Anomaly Archives Presents…
Maya Shamanism: The Transmutation of Sustenance
by Dr. Barbara MacLeod
Sunday, September 23rd – 3pm at The Anomaly Archives
The Anomaly Archives is proud to support the Mysterious Ancient Civilizations meetup group in presenting this lecture from Austin’s own Mayan language expert, Dr. Barbara MacLeod.
Maya Shamanism: The Transmutation of Sustenance
Dr. Barbara MacLeod takes us on a journey of the metaphysical ideology of the Classic Maya royal court through translations of hieroglyphs found on cups that were from the Maya royal dynasty.
“The ancient Maya practiced state shamanism, in which kings and their families engaged in conjuring deities and ancestors and made offerings of their own blood to feed the earth. War captives were common offerings as well. Mythological scenes on royal drinking-cups placed in tombs feature serpent-deities conjured amid altered states of consciousness, and it is now possible to speculate on the entheogenic plants used. Sometimes the conjurors themselves were deities.
This practice was fundamental to Maya kingship and became fossilized and codified in the form of the “ceremonial serpent bar” worn by kings at the accessions at major events in the calendar. Infants were also sacrificed, although likely not those of royalty; another mythic theme on these cups depicts the sacrifice of a human baby who becomes an infant jaguar as he transitions from one world to the next. All of this is orchestrated by k’awiil–the metaphysical manifestation of lightning.
This is an origin myth, archaic at the time these vases were painted. It functioned as a charter for the ongoing reciprocity between humans and gods required for the perpetuation of the royal dynasty, the fecundity of the earth, and the reliability of the rains.” Dr. Barbara MacLeod
If the cups could talk, oh the stories we would hear!
We hope you’ll join us on a journey of myths, ceremonies, royalty, and sacrifices of the ancient Maya civilization.
The FIRST Meetup for Mysterious Ancient Civilizations!
Our host for our Meetup is Anomaly Archives: The Library of the Scientific Anomaly Institute (501c3) Anomalyarchives.org
Meeting to be held in second floor conference room. Access into building is limited, door person will be at the front door to allow guests to enter. Door may be locked 10 minutes after meeting starts, please try to arrive before 3PM.
Suggested donation $5 in support of Anomaly Archives.
Anomaly Archives version of the Meetup Event: AnomalyArchives/events/254585554/
PLEASE REGISTER at this Meetup Event URL:
https://www.meetup.com/Mysterious-Ancient-Civilizations/events/254050844/
More about Barbara MacLeod:
- Speaking Ancient Maya By David Levin – NOVA interview with Barbarba MacLleod, Posted 04.08.08
- Caver Music & Other Recordings – Texas Cavers Conservancy … “Thank you, Barb MacLeod, for creating the soundtrack to our lives…”
- Breaking the Maya Code (Night Fire Films documentary) – Transcript of filmed interview with Barbara MacLeod, March 8, 2005 in Austin, Texas
- 2012: The Beginning (trailer) – documentary featuring Barbara MacLeod and others
- Maya Myth Moment–Mayan Prophecy; Is Prophecy The Right Word? TheWondersExpedition.com / Barb MacLeod on Prophecy (video)
- Creation myth Archives – The Wonders Expedition / Barb MacLeod on Destruction in the Popol Vuh (video)
- Dr. Barb MacLeod Reads Maya Tortuguero Monument (video)
- The Living Maya: Ancient Wisdom in the Era of 2012 – Robert Sitler, Ph.D. – 2012 – Body, Mind & Spirit: “Paxil might quite literally be an origin site for what some Maya call “our Mother Corn.” Mayan scholar Barb MacLeod recently told me of a new discovery related …”
- The 2012 Story: The Myths, Fallacies, and Truth Behind the Most … – John Major Jenkins – 2009 – Body, Mind & Spirit: “Barb MacLeod is a brilliant investigator with many interests. … She pursued this for five years, visiting Maya temple sites throughout Mesoamerica while studying …”
- Barbara MacLeod, What the Mayans Thought. Austin IONS 11/2012 … – Stariel.com (MP3 Audio)
- The Dark Rift and the Abyss: Barbara MacLeod’s Comments During My Presentation at The Great Return Conference (on December 19, 2012) John Major Jenkins (PDF)
- Barb MacLeod – Informal Classes, The University of Texas at Austin
- Barb MacLeod – AVweb Features Article / Feb 26, 2001
- Barb MacLeod – Deb´s Flying Stories – Debbie Gary, October 31, 1997