Equinox/Equilux Rites

During recent journeys in Central and South America, I became intrigued by correlations between the Mayan, Incan and Egyptian mythologies. Aside from the obvious aesthetic and cultural similarities (pyramids, hieroglyphs, etc.), there seemed some deeper symbiosis or common source involved.

These observances and speculations from my studies and travels came to a head with the rite I performed at Chichen Itza, Mexico, on the March 2000 Equinox. While Thelemites celebrate Horus on that day, some perform the rites of Venus (the Morning Star) associated with Kukulcan.

Due to the ingenious designs of the Mayans, every equinox at the Great Pyramid of Kukulcan/Quetzalcoatl (the 'feathered serpent' prophesied to return in 20012) at Chichen Itza, seven triangles of sunlight appear on the steps of the pyramid, forming the body of a feathered serpent whose great stone head sits at the bottom of the steps. These represent the 7 powers of Kukulcan, which are basically the 7 chakras of Hindu tantra. I went there for this event and was thrown out for chanting, etc., before I saw it. Ruins are for tourists not ritualists apparently!

The happy result, however, was a secret return to the pyramids at night for the equinox full moon, and a rite there to establish some kind of contemporary Thelemic/Maatian/Mayan praxis. The results were startling, revealing how ancient this current actually is.

One of the reasons I was drawn to the Chichen Itza Equinox event is because of its proximity to my birthday, and my long-standing fascination with Kukulcan. I finally caught the 7-triangle equinox spectacle on its last day (of three), my birthday; then once again returned to the Mayan ruins at night, this time performing an intense blood rite in the Mayan tradition. Blood found on the temples the next day resulted in some interesting cultural exchanges . . .

<  |  >