Energy can move in magical ways. It moved that way at last month’s BE workshop in Chichén Itzá.
We’ve been back in LA for a couple of weeks already, and we still feel it in our bodies and minds and spirits. We continue to dream it and see how that potent experience is creating something new. Undoubtedly, a liberating and fundamental change happened for all who were there with us.
What an honor and delight it was to share those four unforgettable days with our amazing workshop participants! Discovering a freedom of perception, and embodying it every day.
From specialized movements to discover and support our purpose, to the inspiring awe of being at this singular, powerful place on the planet, our time in the Yucatan nourished all of us.
What did we take home?
What it means to have purpose
Discovery of purpose
A vision of how purpose looks in our daily lives
A sense of humbleness and wonder
An understanding of reciprocity
The experience of silence
An opening of perception
What we remember:
A deep exploration, experience and sharing
Finding humbleness
Misty mornings in the silent city of the Maya
Hearts opening to the mystery of the singing pyramid
A strong feeling of the wisdom of the Maya and Toltec people
The experience of awe when gazing at Kukulcan pyramid
Resting our backs on the walls of the temple of the warriors[separator top=”20″]
Our appreciation for all of you who participated in this workshop is unbounded. We walk our path with fresh energy and the doors of perception opened wide.
Some of you are continuing the experience begun in the Chichén Itzá workshop in our online follow-up program. We look forward to our continued journey there, and in Being Energy’s other workshops and Being Energy classes, like our Path With Heart Series.
We’ll soon be in Italy, and we know that our Being Energy workshop setting there will flavor the teaching in a special, beautiful way.
Below, Crisologo, a Being Energy® teacher from Mexico is sharing his experience learning, practicing and teaching Being Energy. Enjoy it! Aerin
On the path
We are all travel companions. No matter where we come from, Or where we are going. The end brings us together, And it certainty frees us. We are free to walk the trails, We are free to make new trails.
My name is Crisólogo. I was born in a very small town of the Chontal people, in the Southern Sierra Madre, State of Oaxaca, Mexico. I grew up surrounded by traditions and beliefs—fear of sorcery among them. My family attributed the illnesses and deaths of several relatives to the actions of sorcerers who hired out their services.
In my town, I learned about “reciprocity”—sharing something without expecting anything in return. During town festivals, women dance to the tune of wind instruments in a ceremony called regada de frutas (spilling of fruits), where they toss seasonal fruits into the air for the attendants to grab all they can. The community also offers a meal to all the visitors and locals, with a sense of total humbleness. There is a practical teaching in the region about mutual support. There is even a word depicting it: guelaguesear, which means helping each other on even terms, without money exchange involved. It is full reciprocity as a social group.
When I was 11 years old, I moved away from my parents so that I could receive an education. I enrolled in a boarding school to study for three years, and then went to the university, coming back to my hometown only during the holidays.
Since 1990, I have worked in the financial office of an institution of the Mexican Government that manages loans for farmers. Interactions and routines carry a great deal of stress in the office and after some time, I developed digestive issues and high blood pressure. I started taking medications in 2003 to address chronic colitis, and in 2010 I had to see a doctor due to an imbalance in my blood pressure.
My path has been winding. Sometimes this means that I have walked in solitude, searching for my purpose, for my energy body.
My grandmother Tava has been an important teacher to me. She insisted that many illnesses are caused by ailments in our thoughts—by forgetting events in which our spirit got trapped in the ground, right in the place where the events occurred. The most harmful thoughts are sadness, anger and fright. To heal, one must recall the event clearly, and talk to the Earth to ask her to free our spirit. The Earth is our “big mother,” and she knows everything, my grandmother said. She pointed out that in order to recall an event of the past, one must pay attention to the dreams, because they let us know about it.
In 1994, I married Carmen. It happened that I did not invite a certain colleague from work to the ceremony, and when he and I met afterwards he confronted me and I had to come up with some excuse. He told me that, as a gift for the future, he would recommend two books to me that, according to him, would help me in the new stage in my life. Time passed and I did not do anything to get them, but he kept asking me if I had liked them. I told him that I did not have the chance to get them, even though in fact I hadn’t even tried looking for them.
One day, we went shopping in a supermarket. In our way out of the store, next to the cashiers, I saw some mirrors and walked closer to them to fix my hair. At that very moment, I saw two books on a shelf and I felt the impulse to check them out… they were the two books my friend had recommended, sitting there as if waiting for me.
In one of them, I found the quote: “A man has four natural enemies: fear, clarity, power, and old age. Fear, clarity, and power can be overcome, but not old age. Its effect can be postponed, but it can never be overcome.” I found out who the author was, and got the complete works of the Nagual Carlos Castaneda. I had started on my quest and taken a new path, a path with heart—even if just on a beginner’s level.
I learned about workshops of Carlos Castaneda’s movements in the year 2000, and attended them on a regular basis, keeping up an individual practice, but unable to maintain consistency through time.
In these circumstances, a fellow traveler invited me to a Being Energy workshop in 2013. I did attend and was pleased with the proposition of the Extended Teacher Training. I saw this as an opportunity to be consistent in my practice—something I had yet to achieve.
Before the Chichen Itza workshop in 2014, I found myself at a crossroads. My uncle, who had been as my brother when I was a child, died one day before the trip to the workshop. I needed to choose between going to his funeral or to the workshop. I arranged all the details with my family and went to the workshop. I gave myself completely to the practice, and during the silence exercise, in front of the pyramid, the feeling of reciprocity came to me: “attending the workshop should have a purpose”. And this purpose was teaching the knowledge that life had given me the chance to learn, as a selfless act and as an offering to the spirit, in thankfulness for what I have received, without waiting for the perfect condition of moment.
So in October 2014, I started teaching a group of approximately 10 people. Teaching them has taken me to new levels of commitment and responsibility towards them and towards myself as well. That same year, I also participated in the Being Energy Detox Program and the Nutrition classes.
In other words, I made two decisions: One “inwards” to heal my body; and the other one “outwards” to share what I have with others in the spirit of reciprocity, with great humbleness and with the mood to keep learning through teaching.
The Detox Program has made me learn new things about physical health, presented new views, and given me improved health. My blood pressure has stabilized, and the colitis is gone.
As part of my new view, I have learned to cook and I enjoy being able to prepare meals for my family. It hasn’t been easy. The monster of 1,000 heads–the ego—shows up continuously; but each time I have more defenses and it becomes easier to deal with it.
I am happy with the results. I feel stronger, with greater vitality.
After one year of treatment and intensity in my practices, I visited my family back in town and they were scared when they saw me. “What’s up with you? Are you sick?” they asked, “You look very thin.” One of them whispered in my ear, “I don’t want to think that you are sick. I think you are dieting or doing a lot of exercise.” “Both,” I told him. It reminded me of how the teachers struck me when I saw them for the first time during a workshop. “They either don’t eat or their whole life is exercising all day long,” I thought.
I am better acquainted with my body every day, and have become more aware that we harm ourselves the most, and that others cannot do that to us. The type of sorcery of which I was scared as a child is an issue of personal power, and we all have personal power. And that power should help us to give more, to commit, to share and enjoy this wonderful journey that is life itself.
I have been endeavoring to be more prepared in the context of the shamanistic knowledge: Handling energy, the freedom of my energy body as a purpose through unbending intent and with a greater awareness of it at all times, accruing inner silence.
I conceive knowledge as something systemic. That is how I see Being Energy—a comprehensive, integrative system that allows entrance to the warrior’s mood and to being on the path with heart, offering the best of us.
As I prepare for my second trip to the Yucatán, to the magical city of Chichén Itza, I have some information to share with you that will make the hairs on the back of your neck rise!
What do we know about the Maya? More than just a Mesoamerican civilization that began around 3,000 BC, the Maya were (and are) extraordinary, with a culture that was complex and magical. Known for mind-blowing astronomical, mathematical, artistic and architectural developments, the Maya built hundreds of cities that contained schools, libraries, hospitals, sports arenas and observatories (they predicted eclipses and the rising and setting of Venus). The ruins of their cities tell a story of stunning intelligence and a strongly developed artistic culture, and visiting these ruins can be life changing.
The Maya created the concept of zero before the Europeans—a BIG DEAL if you really think about it. They developed complex and accurate calendars that tracked the cycles of the sun, moon, and planets thousands of years into the future, correctly.
The Maya also invented chocolate from cocoa beans—(not the Swiss!) and a detailed writing system (only 4 other cultures ever did that!).
And… The Maya never vanished. Even though their largest cities were abandoned 1,000 years ago for reasons still unknown, the Maya survived. As don Regi a Mayan shaman, told us in Guatemala a few years ago “We are nomads that walk a path with heart. We were not conquered by anyone and we will never be. We are free.”
The Maya people and knowledge live today beyond national and linguistic boundaries. You can find Mayan people in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, for example. They speak many languages, including Mayan languages (Yucatec, Quiche, Kekchi and Mopan), Spanish and English.
Now here’s the amazing thing, the thing we want to tell you about: The Maya also built pyramids that sing!The pyramid Kukulcan (Quetzalcoatl, or the ‘plumed-serpent”) in Chichén Itza was built somewhere between 500 – 900 AC.
For the Maya, the quetzal’s feathers as well as its cry were sacred. The cult of Kukulkan spread beyond the Maya, though. It was the first Mesoamerican religion to transcend linguistic and ethnic divisions. In fact, this cult facilitated communication and peaceful trade among peoples of many different social and ethnic backgrounds.
The Kukulcan pyramid, also known as “El Castillo,” has four 80-foot-tall sides, each with 91 steps. A platform at the top adds the final step to equal 365 steps—one step for every day of the year.
A handclap at the base of Kukulcan’s staircase generates what scientists call a “chirped eco” that first ascends and then falls, just like the cry of the native quetzal—the very bird that the Mayans believed carried messages of the Spirit/Gods. Handclaps from different positions along the base of the staircase likewise trigger the echo—but with different musical tones spanning half an octave.
Also, during the spring and fall equinoxes, the sun projects a pattern of light on the northern stairway for a few hours in the late afternoon—it creates an undulating shadow that looks like a serpent, caused by the angle of the sun and the edge of the nine steps that define the pyramid’s construction.
How did they do this so very long ago, without Internet, phones, or even a simple calculator?
We will be there in a few days clapping and connecting to the Spirit and Magic of the Maya.
Join us in person or in spirit, with much love and gratitude, Aerin
In Being Energy, we consider movement as the departure point for enhancing the awareness of who we are and how we relate to the world around us. When we talk about movement, we refer not only to the physical act of moving our limbs, for example, but also to the mental attention required to know which leg we’re moving first, if right or left, or the breathing pattern associated with the way we move our right leg versus our left, and the memories and emotions stored in past experiences, and, most importantly, the perception of ourselves moving through space.
Carlos Castaneda inspired and encouraged me to practice movement daily—to make it a “must do,” with the purpose of finding the trail of energy that aligns all the parts of myself into one single energetic unit. He urged me to connect to the core, or to the alignment of all of what I am through movement. The seers of ancient Mexico characterized us are luminous beings held together by a vibratory force that they referred to as “intent”—the same force that holds stars in place.
Physical movement done with attention and purpose, he said, can forge the link to our vibratory force, the core of who we are as physical and energetic beings. Movement can lead to states of high alertness and awaken consciousness, creating an alignment of the whole self, our physical tangible parts and our energetic invisible parts.
Some professional athletes dramatically exhibit this kind of connection, such as an ice dancer flipping and turning in the air, landing powerfully, with grace, giving a breathtaking and breath-giving moment to all of us watching it!
But we don’t need to be a pro athlete to experience a connection to our center and sustain it as we go through daily life. There is something called “somatic education,” meaning that we can learn to sense and feel through movement, which is a beautiful way to start the journey.
Somatic education supports this exploration of knowing ourselves as energy first. I studied and taught somatic education for more than a decade, and observed its many benefits, including the personal experience of it helping me to heal unhealthy psychological-motor patterns and develop a clearer experience of myself as grounded and connected to my whole self. For example, I learned to stand up without projecting my lower ribs forward (a habit that had caused chronic back pain) and to free my breath by lifting the arches of my feet and to think and perceive without the unnecessary facial contortions, like frowning or raising my eyebrows.
I’d like to share with you an article about somatic education by Tomas Hanna. It is an introduction to what it is, where it came from, its pioneering teachers and its contribution to the field of health and consciousness. In Hanna’s own words, somatic education “is the use of sensory-motor learning to gain greater voluntary control of one’s physiological process. It is ‘somatic’ in the sense that the learning occurs within the individual as an internalized process.
Somatic educuation is based on self-teaching, self-learning, self-healing, and self-regulation. We find the “what” and the “how” through exploration and paying attention as we move through space, as we EXPERIENCE OURSELVES. There are several schools and methods of somatic education, which include:
I live in the city of Buenos Aires and want to tell you how I worked on a dream and how it taught me about the endless resources I didn’t know I had. I currently work as an instructor of yoga and Being Energy®. I also advise on the art of Feng Shui with Chinese astrology.
Both Chinese philosophy and the vision of shamanism through the teachings of Carlos Castaneda, through his books and seminars, has helped me to understand the life of a simple and comprehensive way of being. These teachings became axes that enabled me to embody the practices of Chi Kung, yoga and Being Energy. They have consolidated for me a belief system in which I live the laws of nature and mystery, with access to the magical power that we possess. These integrative visions allow me to navigate without contradictions by following different grooves, different energetic pathways as art, Taoism, psychology, music, tantra and everything that awakens my curiosity. One of these interests is Permaculture, where I would like to share with you my dream.
Permaculture is a sustainable, designed system that harmoniously integrates housing and landscape, conserving materials and producing less waste, while natural resources are preserved; it involves designing sustainable human habitats and agricultural systems, which mimic the relationships found in the patterns of nature (for more information and inspiration, you might want to read Bill Mollison’s writings).
I was able to observe this experience personally, for the first time on a visit to an organic farm called Gaia which was a pleasantly surprising experience. I decided to take courses in bioconstruction in La casa de Tierra de Oliveros, a few kilometers from Andino, the town where my family lives. Both the people and the knowledge transmitted by the land were generous and inspiring.
I usually travel to Andino to visit my family, which is about 350 kms from the city where I live. It is a village surrounded by countryside and fields crossed by the river Carcarañá. There was a plot of land there with a house project stalled for several years that brought me much grief and a profound sense of abandonment. Associated with this situation was something I saw in my family and me. That is why I decided to transform it and bring light to that place, and, therefore, to our lives.
I started actualizing this dream three years ago, coming and going with a van full of things, which I found or bought in town for the cabin. I took what I learned in the bioconstruction courses, while simulataneously using new construction techniques, recycling doors, windows, furniture, etc.
It was very hard work, but little by little my body was adjusting to the effort. Even today I do not consider it finished; there is always something to do. After many years working with Feng Shui, I was able to bring this vision to the cottage, experience and learn more about this ancient knowledge, that goes hand-in-hand with bioconstruction.
The house was built by trial and error. In the middle of this adventure, my father, whom I deeply appreciate for his help, his example of solving problems, and so much more, left this world. With bewilderment, grief, strong will and love, I continued. I used all the tools at hand to build the cabin and work with the land and livestock, which increased my health and morale.
This dream would not have been sustainable without the help of my partner, my mother and father, my brothers, cousins, uncles, nephews, friends, artists, teachers, the whole family of Being Energy, all the pets, the river, the divine help, support from ancestors, financial support, support of good ideas, the experience of hands in the mud, the help of empowering words and many more. Thank you with all my heart.
As you may have noticed I share an interest in many things. I want to also tell you that I love to express myself artistically. So, when I can, I connect with music, dance, poetry, and, lately, I am daring to paint.
If you want to see, you may access it through Facebook: name Nirankar Keyco.
In 1996, Carlos Castaneda urged me to make real long lasting changes in my life. He told me that true change comes from a place of energy. If you have no energy, you cannot make changes.
It’s so cool to me that even though he told this to me almost 20 yeas ago, it is still as important and relevant to our lives as ever. In fact, it seems that our own energy is really the most important resource we need to live a meaningful life.
Here is what he helped me formulate about my own story and I want to share with you: (oh, and by the way, this is the very thing that we will be practicing and expanding on at our upcoming workshop in the magical, powerful Chichén-Itzá, in Mexico!)
“The first thing that I could tell you is that a total change of personality, expectations, goals and purpose is what shamans look for as the basic principle of their lives. Unfortunately, this is something impossible to attain in the world of everyday life.
I have friends my age who have already had to go through several therapies in search of help, in search of solace. They want to change more than anything else in this world, but they cannot. There is something that doesn’t allow them to do it. And their best efforts fade into mere promises of change.
They construct lists of possible ways to change. They tell themselves that the coming year is the year in which their necessary changes will take place. They call all this ‘New Year’s Resolutions.’ They say, ‘This year will be different.’
When I was ten years old, I was already involved in making lists of changes that never took place.
Shamans ask why these resolutions to change are never fulfilled. If one is willing to change so sincerely, why don’t these changes ever take place? We don’t even come close to change; it seems to run away from us.
Shamans say that the reason for all of this is our lack of energy. They say that something stops us by dispersing our vital energy. Shamans are very emphatic about this point. They assert that there is something that leaves us with only sufficient energy for self-reflection. Therefore, we are never, ever able to go beyond our lists of promises. Our lists are the ultimate expression of self-reflection. This self-reflection is, of course, the cult of me, I and myself.
Castaneda, every time he wants to point out my vice of self-reflection, sings to me a song that the old nagual, Don Juan, used to sing to him: ‘Me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me.’
But it is impossible to talk about a genuine change of behavior unless we have sufficient energy to carry it out. The only way to acquire sufficient energy is by saving it. And by learning how to gather it. One way to gather energy is through movements.”
Gathering energy through movements is what we practice in our daily Being Energy classes and in all our workshops and events. Movement is life and there is no life without movement. Physical movement leads to states of well-being not only as a physiological response, but also as a shift in perception, in our consciousness. Our ordinary interpretation of the world around us, shifts, and we get a glimpse to new possibilities for thinking, feeling and acting.
Consistent systematic practice and shifts, leads to enhance consciousness: we are not just what/who we think we are, our identifications can be broadened and acknowledged. Here is where we have CHOICE. And there is no possibility of choice without energy.
Go for a walk, clean your house, join our daily classes, move!
