Who has said we come to Earth to live? We only come to dance. We only come to dream.
—Nezahualcoyotl
I rise facing the sacred East direction with Tata Tonatiuh (Father Sun) on my face.
Ximolla, Ximolla, Ximolla, Ximolla. (Welcome.)
Nahuatl
TLAHUITZLAMPA QUETZALCOATL. Nimitztlahpaloliz. Nimitztlazcamatilia Chanehque Tlahuiztlampa. Tonatiuh quizaya yahuatzinco xochicuecuepoca. Hueyi ni calli Chipahuac campa ichan Quetzalcoatl. Tzotzona atecocoli. Ce.
Spanish
Yo te saludo. Yo te agradezco, cuidador, Tlahuitzlampa. El sol sale en la mañana cuando abren las flores. Esta grandiosa casa, de color blanco, donde vive Quetzalcoatl. Suenan los caracoles. Uno.
English
I greet you. I give you thanks, caretaker of the East, Tlahuitzlampa. The sun rises in the morning when the flowers open. This great house, the color white, where Quetzalcoatl lives. Sound the conch shells. One.
COMING FROM THE North direction of winter, out of the abyss of shadow work guided by Tezcatlipoca—the smoking mirror—we can be like a plantita peeking out from Madre Tierra, poquito a poquito. As we turn to face the East, Tata Tonatiuh teases us with his warmth, his light, and his energy like the turquoise waters of the ancient cenotes.
March brings the spring equinox and the time to celebrate nature’s rebirth by freeing oneself from anything that hinders progress. It is the time when days and nights are equal.
Spring equinox’s connection to the Mexhika New Year—as we welcome and receive Tata Tonatiuh—is one of renewal, honoring new beginnings, expressing hope, and planting seeds both symbolically and physically. It is a time to nurture the seeds that will nourish our bodies, as well as our spirits, hearts, minds, and futures. It is a time to leave the past behind and awaken to see the world with fresh eyes. Spring is the time of year when we focus on self-care while we care for Mother Earth. We take time to renew ourselves in our gardens, walk and hike in nature, celebrate life and the sweetness of all things blooming—including ourselves.
Take a moment to visualize the harvest you would like to reap:
“Creator, today, let me begin to plant the seeds that will yield me a prosperous harvest. Help me to be a diligent gardener when tending the garden of my life, removing all those things that do not nourish me along the path.”
Then carefully begin to plant the seeds that will manifest your vision. Remember to tend those seeds. They need to be fed, nourished, and protected from the intrusive weeds that will stunt their growth. A wise gardener tends their garden daily and removes anything that does not nourish it. Don't be afraid to remove weeds from the garden of your life. Although it is not always easy to completely remove them, you can remove the weeds from your garden with time, patience, and diligence.
One of the best ways to counteract hibernating in winter is to wake up early so that we can connect with nature and increase Creator’s energy in our lives. Rising to greet Father Sun, no matter how we feel, recharges us with the powerful healing rays and vibrations of the universe.
I am a night owl, and it’s difficult for me to rise in the mornings because my physical body struggles. However, after offering prayer and sacred smoke, and after receiving from the sun’s energy, my body feels better spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
I learned from my elders to honor Father Sun. In Curanderismo, we learn that our lives are interconnected not only with the moon’s cycles but also with the sun’s cycles; we learn the importance of getting enough sleep so we may rise early to greet the sun.
The sun is a symbol of the strength, light, and power of one’s own soul. Every morning since ancient times, Indigenous people and other ancient cultures have performed various rituals honoring the external sun, as it reflects the internal and eternal. Waking up before the sun and preparing to greet it is a wonderful way to connect with the light within ourselves. Connecting with our own light enables us to start to see and connect with the light within others—for others are only a reflection of our true selves. We are beings powered by solar energy.
