It was a fine day for a Spring Equinox in Merida.
Thousands flocked to Yucatan’s ancient pyramids Thursday to soak up the rays of the sun in body and spirit.
Ancient customs have mingled with New Age spirituality to draw white-clad visitors from around the world seeking to recharge their energy with the rays of the spring sun.
Other simply sought the perfect selfie.
The Spring Equinox holds special significance for many of Mexico’s Mayan communities, whose ancestors’ architecture was often built around it.
Famous examples include the pyramid of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza, where at the moment of the equinox, the sun’s rays generate a shadow of seven triangles that look like a serpent descending the stairs.
Also in Yucatan, at the Temple of the Seven Dolls in Dzibilchaltun, for anyone standing in squarely in front, the sun aligns precisely with a pair of east- and west-facing doors, illuminating the structure with a burst of light.
Dressed in traditional indigenous garb, dancers performed ceremonies at these and other sites, including the nearly 2,000-year-old sun pyramid of Teotihuacan, near Mexico City.
“‘Teotihuacan’ means ‘the place where men become gods,’ so we’re here to steal a little bit of its energy,” said Alfonso Martinez, 53, who traveled from Veracruz to be there.
Silvia Torres, 71, said she was there because “it fills me with energy, fills me with strength, fills me with power, fills me with wisdom.”
“As human beings, we are energy, and I agree that we can charge ourselves with energy,” added Erick Gonzalez, a 37-year-old nurse.
Source: AFP
