Tikal, Guatemala

Malcolm, Loretta, and Scott perfectly laid out this trip, each new site building upon the previous. And today was perfect to continue my self exploration and self evolution. We were right in Tikal and I was excited to get up early to explore. The park opened at 6am but we were inside of the gate so I began my journey at 5:30am. I had a good three hours before I would meet the others for breakfast. There is something very special about being the only person in Tikal. The spirits are always willing to share, willing to show you around, but they often find nothing but deaf ears. So I was bombarded when I entered and started talking to them. I was looking for that postcard sunrise but instead the fog would hover to tell me of stories past.









I was the only soul here and I let the spirits show me around, each one biding for my attention. I was conflicted with so many options, so many places to explore. I had the whole site to myself. This trip was all about getting me ready for this tiny and beautiful moment, the very moment of what we call now. This site is huge and gets over 1000 tourist every day, but right now it was all mine, my moment. I was instantly overwhelmed with emotion. I invited the tobacco in and let it guide me with it's pinpoint direction.









Can I continue to be stuck in what is comfortable, stuck in what I know, stuck in what western society defines as happy? Or can I make that hard choice that my elder self would approve, can I finally be free, I mean really free.









With a great war taking place in the depths of my mind I headed back to meet the others for breakfast.



After a sub-par breakfast we headed back into the site, briefly stopping at this temple along the way.



We then visited what they are labeling a nunnery. Although it seems that it was more of a place of learning and had a lot of dark energy. Maybe even torture, but torture in a way of understanding it. We entered through the winding tunnel.



Once we entered we gathered in the courtyard.



Not a crack in the foundation but a tomb.

Some of the original wood.

We would begin another ceremony working closely with the Cacao spirit. This time we would be snorting it.

Afterward we headed to the main plaza, this time it was with the group and this time the fog had cleared.





And the people started to arrive, although really not that many when you consider the size of this place.







People often ask what happened to the Mayans. Well, a few still exist, and a few even continue the way of life of their ancestors. We found a modern day Mayan having a ceremony of his own.

We had sometime before lunch so we headed up the tallest temple in Tikal.





Afterwards the group headed back to the lodge, however we still had the whole afternoon and I had a lot more to explore and discover. So while Loretta and Scott went back with the group, Malcolm and I continued to connect with the site. We found a lot of interesting places like the "bat" cave. A building at the far end of the park but one that you could go inside. It was an amazing experience and really transformed you into a Mayan in ancient times. We also found this amazing alter and could feel the power as if it was being used today. I wish I had pictures of all this but I was more focused on learning and extracting as much information as I could from Malcolm, and greatly appreciated the extra one on one time with him. He mentioned that this is much like how their scouting trips go and I wondered if this was part of the interview process. At one point we were way off the main trails deep in the jungle investigating an old water reservoir when out of the jungle pops Loretta. This was amazing, how did she find us? It's not like we were at a temple or someplace even easily accessible. She said she just followed Malcolm's energy, she has followed him all over the Ayahuasca space so doing the same on this plane is actually quite trivial. I'm still amazed and have to remember to never play hide and seek with her.

We found a parrots nest that had fallen and two of the babies had died, however two were still alive so we did our best to help give them a fighting chance and gave them some food and water.

We then ran into a turkey who was apparently also visiting the park with his friend.

The park was closing and I was pretty tired having gone from dawn to dusk with a lot of walking. Tikal is huge and very spread out so it is not uncommon for it to be a five to ten minute walk from one building to another. Back at the lodge I enjoyed a beer and reflected not just on today but on this whole trip and what a personal journey of growth it has been. Tomorrow we would have a closing ceremony and then return to Belize City. Now if only I could find a decent meal tonight.

VIDEO: Mayan Cosmology - Day 12