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Author Robert Sitler’s immersion in Mayan culture began with a transformative spiritual experience more than three decades ago in the ruins of Palenque, Mexico. Led by a local to a nearby Mayan village, Sitler discovered firsthand what traditional Mayan life was like—a community of people living in peace with each other and their physical surroundings. In The Living Maya, he shares this experience and many that followed. In the process, he immerses readers in a rich indigenous culture and offers a fresh view of the 2012 phenomenon, focusing on the valuable lessons Mayan culture can teach us in this time of transition. Personal anecdotes are interwoven with factual information about the roots of traditional Mayan customs and traditions, presenting a rare multifaceted view of their simple yet profound way of life. The book showcases Mayan infant care, community building, ties to nature, attitudes toward the elderly, and orientation to spirituality. In The Living Maya, Sitler shows how following “the Mayan way” can help us ground our lives in harmony with nature, broaden our perspectives on human existence, connect us with our capacity for compassion, and use the vaunted cataclysm of 2012 as a unique chance for growth.
Foreword Gaspar Pedro González ix
Foreword Patricio Balona xiii
Chapter 1 Clearing the Road to 2012 1
First Steps 1
13 Pik: December 21, 2012 11
The 2012 Phenomenon 15
Mayan Teachers 23
Mayan Oral Prophecies of World Changes 25
Chapter 2 Finding the Mayan Path 34
My Own Path 35
Waking Up Among the Maya 39
The Living Mayan World 52
Chapter 3 Cherish the Babies 56
Birth Mothers and Mayan Midwives 57
Mayan Birth 64
Mayan Infant Care 71
Chapter 4 Weave Bonds of Community 78
Inner Connections 78
Weaving Community 80
Working Together 84
Emotional Bonding 88
Chapter 5 Revere Nature 93
Mother Nature Is Divine 93
Growing Up in Nature 99
The Holy Maize 105
Body Knowledge 110
Chapter 6 Remember the Elders and Ancestors 114
Respect Earned Through Life Experience 115
Death Among the Maya 120
Living with the Ancestors 123
Chapter 7 Experience the Spirit 129
The Divine Is Omnipresent 129
People of the Holy Cross 133
Alcohol as a Holy Substance 138
Cholq'ih: The 260-Day Ritual Calendar 141
Respect 151
Chapter 8 The Mayan World and the Eco-apocalypse: Time for Reflection 153
Who Are the Maya" 153
Maya as Our Neighbors 164
Eco-apocalypse 171
The Era of 2012, a Time for Reflection 176
Glossary 179
Notes 184
About The Author 191
Overview
Author Robert Sitler’s immersion in Mayan culture began with a transformative spiritual experience more than three decades ago in the ruins of Palenque, Mexico. Led by a local to a nearby Mayan village, Sitler discovered firsthand what traditional Mayan life was like—a community of people living in peace with each other and their physical surroundings. In The Living Maya, he shares this experience and many that followed. In the process, he immerses readers in a rich indigenous culture and offers a fresh view of ...