Photo of International participants at the Council with
Erick Gonzalez (Mayan Spiritual Elder) in the center.
*Click on photo to enlarge

NEXT Intl Mayan Council: OCTOBER 2005
Contact: Marcella m@spiralmuse.org for more info.

To learn about Mayan Shamanism and the global work that Erick Gonzalez is doing, go to: www.mayanshamanism.com

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The Muses are back from Guatemala where we participated in a six day International Mayan Council with over 20 Mayan spiritual elders; men and women who could see straight into your heart, and were ready to transform their world through an alliance with all of us that traveled from different parts of the world.

During the six days, we were seeped in ceremony and participated in gatherings that resulted in the production of a legal document sent to the Guatemala n government to protect the rights of the Mayan children and people (Read the Declaration).  SpiralMuse was just one of the communities that created an alliance with the Mayan people and signed the document in support.  Also included were ambassadors from Hawaii , Uruguay , Norway , Japan , Africa , British Columbia , New Zealand and North America .   Marcella Eversole , the muse who gathered us all to go to Guatemala to participate in the Council, wrote, "I could really feel the power of the alignment we created through all of the Americas , North America , Central America , and South America . What a fulfilling experience that is truly just beginning." 

The Council started on Monday, May 24th , with a ceremony where a "grandfather" fire was built.  The fire was built inside an open dome structure covered with flowers and altars in each of the directions (north, south, east, and west).  The door to the dome was in the east and the fire was in the center.  The fire burned night and day throughout the week with a drum and drummer sitting close by (in the dome) keeping the heartbeat.  Each participant signed up for an hour or more during the week to watch the fire and beat the drum.  With this as the center of the ceremony, we had 5am and evening ceremonies where we prayed and met often hugging each participant at completion.  We knew the ceremony was starting when we heard the Marimba players and got up early with ease, ready to face the day.  

In between ceremonies, we spent time gathered in panels and discussions of over 10 topics that were top priority for the Mayan people.  We also had two gatherings for women only that were powerfully educational, while deepening and healing our bond in a common sisterhood. Marcella wrote, "The circles we shared with the Mayan women were powerful, and filled with laughter, connection and unity.  The way the women spoke and wove words, so beautifully, so lovingly, so carefully, warmed my heart and inspired me deeply.  They would talk about all of us becoming ONE, weaving our ideas together and forming ONE BRAID."   It was the circles of women that truly gave me incite into the ways of the Mayans, the heartache, the joy, and the future the Mayans are living into.  Thank you to Marcella Eversole for holding the International Women's Council as possible and being the fire that moved us all to participate in the event.

The Mayan people are amazing beings, with hearts more open and available than any people I'd ever met.  There is still pain from over 500 years of colonization and senseless murders (especially during the civil war in the 80's that only ended in 1996) targeting the priests and shamans killing over 300,000 Mayan Spiritual Leaders.  Also murdered were thousands of Mayan men, women and children.  One man (who I met after the Council and didn't have any affiliation with the Mayans we met with) told me that Mayans were allowed to be killed like animals.  No one had to speak up about it or ask permission.  Even with this suffering in recent times, the Mayan men and women shared their hearts, families and gifts selflessly.  Each moment with them was magical.  I feel honored to have had such a deep and profound experience with people who still have a relationship to their true lineage and to this earth.

The next Council will be in February 2005 where we will once again meet and participate in ceremony with the people who taught us to feel the fire within.  In addition, we will have a presentation at the SpiralMuse House to share about the Council, show photos, share crafts and stories as well as introduce everyone to Erick Gonzalez (Mayan spiritual elder) who brought us all with him to Guatemala.  To learn more about Erick Gonzalez and his work, go to: www.MayanShamanism.com

Thank you to all of you who contributed clothes, gifts, monetary gifts, prayers and those who participated in the weaving of the Community Basket.  They went to a great cause and the monetary contributions made the Council possible for all the participants.  All the gifts touched the hearts for generations to come.

With all my love and a full heart,

Deirdre Candelaria
Executive Director
SpiralMuse