Mayan elder’s cross-country pilgrimage involved visit to Serpent Mound

Late on the afternoon of Oct. 29, Mayan elder Hunbatz Men carefully climbed the first steps of a steel observation tower overlooking the ancient Serpent Mound in southeastern Ohio.

The site was Men’s second stop on a cross-country sacred journey this fall, leading from Manhattan on Oct. 26 to its culmination today in Los Angeles, on 11-11-11.

“I’m very happy to see you here,” Men told the crowd of about 600. “We see something wrong with this crazy time, this crazy civilization. Mother Earth is in a bad situation. But many of the people here with the crystal skulls, they are bringing the light and the knowledge. Today, we bring the cosmic knowledge.”

The crystal skulls are famous in New Age circles as ancient Mayan or Aztec tools, with ancient secrets programmed into their crystalline matrices by humans or, some say, aliens. The skulls are expected to release their information as humanity enters a new era of harmony. Scientists and archaeologists say the skulls they’ve examined can be traced to German workshops of the late 1800s, and don’t reflect the artistic styles of the South American civilizations. Still, thousands of believers gather every year for ceremonies honoring the skulls and connecting with fellow visionaries of a more peaceful future.

Hunbatz Men works closely with The Cosmic Mysteries School of Kentucky to engage people in that visioning process. His tour is timed to coincide with other New Age consciousness-raising events celebrating the alignment of today’s date in the Gregorian calendar, and involves teachings on Mayan prophecies.

Rainbow of perfect timing

Gesturing to the winding, grassy curves of the quarter-mile-long snake effigy built some 1,000 years ago, Men said, “The snake, for the Mayans, is the symbol of the Milky Way, the symbol of cosmos. Coming back again is cosmic culture. We need to be happy for that. Peace is coming in that way.”

Hundreds of voices cheered as Men stepped back down to lead a ceremonial trek around the mound. Carrying smoking bundles of sage, playing rattles and drums, wearing sacred garb and chanting, he and 13 guardians of the crystal skulls led a winding line of people bundled against October’s chill. As they rounded the ancient village site at the open mouth of the snake, a brief sprinkle of rain passed over the plateau and a breeze kicked golden leaves across the sky. A few minutes later, a rainbow – the Mayan symbol of renewal and divine favor – emerged in the east.

“When we saw the rainbow, I just couldn’t help but break into tears,” said Roxana of Nashville, Tenn. “There’s a lot of nature traditions that say a light, gentle rain with the sun is a blessing from the heavens, a reminder of the divine within.”

The “divine within” and “worldwide transformation” were the predominant themes at the gathering, the second stop on Men’s cross-country pilgrimage with the crystal skulls. Besides an early afternoon teaching on the changes happening around the Earth, visitors and guardians led drum circles and dances, invited people to touch and pray with the crystal skulls, sang Native American songs and invited new connections. Seekers of all ages were drawn to the event, from hoop spinners in colorful garb to parents taking part in drum circles to white-haired veterans of the ’60s. Many traveled long distances, including one group of 15 from Cleveland, more than four hours to the north.

‘Absolute joy’

“Supposedly, the Mayan calendar ended yesterday, and this is the first day of whatever else,” said Satya, one of the Cleveland group, referring to the Oct. 28 conclusion of the ninth and final cycle described in the Mayan calendar. “The combination of the Serpent Mound and the holy grounds, having a Mayan elder here with the crystal skulls, that’s why I’m here.”

Mallory, also of the Cleveland group, said she came for the experience of “downloading the absolute joy of the energy of the skulls, while being in community. People are awakening more and more to themselves every day – how we can live, and how we’re choosing to live.”

What that life will look like depends on how much attention we pay to the natural energies around us, Men said as the group came to rest around a tree surrounded with the crystal skulls. Facing the setting sun, Men led the gathering in several minutes of toning “eee” – “This is the word for Maya to activate the body” – and “awhll” – “This is the word for the other dimension, to draw energy in.”

Symbol of sacred knowledge

“In this sacred place, the initiation is ready,” Men said. “The Christians say the snake is the devil. No! It’s the symbol of knowledge. We’re entering a New Age, not a darkness, not a time of bad ending. The Maya don’t believe this. Remember the spirit of the tree, the spirit of the cloud. The rainbow came in to move your seven powers. You’re going to wake up.”

The Cosmic Mysteries School of Kentucky invited donations and prayers, encouraging participants to ground in the positive energies of the gathering in order “to let Earth know we’re remembering the sacred knowledge.” For more information, visit www.cosmicmysteries.com/journey.

All images courtesy Ria Delight Megnin. View more photos from Serpent Mound here.

The trip’s highlights…

Oct. 26: New York City

Oct. 29: Serpent Mound, Ohio

Oct. 31: Cahokia Mounds, Collinsville, Ill.

Nov. 3: Sacred Circle Medicine Wheel, Crestone, Colo.

Nov. 7: Ceremony in Sedona, Ariz.

Nov. 11, 12, 13: Crystal Skulls World Mysteries Gateway, Los Angeles, Calif.

Nov. 13: Mayan Prophesies seminar, Los Angeles, Calif.

For details, donation options and more: www.cosmicmysteries.com/journey