In this article we show that correspondence exists between the Maya artefacts pertaining to their Cosmogony and the Old World ones as well as with the Great Celestial Conjunction (GCC) [1] symbols and concepts. This allows us to conclude that the concepts of XX-correlation and GCC were also known to Maya and reflected, principally, in the same symbols.
Besides, one more composite symbol is considered which unites the basic concepts of Evolution which is widely used our days, but, nevertheless, has caused a lot of acute discussions. For distinctness, we call it the “Galactic Butterfly” (GB) – by the name which is used for this icon by indigenous people. Though its origin has not been established yet, it is shown that the composition and elements of this composite symbol reflect the esoteric ideas of Cosmogony that were the same in the Old and the New Worlds. In particular, it is shown that this symbol reflects graphically the idea of the GCC even in a more profound way than the 8-pointed Cross and evidently presents the “Mesoamerican” analogue of the ancient Old World Swastika.
As a consequence of the established correspondence between the New and Old World cosmological symbols and concepts and existence of intra-American esoteric Tradition we put forward the suggestion that the origin of this symbol lies not in weaving patterns, but in the Tradition being maintained by the Mesoamerican Initiates and, for this reason, the symbol GB was known to Maya Initiates as well.
Notes
1. For convenience of reading this article it is supplied with the Appendices which contain extended quotes and references the extracts of which are used in the article as the premises; for this reason some extracts are given without reference. However, the authors of this work do not share every conclusion presented in Appendices 2 and 4: partly because they exclude polysemy andpartly because it makes little sense to discuss the concepts which are based on heterogeneous or questionable premises. 2. In this article the following type of references are used:
[1] – to the article in the list of references at the end of this article;
[App 1] or [App1, pr.3] – to Appendix 1, or Appendix 1, paragraph 3;
[Sp. 1] or [Sp.1, pr.3] – to Supplement 1, or Supplement 1, paragraph 3 of [1];
[Page 3] – to the main article of Page 3 of the site ASTROTHEOS.com;
[SD 1, 341] – to Vol. 1, page 341 of “The Secret Doctrine” by H.P. Blavatsky.
1. Introduction
Maya artefacts. If the Old World cosmogonies are described more or less thoroughly, at least on the exoteric level, a significant part of Maya concepts and artefacts remains unclear or causes intensive discussions. The basic cause of this lies in the systematic destruction of Maya culture in the preceding centuries. Nevertheless, though the Maya beliefs and writing system differ in their form from those of the Old World, the principal Maya symbols and concepts pertaining to Cosmogenesis (including the concept of non-linearity of time, etc.) remain the same, even in graphics. Moreover, the Maya time count system (first of all – the Long Count) provides us with an exact numerical model that can be both tested and used.
Maya Calendar. As it was established earlier [Page 3], the Maya Calendar (viz. Long Count) describes Time not only exoterically – in the well-known linear models of various cycles, but progressively – in evolution periods that decrease in the Golden Section ratio, in compliance with their idea of accelerating of Time which corresponds to the Theosophical statement that “{the evolution develops} … in cycles and on a strictly geometrical and mathematical scale of progression” [SD 2, 732]. This is apart from other facts that provide evidence of a high level of mathematical knowledge of the Maya.
End of Maya Calendar and the GCC. After then it was revealed that the end of the current exoteric 5-order fragment of the Long Count, or Mayan Calendar for short, exactly corresponds to the rare Space phenomena – the Great Celestial Conjunction (GCC) [1] which takes place 4 times a Platonic year (viz. once in 6500 years). In that work it was shown that XX-correlation, as the correspondence of two Celestial Crosses – those defined by the lines of Equinoxes and Solstices of the Tropical Zodiac (TZ) and respective structure, but for the Solar System (Solar zodiac, SZ), is reflected in the Old World symbology by the 8-pointed Cross. Meanwhile, the GCC – the event of conjunction of these two Crosses caused by the precession of the Equinoxes – is reflected by the 4-pointed Cross.
Mayas and their neighbours. At the Yucatan site of Tancah, the murals “show striking similarities to the designs of pre-conquest Mixtec codices from the Mexican highlands…” (Sharer, The Ancient Maya p.413). Sharer also says, “Thus, as part of Mesoamerica, the ancient Maya were influenced by, and in turn influenced, their neighbouring cultures, such as the Olmecs to the northwest, on the Gulf coastal plain, the Zapotec and Mixtec of Oaxaca (west of the isthmus), the cultures centered in Teotihuacan and Tula (to the north, in Central Mexico), and the less well-known societies to the southeast in Central America” (Sharer p.20). So, … there could have been cross-over of symbology … and definitelywasinothercases, e.g. in the case of the Toltec Quetzalcoatl adopted by the Yucatec Maya as Kukulcan [App 4].
Therefore, by taking into account that the Maya culture presents the basic interest for this study and the bulk of the considered below artefacts belong to it, in the further consideration we will use a collective attribute “Maya”. The more so that the neighbouring cultures have much in common relative to these artefacts and concepts. Nevertheless, while considering the artefacts which, at present, are attributed to other cultures we specify their origin explicitly. Besides, the term “Mesoamerica”, for short, is used for Mesoamerica itself and the adjacent regions of Mexico where the Aztec empire was allocated.
A scientific approach to study of Maya artefacts. The creation of the Universe and its evolution present a relentless interest to the “official” science. However, its conclusions rest on and are bounded by the interpretations of artefacts on the ground of the scientific concepts pertaining to the respective epoch. For this reason it is doomed to circulate within the sphere of axioms (premises) defined by these concepts.
Due to this reason the conclusions pertaining to the historical events were systematically formed, concealed and/or distorted with the use of a “scientific” background for them to comply various goals of the ruling circles, since the oldest times and until our days. By putting up this rigid statement we should like not to accuse historians or scientists in falsifications, but to emphasize a notorious fact that a series of “facts” or “events” which had been once “scientifically established” at later epoch were successfully discarded. We mean to say, that making use of scientific (viz. logical) approach does not guarantee, by itself, that the conclusion will be true, since any approach uses premises. And even if these premises are commonly accepted to be correct (e.g. that the age of the Universe is about 6 millennia, with respect to the well-known dogma), this does not mean that they are actually correct. This is true within physics and, in a definite sense, even with some mathematical theories.
Thus, I still remember how the manuals of history for schools and universities in the Soviet Union were changed, as well as the respective displays at the museums, almost each 5 years, after the course of the Communist party was corrected at the current Congress. And the same philosophers, who reviled cybernetics and genetics in the 50-ies, were sitting later, in the 60-ies, in the entrance and Ph.D.-allowance exams on philosophy which the post-graduate students in cybernetics and genetics were to pass. Now, together with the former Communist party leaders, they teach us how to build capitalism.
However, this pitiful situation is not the propriety of the former USSR and its heirs. By returning to the goal of our study we feel it necessary to give one more, but very important example of use of double standards in archeology and anthroposophy. Most Egyptologists believe, and this is reflected in Books, Discovery Channel films, the tourist guides, etc. that the Great Pyramid was built about 4600 years ago by Khufu (Greek: Cheops) in 20 – 26 years. However, whoever was the builder of the Great Pyramid (GP), he was not Cheops (Khufu), and whenever it was built, it was not before 10 000 BC. Facts are stubborn things. Thus, even a brief consideration of few matters concerning the construction of the Great Pyramid clearly indicate [http://sacredsites.com/africa/egypt/great_pyramid.html] that the builders of fourth dynasty Egypt did not have the engineering capacity to erect the Great Pyramid (we do not have the capacity even today) and that this structure was used for a purpose altogether different from mere burial; e.g. "Silt sediments rising to fourteen feet around the base of the pyramid contain many seashells and fossils that have been radiocarbon-dated to be nearly twelve thousand years old. This evidence alone suggests that the three main Giza pyramids are at least twelve thousand years old". This is apart from the elementary logistics: try to calculate the amount of time, people, wood (for transporting the blocks by ships and on the surface) and other resources for cutting off, polishing and setting up 2.6 million blocks of stone (from 2 to 50 tons each). For more references and details See [Page 7].
Therefore, even the “scientific” conclusions that are obtained through a logical analysis of the material artefacts must also be checked for their consistence, or rather the premises which predetermine them.
An esoteric approach to study of Maya artefacts. On the other hand, there exists the Ancient Knowledge which provides us with a much wider and coordinated system of concepts pertaining to the evolution of the Universe which can be used for both numerical and semantic analysis of artefacts.
However, in the ancient cosmogonies these systems of interrelated concepts pertaining to astronomy, geography and other branches of knowledge were given in a veiled or even such a distorted presentation that it was almost impossible to understand the origin of their symbolism. This mean, in particular, that these symbols and concepts were masked and simplified, and almost always it was forbidden to discuss their meaning. For this reason the ancient knowledge was everywhere divided into two principal parts – the esoteric and the exoteric ones. Under the penalty of death for divulging of esoteric concepts, they were transferred from Initiate to Initiate. At the same time, for the masses these concepts (relative to cosmology, symbols etc.) were given in a religious form – as mono- or theolatry [3].
It remained so until the end of the XIX century, when, firstly in millennia, Mahatmas decided to disclose some elements of this Ancient Knowledge, that once was common to the ancients – the Theosophy, the concepts of which were always known to a narrow circle of Initiates, but kept secret (under the death penalty) from masses.
This Great Revelation was presented to mankind through the assistance of Helen Blavatsky, who presented this Knowledge in “The Secret Doctrine” [3] and other works. In particular, she shows in this work the common roots of the basic religions, how the Ancient concepts of Creation were modified in various religious and philosophical systems, as well as the origin of the principal symbols pertaining to the Creation and Evolution and use of the same basic symbols in Egypt, Europe, Asia and Central America including the Maya.
In her works it is explicitly stated that Theosophy does not require an implicit belief, but invites us to adopt its concepts through proofs and verification. It rejects “supernatural”, but discloses the origin of inexplicable phenomena by showing the 7-planes of existence surrounding the physical plane which is considered in modern science as the only plane of existence. For these reasons Theosophy can be considered as a substantially wider world outlook than a pure scientific approach as it does not reject the use of logic and sciences, but proposes to use them; in particular – for testing and developing of the Theosophical concepts whenever it is possible. Other theoretical teachings and practices such as esotery, occultism, etc. reflect the Theosophical concepts, but not as clearly defined as in Theosophy. For this reason they are not considered below, but the term “esoteric” (“exoteric”) is retained for specifying those concepts which, for millennia, were kept secret and were not exposed to the masses.
That is why each profound world outlook is still comprised of two systems – esotericandexoteric. To this end it is very important to distinguish between the “Tradition” (esoteric or Theosophicalknowledge) and its simplified version in a form of “people's religion”. The symbols and concepts of the former were transferred from a teacher to an aspirant and kept secret to the masses, whereas their simplified images and ideas were, as a rule, dressed in a religious form and intended for the masses; these symbols were presented in books, paintings, monuments. Therefore, if a profane (viz. not-initiated plain man) knows and uses a symbol, this does not mean that he understands its significance. From this point of view it becomes clear that the existing myths, in written and oral form, may bear the correct concepts, but, as a rule, are presented in the coded form – mainly in symbols and symbolic narrations. And here we meet the problem of decodingtheMyths and symbol.
The existing scientific approach tries to make logical conclusions by treating the artefactimages (texts) “literally”. But if we agree that they present the coded messages, this approach leads to nowhere.
At the same time, the Theosophic approach does not reject logical analysis, but suggests considering these artefacts on the ground of the revealed world-wide concepts and symbols. So, a scientific approach is also applicable for these objects, if we will understand it as a systematic use of logic in treating the fundamental concepts and their presentation in symbols, like mathematics does by derivation of theorems from axioms and, and physics – by obtaining formulae, with the use of calculus, from primal laws of nature.
So, when studying the myths or other esotery-like concepts and symbols the basic difficulty lies in their selection and verification (for acceptance). And for Maya heritage, from our viewpoint, the solution to the problem of decoding of esoteric Myths and symbols lies in correlative analysis of theirartefacts against the well-developed esoteric theory. Keeping this in mind we come to the necessity to formulate
The Platform (premises and criteria) for Studying the Maya Artefacts and Concepts. By keeping in mind the blank spots in our knowledge of actual Maya Cosmogony [App 1], we are forced to make suggestions as to their Cosmogony and its symbology. For this, we put forward the following platform (Maya Studying Platform, MSP for short) correlating with that for the Great Pyramid [Page 7]:
P1. For the system of Maya (Mesoamerican, in a broad sense) concepts and symbols to be authentic and, on this ground, used in some theory, it must comply with the respective concepts and symbols of the once Universal Cosmogony, the basic elements of which are described in The Secret Doctrine.
P2. We must distinguish between the Ancient Wisdom of Higher Priests, who had no intention to disseminate, and widespreadknowledge (or popular religion) presented in codices and carvings. From this point of view it makesno sensetoestimatethe level of theformer (in astronomy, mathematics, and other spheres of knowledge)by thelatterone (like in Russian saying: “if you see an elephant in a cage with the label “fly”, don’t believe your eyes!”).
Besides, by allowing for an enigmatic abandonment of the Maya lands in the 9th century and destruction of the Maya culture and most part of Maya codices by Spaniards, we can hardly assume that the actual esoteric concepts of Maya could be found on stelae; rather, due to the established cultural exchange between the American cultures and existence of international esoteric communications we can presume that the subsequent cultures (Aztecs – the most important among them) shared the same Cosmogenesis, but were probably less rigid in keeping these secrets due to their lower level of esoteric development or simplification of the concepts (like the Christians took the Cross for everyday use).
P3. By allowing the fact that the same symbol may reflect, but several concepts, in the further consideration we must take account for the Polysemy of the artefacts: different concepts may simultaneously be signified by the same symbol; as it is said in the Secret Doctrine, there is a key for every mystery, and it must be turned seven times.
2. Cosmogony of the New World – the Sibling of the Old World’s One
(Maya Cosmogenesis [Apps 2, 4] vs. the Secret Doctrine [App 3])
2.1.What Does Hunab Ku Stand For?
2.1.1. Modern MayaDaykeeper HunbatzMen calls Hunab Ku “The Only Giver of Movement and Measure”, the Universal Consciousness and prime organizer of our Galaxy[App 4, 4]. With these and other attributes Hunab Ku cannot [App 3] stand for the “Supreme ALL”, or AbsoluteDeity.
2.1.2. In some way Hunab Ku is associated with the stars, planets and solar systems, as well as with the Milky Way as a whole. As far as from a perspective of our planet there are three “observable” levels of Spiritual Hierarchy [1] – those of the Earth, Solar System and Milky Way (Galaxy), which are also reflected in the well-defined physical systems, Hunab Ku should be referred to the Galactic level.
2.1.3. Cosmic consciousness which the Maya called “Hunab Ku” (“all of the Consciousness that has ever existed in this Galaxy”) is provided with such attribute as the “the Only Giver (“Sole Dispenser”) of Movement and Measure” – viz. of Time and Space (as Time is the equivalent for Motion, as Measure – for Space [3]), to whom they also attributed the mathematical structuring of the universe. Inasmuch as they also considered Hunab Ku as the ultimate Creator of theUniverse(the "MotherWomb" which is constantly giving birth to new stars and it gave birth to our own Sun and Planet Earth), we can resume thatHunabKustands for the DemiurgeofourGalaxy, or manifested (or second) Logos, or the “Divine Powers, who are the active manifestations of the OneSupremeEnergy. They are the framers, shapers, and ultimately the creators of all the manifested Universe, in the only sense in which the name “Creator” is intelligible; they inform and guide it; they are the intelligent Beings who adjust and control evolution”; the Builders – “are the real creators of the Universe”.
Note also that Time and Space are the forms of the One incognizable Deity [SD 2, 382]). The Puranas insist on the identity of Vishnu with TimeandSpace (Vishnu is all – the worlds, the stars, the seas, etc… and the Rabbinical symbol for God is MAQOM, "Space"…[SD 2, 611].
2.1.4. So, it is clear that due to the high level of Hierarchy of Hunab Ku this Creator should have been “a remote from everyday affairs”, figure “little in the {everyday} life of the ancient Maya” and, due to its holiness, should not be exposed, as the ineffable and unutterableNAME, in exoteric sources (“in the codices or elsewhere”).
2.1.5. Symbols of Hunab Ku and the Milky Way.
i) The Sun as a star and the Central Spiritual Sun that stands behind the visible Sun – are two different things [1, 3]. If for the former the symbol is used, the latter is understood as the Logos of the Solar system which is too Divine and not cognizable for us to bear a symbol, as the ineffable and unutterableNAME.
In the strict conformity with this approach HunbatzMenhasnever actually said that the symbol“GalacticButterfly” (See Sec. 5)was Hunab Ku [App 4]; moreover, apparently with a clear understanding of the esoteric meaning of Hunab Ku, Men doesn’t state that Hunab K’u is the Milky Way; instead, with respect to the concepts of the Secret Doctrine he says: “The Maya lived integrally worshipping that which is represented by the “G”. I will reveal to you, dear reader, with all due respect for the sacred Hunab’Ku, from whom came my illumination and who enabled me to see it, the place of origin of this form. It is nothing less thanour galaxy. Yes, theMilky Way!” [App 4].
Men also demonstrates that the Mexicas and other Mesoamerican peoples worshipped the MilkyWay as represented by this symbol.
ii) Alongside, the same hierogram – , “the circle of Heaven” [App 3, pr.2], was used with a sacred meaning, as an indirect indication to the Architect. Therefore, it is quite probable that in this sensethe following statement, if applied to the esoteric side of Maya Cosmology, is also authentic: the Maya represented Hunab Ku “by acircle {marked out by the Authors of that article} in which was inscribed a square , just as did Pythagoras” [App 4, pr.2].
Further on, with the clear correlation with the concepts of the Circle (viz. zero) [Sp.1] and the Secret Doctrine Men continues:
“For the Maya, wherever the symbol of zero is marked {SS: note that Maya knew the number “zero” long before it came to Europe}, its value is known, for it represents the essence of the beginning, the Logos. … In order to understand the sacred Hunab’Ku, the Only Giver of Movement and Measure, one must venerate the origin of the zero, the Milky Way, because it is there that the mold for the most ancient things was located” [App 4].
iii) This gives us a clear indication that Hunbatz Men, as a manin Tradition, apparently follows principally the same Cosmogony that is given in the Secret Doctrine and evidently separates the Creator (Hunab Ku) and His Creation (the Milky Way). Namely, these considerations show that Initiated Mayas (as the Secret Doctrine) had evidently distinguished, on the symbolical and conceptual levels, between Hunab Ku as the Demiurge (“”) and its “visible” image – the Milky Way, or manifestation of Hunab Ku (“G”).
At the same time “the circle of Heaven” was not only known to Mayas, but used as an attribute of Venus (See Para. 2.2.2) from where a Hierarchy of Creators had come to Earth.
2.1.6. In compliance with the Theosophical paradigm, Hunab Ku, as the Highest Hierarch for the elements of this Galaxy, “represented the gateway tootherGalaxies beyond our Sun” [App 4, pr. 2.3].
2.1.7. The manifested or physical nature of the Galaxy was also well-known to the Maya:
>br? i) Hunab Ku, according to the Maya, is also the Consciousness (viz. Creators) which organized all matter, from a “whirling disk”, into stars, planets and solar systems [App 4, pr. 2.3];
“In the earliest Hindu exoteric cosmogonies, it is not even the Demiurge who creates. For it is said in one of the Puranas that: "The great Architect of the World gives the first impulse to the rotatory motion of our planetary system by stepping in turn over each planet and body." It is this action "that causes each sphere to turn around itself, and all around the Sun." After which action, "it is the Brahmandica, the Solar and Lunar Pitris (the Dhyani-Chohans)" who take charge of their respective spheres (earths and planets), to the end of the Kalpa” [SD 1, 442]. (Note: in the Secret Doctrine the creation of the Galaxy is considered, but in outline.)
ii) They also believed that the "Creator" directs everything that happens in our Galaxy from its center through the emanation of periodic "Consciousness Energy" bursts [App 4, pr. 1].
iii) Today, modern astronomers have verified that at the center of our Galaxy is a “whirling disk” with a “Black Hole” at its center that is both swallowing and giving birth to stars [App 4, pr. 1].
There appears to be a convergence between what the Maya believed and understood and what modern scientists are discovering about our Galaxy today. One big difference is how modern physicists view and how the ancient Mayas viewed “Time”. Today, physicists view Time as being linear … In contrast, the Maya believed essentially that Time flows in a circle.There is a beginning and an end to things but there is a renewal at the end of the Time cycle. There is a “periodicity” to all manifested phenomena. The Mayan highly accurate Long Count Calendar is based on this precept. The Maya also believed that Time originates out of the Hunab Ku and is controlled by it [App 4, pr. 1].
2.1.8. It is very difficult to dismiss the Mayan Cosmology and Astronomy because they left extraordinary evidence that their "Time" keeping methodologies give extremely accurate results. Their pyramids like the one at Chichen-Itza in Mexico are precisely aligned to the the yearly Solstices and the Equinoxes that are caused by the precession of the Earth's axis as it orbits the Sun. The Pyramid of Kukulcan at Chichen-Itza is essentially a superb and highly accurate Time keeping devise that never fails to mark the yearly “Precession of the Equinoxes” [App 4, pr. 1].
2.1.9. The ancient Maya astronomers accurately predicted the Great Celestial Conjunction at the end of the present Long Cont cycle on December 21, 2012 when humanity will pass a point of bifurcation. On this day, according to the Mayas and subsequent Meso-American civilizations, the return of Kukulcan (Quetzalcoatl) will take place. By taking into account of Para. 2.2.2 and [Apps 2, 3], we can presume that apart from intensification of the Galactic influence (“Consciousness Energy” burst though the alignment of the TZ and SZ axes), our Venus Lords may probably exert their influence in an “unusual” way.
2.1.10. The physical reflection of the esoteric concept of rotation (of all worlds) on three levels of Hierarchy – Earth, Solar System, and Galaxy is seen in the basic planes – Equator, Ecliptic, and Galactic Equator; and namely these three planes define the XX-correlation and the GCC.
Resume
1. The essence of the Cosmology paradigm of Maya complies, in its main aspects, with the basic ideas of the Secret Doctrine (relative to Cosmogenesis) and astronomy (as to the structure of the Galaxy). 2. Therefore, as far as the Ancient Maya (Initiates, of course) followed the concepts of the Secret Doctrine, they should have to keep their esoteric knowledge secret; and with the recent evidences of Hunbatz Men, we obtain more grounds to affirm that the Ancient Maya had two forms of their teaching: the exoteric, which was exposed to everybody in stelae and codices, and the esoteric one, the full scope of which remains unknown to the modern world. 3. Hunab Ku is associated with engendering of the “whirlingdisk” of our Galaxy that is “governed” from its centre (Centre of the Galaxy) from which it produces the Consciousness Energy bursts. Along with the three levels of Hierachy, this structure defines the basic elements of XX-correlation and GCC. 4. According to Mayas, Time flows in a circle, originates out of the Hunab Ku, and inseparable from Space. This denotes that the cycles (or spirals) of Time must correspond to definite Heavenly bodies positions. Apart from presenting one more evidence to the authenticity of the concept of GCC, it also provides one more argument in favor of the Auric Time Scale [Pages 1-3]. 5. The evident geometrical images of these Maya concepts (, whirling disk, Centerof the Galaxy, unity of Time & Space, emanations from the centre, etc.) are integrated in the symbol of “Galactic Butterfly” (See Sec. 5).
2.2.Maya Cosmogony in Codices and Stelae Symbols
“Creation of the Earth-Sky is the central motif of Maya myth and religion. The Temple of the Cross at Palenque and other Classical inscriptions report the events of Creation, though in a condensed, sometimes cryptic manner. These sources do not always agree in detail {SS – from the existing point of view}. Nevertheless, they show a remarkable continuity in the Maya conception of the cosmos over two millennia of history” [http://members.shaw.ca/mjfinley/mainmaya.html].
Moreover, not only does this principal concept of Maya Cosmogony [App 2] reflect the ideas of the Secret Doctrine [App 3], but their symbols as well; in common, they present an exact esoteric system of astronomical knowledge. Although, these aspects of their knowledge are known to us, probably the only source for revealing the esoteric aspects of their knowledge resides in the oral tradition which, at present, is opened slightly by Hunbatz Men.
In compliance with the Secret Doctrine, The Maya believed that: “The creation of the present world, the world of humankind, was only one act in an eternal cycle of birth, death, and renewal. The cycles of the seasons and the stars in their courses are reflections of this cosmic dance. The events of Creation are writ in the sky”[http://members.shaw.ca/mjfinley/mainmaya.html].
Even the existing Maya codices show that they were well acquainted with the general structure and mechanics of the Solar system and Galaxy. In particular, they possessed the Ephemeris for Venus, Moon and Mars (the eclipse, Venus and Mars tables), as well as the numerical methods for correcting their astronomical tables. This is apart from the accumulating evidence that other astronomical information and cross-references are hidden in the existing codices.
The following review shows that there exists a close correspondence between the Old and New World systems of astronomical symbolism.
2.2.1. Ecliptic
The celestial bodies are often shown suspended from a “sky band” representing the Ecliptic, the path of the sun, moon, and planets through the heavens against the background of stars.
The Ecliptic is also represented by the two-headed reptile (or sky band), the front head of which is almost always marked with the Venus glyph, while the rear one – with a Sun sign. Moreover, in Maya languages, chan (sky) and kan(serpent) are homonyms.
Thus snakes or snake-bodied creatures are often sky symbols. For example:
- the Serpent bar representing the ecliptic forms the cross-piece of the Palenque "cross" or World Tree (Fig. 3);
- although no astronomical tables have been identified with certainty in the Madrid Codex, astronomical symbolism, Skybands and what are likely zodiac and eclipse symbols appear in many illustrations.
2.2.2. Earth, Venus, Orion and Pleiades
In Maya myth, Venus is the companion of the Sun, and Kukulkan is most closely associated with Venus and presents one of the Lords of the pantheon of Venus deities.
The Venus glyph is a four-pointed star (Cross). Standing alone (Fig. 1.a) it presents either Venus or a lesser "star." With a prefix “chak” it stands for “great star” (Fig. 1.b) and probably refers specifically to Venus; the latter symbol – a cross surrounded by four circles – comprises the elements of the known Venus symbol and resembles an eight-pointed star.
The “great star” symbol (in addition to a synopsis of the Crosses and Circles [Sp.1]) gives us one more important universal glyph : the point within the circle which represents not only the Sun (in carving it is impossible to make a “point”: this is seemingly the reason why these glyphs are presented as double circles). “… this first, or rather ONE, principle was called “the circle of Heaven” … the point being the LOGOS” [SD1, 426]. This gives us one more clue that Venus was honoured by the Mayas for Her Lords.
The great significance which the Maya pay to Venus corresponds with the significance the Secret Doctrine (App 3) pays to the Lords of this planet and explains the multitude of Venus gods as presenting Kumaras, Dhyan Chohans, etc.
A remarkable example of Mesoamerican understanding of the structure of the Solar System is seen in Fig. 2, where the 4 inner circles (inside the band of dots) stand for the visible inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) while the 5 outer circles – for the outer ones (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto). At the same time, the band of dots itself represents the Asteroid belt. This is a perfect representation of the Solar System! Also the left and right side of the picture is separated by a vertical band of 9 circles, representing the 9 planets of our Solar System, or the numerological concept of time.
Fig. 2. This is drawn from a seal. The “O” is the universal symbol of consciousness. The central cross is similar to what is known in the Americas as the Cross of Quetzalcoatl [Credit to: Share Int., 1997, V.16, N. 4]
The orientation of the crosses is also indicative as they are tilted from one depiction to the other. It may represent the rotating cross of the Tropical Zodiac (TZ), the equinox and solstice axis relative to the “stationary” Solar one (Look at the left cross in the center of the circles and compare it with the cross on the right).
In addition the crosses are also depicted in the corners. The cross in the upper right corner is rotated with respect to the cross on the lower left corner, for both halves of the picture. At this, the different angles may present not only the GCCs, but the 1/5 of the Platonic year – viz. the duration of the Long Count in units of the Precession.
Orion, as in the Secret Doctrine, is of great importance to the Maya. Thus, The "3 stones of Creation" and turtle (Fig. 1 of App 2) representing bright stars in Orion are the important symbols in Maya creation myths the symbolism of which resonate with the Old World ones. It is seen, for example, in Fig. 6 presenting the Egyptian Analogue of Izapan Stela 67.
The Pleiades, as in Egypt, were also honoured in Mesoamerica.
2.2.3. The World Tree, the Cross, and the Serpent
2.2.3.1. The World Tree. The World Tree (Figs. 3, 4, 8, 9; 1 – 8 of App 2) is the most pervasive Maya symbol of the creation and ordering of the world. It is the axis of the Earth-Sky which connects or rather associates the principal elements of the Galaxy: (i) the Galaxy itself (or its Hierarch, or Deity, being manifested by the Galactic Centre), as the system, (ii) the Solar System (or its Hierarch, or Deity, being manifested by the Sun) as the element of the Galaxy and (iii) the Earth as the element of the Solar System. Though other names are used for the upper levels, we can note that in the Secret Doctrine the “underworld” (or Avichi) is the earthy life itself: “earth is Avichi”. So, though exoterically they could speak about “Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld”, they had distinguished between the Milky Way and Ecliptic and, therefore, should not have united the physical Sun and Galaxy in a unit while placing the Globe and Spiritual Underworld in another two ones.
For this reason the three Cosmic Centres of Maya – Galactic Centre, Sun and Earth – mimic the same conventional astronomical and esoterical centres of influence which define the outer influence in the concept of XX-correlation and GCC.
2.2.3.2. The World Trees at Palenque. In the Temple of the Cross the World Tree is depicted (Fig. 3) as a symbol of the Milky Way (and, hence, the Galactic Equator). Through the centre of the “cross” runs a serpent bar, representing the Ecliptic (Figs. 2-4, 7, 8 of App 2). Together with the sky band(viz. Ecliptic) it also presents the Cross of the SZ. On the dates assigned to centering of the world at Creation of the present era, the Milky Way stands erect at dawn, running through the zenith from North to South. It becomes the axis of the heavens and, thus presents an analogue of the TZ and, thus, – XX-correlation by relating the SZ’s Cross with the orthogonal Sun-Earth planes.
As a symbol, the Serpent had as many aspects and occult meanings as the Tree itself [SD 1, 405]. Besides, the Cross and the Tree are identical and synonymous in symbolism [SD 2, 588]. These keys allow us to reveal other meanings of these symbols.
The Tablet of the Crossillustrates theWorld Tree,which connects Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld. It is flanked by the Palenque Ruler Chan Balam (right), who dedicated the Temples of the Cross group in 690 AD, and his father, the greatest of Palenque Kings, Pakal. Theglypic texttells of the birth of First Mother and First Father, and the “raising of the sky” by First Father, the Maize God Hun-Nal-Ye.
Drawing from Schele, Maya Cosmos
Fig. 3. The Tablet of the Cross [credit to: http://members.shaw.ca/mjfinley/palenquecross.html]
The Symbol for Sacred and Secret Knowledge was universally in antiquity a Tree, by which a Scripture or a Record was also meant (e.g. the Tree of Knowledge is the esoteric or Secret Doctrine [SD 2, 202]). Hence … the "Dragons (or Serpents)," symbols of wisdom, who guard the Trees of Knowledge.
So, the collective name “World Tree” assigned now to all New World Trees is the same Old World’s “Tree of the Knowledge of the Good and the Evil [that] grows from the roots of the Tree of Life”.
2.2.3.3. The Celestial Bird. Both World Trees at Palenque (Figs. 7, 8 of App 2) are crowned with the Celestial Birds. Their position over these Crosses complies fully with the meaning the Secret Doctrine denotes to this symbol:
“Examine the Mexican MSS (Add. MSS. Brit. Mus. 9789); you will find in it a tree whose trunk is covered with ten fruits ready to be plucked by a male and female, one on each side of it, while from the top of the trunk two branches shoot horizontally to the right and left, thus forming a perfect (Tau), the ends of the two branches, moreover, each bearing a triple bunch, with a bird – the birdof immortality, Atman or the divine Spirit – sitting between the two, and thus making the seventh. This represents the same idea as the Sephirothal Tree, ten in all, yet, when separated from its upper triad, leaving Seven. These are the celestial fruits, the ten or , 10, born out of the two invisible male and female seeds, making up the 12, or the Dodecahedron of the Universe ...” [SD 2, 35-36].
So, as the universal symbol for the divine Spirit is the circle, then these crosses evidently present the sacred Ankh , or Venus (See [Sp. 1]).
2.2.3.4. The Serpent: this symbol is one of the most ancient … and the general association of the Serpent with the tree … the "Serpent" and "Dragon" were the names given to the "Wise Ones," the initiated adepts of olden times. … that is why the earliest Initiates and Adepts, or the “Wise Men,” for whom it is claimed that they were initiated into the mysteries of nature by the UNIVERSAL MIND, represented by the highest angels, were named the “Serpents of Wisdom” and “Dragons”… ”. The Nagas of the Hindu and Tibetan adepts were human Nagas (Serpents), not reptiles. Moreover, the Serpent has ever been the type of consecutive or serial rejuvenation, of IMMORTALITY and TIME [SD 1, 404].
The same concept is seen in the New World: “Some of the descendants of the primitive Nagas, the Serpents of Wisdom, peopled America, when its continent arose during the palmy days of the great Atlantis, (America being the Patala or Antipodes of Jambu-Dwipa, not of Bharata-Varsha). Otherwise, whence the traditions and legends – the latter always more true than history, as says Augustin Thierry – and even the identity in the names of certain "medicine men" and priests, who exist to this day in Mexico? We shall have to say something of the Nargals and the Nagals and also of Nagalism, called "devil-worship" by the Missionaries” [SD 2, 182].
… Everywhere the sacred serpent, the naga, and its shrine and its priest …; in Rome … In Greece … The Cainites and the Ophites call it Creator … one should also visit … the Voodoos of Port-au-Prince and Jamaica, the Nagals of Mexico, and the Pa, or men-serpents of China, etc… [SD 2, 209].
Such similarity (between the Indian Nagas and the American Nagals) cannot be attributed to coincidence. And now it may be hoped the full meaning of the serpent emblem is proven. It is neither that of evil, nor, least of all, that of the devil; but is, indeed, the (“the eternal Sun-Abrasax”), the Central Spiritual Sun [SD 2, 214].
2.2.3.5. Two Serpents. The trunk of the Asvattha (the tree of Life andBeing, the ROD of the Caduceus) grows from and descends at every Beginning … The two Serpents, the ever-living and its illusion (Spirit and Matter) whose two heads grow from the one head between the wings, descend along the trunk, interlaced in close embrace (Fig. 1 of App 3).
Note, that this concept is clearly seen in the two-headed Cosmic Creature (Fig. 2 of App 2), the heads of which are presented by our Principal Lords – the Spiritual Sun and Venus.
But the symbol of Tree stands not only for the Space: “…among the luxuriant branches of all those mundane trees, the "Serpent" dwells. But while the Macroscosmic tree is the Serpent of Eternity and of absolute Wisdom itself, those who dwell in the Microcosmic tree are the Serpents of the manifested Wisdom. One is the One and All; the others are its reflected parts. The “tree” is man himself, of course, and the Serpents dwelling in each, the conscious Manas, the connecting link between Spirit and Matter, heaven and earth” [SD 2, 98].
Explicitly, this correlation of the World Tree and two serpents with the Earth and mankind we see in the Selden Codex (Fig. 4), where the mythological birth of humanity shows archetypal Man emerging from the SacredTree (Compare with Fig. 1 of App 3). The two serpents represent Spirit and Matter (or good and evil) – the duality of existence, or the two poles of the same homogeneous substance, the root-principle of the universe.
Fig. 4. World Tree from the Selden Codex
[Credit to: Share Int., 1997, V.16, N. 4]
2.2.4. The Cosmic Canoe, the Ankh, the Crocodile
Stela 67 (Fig. 5) is similar to Stelae 11 (Fig. 7.a) and 22 (Fig. 7.b). As the Deity sits in the middle of a cosmic canoe representing the Milky Way, we have to consider Him to be the Hierarch of the Galaxy (Demiurge) that is manifested by the Galactic Centre as the Central Spiritual Sun of the Solar system is substituted by the visible Sun. Hence, with His outstretched arms He produces the Greater Cross that can thus be related to the cardinal axes of SZ, whereas the Crosses in His arms to – to the axes of TZ (each of them is a cross between the 4-pointed cross and Ankh, or primeval Swastika).
By taking into account the ballcourt’s orientation [App 2, pr.3.2], this image reflects the idea of GCC.
We find a similar symbology with the Egyptians. In the “Orion Mystery” by Gilbert and Bauval we find a picture of Osiris standing erect in a barque on the Milky Way river, stretching ONE hand horizontally with the Ankh [Sp. 1] in his hand (Fig. 6).
Stela 22 (Fig. 7.b) has much in common [App 2, pr.3.2] with Stela 67 (4-point cross and the Deity in a canoe) and the World Tree (twoserpents, skydragon or PrincipalBirdDeity); these elements, once again, mimic the considered world-wide esoteric symbols. A new topic here is the serpent headed rope that suspends the canoe over the waters and a parallel serpent rope which mimics “the Spirit over the Waters” (See Sec. 5).
Stela 11 (Fig. 7.a) presents the same figure on the background of the curly cross, only two arms of which are seen; we may suggest that it is a fragment of full 8-pointed cross, the curly ends of which represent the binary nature of the higher influence, the Spirit-Matter, or rather the two ways how this Higher energy could be accepted (for good and for evil) - and, thus two different ways: evolution and involution with respect to our behaviour. These elements we see, once again, in the symbol of Galactic Butterfly (See Sec. 5).
Crocodile. The Crocodile (Dragon) – is one more “international” [Sp 1] glyph which is found among the Maya Creation symbols; e.g. in stela 25 (Fig. 9 of App 2).
To this end notice the following:
- the North Pole of Ecliptic is allocated (Fig. 3 of [1]) in the centre of the constellation Draco which defines the positions of the axes of the SZ and TZ;
- … It becomes the task of the fifth Hierarchy – the mysterious beings that preside over the constellation Capricornus, Makara, or “Crocodile” in India as in Egypt – to inform the empty and ethereal animal form and make of it the Rational Man. This is one of those subjects upon which very little may be said to the general public. It is a MYSTERY, truly, but only to him who is prepared to reject the existence of intellectual and conscious spiritual Beings in the Universe… [SD 1, 233]. The Logoi of all countries and religions … had the aquatic animals and plants sacred to them, the ibis, the swan, the goose, the crocodile, and the lotus [SD 1, 353];
- the Origin (0° degree point) of the Tropical Capricorn defines the Solstice axis of TZ and, at the GCC, the Equinox axis of the SZ.
2.2.5. 4- and 8-pointed Crosses
The following review shows that apart from the above considered indications there exists a closecorrespondence between The Cross and World Tree [Ap.2] on the one hand, and the 4- and 8-pointedCrosses of the GCC and XX-correlation on the other hand.
Long before European Christianity reached the Americas the sacred tree and the cross were widely known there. Thus the Maya World Tree rose in the centre of the Earth-Sky. About this centre, the cosmos was divided into four quarters, each oriented to one of the cardinal points, and each associated with its own sacred tree (Fig. 8). Each quarter is divided in turn, creating eight partitions of the world. The trees at the cardinal points support the sky. (Notice, that this gives us a verbal description of the structure and cardinal axes of the TZ.)
Fig. 8.Madrid Codex. The 4 quarters/8 partitions of the world. (In Maya maps, east or west is at the top)
[Credit to: http://members.shaw.ca/mjfinley/mainmaya.html]
Even more clearly the 8-pointed Cross structure is seen on the first page of the Aztec Codex Fejérváry-Mayerin (Fig. 9).The General structure of this cross not only illustrates the concept of XX-correlation, but also reveals that the recurrent “renewal of the world” being specified by a smaller crosses placed in the sides of the greater cross takes place four times a “cycle” (viz. the Platonic year). This greater cross, due to its significance, presents the “immovable” (as specifying the centre of Space) cross of the SZ’s axes, whereas the diagonalcross – the axes of the TZ, which rotate (remember, that the world was considered by Mayas as rotating around its centre) around the former one. Besides, it is clearly seen that the centre of the greater cross (viz. the Galactic Centre) contains the source of influence that acts to the periphery, viz. – to the elements of the Galaxy.
On the other hand, the concept of XX-correlation in the form of the 8-pointed cross presenting a correlation of two 4-pointed crosses gives a reasonable explanation for the world tree emerging from the sacrificed body of the central Deity (Fig. 5 of App 2), as emerging of new “Suns” (viz. new “World orders”) at the successive points of bifurcation that are defined by the Great Celestial Conjunctions.
A similar structure associated with the Space is seen in the Hindu exoteric Pantheon: the guardian deities preside over the eight points of the compass – the four cardinal and the fourintermediate points.
Resume 2
1. The main symbols of Maya Cosmology comply, in their form and contents, with those described in the Secret Doctrine. These are various types of Crosses (the 4- and 8-pointed Crosses, The World Trees, Tau and Ankh) and Circles ( O, , , ), single and double serpents, Crocodile and the Celestial Bird, as well as complicate symbols such as cosmic canoe (over the) water, etc. 2. With the use of primal symbols Mayas accentuated the same Space objects as the Secret Doctrine – Sun, Venus, Orion, Pleiades, and even the three Cosmic Centres (Earth-Sun-Galactic Centre) which correspond to the Space Hierarchy. 3. The Ankh, as the synthesizing idea (the Celestial Bird over the Cross), is presented in both Palenque Crosses and other important Maya artifacts. By taking into account that this symbol also stands for Venus, these Crosses can be related to the Lords of Venus as well. 4. Moreover, Maya established the rank of Venus to a much higher level than those of other planets and made it actually equal to that of the Sun. This has no other explanation except that they paid the same obeisance to the Lords of Venus which the Secret Doctrine did with respect to their part in the evolution of humanity. 5. In Maya stelae and codices, as in their concepts, we see a clear reflection of the structures of the TZ and SZ, as well as concepts of XX-correlation and GCC, both in glyphs and conceptually.
3. Maya and Aztec World Ages
What is new in the Cosmogenesis of the Maya (which was not described in “The Secret Doctrine”) is the Maya calendar and the concept of evolution in the sequence of 13th baktun (5125-year) cycles and how it corresponds to new “worlds” or “Suns” at the end of each successive Long Count Cycle [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_Calendar]:
“The end of the 13th b'ak'tun is conjectured to have been of great significance to the Maya, but does not necessarily mark the end of the world according to their beliefs, but a new beginning or time of re-birth. According to the Popol Vuh, we are living in the fifth world … The Maya believed that the fifth world would end in catastrophe…”
The creation myths of most Mesoamerican peoples included the same idea of successive “ages”: according to the Aztec Legend of the Five Suns, the world will pass through five “suns” ruled by different solar deities. … In the centre of the famous Aztec sun stone (Fig. 6 of App 2) is Tonatiuh, Lord of the fifth sun. The pictographs about his face represent the four previous suns, and the way each ended: By wild animals, wind, fire, and flood. The glyph above the face, 4 Olin, "earth quake", names the current sun, which will end by earth quake. According to some scholars, each "sun" lasts 100 calendar rounds (5196 years) – nearly equivalent to a great cycle of the Maya Long Count, whereas five these cycles give a figure much closer to the “perfect” number 25920 – the harmonic duration of Platonic year [www.divinecosmos.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=145&Itemid=36], which provides indirect evidence of knowledge of precession and its harmonic keys.
By taking into account that Kukulkan (viz. Quetzalcoatl) is associated with Venus (which is also presented by a 4- or 8-pointed Cross), and the meaning [App 3] of the Tree, Serpents (Dragons), and Lords of Venus for the evolution of the Earth, we clearly see that this symbolism corresponds to that of the SD and predicts the Divine Participation of the Lords of Venus in the processes that may take place on the Earth in this crucial point of bifurcation.
In a narrow sense, this means that the current Long Count that expires on December 21, 2012 presents not only the termination of the current 5-millennia cycle, but – by taking into account the concept of the GCC – denotes the Origin of the Platonic year, since only once in five cycles of the Maya calendar the origins of these two types of cycle coincide!
In a broad sense, this concept correlates with the SD concept [App 3] relative to the Root Races and how the current Fifth will terminate its existence – in a quake, as the preceding Fourth Race in the flood.
Resume 3
1. The creation myths of Maya and Aztecs include the same idea of successive“ages”. And it is very important that the end of the current, fifth, cycle coincides with the current Great Celestial Conjunction of our present time. This means that the current historical epoch, 1998 +/- 19.5 (yr) [1], presents the Origin of the Platonic year (P.y.), since it is the only epoch in the 26 000 yr Precession period when the GCC (that is caused by the Precession and takes place 4 times a P.y.) coincides with the origin of the Long Count (which repeats concurrently, taking 5 cycles to cover the P.y.). The resonance caused by the coincidence of the bifurcation points of these two cycles explains why the current age of 1998 – 2012 is so important for the Earth: the bifurcation epoch of 2012 may sum up the activity of mankind over the preceding 5 millennia, or even the Platonic year. 2. The correlation between the Secret Doctrine’s Root Races history and Maya concepts relative to the cyclic nature of Evolution allows us to presume that the Mesoamerican “Suns” stand for the Root Races, but, in a fractal manner, can present the Long count cycles as well. 3. Though we cannot say definitely how events will develop around December 21, 2012, the depth of the Maya’s ancient knowledge allows us to accept their Long Count as the actual cycle that was not revealed in the Secret Doctrine (the Doctrine does not reveal all the cycles intentionally, but at the end of the XIX century Helen Blavatsky warned that the XX century would bring very important events for humanity and could even place mankind on the brink of existence). If so, the “new world” should start. However, as far as the current governments do not show any intention to transform the world order with respect to the Laws of Karma, they will be compelled to do so by the Forces directed by the Earth’s and involved Higher Hierarchies including the Lords of Venus.
4. Hunbatz Men Evidences as to Time & Space and Number 7
The following extracts give one more evidence that apart from the written and carved exoteric artefacts there still exists an esoteric verbal tradition among the Mayas. Though we do not know the details of its veiled concepts and symbols, even the published ones show the systematic and close correlation with those of the Secret Doctrine.
Modern Maya DaykeeperHunbatzMentells of an ancient confederation of Native American elders made up of representatives from Nicaragua to the Arctic Circle. They have been meeting for thousands of years and continue to do so today. Before the Spaniards camethe confederation decidedtohidetheMayanteachings, entrusting certain families with their care. Hunbatz Men is an inheritor of that lineage. In his book Secrets of Mayan Science/Religion, he reveals teachings that mirror the Hindu and Buddhist ones of astrology, meditation, and the centenary root of creation [Share Int., 1997, V.16, N. 4].
He speaks of Kukulcan and Quetzalcoatl, not so much in light of an expected return, but rather in terms of the possibility that each of us can attain the same exalted stage by treading the path of attaining knowledge. “To be Quetzalcoatl or Kukulcan is to know the seven forces that govern our body – not only know them but also usethem and understand their intimate relationship with natural and cosmiclaws. We must comprehend the long and shortcycles and the solarlaws {these are evidently the Solar cycles: See [1] as to the Solar cycles in the SecretDoctrine, [Pages 2, 4] as to their properties, and [Page 7] as to how they are reflected in the Great Pyramid at Giza} that sustain our lives. We must know how to die, and how to be born” [Share Int., 1997 (V.16), N. 4].
Now add to this the following verse from the Esoteric volumes: "Space and Time are one. Space and Time are nameless, for they are the incognizable THAT, which can be sensed only through its seven rays – which are the Seven Creations, the Seven Worlds, the Seven Laws," etc., etc., etc. …[SD 2, 611]
“Seven seems to have been the sacred number par excellence among all civilised nations of antiquity” [3]
“…Speaking of the prevalence of seven as a mystic number, among the inhabitants of the "Western continent" (of America), he adds that it is not less remarkable. For:
It frequently occurs in the Popul-vuh . . . we find it besides in the seven families said by Sahagun and Clavigero to have accompanied the mystical personage named Votan, the reputed founder of the great city of Nachan, identified by some with Palenque. In the seven caves from which the ancestors of the Nahuatl are reported to have emerged. In the seven cities of Cibola, described by Coronado and Niza. ... In the seven Antilles; in the seven heroes who, we are told, escaped the Deluge …
The explanation of it becomes evident when one examines the ancientSymbols: all these are based upon and start from the figures given from the Archaic Manuscript in the proem of Book I. , the symbol of evolution and fall into generation or matter, is reflected in the old Mexican sculptures or paintings, as it is in the Kabalistic Sephiroth, and the Egyptian Tau” [SD 2, 35-36].
Resume 4
1. The existence of the same symbols and concepts in the neighboring cultures (Secs. 2-4; Apps 2, 4) that correspond to those of India and Egypt gives us one more forcible argument for accepting Hunbatz Men’s evidences; in particular – to the existence of the universal ancient esoteric knowledge and communications between the native American Initiates. 2. To a full degree, this Ancient Knowledge at present is associated, first of all, with the Mayan teachings, though it is reflected in Aztec and other Mesoamerican cultures and closely corresponds to the ideas of the Secret Doctrine. However, to a large extent the Maya tinge of this Knowledge is still kept secret from the modern science and mass media, but verbally, or, probably with the help of the secret codices, is transferred through the Initiates. 3. Therefore, the esoteric symbols and concepts of the Maya Teaching present a reflection of the universal knowledge that trancended into (and seemingly have emerged in) neighbouring cultures.
5. What Does the Galactic Butterfly Stand For?
5.1. The Mysterious “Galactic Butterfly”
Though the origination of the symbol (Fig. 10) which the indigenous people call “the Galactic Butterfly” is unknown and it has not been found among the Mayan artefacts, it is widely used throughout the world for the Maya glyph of the Higher Consciousness or Galactic Centre under the name of Hunab Ku [App 4]. For this reason, since the validity of the latter correlations is not proven, we will use for this symbol the former name (GB – for short); the more so that this name is evidently chosen not at random. Indeed, compare the following concepts:
“Butterflies are seen [in Mesoamerica] as ancestors returning for a visit to physicality [App 4];
“For the Scarabaeus … has thus been made a symbol and an emblem of human life and of the successive becomings of man… This mystical symbol shows plainly that the Egyptians believed in reincarnation … and existences of the Immortal entity. Being, however, an esoteric doctrine, revealed only during the mysteries by the priest-hierophants … itwaskept secret” [SD 2, 552].
GBC GBR Fig. 10.Galactic Butterfly in Circular (GBC) and Rectangular (GBR) presentations
However, although the mishmash with the “formal” correlates for the GB to some extent is explained [App 4], these discussions have not yet revealed the origin of this symbol (unless we would actually attribute its origination to a spontaneous weaver’s fancy-work pattern); neither have they explained the phenomenon of its wide spread occurrence in the “New Age” circles. Indeed:
- it is not proved that this composite, obviously esoterical symbol, the GB, was invented by Aztecs;
- we cannot reject the possibility that the GB was known at least to Maya Initiates and used by them for esoteric purposes, but unknown for plain men or prohibited for use due to its divinity;
- we cannot reject the possibility that Aztecs, as a younger culture, has inherited this symbol from Maya Initiates (Sec. 4) or some other source “as part of Mesoamerica, the ancient Maya were influenced by, and in turn influenced, their neighbouring cultures … So, though there could have been cross-over of symbology in this case, (and definitely was in other cases…)” [App 4].
That is why by allowing for these premises we are going to find the answers to the following questions:
What is the meaning of the composite symbol GB considering the related Maya concepts and symbols?
Whether this symbol was known to the Maya?
What object this symbol was attributed to?
5.2. The Graphical Structure of the GB
The principal significance the Galactic Butterfly symbol presents to us is its structure and “international” cosmogeneous and evolutionary elements of which it is composed. With this in mind we can propose the following interpretation of the GB:
1. The 8-point cross consistingof two different 4-point crosses:
- the upright cross, as in the World Trees, presents the cross of the SZ, whereas its curly ends denote the Galactic Energy of dual, Spirit-Matter, nature which comes to the Earth through the TZ-filter and can be accepted here, on the Earth, both for good and for evil;
- the inclined cross, as the smaller crosses in the World Trees, presents the cross of the TZ which, as the prism, splits the Galactic rays.
2. The Central point – the presence of which could be concluded both from the convergence of two spirals and from the fact that the inclined cross sides increase their width as moving away from the centre of the symbol as it must be with a beam, – which repeats the Central point of the “circle of Heaven” [App 3, pr. 2] and thus presents the Creator of this Universe.
On the physical (viz. manifested) level, it presents the Core of the Galaxy, or the Galactic Centre.
3. Two spirals as the principal two Auric series (spirals) of the Auric Time Scale [Page 1] that converge to the point, or develop from the point – with respect to what phenomenon we consider (evolution, periods, etc.) and reflect the system of periods in nature and society [Page 2] or Evolutional Time [Page 3].
They also reflect the idea that the manifested Galaxy, or Milky Way, presents the “whirling disk”.
Besides, the Maya belief that Time flows in a circle, or rather in a spiral, is close to the Theosophic concept that “[Builders]…work in cycles and on a strictly geometrical and mathematical scale of progression” [SD 2, 732].
Once again, these two interlaced spirals show duality of the Galactic Energy.
Moreover, each spiral reflects the Maya symbol “G” that is associated with the Milky Way.
Even at this point we see that the GB clearly describes the transfer of the Galactic Core energies in Space in cyclic spiral of Time. These crosses, spirals, and other mentioned elements denote the fundamental esoteric analogues. In particular, the combination of “G” symbol (Serpent), Milky Way (Water Depth) and Spirals (whirling motion) mimics the Ancient Mystery [Ap. 3] of Narayana (the mover on the Waters of Space) and Fohat that sets in {a spiral} motion the primordial World-germs,
4. The circular and rectangular versions of the GB.
The circular (GBC) presentation of this symbol reflects the “circle of Heaven” and Maya symbol “O” for the Milky Way. Besides, the GBC’s structure reflects a circle in which inscribed but the inclined square presenting a symbol for Hunab Ku (Para. 2.1.5).
On the contrary, the rectangular (GBR) presentation of this symbol is lacking for this esoteric perfection (though even in this case we see a square – perimeter of the spirals – within a circle of the envelope of spirals), but evidently more convenient for fabrication. In more detail, this aspect of the symbol GB is considered below in the context of the Aztec culture.
5. The Galactic Butterfly as analogue of the Swastika.
The Swastica is certainly one of the oldest symbols of the Ancient Races [SD 2, 556].
There was a time, when the Eastern symbol of the Cross and Circle, the Swastica, was universally adopted … One finds it with the old Peruvians,… in the catacombs of the New world, [SD 2, 585].
Few world-symbols are more pregnant with real occult meaning than the Swastica… It is the emblem of the activity of Fohat, of the continual revolution of the "wheels," and of the Four Elements, the "Sacred Four," in their mystical, and not alone in their cosmical meaning … One initiated into the mysteries of the meaning of the Swastica … can trace on it, with mathematical precision, the evolutionofKosmos …[SD 2, 587].
“The great Architect of the World gives the first impulse to the rotatorymotion of our planetary system by stepping in turn over each planet and body”. It is this action “that causes each sphere to turn around itself, and all around the Sun” [SD 1, 442].
From the beginning of man's inheritance, from the first appearance of the architects of the globe he lives in, the unrevealed Deity was recognised and considered under its only philosophical aspect – universalmotion, the thrillof the creative Breath in Nature [SD 1, 2].
“Among different tribes the swastika carried various meanings. To the Hopi it represented the wandering Hopi clan; to the Navajo it was one symbol for a whirling winds (tsil no'oli'), a sacred image representing a legend that was used in healing rituals (after learning of the Nazi mimic "whirling winds" the Navajo rejected the symbol).”[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika]
Notice also, that the entwined spirals that we find in the GB and the Swastika also represent the equivalent of the Tao symbol of Yin (female, centripetal) and Yang (male, centrifugal) energies.
So, we can conclude that: 1. The Swastika was known in the New World, at least to one of the most developed civilizations – to the Maya. 2. The general design of the GB presents the Swastika in several aspects:
- as the pair of right and left swastikas: if we divide each pair the curly arms respectively;
- as the spiralsthemselves: as the swastika presents the intersection of two lines with the bent end, so the two spirals that originate from the same origin. 3. All the above presented Theosophical concepts related to swastika are also applied to the symbol GB.
So, the profound symbolism of the Graphical Structure of the Symbol GB leaves us the least chance that it was “created” by the Aztec weavers as a mantle pattern for a doubtful festival not long before the invasion of the Spaniards. The more so since these “whirling winds” and the accompanying elements reflect the existing astronomical concepts and new discoveries (e.g. torsion waves) [App 4, Sec 1].
5.3. The Origin of the Symbol GB
A. The rectangular design of the GB is found in the Aztec Codex Magliabecchiano;.Hoopes went on to find that the codex shows variations of the rectangular design, and says they are "mantas" - mantles or ritual cloaks that were used in festivals - in particular, the festival of lip plugs [Ap. 4].
B. There is another name for the symbol GB that was found in the codices – the “tocalatl” (spider water). However, Elisabeth Hill Boone conjectures that teçacatl (lip plug) was misread by a scribe into tocalatl (spider water).
On these grounds it was resumed that the symbol GB was originally a rectangular symbol used by the Aztecs as a ritual cloak design, known as the Mantle of Lip Plugs. The symbol survives as a rug design being sold in central Mexico. J.Arguelles popularised the association of this symbol with HunabKu in 1987, and changed the symbol to a circular one [Ap. 4].
Consider more attentively the premises that led to this conclusion [Ap. 4].
5.3.1. The Symbol GB and Codex Magliabecchiano
As to the Aztec Codex Magliabecchiano we have three questions: 1. Whether the Aztecs had invented the symbol of the GB themselves? 2. Can we expect to find even an exoteric, but Aztec-composed (viz. non-distorted by an outer influence) description of a ritual object (as it was primarily a religious document) in this Codex? 3. If this is primarily a religious document, then for what purpose does it describe a handicraft pattern ?
Our answers are as follows. 1. Take into account a relatively short (about two centuries) history of the Aztec Empire, its decentralized structure and low level of Aztec writing system [App 4]
On the contrary:
Part of the Aztec’s education involved learning a collection of sayings, called huēhuetlàtolli ("sayings of the old"), that embodied the Aztecs' ideals, most of which seemed to have evolved over severalcenturies, predating the Aztecs and most likely adopted from other Nahua cultures.
The Mexicas borrowed much of their culture from the ancient Toltec;To the Mexicas, the Toltecs were the originators ofall culture.
The Aztecs also admired the Mixtec codices, so some of them were made to order by Mixteca for the Aztecs. Aztec women even started to wear Mixtec clothing.
Besides, the Codex Magliabechiano is based on an earlier unknown codex.
So, if the symbol GB presents an artefact of esoteric knowledge, it can hardly be assumed that it was “designed” by this more than young and heterogeneous mixture of separate tribes.
2. Take into account that the Post-conquest codices were painted by Aztec tlacuilos (codex creators), but under control of Spanish authorities. Codex Magliabechiano is one of them: it was created during the mid-16th century, in the early Spanish colonial period. Based on an earlier unknown codex, the Codex Magliabechiano is primarily a religious document, depicting … the 52-year cycle, various deities, indigenous religious rites, costumes, and cosmological beliefs.
Meanwhile, the pre-Columbian codices differ from European codices in that they are largely pictorial; they were not meant to symbolize spoken or written narratives. There are few extant Aztec codices created before the conquest and these are largely ritual texts.
For these reasons it becomes almost impossible to suggest that the Spaniards, or more exactly the Catholic authorities had allowed to narrate in it the actual New World Theology which they systematically tore up by the roots; instead, it is more natural to assume that the Spanish censors were trying to depreciate the religious concepts; the best way for this is to transform them into jolly festivals; this is the old political cabal: If you cannot prevail some process – head it! Probably the same situation we were observing in the former USSR, were the religious holidays were transformed into official festivals.
Thus, it was prohibited (under various penalties) to celebrate Christmas; in particular, to install a Christmas tree. But many people secretly did this. After then, the authorities established the New Year holiday (which is close to Christmas) that became (and still remains) the most popular festival. So, should we conclude from the Soviet artefacts that the decorated fir originates from the New year festival?
Another example. With the aim to suppress celebration of Easter, Soviet police did not allow the youth to enter the churches at the Easter Night; at daytime, for diverging people from attending the churches it was settled the official (and obligatory for attendance) holiday of labour called the “Lenin’s voskresnik” (viz. “volunteer” Sunday work) that was timed not to the adjacent Lenin’s birthday, but to the current day of Easter; without the “honourable” Lenin’s name it was also timed to other Sundays and Saturdays (as “subbotniks” – “volunteer” Saturday work), but these were not the festivals, simply a “volunteer” work. The Lenin’s voskresnik was always organized so that music was heard throughout the cities and houses, streets were decorated with flags, mobile shops were opened on the streets (it was important due to a shortage of foods in official shops) and it was encouraged that the “volunteer” work (mostly – cleaning the street and yards) to be ended with collective drinking. So, should we conclude from the Soviet artefacts that the day of Easter (as it defined astronomically) is a cleansing-drinking festival?
Thus, if the Spaniards forced Indians to adopt Christianity and forbad them to read and write, destroyed hundreds of books on astronomy, religion, and philosophy, and the friars condemned Maya hieroglyphic writing as the work of the devil, how should we have been convinced in the trustworthiness of the Maya and Aztec Codices that were primarily the religious documents, if all these post-Columbian documents were rigidly censored by the zealous Catholic officials that were bearing the full responsibility for any statement that remained in the issued Codex?
So, the codices that were composed under the rigid Catholic censorship, the Codex Magliabechiano among them, should not be considered as such which adequately reflect the religious and cosmogeneous concepts of New World peoples; moreover, we must presume that they are impregnated with various insinuations relative to these concepts.
3. For what purpose, other than for an allegory, does a religious (or ritual) document present a textile pattern of lip plugs or any other popular festival clothing? If so, something else should stand behind this symbol. At the same time, by allowing for paragraph 2 we cannot exclude a possibility that this symbol was intentionally or accidentally transformed from a circular to rectangular presentation; the more so as the Catholic authorities were well-acquainted [3] with the esotery.
As to the rug, mantle and Mexican blanket rectangular design several things could be said.
First, the household goods may reflect the esoteric symbols, but are not expected to represent the patterns for the latter.
Second, the Aztecs – the newcomers whose exoteric religion differed from Maya’s – could have started to pay less attention to the concealed sense of the GBC (if they obtained it from one of the preceding cultures) and, for this reason, they started to use it in their decorations and even simplified its graphic. In this case the rectangular form of a rug may reflect a preference of tradition relative to household goods. Besides, if you pay little attention to retaining of esoteric meaning, it becomes much simpler to damask a rectangular rather than a round rug. For instance, have you ever seen a round blanket or mantle, except of Hollywood?
These possibilities are quite probable. Look around: our days the young people wear the symbols of any kind and in any combination – the more complicated the better. In non English-speaking countries young people like to wear T-shorts with inscription in English; they frequently do not know (and do not have an interest to know) what it means. Why should we reject a similar possibility for the Aztecs who got in contact with a highly-developed civilization? The plain Egyptians did not know the secret of scarab and symbol , and do not know this until the present. As well, the plain Egyptians did not wear the cross or Ankh, though they were widely used by priests and depicted in frescos and carvings; afterwards, the Christians started to wear a cross and it was used to think that this symbol had appeared after Christ. And many plain men still think so until our days. A lot of examples of transferring and misuse of various kinds of symbols among the masses can be easily continued. Besides, we mustn’t forget the prolonged decline (since 820 AD) in the history of Maya and destructive invasion and enduring dictatorship of Spaniards.
Besides, why should we think that the plain Mexica (even the heirs of Mayas and Aztecs) are so well-educated in all these nice esoterical questions after a millennium of oblivion of rituals?
So, neither the rug design, nor the Codex Magliabecchiano itself provides us with the persuasive evidence that the symbol of GB was “composed” by Aztecs, the more so – by their weavers. On the contrary, the grounds exist to imply that it was borrowed by Aztecs from some other culture the esoteric knowledge of which was highly appreciated by Aztecs, and Mayas could be among them.
5.3.2. The “Spider Water” vs. the “Lip Plug”
As we do not see any important connection between the word combination “lip plug” and the geometry of symbol GB, consider the alternative the – “spider water”[App 5], the more so that it had actually been used in the document and it was very doubtful, that the scribe could make such a significant error in a codex: such document contained mainly the pictures and were thoroughly checked before issuing.
Thus, the original translation of the name of the symbol GB was “Spider Water” (not a “water spider” being definite type of spider). From a conventional point of view this is very strange combination of words if we are trying to make sense of it. But this is only true at first glance. Let us consider firstly the meaning of the concepts that stand behind these words, as it is said that:
“One has to learn the reason of a symbol before one depreciates it. The dual element of Air (where a spider lives) and Water is that of the ibis, swan, goose and pelican, of crocodiles and frogs, lotus flowers and water lilies, etc.; and the result is the choice of the most unseemly symbols among the modern as much as the ancient mystics” [SD 1, 358].
Notice, that though a spider is not an aquatic animal (even a water spider, that resides in an air bubble), but lives in the air, in this case we have for it the explicitly specified association with water.
5.3.2.1.Spider. In some way the considered situation presents a striking analogy with the Egyptian artefact – a scarab. Due to its form, the latter one stands for the cross , presenting the first and the earliest Egyptian Tau [Page 7]. That is why the Scarab was a cosmological symbol for the high priests, and a sacred beetle for profanes. Do you think the situation has changed in our days? When I was in Egypt last year, a native guide explained us in Karnak Temple how stupid the ancient Egyptians were: “they thought that the scarab moved the Sun along the sky, etc…”. But we know that in the New World the animal symbols were not less widely used in the esotery than in the Old World.
Firstly, spiders are unique from the numerologicalpoint of view: unlike the insects [App 5]with their three pairs of legs, the Spiders (as mites, scorpions)have four pairs of legs, 8 in total. Spiders' legs are segmented and each leg has 7 segments; Web-building spiders typically have 3 claws on the end of each leg. Unlike the insects with their large, compound eyes, most spiders have 8 simple eyes. This makes a spider the unique animal that mimics the 8 directions of the 8-pointed cross and bears the sacred numbers 3 and 7.
The spiders’ ability to molt and to grow a new leg (if they lose one) reflects the concepts of periodical change of the World Ages and indestructibility of Space-Time (or Spirit-Matter) and inviolability of the GCC cycles.
Most spiders are harmless to humans; moreover, they are our friends because they eat insects.
Spiders have piercing jaws (insects – chewing jaws).
5.3.2.2. Spider’s Web. The most known, or “traditional” is theSpiral orb web [App 5]. This framework has threads radiatingoutfrom the centre. Next, the spider will work from the edge of the web toward the centre laying down a spiral of sticky threads, as the paths of Fohat. Obviously, it reflects the structure of the Milky Way, as the structure of Zodiacs.
Some types of a spiders’ thread become stronger than a steel thread of the same diameter; this fact may emphasise the firmness of the Space Law.
The Funnel-Web Spider sitting in its funnel resembles the Black Hole in the Galactic Centre, as well as an Energy Tunnelthat opens when the two ZodiacscoincideforeffectingtheKarmiccorrectionsduring theGCC.
Cobwebsreflect the continuity of Time-Space.
Young spiders’ riding with the wind on long silk threads reminds us about the interaction of the worlds in this Galaxy. Even thewater spider living in a bubble of air held in the water gives us an example of multitude of forms of life.
Last, but not the least are the following evidences:
In the Mandukya Upanishad it is written, "As a spider throws out and retracts its web, as herbs spring up in the ground . . . so is the Universe derived from the undecaying one" (I. 1. 7). Brahma, as "the germ of unknown Darkness," is the material from which all evolves and develops "as the web from the spider, as foam from the water," etc. This is only graphic and true, if Brahma the "Creator" is, as a term, derived from the root brih, to increase or expand. Brahma "expands" and becomes the Universe woven out of his own substance. [ SD 1, 83].
5.3.2.3. Water. This is the universal symbol for matter (substance), Milky Way, Space, Primal Depth, etc. [Apps 2, 3] which we see throughout the Maya and Old World symbology. Besides, the second word in the term “tocalatl” (spider water) means not simply “water”, but presents the nameAtl of Aztec god of water.
5.3.3. Spider Water
Thus the term “Spider [over] Water” presents, but from the semantic and numerological grounds, the same meaning as the graphic image of the symbol GB – the Spirit which enlivens the Matter:
Narayana, the mover on the Waters of Space [SD 1, 7], or
Fohat that sets in a spiral motion the primordial World-germs [3], or
the Spirit of God [that] was hovering over the face of the waters [Genesis 1:2].
As in the World Trees, once again we see two pairs of four elements: 4 cycles of GCC defined by 8 elements (legs for Matter and eyes for Spirit).
“…The expanding and contracting of the Web – i.e., the world stuff or atoms – expresses here the pulsatory movement; for it is the regular contraction and expansion of the infinite and shoreless Ocean of that which we may call the noumenon of matter emanated by Swabhavat, which causes the universal vibration of atoms …” [SD 1, 84].
In other words, the “Spider Water”presents the allegoric concept (as it was used to do in Bible, Vedas, Egyptian papyri, hieroglyphs) that can be read in different ways – literally and symbolically:
The “Spider” (Galactic Centre) spins the “Web” (Zodiacs) over the “Water” (in the Eternal Time-Space), through which it, who sits in the centre of the web, (Demiurge, from the Galactic Centre) rules over its “world” (Galaxy) by sending the threads of his web (by exerting its Karmic Correction as Foxat or rays) or moving through the funnel web (coincidingaxes of TZ and SZ) and, at the successive moulting (at GCC), changes the appearance (transforms the worlds).
Even in a direct association the body of the “Spider” and its position on the web represent the galactic nucleus and the Galactic Centre (with a kind of “black hole” in the middle), and its legs – the spiral arms; thus - the structure of the Galaxy, whereas all over the world the element “Water” is associated with the Milky Way (“the great river in the sky”) and thus represents the infinitude of stars.
So, we can resume that the “Spider Water”presents allegorically the same concept which we see in the circular (and even rectangular) symbol of Galactic Butterfly. Moreover, both of these composite glyphs present not only symbols, but the excellent integrated image of Creation and the structure of the Galaxy including the concepts of periodical renovation in a form of GCC.
Resume 5
1. By allowing for the considered Maya concepts and symbols we can conclude that the composite symbol of Galactic Butterfly (in Circular presentation, GBC) reflects not a single concept, but an integrated image of Maya Cosmogony. 2. Most likely, the symbol GB was invented neither by Aztec weavers, nor by Aztec themselves, but inherited from Toltec or other nation. But due to the existence of Esoteric Tradition in that region in which the Mayas played an important part, we can conclude that the Initiate Maya knew it. In any case the GBR (and most likely the GBC as the original GB) can be accepted as the very important artefact pertaining to the Ancient New World Wisdom. 3. The Spider Water translation of the symbol GBC allegorically mimics the esoteric meaning of geometrical symbology of this composite glyph – the integrated image of Creation and the structure of the Galaxy including the concepts of periodical renovation in a form of GCC. On the contrary, as far as the reference to the Catholic-censored Codex in case with the GBR (GB in Rectangular presentation) is unsound, as well as the suggestion relative to the error of the scribe, nothing can be said in favour of the “lip plug” except a neutral thing that the image of GBR is used as the pattern by local weavers. However, it remains interesting to trace how this glyph became a symbol of the festival of lip plugs. 4. Apart from an integrated presentation of Maya Cosmogony with the use of the well-known “elementary” symbols such as cross and circle, the Galactic Butterfly contains the Spirals and two Swastikas, which rotate in the opposite directions. 5. The unification of all these universal sacred symbols in a single image of Creation and Existence of the Earth within the Galaxy makes the Galactic Butterfly a refined glyph and thus can explain the intuitive cause of the world-wide distribution of this masterpiece of the Ancient Wisdom.
So, the glyph of Galactic Butterfly presents not only the Milky Way as a whole (or integrally) as the symbol “G” does, but also its structure and principle of functioning (or differentially). For these reasons it can present a symbol for the manifested Hunab Ku as the Milky Way Galaxy. From this point of view Jose Arguelles has probably expressed his intuitive understanding of this symbol, or half-opened an esoteric item.
The considered attributes of the symbol GBC allow us to consider it as the most exhaustive glyph for the concepts of XX-correlation and GCC, whereas both its names (the Galactic Butterfly and Spider Water) – as the verbal symbols which reveal various attributes of the same Cosmogony
Acknowledgements
The authors express their deep gratitude to Geoff Stray, www.diagnosis2012.co.uk/, for critical analysis and information which, we hope, have allowed us to improve the results and to eliminate some mistakes.