The second part of my personal pilgrimage took me to the temple site of Ek Balam which is in a tiny pueblo in the Yucatan. I had no idea what awaited, I was being called there and I was following the call.Ek Balam is a name in the Yucatecan Mayan language, formed by the words ek ’, which means black, and in some translations it means “bright star”; and balam, which means “jaguar”. It can then be translated as “black-jaguar” or ” bright star jaguar). 🐆✨
To the Maya, the jaguar is a pillar of power and knowledge. The jaguar may make to face your fears and confront your enemies. The jaguar ruled the underworld and could see in the night/dark, possessing magical powers, foresight and perception
In Ek Balam this is a temple called Sak Xok Nahh (white house of wisdom) which has a giant mouth of a jaguar as the doorway and many amazing carvings around it including winged humans.The temple of Ek Balam is one of the Mayan sacred sites that’s all about embracing the Mystery of the Hidden Knowledge in the universe. Pilgrims and Maya mystics go here to embrace the Jaguar Maya Teachers from the Stars. To the Maya, this is important for receiving important teachings. This is the City of the White Temple of Wisdom, which legend teaches was built by Jaguar Prophets from the Stars.
In the Mayan calendar the day I visited was 3 Akbal (Night) – this is a good day to spend time contemplating the stars ✨
✨Magical Encounter✨
While walking along the road from the village to the site we got picked up by a lovely Mayan couple who work at the site, they look like every day people. I asked what work they do and he says ‘ I am a shaman, I perform ceremony and cleansings ‘
We arrive at the site and by the time we have paid for our tickets our new friends are already transforming and putting on their costumes in a small palapa between the ticket office and the entrance to the temple. We bid them a good day and head into the site.
On our way back out we see them again, now in full regalia and face paint. He is adorned with jade and she has an amazing owl outfit. He invites me to receive a ceremony and cleansing. I agree and step behind the palapa to an area with a patterned ground mat and stool. Standing first I am anointed on the forehead, chest/heart and hands with a delicious smelling oil. He invites me to rub a little oil on my belly button which is considered a sacred area.
Then I sit, he asks me to inhale the scent of the oil 3 times. Then I close my eyes and the cleansing ceremony begins. There is a blowing of the conch shell, a profusion of copal being swept around me, then I lose track of the order of things, there was native flute playing, prayers spoken in Mayan, energy work on my chakras, a hand of my forehead and lots of beseeching on my behalf.
When all of this is done he takes my hands to open up energy. Then there is a long dialogue between us in Spanish about what he has seen and experienced for me during the ceremony He speaks about women, that we all come from women and that we must honour our ‘temple’ and kundalini.
He speaks about women as the bearers of children and our connection to the Earth mother. He speaks of honouring and respecting women and how this has been forgotten by some.
We speak more, he says he knows that I am a healer, a curandera, he says I must keep my energy flowing so I can bring healing to others. He speaks about my work, about me being a curandera and bringing light.
He says it is an honour to do this healing for me, it has been a powerful experience for him. There is a mutual honouring and respect. He thanks me for opening my heart.
He says : Ala k’in, In Lak’ ech – You are another me, I am another youIn Mayan In Lak’ech means “I am another you,” and Ala K’in means, “And you are another me.”
He is wearing a necklace with a jade mask that I know and recognise. I ask him about it, he says it was a gift from another shaman. It is King Pakal from Palenque. I tell him I have just come from there and that this is a profound synchronicity.
He tells me Ek Balam is a centre of initiation and that I have been initiated. I tell him I knew I had to come to Ek Balam but I didn’t know why but now I understand. I feel a deep connection between my pilgrimage to Palenque and my pilgrimage to Ek Balam.
✨Even our crisp snack gave a gift from the stars! ✨