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Book: The Secret Teachings of the Popol Vuh

CHAPTER 1
THE ORIGIN

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Hermes Trismegistus wrote in his Emerald Table “as above, so below”, and these words give us the key to understand that every writing in the Popol Vuh is found within the interior of each person, as each one of us is, by themselves, a micro-cosmos.

Each location mentioned in the story, as well as each character, is nothing other than a part of the psychological universe we carry within.  Let us search here and now, at this very same instant, the story narrated by the Popol Vuh within ourselves.

The Magi (The Lords Ahpu)

“This that will be mentioned will only be a fragment and will be hidden behind a mysterious veil.  At an uncertain time and yet before light was manifested, the Magi were born (Ahpu), offspring of Ancient-Secret (Ixpiyacoc) and Ancient-Concealer (Ixmucane)”

The answer to the question “from where do we come from?” is articulated very delicately by the ancient wisdom.  We originate from within the higher dimensions of nature and the answer to such question is found within Ancient-Secret (Ixpiyacoc), as he is our profound Real Interior Being, our “Father who is in Secret” as the Great Master Jesus referred-to.  Each one of us has his own Ancient-Secret father within.  Coincidentally, Arcanum #1 of the Kabala is called The Magician and it represents the Ancient of Days, He is the KETHER (CROWN) of the Tree of Life.

Ancient-Concealer (Ixmucane) is the Cosmic Mother; she is the Egyptian Isis, and coincidentally as well Arcanum number 2 represents the hidden (concealed) wisdom.  She is the Divine Mother, God in its manifestation as Love.  It is wonderful to know that each one of us carries their own Divine Mother within as an integral part of their Being.

Ancient-Secret (Ixpiyacoc) and Ancient-Concealer (Ixmucane) are our origin, they are our internal Father-Mother, the deepest root of the human being.

“And in such way, through the night, the Magi (Ahpu) come into existence; they are Supreme-Magi-Master (Hun-Hunahpu) and Principal-Magi-Master (Vucub-Hunahpu).  As they grew they became dexterous in all arts and sciences, expert sharpshooters of the blowpipe, artists, magicians, goldsmiths; there were no arts unknown to them”.

Analyzing the names of the Magi (Ahpu), we find deep revelations.

Within the name Hun-Hunahpu we find that “Hun” is ONE or SUPREME.  “Hun” in Maya means “Master” and “Ahpu” means “Magician”.  The number ONE is TRUTH and WISDOM.  This ONE-Master-Magi or SUPREME-Master-Magi (Hun-Hunahpu) are the distinct divine parts of the Being that exist within us and that work incessantly within our internal universe to lead us again towards the unknowable Truth.

In Vucuc-Hunahpu we find that “Vucuc” means SEVEN or PRINCIPAL, “Hun” is “Master” and “Ahpu” is “Magician”.  This SEVEN is “order”, “perfection”, and also the seven virtues, antithesis of the seven heads of legion or seven capital sins.  PRINCIPAL-Master-Magi or SEVEN-Master-Magi (Vucuc-Hunahpu) is a symbol of fraternity, love, mercy, wisdom, humbleness, courage, temperance, etc.; values that should be part of the normal manifestation of the human being.

“Supreme-Master-Magi (Hun-Hunahpu) married Bearer-of-Monkeys (Ixbaquiyalo) and they had two children: Master-Ape (Hunbatz) and Master-Monkey (Hunchouen), who inherited all the wisdom of their parents”.

The inheritors of wisdom: Master-Monkey (Hunbatz) and Master-Ape (Hunchouen) are everyone who has the opportunity to receive the wisdom of the spirit, of gathering the teachings delivered throughout millennia, of possessing the knowledge, and the keys to achieve the self-realization of the Being.

The Underworld (Xibalba)

The hell of the Maya is inhabited by sinister and perverse beings whose only purpose is to exert as much suffering to mankind as possible.  These infernal regions are a representation of the human sub-consciousness where the Lords of Xibalba (our innumerable psychological defects) exist.  Xibalba is translated from the Quiche-Maya as “ghost”, “demon” or “apparition”.

For years, specialists in the Maya culture have made an effort to geographically locate the region of Xibalba, but if we peek within ourselves, with ease we will find a great similitude between such a region and the abyss of our psychology.

“Supreme-Death (Hun-Came) and Principal-Death (Vucuc-Came) are the rulers of Xibalba, under their command are ten Princes, whose work is to hurt mankind, to cause misfortune, illness, and pain, inclusive of death”.

It may be of a surprise that the first name of the rules of Xibalba is the same as that of the Magi (Ahpu), yet this is an indication of the eternal battle between light and darkness.

In the name Hun-Came we find “Hun” meaning ONE or SUPREME, and “Came” meaning “dead”. If SUPREME-Master-Magi (Hun-Hunahpu) is a symbol of the Sun, light, wisdom and truth, SUPREME-Death (Hun-Came) is the shadow of the Sun, the negative fire and animal passion.

In Vucuc-Came, “Vucuc” is SEVEN or PRINCIPAL and “Came” is “dead”.  PRINCIPAL-Death or SEVEN-Death (Vucuc-Came) is the symbol of the seven heads of Legion, the seven capital sins: Greed, Envy, Gluttony, Anger, Lust, Pride, and Laziness.

The Ten Princes

“The Rulers of Xibalba; Supreme-Death (Hun-Came) and Principal-Death (Vucuc-Came) dictated what each of the Princes should do.  EXTEND-CRIPPLE and GATHERER-OF-BLOOD had the primary task of making men die out of the flow of their own blood.  MAKER-OF-ABSCESS and MAKER-OF-JAUNDICE had the task of developing tumors and abscesses on the legs and to turn men’s countenance yellow (make them ill with Jaundice).  ROD-OF-BONES and ROD-OF-SKULLS, sheriffs of Xibalba, had the task to ossify men.  MAKER-OF-TREASON and MAKER-OF-MISFORTUNE; to make men fall due to treason, before or behind their homes.  HAWK-OF-BLOOD and OPPRESSION; to kill man of a sudden death, to destroy their throats, to make them vomit blood and die on their path” .

The two kings and the ten princes of Xibalba are the thousands of defects that exist within our psychology; greed and fear are the cause of all wars, anger is the cause of many of our illnesses, pride is one of the roots of all problems at home, and lust is the basis of adultery, treason and misfortune.

The root of our problems is not outside of us, but within. Blaming our parents, the government, our spouse, or our children as the cause of our suffering is a reflection of our failure to recognize this.  The Popol-Vuh is very clear indicating the cause of all our problems resides within the Lords of Xibalba.

The Playfield of Religious Ball

The most important events of this story took place on the playfield of religious ball.  As the story unfolds, symbols emerge from which we can extract an occult teaching, provided we make the effort to receive the teaching itself.

In essence, the game of ball is akin to the work we must perform to find the path of Immortal Wisdom, as well as to the battles between the forces of light and darkness.  Such a battle is prevalent at every instance of our lives, where the toughest battle is associated with the control of the energies that brought us into existence.

“The Magi (Ahpu) played the game of religious ball to perfection; they played every day one game after another, they cried out in happiness and were loud about it”.

Each human being has the opportunity to work on the path to liberation, or not, as we are endowed with free will.  There comes a time in one of our many existences where we come across the narrow path that leads us into the light and then, we do all within our power to walk it.  This is the very meaning of playing the game of religious ball and the happiness reflected by the Magi (Ahpu); it is the happiness of the soul as it contemplates the opportunity to return to its point of origin, the limitless happiness.

“These outcries of happiness reached the ears of the Lords of Xibalba, and they were displeased; and claiming they were no longer being respected, they called into council their ten princes to orchestrate a plan to terminate those playing above their heads”.

The wise Maya were knowledgeable of the human psychology and they describe the structure and transactions of the Ego (our psychological defects). They taught each “I”, or psychological defect, has its own life, its own thoughts and the ability to work with other defects to plot their way to appear.

Without a doubt anyone who makes an active effort to battler their defects and thus, effect a revolution within their own game of life, will inevitably make their defects aware of such effort and in turn, this will create a disturbance amongst the defects themselves.  This must be expected, as for as long as we do not make a consistent effort to express altruism, diligence, love, and sincerity in our actions, our defects will roam around our psyche without restraint.

“The Lords of Xibalba sent their messengers, four owls, to ask the Magi to present themselves to Xibalba for a game with them.  What they wanted was to see them murdered and safeguard the instruments used for the game of ball (their rings, gloves, ball, etc.)”

Our values are represented by the “instruments used in the game of ball”, and the many defects we carry within seek to take control of such values of the consciousness; this is how anger imprisons love, laziness imprisons diligence, and pride imprisons humbleness.

The owls (messengers of Xibalba) are a symbol of death, but also a representation of the Law of Karma – the law of cause and effect – better explained by the Great Master Jesus when he said: “we reap what we sow”.  One of the owls is as fast as lighting (the lighting of cosmic justice, that fulminates he who disobeys the Great Law), the other is a giant owl (as there is nothing greater than the Law, nothing is beyond the Law of Karma), another is of a fiery red color (the law operates based on supreme mercy and supreme justice, nothing escapes the law), and one other owl is represented by a winged head (as a symbol of the wisdom in perfect equilibrium with the Law).

As messengers of Xibalba, they represent the Karma against the one who seeks the Light; he who owes and has to pay debt for all his wrongdoings; nothing escapes the Law.

The Hawk (Voc) Messenger of Master-Giant (Hurakan)

“From the sky comes down the hawk (Voc) to observe the Magi (Ahpú) playing, following the orders from Giant-Master (Huracán) the Heart of the Haven”

Master-Giant (Hurakan) is a designee of Divinity; it refers to the primordial breath of life from the first instant of creation and is found at the heart of the Heaven of the Maya.  Everything is being watched by the unknowable divinity, nothing goes unnoticed, and every thought, feeling and action are constantly observed by its eyes.  The Heart of the Heavens is the very same Divine Trinity of the many different religions: it is Cakulha-Hurakan (Master-Giant-Lighting), Chipi-Cakulha (Footprint-of-Lightning), and Raxa-Cakulha (Splendor-of-Lightning).  They are the wisdom of the Father, the love of the Son and the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Previous:
Introduction

Next:
Chapter 02
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