womyn's initiations

womyn's initiations

December 22, 2009 

   We hiked a long distance to the Sun Temple today. It is a perfectly round structure with terraced walls. Jesus explained that unlike a spiral it represents the concentric circles of life radiating out from the center to infinity. There were beautiful gardens maintained by the people who still farm these terraced slopes and many piles of rubble from ancient times.
     He told us that this was an area used by both men and womyn to begin their path with the first initiations. Priest and priestesses were both respected equally, but performed different functions in the culture.
      He brought us to the place where womyn went to purify as they set their intention to live a spiritual life and begin the rites of initiation. They would fast, pray and recite lessons for three days.
     The area had a large stoned in space that once held water that was about six feet deep. There are stairs built in the wall for the women to use to descend. They had to submerge themselves three times and upon ascending they were dressed in new ceremonial robes and brought to the top of the sun temple in order to be blessed and acknowledge.
     Sophia and I were both troubled by the trash that illustrated the disrespect and loss of these ways. I descended in order to clean the area and knelt at the opening which still trickled sacred water. I blessed myself with it and like a bridge it transported me to another place in time. Before I came up the stairs again I put my head against the rock and had a profound experience that is too difficult to express in words.
     I felt a deep connection with this place and afterwards felt like the teaching for me was to always stay humble. To never aspire to ascend to some level of recognition, but to live a simple life of service. That the true power always comes from surrender and reaching different levels of initiation are not necessary. All that is required is a willingness to say “yes”. I felt very humble in this place and prayed that all womyn would honor themselves and their bodies as holy temples.
     When Sophie and I spoke we both felt like the energy was dead in this place. Forgotten over time. We decided to build a Medicine Wheel and while she was in the well I looked for the necessary stones. There was a perfect place with a circular indention in the ground. It felt very good to honor the commitment of ourselves and all of the womyn who had come before us in this place.