Popol Vuh 1

I'm posting excerpts of the Popol vuh, the Mayan Creation story, for my reasons why May 22 post. :) I'm using the Dennis Tedlock translated, 1996 copyright.


A prayer that daykeepers recite when they go to public shrines:

Make my guilt vanish, 
Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth;
do me a favor,
give me strength, give me courage
in my heart, in my head, 
since you are my mountain and my plain;
may there be no falsehood and no stain, 
and may this reading of the Popol Vuh
come out clear as dawn,
and may the sifting of ancient times 
be complete in my heart, in my head;
and make my guilt vanish
my grandmothers, grandfathers
and however many souls of the dead there may be
you who speak with the Heart of Sky and Earth,
may all of you together give strenght 
to the reading I have undertaken.

 

Popol Vuh!

Due to my penchant for celebrating all holidays, I am reading the Popol Vuh. The Popol Vuh is the Quiche’ Mayan creation story. (Mmm, primary sources! My inner nerd glows with that new-school supply feeling.)

I suggest you read primary sources, to form your own opinion, before everyone else tells you what to believe. My goal is to read the entire Bible, Qur’an, and Upanishads.

I’m starting with the Popol Vuh, because 2012 is fast approaching! According to the Mayans, that is when the world may end. The Mayans had multiple, complex, and overlapping calendrical traditions, about the universe dying and being reborn.

I am no expert yet, but I plan to share inspiring excerpts, or parts that resonate with other cultures, as it is still one of my main goals to show the similarities between arts and beliefs of distinct cultures. I welcome your comments!