Aztec & Mayan Religions

Lightkeeper · #1 (**permalink**) 22nd October 2006, 06:48 PM

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Aztecs and Mayas religion
Archaic cultures known only through archaeology form the common background of the main Mexican and Central American civilizations such as those of the Olmecs, Toltecs, Chichimecs, Aztecs and the various Maya peoples. On the other hand they are certain to have influenced each other in historic times. Both their archaic common background and their mutual influences in later times account for the numerous points of resemblance between their cultures and societies, the most striking resemblances being found in matters of religion. There exist of course great differences, or the need would never have been felt to study each of these civilizations separately. The large number of resemblances, however, justifies the fact that nearly a quarter of this short survey of the Aztec and Maya religions will be devoted to them.

Both religions distinguish between 'ancient' gods and 'younger' gods. In Central America the god of fire is invariably an ancient god. The Toltecs called him Huehueteotl (Old God). The Aztecs also considered the god of the travelling merchants, Yacatecuhtli (Lord of the Vanguard), an old god, probably because the ancestors of these merchants belonged to an indigenous population group. With the Maya peoples the original nature and agrarian deities were the ancient gods, whereas the gods they had adopted from the Toltects, like the great god Quetzalcoatl (Plumed Serpent), were the younger ones, who were more involved in the cosmic and socio-cultural aspects of their civilization.

In the religious as well as the social concept of the universe held by all Central American peoples there existed direct associations between space, time and colour, which have similar structures, but show slight variations from people to people. Taking the earth as the centre, they distinguished six cosmic directions: the four quarters of space, above (heaven) and below (the underworld). So, inclusive of the centre (the earth), there were seven divisions in cosmic space.

In fact each religious and each social system in Central America is found to have an order that is often a complicated elaboration of the system of four horizontal directions (the four quarters) and that of three vertical directions (the three cosmic layers). As the principle underlying this order was connected with a dualistic world view based on the man-woman opposition, the nations of Central America were able to find many interesting solutions for the organizational grouping of their deities, chiefs, priests, military leaders and other dignitaries, by arranging them in sets of four or three, representing either the fourfold or the tripartite system. Within each set of four, however, two members were always considered as closely connected, and in some instances even as a unit. This principle penetrated so deeply into Aztec society that the third child in a family of four children was called 'the middle one".

http://www.meta-religion.com/World_R..._and_mayas.htm

RunicSage · #2 (**permalink**) 22nd October 2006, 08:13 PM

They are interesting tribal beliefs and I have had the luck to study them in the past.

Also alot of Northern native Americans in what is known as California have similiar beliefs to the MesoAmericans making some believe that those cultures are related somehow.

Most people get locked up on the human sacrifice of ancient MesoAmerican culture ,but it is not the only relevance of that culture.

There is a wide range of interesting subjects and knowledge of those cultures if one studies it.

It is unfortunate though that those cultures are overshadowed by human sacrifice.

Carlos Castanada is prominent writer on Shamanism and spiritual ideals.

He happens to be a descendant of the Toltec culture if I am remembering right.

I think Carlos is a wonderful modern writer to get acquainted with MesoAmerican cultural beliefs.

Carlos is also a good read to study up on Shamanism.

Lightkeeper · #3 (**permalink**) 22nd October 2006, 08:25 PM

Have you noticed that we have a workshop going on Toltec Wisdom?
http://www.interfaithforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=132

I've always been fascinated by the likenesses in the Mayan and Aztec religions. Some like to believe that the lkeness were a result of early exploreres but I tend toward a universal consciousness. There are also similarities in the Egyptian religions. There are similarities in the burial mounds.

As for human sacrifice, wouldn't you think the human sacrifice of Jesus in Christianity was a bridge from actual sacrifice to a realization that it was actually an inner experience?

RunicSage · #4 (**permalink**) 22nd October 2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lightkeeper

Have you noticed that we have a workshop going on Toltec Wisdom?
http://www.interfaithforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=132

I've always been fascinated by the likenesses in the Mayan and Aztec religions. Some like to believe that the lkeness were a result of early exploreres but I tend toward a universal consciousness. There are also similarities in the Egyptian religions. There are similarities in the burial mounds.

As for human sacrifice, wouldn't you think the human sacrifice of Jesus in Christianity was a bridge from actual sacrifice to a realization that it was actually an inner experience?

Quote:

Have you noticed that we have a workshop going on Toltec Wisdom?
http://www.interfaithforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=132

I will have to check this out.

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I've always been fascinated by the likenesses in the Mayan and Aztec religions.

When the Aztecs migrated into the Yucatan there was still Mayans there so in all probable occurences the Aztecs borrowed alot from the Mayan remnants.

There are still Aztec and Mayan peoples left today.

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Some like to believe that the lkeness were a result of early exploreres but I tend toward a universal consciousness. There are also similarities in the Egyptian religions. There are similarities in the burial mounds.

There are many similarities everywhere.

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As for human sacrifice, wouldn't you think the human sacrifice of Jesus in Christianity was a bridge from actual sacrifice to a realization that it was actually an inner experience?

That sounds reasonable.

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