August 22, 2008, Indigenous roots of the Holy Cross in Mexico, By Arturo Morales Tirado, A secondary wife with slightly crossed eyes, By Professor Guillermo Méndez, Meditating for everlasting happiness

Indigenous roots of the Holy Cross in Mexico
By Arturo Morales Tirado August 22, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Lecture
Santa Cruz celebration
Arturo Morales Tirado
Thu, Aug 28, 1:30pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

Mesoamericans commemorated the outlined cross (symbol of Venus and thus of Quetzalcoatl) at the end of April and beginning of May, at the start of the rainy season.

Tlaloc, the feared Aztec god of rain, flood and drought, is associated with ground fertility, with life, reproduction and identity of the community. These indigenous Mesoamerican cultural roots are the same ones found in the rural communities of San Miguel de Allende around the Laja River.

More than 2.500 years ago, in the Chupícuaro region (present territory of San Miguel), the cross represented the five corners of the universe in three planes, the vertical, the horizontal and the cross-sectional one, associated with the center and the four cardinal points or the upper-ground world, center, underground, and the sides straight and left.

At the same time, the cross marked the agricultural calendar and the passage of the sun through the equinoxes and solstices, representing the cycles of nature, death and life, of fertility and drought, feminine and masculine. Duality was associated with the cross symbol, a mark between equinox and solstice, with other quadrants expressed in symbols that integrated the vertical cross and the inclined one in the form of an “X.”

Syncretism between Mesoamerican indigenous culture and the Catholic Christian culture has produced the present expressions of Mexican popular celebrations in San Miguel and the Laja River rural communities.

The Santa Cruz celebration in the spring, one of the main national festivities, in San Miguel continues being reflective of this syncretism between the Cross of Jesus and the one of Tláloc. The parallels will be illustrated with slides throughout the lecture.

A secondary wife with slightly crossed eyes
By Professor Guillermo Méndez

Lecture
Magnificent Maya, Part II
Professor Guillermo Méndez
Wed, Aug 27, 3pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

This follow-up lecture to Part I given last week focuses on Maya religion, politics and sex. Religion permeated every aspect of ancient Maya life; everything in nature was sacred and possessed spiritual energy.

Maya politics in the Classic Period (AD 250-900) centered on semi-divine kings who ruled and expanded their influence through warfare, marital unions (they could have “secondary” wives) and diplomacy.

The beautiful (sexy) Maya, male or female, would have had an intentionally deformed skull, filed and inlaid teeth, decorative facial scars and, if lucky, slightly crossed eyes.

Meditating for everlasting happiness

Lecture/Workshop
Meditation for Everyone
Kelsang Wangchog
Fri, Aug 29, 6–8:30pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
100 pesos/US$10

Meditation classes
Kelsang Wangchog
Wed, 10–11:30am
Starting in September

Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
50-peso donation, open to the public

Discover Buddha’s advice on how to find everlasting, pure happiness in your daily life through meditation. The Centro Budista Sukhavati (New Kadampa Tradition–IKBU) invites you to the public talk (in English): “Meditation for Everyone” with Kadampa Buddhist nun, Kelsang Wangchog. Everyone is welcome! Tickets are available at the theater box office, limited seating.