Erika Buenaflor - Sacred Energies of the Sun and Moon: Shamanic Rites of Curanderismo

Dedicated to my sun and moon, my husband, Miguel Buenaflor

SACRED ENERGIES OF THE SUN & MOON

Once again, Erika Buenaflor has provided us with a marvelous understanding of the ancient shamanic mysteries of Mesoamerica. All ancient pre-Columbian civilizations utilized the movements of the sun, moon, and stars to understand their earthly existence. Sacred Energies of the Sun and Moon allows us to glimpse behind the veil of the mundane to view the esoteric synchronization of the heavens as they influence our health and everyday life.

ANTONIO DR. TONY ZAVALETA, PH.D., COAUTHOR OF CURANDERO CONVERSATIONS

Erika is the real deal. As a millennial Latina looking to reconnect with my spiritual roots, she has been a go-to resource for me and many others like me. Shes very knowledgeable about the various types of spiritual modalities, and the time and dedication she devotes to learning and researching these ancient practices is a feat unto itself. Anyone looking to learn more about traditional and indigenous spirituality should read Erikas books.

MARIELA ROSARIO, EDITOR IN CHIEF OF HIPLATINA

In Sacred Energies of the Sun and Moon, Erika Buenaflor does a superb job of blending a well-documented history of Mesoamerican curanderismo and shamanic beliefs while also providing a practical guide for modern souls to bring the energy of the sun and moon into their daily life.

KARA DELLACIOPPA, PH.D., DIRECTOR OF THE FACULTY DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, DOMINGUEZ HILLS

Now more than ever we look to the sun and the moon to guide us through unprecedented times. I am grateful for the gift of this book, allowing us to connect to our ancient Mesoamerican indigenous traditions to provide healing and wisdom at a time when it is greatly needed.

ROCIO ROSALES MEZA, PH.D., INTUITIVE HEALER AND ENERGY WORKER

Introduction to Ancient Mesoamerican Shamanic Solar and Lunar Rites

A ncient Mesoamerican peoples lived in unison with nature and its daily cycles. They used this sacred wisdom to empower their shamanic rites and intentions, knowing that certain times of the day and night exude particular energies that are more advantageous for different rites. Sacred rites of invocation, healing, cleansing, birthing, rebirthing, purification, rejuvenation, and manifestation were performed by most of the people, not just by shamans. Because they believed the sun to be the principal source of soul or sacred essence energy, they carried out rites at specific times of the day to utilize this energy to its maximum potential.

These solar and lunar rites instill self-awareness, self-love, and self-empowerment.

In this book, I will outline how we can use this ancient indigenous wisdom for healing and to be more mindful, live in the present, manifest with greater impeccability, and approach life as a sacred practice. By utilizing the rhythms of daily and nightly cycles, we can become more in tune with ourselves. We can know more clearly what makes us happy and what we need to do to bring it to fruition.

Rituals that tap into the natural energies and magic of the sun, night sun, and moon can align us toward more harmonious states of being. We know ideal times to heal, recharge, release, perform limpias (shamanic cleanses that holistically purify spaces and individuals), manifest certain intentions, attract ideal synchronicities, and much more.

The ideas and values undergirding these rites are influenced both by ancient indigenous practices and by the teachings of my curanderx shamanic traditions. My practices have also been influenced by more than two decades of training and experience as a curandera, and by my interests in self-directed neuroplasticitythe brains ability to change structurally and functionally through repetition.

To illuminate the ideas underlying these solar and lunar rites, I will draw from their mythologies; architectural designs and layouts, which simulate solar and lunar hierophanies (manifestations of the sacred);

I will also describe the performances and instruments of these rituals, because these were all critical elements for the rituals success. More specifically, I will consider the identities of the actorsthe shamans and recipientsas well as the costuming, accessories, and sacred tools that were used; the portrayals and embodiments of deities; and the performances, body postures, and timing of these rituals.

I will use these sources to infer what these people knew about the energies of the solar and lunar periods, how they utilized such knowledge to ensure the success of specific intentions, and how we can use such wisdom to help us live healthier and happier lives. At the very least, these rites can arouse positive emotions, enhancing physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Ideally, we can also invite more synchronistic magic in our lives and learn how to consciously work with the energies and cycles of the sun and moon.

RITUAL PERFORMANCES AND ACTORS

Ritual performances and symbolic instruments serve as modes of communication and social action. They give meaning to existence by providing a model of the world, both as it is and as it ought to be. They also impart a set of ultimate values that reflect the beliefs and attitudes underlying rituals.

Deities associated with the sun or moon were typically invoked, honored, embodied, or portrayed and could come forth and partake in these ceremonies in diverse ways. These deities could manifest in a quadripartite form, corresponding to the four world directions; in a dual form, reflecting oppositions between various realms of the cosmos or opposite periods of the day; or in a single form. They could combine aspects of many levels of existence, with or without zoomorphic characteristics.

The gender, age, and class of the performers were critical to the success of these rites, as each category lent itself to the invocation, embodiment, or portrayal of the deities in different ways. Certain genders were associated with certain traits and abilities. The generative and regenerative nature of the Earth was typically associated with the feminine.

In examining these ancient rites, I approach gender in a manner like that of many anthropologist feminist theoreticians, including Joan Gero, Elizabeth Brumfiel, and Judith Butler. I differentiate sexthe physiological differences between males and femalesfrom gender, a socially constructed category. Gender is not an immutable entity determined simply by biophysiological features, nor is it a static set of relationships or characteristics. Rather, gender is a social construction that is continuously negotiated, reconstituted, and performed in diverse manners. I examine the manner in which gender was constructed and conveyed in these performances.

I use the concept third-gender not to indicate an instantiated blurred sex, but as a way to communicate a space of infinite gendered possibilities.