate both Catholic saints and the cross of Christ as well as Mayan spirits.

And this is exactly what you find in this church: the choir and side aisles are dedicated to Christian worship while the center (the nave) is intended for Mayan prayers. Several altars follow one another, starting with the one dedicated to children, followed by fertility, couples, work... It is a path of life unfolding before our eyes, leading from the back of the church to the entrance; a path turned toward the future.

The atmosphere of this church is incredible, with dozens of candles creating a mystical ambiance, enhanced by a haze of incense that fills the air... Magical! Unfortunately, photography is prohibited inside the church: you will have to visit it yourself to discover it!

But the presence of Mayan rituals is not limited to the inside of the church: even on the porch, spiritual guides address the gods, swinging incense, placing candles and flower offerings.

The village church is not the only Mayan place of worship in the village. On the mountain across from it, a ceremonial site has been found. Why build it outside the town?

For the powerful energy that this place radiates.

Pascual Abaj means, in the Mayan language, 'sacrificial stone': it is the ritual site where offerings are made to the gods to feed them and ask for favors.

It is impossible to give you a complete account of Mayan beliefs: on one hand, I have only skimmed the surface, and on the other hand, one article would not suffice to discuss this topic.

Thus, here are five points that caught my attention.

The Popol Vuh is a compilation of myths, legends, and stories from the largest Mayan people in Guatemala, the Quichés. Polol meaning 'to talk' or 'to speak' and 'account' or 'history', the Popol Vuh is often mistakenly referred to as the 'Mayan Bible' as it is just one book among many.

The Popol Vuh gathers a series of treaties explaining the origin of the world and civilization, as well as different natural phenomena...

The first version of this book dates back to 1550 and was supposedly written by an indigenous person. After learning Latin characters, this person transcribed in the Mayan language the oral memory passed down by an elder of their people. But the first concrete trace of the work comes from Father Ximénez (1701), who translated these Mayan myths into Spanish.

Thus, the Popol Vuh teaches us that the gods created the world, the animals, and then humankind. After two unsuccessful attempts to create humankind from clay and then from wood, they made a third attempt... and the third was the right one!

Revelation: thus, humankind comes from corn!

The mission of humans on earth? To venerate and nourish the gods with the cosmic energy present in blood.

An interesting detail: the Popol Vuh also contains the myth of the flood. The humans created by the gods failed to meet the objectives set for them, which were to be able to speak, pray, keep track of time, and, above all, honor the gods. Thus, the creators decided to cause a great flood to the earth and start a new creation. Does that sound familiar?

Here, we don't talk about 'shamans,' but 'spiritual guides.' The term shaman is more commonly used in South America as it is associated with individuals linked to dark forces, black magic, and sorcery...

So it's better to trust a spiritual guide!

Blood, divine nourishment... it's good, but it's messy and (a little) painful!

Mayan culture has thus found a way to keep its beliefs alive while modernizing, through symbolism. For example,

rather than offering a human heart, they give the gods a candle.

Practical, right?

Mayan altars already bore the symbol of the cross long before the arrival of Colonizers and Christianity (since the postclassical Mayan period). However, they are not exactly the same; the Mayan cross has two axes crossing exactly at their center.

The Mayan cross carries a notion of duality, and also a connection to mathematics and astronomy (linked to the four cardinal points).

In Mesoamerican mythologies, the Nawal (or nahual, nagual) is a very important element. Etymologically speaking, nahuatl means 'something that protects' or 'spirit', and represents 'the spirit of a person', their link to the sacred.

Each person at birth (according to calculations based on the Mayan calendar) is connected to the spirit of an animal, which is responsible for guiding and protecting them. An animal alter ego, so to speak (welcome to the world of 'spirit animals'!).

Beyond the aspect of protection, the Nawal provides the main personality traits of the person, their positive and negative tendencies, as well as clues for their destiny.

In pre-Columbian times, every newborn was presented to a Mayan spiritual guide. This person would calculate the Nawal and the destiny of the child, assigning them their future profession: farmer, warrior, spiritual guide... The child would thus follow their path and, by the age of ten, would be trained in their chosen vocation.

Do not confuse the 'nawal' with 'shamans,' which are more magical and reserved for an elite: this elite has the ability to transform into animals or elements of nature and perform acts of witchcraft.

The wisdom that emanates from Mayan beliefs deeply touched me. Intrigued, I wanted to know my Nawal as well.

I set out to find a spiritual guide: first in Iximche, then at Lake Atitlán... but without success. It was only in Chichicastenango that I could satisfy my curiosity and meet a spiritual guide... Finally, a female spiritual guide!

It's her, we're told. In front of me is a petite, plump woman in her fifties with a serious demeanor, despite her welcoming smile. Her eyes seem to penetrate right through me.

In a Mayan language, our guide addresses the woman, who has already understood what this is about; she gestures for us to follow. Ceremonial masks watch us from the walls as the spiritual guide searches for our Nawal in her book.

The wait seems so long. What will she discover?

Without a word, she approaches me and leans down to show me a scrap of paper. 3 words and 3 numbers are scribbled on it.

• You are Q'Anil, announces the spiritual guide.

• Ha?...

• That's good, she adds. Q'ani is fertility, life.

• Okay.

• But you have the 3 of Q'Anil. 3 is low. You need to strengthen your Nawal.

Read, our guide insists. Read your destiny. It's good, it's positive.

Discovering your Nawal is not everything. Now that we have touched upon your weaknesses, it is necessary to correct them and strengthen the good sides of your Nawal to avoid falling into its bad traits.

Our guide sits us in front of the altar and begins to chant in her language. I don't understand a word, but I know she's addressing the forces of nature to protect and assist me. I feel full of gratitude for this stranger who seems to know me well...

After some web research, we found a site to calculate your own Nawal. This may be less 'authentic' for analysis, but it remains interesting or amusing, depending on your perspective.

We had fun doing this for some of our acquaintances. And we were amazed by the Nawals that came out, as the descriptions often matched the words we would have used to describe those individuals!

And you, have you ever delved into the mysteries of the Mayan culture? Experiences to share?