THE CEREMONY OF
HOLY FIRE
What is the Sacred Fire Ceremony?
is thecentral practice of Mayan spirituality. Currently practiced throughout Guatemala, this ancestral rite is also known asXukulem(kneel down)Loq'alaj Kotz'i'j(sacred flower) eitherMejelem(reverence). In Spanish it is popularly calledSacred Fire Ceremony.
What is its purpose?
The objective isseek help from the divinity, the spiritual forces of nature and the ancestorsin any area of life.
The purpose is very varied: to heal health problems, to obtain well-being in couple or family relationships, job or financial improvement, protection, spiritual development... the list is as long as life itself.
What does it consist of?
TheSacred Fire Ceremonyestablishes contact with the spirits of nature (kajulew), the ancestors (nan tat) and the Father-Mother of Life (tyox).
Said contact is made on a specific day del sacred calendar (Cholq'ij) that corresponds to the objective of the ceremony.
Contact is established through afire. Which is lit in a place in nature that manifests a special spiritual force. that place is called"altar".
The fire consumes an offering composed mainly of "pom". A resin with an intense aroma from various trees. Other fuel elements are also used: candles, aromatic herbs, chocolate...
The fire coming from the offerings becomes the vehicle of expression of the contacted spiritual forces. With them, adialoguein which requests are made or gratitude is manifested.
The sacred atmosphere generated during the ceremony and its harmonizing effect on the mind and heart of those who lead and participate is difficult to express in words.
Where are you from?
The Sacred Fire CeremonyIt is of remote and unknown origin. Archaeological research sheds light on abundant burning of copal, tree bark, beeswax, and other materials at ancient Maya ceremonial sites.
Stone texts and reliefs tell us about "fire ceremonies" and reveal to us the mysterious practice that leads to the appearance of the so-called "vision serpent". Which, appeared from burnt offerings by a priest, thus allowing communication with ancestors and other spiritual forces.
The sacred book of the K'iche' Maya, thePopol Wujnarrates the mythological origin of fire and its ceremonial use at dawn by the "first grandparents", who burned various kinds of "pom" at the time of the appearance of morning Venus (Iq'oq'ij) on the horizon.
