Powerful Experiences in Guatemala

From November 22nd to December 9th, I experienced a truly magical journey throughout Guatemala, guided by The Mayan Wisdom Project and Solveig Barrios (she is the daughter of Mayan wisdomkeeper Carlos Barrios).

I will share in this email, some of my reflections on the ancient Mayans, and stories & photos from our adventures in Guatemala.

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December 6th:

We woke up at 2 am so that we could drive to the Tikal archaeological site and climb Templo IV (named the Temple of the Voices), at 70 meters (about 210 feet) of vertical height, to sit on its top steps and watch the sun rise.

We arrived at the park around 4:30 am and hiked through the jungle in the dark, about 1.5 km to get to Templo IV. We then climbed many steep steps, found seats all the way at the top, and waited in the darkness.

As the sunlight began to fill the sky, the jungle below us exploded with the sounds of many different birds and the eerie call of the howler monkeys, all celebrating the sunrise. (Click here to watch a video of the sunrise where you can hear the howler monkeys.)

It was such a profoundly moving experience, to sit at the top of this architectural marvel constructed thousands of years ago, with the dense jungle stretching out around us in all directions, and to hear the waking sounds of so many beings who inhabit this wild land. Then to consider that the ancient Mayans who built the temple I was sitting on, and other temples & pyramids off in the distance, lived among the howler monkeys and the jaguars, and built these incredible temples aligned with the stars.

I felt very small compared to the massive size of Templo IV; compared to the vastness of the jungle. And so inspired by the magic of it all.

The photo here is our view from the top of Templo IV, as we saw the rays of sunlight breaking through the clouds & shining brilliantly down on the Temple of the Jaguar, which at that point was far off in the distance from where we sat.

After the sunrise was complete, we climbed down from the heights of Templo IV and spent the next 5.5 hours exploring the many temples & pyramids throughout this ancient city of Tikal. Here you can climb many of the structures and find incredible views from the top, where you can see above the canopy of the trees.

After walking about 9 kilometers in total, we completed our tour in the Grand Plaza, where the Temple of Masks faces the Temple of the Jaguar. How amazing to explore the whole region & finally walk up close to these beautiful temples which in the morning were so far off in the distance.

Here is the up close view of the Temple of the Jaguar at Tikal (This is the temple that the sun's rays were shining down on at sunrise in the photo above.) An incredibly powerful place:

Here are a few more pics from our 9 kilometer hike around the mysterious ancient city of Tikal! Tikal is quite sprawling, and includes a huge number of temples, tombs, altars, common areas, ball court, and more. It has been overtaken by the jungle over the millennia (or perhaps was originally constructed as an integral part of the jungle). In addition to the sacred structures, we saw many birds, a spider monkey, a coati, and we were continually serenaded by the haunting sound of the howler monkeys in the treetops above us. What an incredible experience.

Chaak Mul, the Rain God

Glyph for Teotihuacan (A city near current day Mexico City, far from this location)

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November 29 to December 2:

We learned about the magnificent cacao tree and its beautiful fruit & seeds which are transformed through many steps in the original indigenous Mayan ways, into the chocolate that we eat & the cacao that we drink. Our group had the privilege of witnessing & experiencing the whole process step by step over a few days. It’s been so powerful to be invited into these ancient traditions and feel the power & importance that this wonderful plant has for the whole world.

When the Spanish first came to the Mayan lands in the 1500’s, the Mayans gave them cups of liquid cacao to drink. The Mayans said “chocolá” when they handed them the cups, which in the ancient Mayan language means something similar to “Serve yourself & enjoy.” The Spanish took this word to be the name of the drink, and the word “chocolate” came from this misunderstanding of the Mayan language. The Spanish brought “chocolate” back to Europe where it became popular very quickly.

Here the Mayan people do drink & eat the cacao, but they also use it in ceremonial ways: Offering it to Mother Earth, as it is said to be good food for Her; offering it to the fire during fire ceremonies; and using it during family & community celebrations.

The cacao trees are being significantly affected by climate change. 40% of the cacao farms in Guatemala lost all of their cacao trees earlier this year (2024) when they had an extremely hot & dry summer. The price of cacao and chocolate will likely increase soon, depending on how the trees fare in other countries where they are grown, including Costa Rica, Peru, and others.

Next time you enjoy some cacao or chocolate, pause for a moment to reflect on the wonderful gift of this beautiful plant!

Here is a picture of Cynthia and me with the Cacao trees ~ We traveled together on this wonderful adventure!

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November 26:

We visited the Mayan archaeological site Iximche - An ancient city including homes, agricultural fields, ball court, and ceremonial / ritual areas. The Mayan glyphs are so beautiful, I look forward to studying them more. We had the honor of participating in a traditional Mayan fire ceremony at Iximche Quite a magical day.

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December 4 to 7:

Toward the end of our journey, we stayed in the tiny island town of Flores in Lake Petén Itza, in northern Guatemala. This is a very sweet town with beautiful restaurants and charming local shops. Flores is a delightful place to explore, as well as a great jumping off point to visit Tikal and other Mayan archaeological sites. Here are a few photos of Flores:

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December 5:

This photo shows the first chance I’ve ever had to hug a Kapok tree. And it was inside of a heart garden!

Kapok (or Ceiba) trees are sacred in the jungle regions of the world. I’ve read about them for years in books, and had never seen one up close until this moment.

“Kapok” means “Tree of Wisdom” in the ancient Mayan language (local to Mexico & Guatemala). Interestingly, they have the same indigenous name (Kapok) in the Amazon rainforest (South America). These trees are considered teachers, protectors, & healers. They are very special and have a beautiful, loving energy.

I look really small next to this incredible tree:

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November 24-26:

We stayed in the small city of Panajachel, near Lago Atitlán, a lake surrounded by volcanoes, which is said to be infinitely deep. Here are a few photos of this potent location:

Throughout my travels, I found many similarities & correspondences between the ancient Mayans and the ancient Egyptians.

I have the feeling that I found pieces of myself in Guatemala that I didn't even realize I was missing! - The keys and codes of my ancient ancestors. I now understand the Mayan lands as a place where I likely spent many past lives.

I look forward to reading the Popol Vuh and the Dresden Codex; learning more about the ancient Mayans and their magnificent temple & pyramid structures; and bringing all of this together with my studies of Egypt and Greece for an even more profound look at our ancient roots & our vast remembrance of who we truly are.

I am excited to share more with you in the coming weeks & months, on these topics!

Perhaps by 2026, once I have done a lot more studying & visiting additional sites, I might be ready to begin offering pilgrimages to the ancient Mayan sites - The itineraries are already becoming clear in my mind ✨

💖 I hope you've enjoyed journeying with me for a few moments on these beautiful adventures!

With infinite love and gratitude in my heart,

Jocelyn Star Feather
Spiritual Alchemist, Astrologer, & Visibility Coach for Visionary Entrepreneurs
Founder of Sacred Planet

P.S. If you'd like to study Astrology & Alchemy with me in a profoundly personalized way in 2025, click here to learn more about a very special 1:1 Mentorship (starting soon!) that will truly transform your life, all the way from your inner depths to your light-filled manifestations. Click here to learn more & fill out the application. Don't delay - There is currently only ONE space left.

P.P.S. If you'd like to join me for life-changing adventures in Egypt in 2025, click here to see the powerful pilgrimages that I'll be guiding next year 🔥✨

Love,
Jocelyn

✨ You are welcome to share this blog post with others who may be inspired by these reflections! ✨