The Mayan culture is known for its great contributions, for its comprehensive worldview of life. But beyond that, the deep knowledge about man’s spirituality with the cosmos cannot be ignored through the great variety of rituals and sacred ceremonies that took place in cenotes, pyramids or in the middle of the jungle.

Do you know who the Ajaw or X’men is?

According to the beliefs and ideologies of the Mayan culture, the ceremony represents the interaction, communication and approach with the Ajawel creator of everything, the owner, the universe and life itself, who is pre-existing to everything created and in whom the masculine principles are united and feminine, consequently we belong to the Ajaw, which manifests itself in all the elements that give us life, therefore it is he who provides us with the wisdom and knowledge that come from the air, the cold and the clouds.

Under the Mayan worldview, everything is the work of the Ajaw, who created the universe, the sky, the air, fire, earth, water, rivers, sea, clouds, plants, animals, people, that is, the totality of creation belongs to him, for that motive expects recognition, respect, gratitude and veneration for the creation that is sacred. “The Ajaw” is in the essence of everything, and it is the most sacred thing that exists in his worldview, he is a dual being that does not have sex and who gave life to everything that exists. For the Mayan grandparents and shamans, the ajaw is the mother and father of the formation and creator.

The Mayans maintained complete connection through the celebration of rituals and ceremonies with all forms of life and objects that surrounded their communities, the role of the shaman X’men (witch, herbalist or healer) was substantial to carry them out, since they were the direct connection between gods and men, they had the wisdom to advise rulers or perform healing work. The shamans passed their knowledge from generation to generation through disciples, who were taught to see beyond just the material plane, for this, they had to participate in an initiation ritual whose purpose was to “separate the body and the spirit.” , through the consumption of certain plants that generated a hallucinogenic effect with which they could give rise to hallucinations and visions of “other planes” beyond the earthly.

The ceremonies represented par excellence the liturgical celebration of spirituality, they are celebrated between nature, jungle, cenotes, underground rivers, sea and ancient Mayan cities and altars are prepared with necessary elements such as water, copal, fire, honey, fruit, sugar, incense, rosemary, bread, cocoa, flowers and other special elements for the type of ceremony and its purpose and thus achieve the connection with the Ajaw. All the sacred energies are concentrated on the altar and it is the central point where it is possible to influence the cosmos, it is done thinking about the 4 directions of the world and towards the 13 Mayan skies, it is the way in which the shamans connect with Ajaw.

Mayan ceremonies and rituals have transcended over the centuries, today it has regained great relevance for nationals and tourists, its celebration is planned from a personal, family and community life aspect. Currently we have the data that is divided as follows:

Ceremonies of a personal and family nature

Gratitude, requests, cures, retreats from bad energies, opens the way, abundance, advice, taking possession of community authorities (as a reason for personal reflection) and blessing of temazcales or thermal baths.

Community life ceremonies

Weddings, presentation of children, blessings of seeds, harvest, permission to the four elements for the start of projects, start of work, constructions, funerals, deaths of relatives and to direct them to the other dimension of life, remember the memory of the ancestors, receive your mission.

Likewise, the Ceremony has an order, and this clear duty to obtain the desired result, we describe the steps that are taken in the majority of current Mayan ethnic groups in a generalized way, although there are variants, depending on the geographical region, linguistic community and availability of ceremonial materials:

The Ceremony is offered.
Materials are purchased.
They are Veiled or presented at the altar.
They are taken to the sacred place.
You ask for forgiveness before you start.
At the altar or designated place, the materials to be offered begin to be prepared.
It begins by cleaning and making a glyph on the ground, comal or place to burn.
Materials begin to be sorted.
When everything is ready, the intention of the Ceremony is presented.
The invocation is made to the 4 corners of the Universe.
The fire is lit so that the offering is consumed.
The altar that receives us is mentioned and permission is asked to begin.
All known altars and sacred places are called.
They are called to all the Hills, volcanoes and caves.
All rivers, lakes, water sources, wells, pools, siguanes and other elements of water are called.
All of our Mayan Prophets and ancestors are called.
Time is counted by calling the 260 Nahuales.
It ends by thanking for the intention of the ceremony.
A closing invocation is made and the sacred place is dismissed.

Under the previous context, it only remains to express that the meaning of the Mayan ceremony focused on the connection with the Ajaw to thank and connect with it. Mayan grandparents pray:

“Everything resides in our knees ”this means that it depends on how many times or how long we kneel, that will be the extent to which we are grateful, since before our parents we have to kneel with deep respect, before our grandparents.”(Puluc 2011).

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