The Breath of Balam

Ay, sit close. The jungle has eyes and the night has a heartbeat. We speak now of Balam. The Jaguar.

The old ones tell us that the Jaguar is more than an animal of the earth. He is the keeper of the bridges. He walks between the world of the living and the world of the spirits with a silence that commands respect. He does not fear the dark because he is the dark.

To walk with the spirit of the Jaguar one must stop running from their shadows. True power need not roar to be felt. It is quiet. It is observant. It is the deep knowing in your gut that says move now or be still.

This is the silence we seek when the stones grow red. When the path ahead is obscured and you feel the weight of the unknown, do not tremble. Close your eyes. We call him into the steam of the Temazcal, where the air is thick and the ego has nowhere to hide. He is the guardian who walks through the fire of the underworld and returns unharmed. In the darkness of the lodge, he lends you his eyes so you can see your own truth. He lends you his courage so you can walk through your internal fires and emerge light.

You are never hunting alone. Whether you sit with us in the circle or find your stillness at home with the bitter heat of our cacao, the medicine is there to guide the way.

May your intuition be as sharp as the Jaguar’s tooth.

May you walk through the shadows with your head high and may you find the fierce power that sleeps within your own quiet heart.