Crystal Musings in Belize
My trip to Belize was magical. I found out so much about myself their and people, how open and welcoming Belize is and how much they pride themselves being one group of people nationally even though they all are from different ethnic backgrounds. They see themselves as one.
There were several highlights of my trip and time out there. First was spending time with Dr. Rosita Arivgo in her home. She was so knowledgeable about herbal remedies and bush medicine. She taught us about the goddess Ixchel the rainbow, white moon, and goddess of healers. We also did a forest bathing walk with her and meditation. We learned from her traditional Maya prayers to always give thanks to the spirits of the plants and ask them to aid us in healing our clients. The precious and delicate Eco system of the rainforest. How it provides for all our aliments know you humanity, if we only know where to look.
Tierra es mi Cuerpo
Agua mi Sangre
Viento mi Aire
Fuego mi Espíritu
Rosita spoke about her time with Don Elijio Panti, a Mayan Shaman from Belize. She lives in Chicago during the summer months because she has family out here and hopes to contact with me at Verde.
Second was the fantastic group of woman I spent time with in class and my teachers learning the Arivgo Mayan Abdominal Massage.
We also received ceremony into acceptance called a Primicia, it was phenomenal. We learned that a woman’s center is her uterus.
“If a woman’s uterus is not in the proper position and good health, nothing in her life will be right. She will be out of balance as her uterus."
Don Elijio Panti
I got to visit the Jaguar reservoir in Belize swim in a waterfall learning more about what they call bush medicine from local Mopan Mayan Guide, and about the healing properties of Checa tree and its counter part Chenchen tree.
The Chechen and the Chaca trees are often found growing near each other and are most commonly found in Cancun and the Riviera Maya. The Chechen tree is poisonous and the Chaca tree has a nectar to neutralize the poison if you happen to have touched the Chechen tree. There is a famous Mayan legend that explains the appearance of these trees and why they are found together:
The legend tells of two great warrior princes who were brothers of enormous strength and skill, but of completely different nature. The younger brother, named Kinich, was kind and merciful and loved by all, while the elder brother, named Tizic, was sullen, and drew strength from the hate and anger nursed in his heart. As legend has it, they both tragically fell in love with the beautiful Nicte-Ha. The brothers declared a battle to the death to see who she would choose.
The battle was longer and more hideous than the world had ever seen. The Earth was torn and the Heavens went into hiding. Eventually both brothers died in each other’s arms. In the afterlife, they begged the gods for forgiveness, and a chance to return to the world of the living and see their beloved Nicte-Ha once more.
The gods granted their wish and Tizic was reborn as the Chechen tree, which seeps black poison from its branches and burns anyone who touches it, and Kinich was reborn as the Chaca tree, whose soothing nectar neutralizes Chechen’s venom. They solemnly watch over Nicte-Ha, who having died of grief, was mercifully restored to life as a beautiful white flower.