A Wisdom Archive on Mayan Shamanism

Mayan Calendar Researcher Ian Xel Lungold explains the connection between the Mayan Calendar and Sacred Geometry. One essential point is the pattern displayed by the Mayan calendar. It is built upon a particular ratio, 13 : 20. These proportions are the true basis of all sacred geometry. In his study of sacred geometry, he found that all forms and understandings boil down to one ratio: one-third to two-thirds. This is in no way an exact number system, but a general pattern that Creation naturally follows. Our consciousness is based on this ratio.

Read more here: » Sacred Geometry and the Mayan Calendar

The Vision Serpent is an important creature in Pre-Columbian Maya mythology. The serpent was a very important social and religious symbol, revered by the Maya. Maya mythology describes serpents as being the vehicles by which celestial bodies, such as the sun and stars, cross the heavens. The shedding of their skin made them a symbol of rebirth and renewal. They were so revered, that one of the main Mesoamerican deities, Quetzalcoatl, was represented as a feathered serpent. T ... Including:

• Vision Serpent - The Maya Vision Serpent and Bloodletting
• Vision Serpent - The Vision Serpent and Maya Religion
• Vision Serpent - Vision Serpent and Maya jewelry and pottery
• Vision Serpent - Vision Serpent and Mayan architecture
• Vision Serpent - Vision Serpent today
• Vision Serpent - Bibliography

Read more here: » Vision Serpent: Encyclopedia - Vision Serpent

Various cultures throughout the ages have used psychedelic fungi for shamanistic and other purposes. Mesoamerican mushroom stones of the pre-classic Mayans representing deified mushrooms date back to approximately 500 BC, while rock paintings in the Sahara of mushroom effigies date back to 7000 BC. Some scholars believe that Soma, the drink mentioned in Vedic literature, was derived from psychedelic mushrooms (R. Gordon Wasson suggests that this was amanita muscaria), while Albert Hofmann and Carl Ruck contend that the Eleusinian Mysteries made use of the psychedelic fungus ergot in the Kykeon. Amanita muscaria i ...

Read more here: » Psychedelic mushroom: Encyclopedia II - Psychedelic mushroom - History

Neither the Tzolkin nor the Haab system numbered the years. The combination of a Tzolkin date and a Haab date was enough to identify a date to most people's satisfaction, as such a combination didn't occur again for another 52 years, well above life expectancy. Because the two calendars were based on 260 days and 365 days respectively, the whole cycle would repeat itself every 52 Haab years exactly. This period was known as a Calendar Round. The end of the Calendar Round was a period of unrest and bad luck among the Maya, as they waited in expectation to see if the ...

Read more here: » Maya calendar: Encyclopedia II - Maya calendar - Calendar Round

Another important calendar for the Maya was the Venus cycle. The Maya were excellent astronomers, and could calculate the Venus cycle extremely accurately. There are six pages in the Dresden Codex (one of the Maya codices) devoted to the accurate calculation of the location of Venus. The Maya were able to achieve such accuracy by careful observation over many years. The Venus cycle was especially important because the Maya believed it was associated with war and used it to divine good times for coronations and war. Maya rulers planned for wars to begin when Venus rose. The Maya also possibly tracked other planets’ movements, i ...

Read more here: » Maya calendar: Encyclopedia II - Maya calendar - Venus cycle

Almost no site in Mesoamerica is without obsidian, called "Itztli" in the Nahuatl language. It was an item that had both frequent, common uses and ritual use. Obsidian was available to all households and was found in hunting, agriculture, and many other everyday situations. Examples of possible obsidian tools are knives, lance and dart points, prismatic blades sometimes used for woodworking or shaving, bone working tools, bifaces, retouched flakes, and spearheads for ritual warfare. Blades have been found in situ with rabbit, rodent, ...

Read more here: » Obsidian use in Mesoamerica: Encyclopedia II - Obsidian use in Mesoamerica - Practical and Ritual Obsidian Use