Sunday 13 January 2013

Maya Doves and the Cities of Light

Maya Doves 2012



I was lucky and privileged to be one of 39 individuals who came together to experience the Maya Doves tour of the Mayan Ancient Cities of Light organized and led by Aluna Joy.
For many the Maya calendar was about the end of the world and the closer I came to the trip the more I could see, hear and feel the increase in people's fears as the date got closer to 21/12/2012. Even some of my own friends were questioning my need to be in Palenque Mexico on the 21st of December. It is hard to describe to anyone who hasn't experienced an inner pull to a sacred site, but for those who have had those feelings, it is easy to describe. One day I woke up knowing that I wanted, no it is more correct to say I needed to be in the land of the Maya for the end of their calendar.
There are many reasons I could give to satisfy the curiosity of many of my friends, such as to experience the culture and sacred sites of the Maya; to be there when their calendar ended; to experience the galactic alignment - an event which happens only once every 26,000 years or even to experience another culture. But the real reason was none of these. I felt drawn to the land of the Maya by a force which is far beyond my capacity to explain. My spiritual journey really began in 1983 when the Sun was first starting its 33 journey across the galactic centre. Of course I did not know it at the time, for what I was experiencing was the beginnings of the spiritual quickening which was affecting our planet. Many people all across the planet were beginning to feel this pull to the more spiritual aspects of their lives.
My old teacher Stuart Wilde termed the phrase the quickening or maybe it was his old Chinese teacher. As one of the leading metaphysicians on the planet Stuart was one of those individuals who was always one step ahead of the curve and many of his students were prepared for the quickening. The quickening has occurred on many levels and you just have to look at the world around you to see evidence of it.
Was it any wonder that as part of my 33 year journey aligned to the sun going through the galactic centre that I would be drawn to the Maya lands during this time. If anybody has read any of my books or blogs you will see that I am highly influenced by the number 33. The reason for this has many aspects but the the most important would be a teaching by my old Chinese teacher which taught about the 33 energies beyond the earthplane which are in charge of ours and the earth's evolution. It is these same 33 energies who have been called the White Brotherhood and many other names over the last few thousand years. In my second book The 33rd Sage and the Initiate I share many of the teachings that I received from my old Chinese teacher about the teachings from the 33 energies. These 33 energies guide and support our evolution, but because we have free will we have the ability to choose or disregard the energies that they bring forward. Even when we are doing things which are negative or do not support our highest energy, they do not judge and allow us to learn from our own mistakes; for they realize that we are all Eternal, Immortal and Infinite and this one lifetime just adds another book to the library that is our higher self.
Although it may seem like I am wandering in my thoughts as I explain the Maya Doves tour of 2012, I could not do it without some explanation of how I got there and if I am to be honest the spiritual journey always seems like we are wandering, as spirits little voices point us in the direction for our highest good and it is only that sometimes we do not always hear these voices which causes us to wander off the path every now and again.
It is funny how what may appear as little choices can have a major impact on our lives or send us off in directions that we would not previously have thought possible. For me the booking of my Maya trip was one such turning point. Initially it was booked out and I had to go on a waiting list, but as usual when something is meant to happen a space on the trip became available. The moment I booked the trip was the moment when all writing on my third book in the 33rd Sage series stopped. It did not matter what I did, I could write no more. It was becoming frustrating, I had taken a year and a half off from the corporate world to complete the series and here I was not able to write another word of the third book.
It was during one of these moments of frustration that the little voice whispered to me in the stillness of my mind. At first I cold not hear anything, then it became a rumbling sound as if coming through rushing water. Each time it came I could feel and hear only one word - Legend. I explored the word for a couple of days but was no closer to any deep understanding, so I decided to start to write about what the word meant, for in many times I learn about things through writing about them. It is as if a channel opens up within and information flows forward that I would not consciously know or create.
After writing a few pages about the term Legend a picture started to form in my mind of my old Chinese teacher, but this was not a contemporary picture but a picture of him in ancient China. The more I looked the more I saw and so I started to write. After a couple of hours I had the first few chapters of the Legend of the 33rd Sage or The Way of the Initiate. Over the next few months I wrote feverishly as one chapter after another appeared on my iPad before me (I have shared many of the first draft chapters on my blog). It is written in almost parable form and it is the story of how a young boy becomes apprentice to an old Chinese sage and walks the path of initiation. Each of the chapters represents one of the steps along the path of the Initiate.
Although it was only a first draft I could feel the power and energy that were in each of the chapters. For anyone who had the eyes to see or ears to hear what they had in front of them was a guide to initiation. It was the culmination of my thirty years on the path. The more I learnt the simpler the concepts became and so by the time I shared them in the story many would have appeared too simple, but the words of my old teacher came back, "if you cannot express an idea simply then you do not understand it."
Everything was going swimmingly until I reached chapter 30. Then all of a sudden I could write no more. Just like the final book in the 33 Sage series I could not go any further. In hindsight I could see that I needed to go to the lands of the Maya before I could complete both books, but at that stage I did not have the benefit of hindsight.
It was only a couple of weeks now before the trip to Central America and although I could not write I found myself with more than enough on my plate just preparing for the trip. As with any pilgrimage one has to prepare the outer self and the inner self and if one is entering sacred sites it is always good to get permission of the gatekeepers before entering.
My preparation included walking 14 kilometers per day, when I would imagine walking in the lands of the Maya and asking the gatekeepers for permission. I felt this permission was granted for Palenque but not as yet for the other sites. I could sense there was something that I was not quite understanding. I gave up on trying to understand it and gave it over to spirit while I completed all the outer world stuff like first aid kits, torches and all manner of stuff I would need on the outer journey.
Of course when we arrived in Villarhermosa my baggage was nowhere to be seen, which was appropriate as Aluna had said that part of this journey was to leave our old baggage behind and my inner being had taken it literally. After a few days of wearing the one same outfit Tas who I shared a room with was kind enough to lend me some clothes. The lesson for me was that I did not need anywhere near as much as I thought I needed. This was the first of many lessons I was to learn on this trip from the universe and the wonderful people I was surrounded by on this journey.
Palenque was the first sacred site on our Journey and we arrived there on the Winter Solstice 21/12/2012 - the end day of the Mayan calendar.
I would like to share a little bit about each of the sacred sites that we visited, but before each I thought I would like to share the words that Aluna Joy has written about each of these sites because in those few words much is shared.
Palenque
Aluna said, "Palenque is the water aspect of the cities of light. It is considered the home to the great hall of records, a living library of ancient wisdom. It is also aligned with the solstices, equinoxes, eclipses and zenith passages of the sun and was built with advanced sacred geometry. Palenque and the surrounding sites like Bonampak and Yaxchillan, have held mystery and intrigue for hundreds of years. It is considered by many to be an ancient school for spiritual initiates. In some writings it is considered the head of a huge, geographical dove grid anchoring a new definition of peace and wisdom. It is also the centre of the Earth's Merkaba that connects with the universal grid. The locals call Palenque the navel of the world. Palenque shelters a living library that reveals universal truths to those who listen with an open heart.
"The area that encompasses Palenque, Yaxchillan and Bonampak is where the ancient starry ones lived heaven on earth. Pacal Votan's energy, a Cosmic Messenger, still radiates from the temple of inscriptions in Palenque. Many of the Great Masters influence the energy of this area, including the elder race we call the Star Elders or the Invisible Council. It is even believed that Jesus healed the sick and performed baptisms in the Queen's Falls when he visited during his so-called 'lost years.' it is believed he learned from the star elders about cosmic time, and he taught them about the heart and peace. Palenque is an activator for intuitive understanding. By listening to the site, we are able to access the Hall of Records. This knowledge is stored in the intuitive water in our bodies."
As we stood in the circle to celebrate the solstice and the end of the Mayan calendar, the rains began to fall and when I say fall it was like the gods were emptying every last drop of water from the sky upon our head. Palenque was definitely the water element aspect of the Five Cities of Light and we were all experiencing the element in all it's glory. Amazingly not one person broke from the circle as ceremony continued; funny how each time a new person came into the centre to lead another part of the ceremony, the rain just got heavier. We stood there for hours getting drenched in the Element of Water and not one person complained or showed their frustration. The negative emotion of the Water Element person is frustration and although we were being challenged not one person showed the least frustration. They were all being challenged by the element and each and everyone of the circle seemed to be able to step above the emotion and see the beauty of water for what it provided. For without water there would be no growth, no life.
When the ceremony was finished most of just laughed and like children we splashed our way around Palenque, enjoying the water falls that appeared on the temples and the rivers that were flowing through the site.
Aluna made the comment that we were here to create our new selves, that our old selves would not be taken into the new world which we and others were creating. As usual my inner self always like to make a physical statement when there is a new teaching for me to learn. It is always great for my story telling but sometimes it gives me wonderful challenges and opportunities for change. When we arrived back in villa after walking the few kilometres from Palenque the first thing I noticed was that there was not one thing that I was wearing or had in my pockets or in my backpack that wasn't wet except for my IPad.
Seems that God still wanted me to write.
When I took out my money much of it looked like it was actually made from water and I attempted to squeeze the water out of it and then tried to dry it with a hair dryer. Strangely two weeks later some of the money was still wet. Worse than that was my passport which resembled a sponge and when I looked at the passport photo it looked like my face was dripping away. So much for creating a new me; even my passport was expressing what was happening in the inner worlds.
When we were be drowned in Palenque I had a vision (similar to Aluna's) of the two pyramids joined at the base, one pointing into the air and the other into the ground. Inside the two pyramids was one sphere which seemed to fill up the space. Also in the pyramids and I believe emanating from the sphere was what I could only describe as coloured lightening. The lightening was flicking at the sides of the pyramid and each time it struck the sides of the pyramid, the pyramid seemed to lose its shape, not collapse but to be able to morph or change its shape.
Over the next couple of days every time I closed my easy I would see what looked like stone heads come rushing towards me. Over time these heads started to come alive and appeared to be trying to communicate with me. I was a little too thick to understand what they were communicating. When we were in Tikal I meditated in front of the jaguar temple. One minute in and the faces started to come again but this time it was only one face and it kept telling me to be open as it had information for me. To date the only realization I have had is that the pyramid in Palenque was some type of a doorway. If I get any more insights I will share them.
Talk about instant Karma. On this trip it was as if when I had a thought I would be challenged by it immediately.
We all survived our trial by water.
One sacred site down and another four to go.
I personally was worried what I would experience at the next two because their elements of earth and fire matched with my own elemental preferences and I wondered what lessons they would have for me.
My new book the 33rd Sage and the Initiate is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and many other wonderful bookstores and online sellers. If you want to read more about 'The 33rd Sage and the Initiate,' have a look at my website on www.the33rdsage.com or my translatable blog at http://33rdsage.blogspot.com.au/
Twitter@geofspalding
Facebook -The 33rd Sage

1 comment:

  1. Can't wait to hear more...even though I was there! Love seeing this trip through your eyes, and all your insights, Geof...very wonderful indeed!

    ReplyDelete