OR, MY CHANCE AT SHRUGGING OFF PHOBIAS AND GETTING DARK AND DEEP.
Cenote, from the incorrect Spanish pronunciation of the Yucatan Mayan word ts’ono’ot (dzonot) or “well with water”. However these underground and sometimes over ground places (leading to the underground) were venerated magical and sacred sites used for ceremonies. Their Underworld was a place for death and life or xibalba, evoking the type of rebirth that I clumsily have tried to express, where you can grow your consciousness and overcome all the negative that has swamped your soul in the earthly realm. Where the Mayan Gods dwell.
I love you all, my naughty old birds out there, let’s get to some more happiness and actually bravery on my behalf, a harsh climb down into the bowels of the earth to a magical cave without fairies but a whole bunch of mystical energy. You’ll have to use your imagination a whole load as it was too surreal for belief, and didn’t tolerate photos well. The fancy pics I’ve seen have been heavily doctored and certainly taken with a better camera than my dirty old phone one. It’s better for you to imagine this small cavern complex and derive the same chills and fierce energy through words and imagination.
CENOTE ONE, CENOTE POOL UINIC.
After my initial euphoria of arrival in Homun I decided that I wanted to go to a very nearby rather neglected looking hole entrance that disguised the remarkable underworld secrets! I had been with another traveller to a popular but smaller swimming cenote with all the aquamarine water and safe stairs down to kinda cut my teeth and very nice it was too. We went first thing and it was empty and we pondered the acoustics and I found a rather worn down stalagmite to stand on like a goddess on a statue, a kind of Venus rising from the water. It was refreshing and atmospheric and a little different from the outdoor ones that I had experienced all over Mexico and although beautiful failed to rock my boat as after twenty minutes a large group of loud tourists in life jackets came in and absolutely ruined it for us.
Do I not understand fun? They seemed to love the screaming and squealing and splashing like morons. Their tour guide said that the one they had planned to go to was heaving and so they had changed their plan and were going to stay more than half an hour here instead. My friend and I dressed and ran. He also felt hysterical with it all. It was a terrible shock after our quiet amble down and arrival with nobody in sight, I was just really happy that we had gone early. As we walked back to the hostel after me finally purchasing a whole packet of fags rather than the loose ones they seem to mostly have available, he and I discussed this problem. It seemed it was very hit and miss and he had gone on one of Alephs three cenote night tours and had better luck with only one that was like out of Butlins or something. Also Aleph had explained the geology and history for the tiny group so it was worth doing. I shied away from the idea, it’s just not my bag, I whined, I like to go alone to have more of an adventure. He was also of that ilk but had run out of time. I however was planning on staying so I had free rein.
In fact this short sortie have proven to me that I didn’t want to go round in circles for more of the same, much like the pyramid climbers do. I was satisfied that I had seen enough of these magnificent but busy tourist traps, and I wanted a new special experience now that I had arrived in this sanctuary finally. I wanted special recourse with Mother Earth and the ancestors, in fact I needed a spiritual journey to reset my frayed spirit after a lot of disappointments this time in Mexico. Hopefully I would celestially at night be able to do so by stargazing but here was the perfect geological zone to search my soul in the Underworld.
SANTA MARIA CENOTE AND CAVES AND MY REBIRTH.
The next day I got up and left straight after breakfast to a back street cave that was in easy walking distance away from my new home. I was excited to go to this mysterious sounding place. I had chosen it randomly as I felt that it’s very simple description and a scanty amount of reviews revealed a rather neglected place and I was right. Nothing however led me to believe how amazing this experience was to be.
When I arrived I walked past two very angry barking dogs and went straight to the entrance in the lush, green back garden of what appeared to be someone’s house. This cool, verdant garden only showed its treasure with its very simple sign, and well, a dark hole. With just the five steps in the light it suddenly was pitch black and I could make out the steps ended and just a rocky floor on a relatively sharp gradient disappeared into the gloom. This was too dark for my little phone torch which did nothing further than about two metres and felt like the useless toy that it was. After me sneering at the head torches used by the more professional hikers I felt humbled and foolish. I could see nothing and was on a fools errand due to my stubbornness! I went back up and out into the garden again, but this time the owner came out and greeted me. She was delightful and after I had passed over the cash she equipped me with a waterproof torch and reassurances that I could make it down the very dodgy steep loose bouldered descent. I looked at her doubtfully for she had shone her torch down into the first part of the interior, it looked bloody hard to navigate. I gritted my teeth and she patiently showed my down.
When I say showed, she grabbed my arm and carefully placed me at each step that I should take. She was a darling and very patient. I was overly cautious as I had seen people all around sporting bandages and even plaster casts and was aware how clumsy I can be when I get distracted by things that excite me. Slowly, slowly catchee monkey! She was mystical with her explanations and her love of natures cycles exhibited in this small but lovely underworld. I was not disappointed.
Trust me it was a tricky descent especially as I was trying to concentrate on her explanation of the microcosm down there. The woman explained that some dubious shapes were indeed of jaguars and figures while pointing her light while I tried not to take a tumble. Also I was very aware of another wild cenote I had visited the day before had evidence of a freshly fallen section of roof, a tree had fallen along with it, its roots dragged from the side of what had appeared solid ground! Would this cave suddenly have a rockfall with me in it? I would have to allow the gods to decide I realised and continued.
The omnipresent bats here were evident in most of the separate caverns and the small plants were a direct effect of the seeds from their poos. Obviously only near the entrance where a little light filtered through and they were rather weedy specimens. As in all these cenotes stalactites and stalagmites were all around in various states of preservation due to bloody tourists no doubt. Certainly there was some graffiti which she clearly was furious about but as she explained small tours occasionally go in and the guides are less than scrupulous in their attention to their yobs.
Anyway, we finally made it to the base cave and she showed me what had looked like a filthy pool of water was in fact crystal clear and covered with a self forming layer of crystals like a thin film of ice. She told me to dip my hand in the water explaining that the distance the crystals floated from it showed how much energy you emitted. Hers had been a modest amount by she was extremely impressed by mine that dissipated into a large ring revealing the limpid water beneath. Of course I felt smug which is not good, but I have been working on my energy field for a long time now and I felt this a reward. There was also a smaller pool that she led me to that the crystals had built up to a think mineral health slush that you could rub on your body. I didn’t check with her what this mineral mixture was but like in most waters filtered through limestone and rocks you can be sure that they are very healthy for a weary body. She then left me in a magical way, disappearing to let me enjoy a swim and some meditation in the bowels of the earth in this amazing grotto. I was completely alone in this space buzzing with energy and when I swam with my little torch I even raised enough courage to go under a very low arch into another smaller cave with a high vaulted ceiling, again with its resting bats. I have never felt so solitary and close to my own essence in all my life. This very pure experience was an eye opener to my soul and what the universe has to give to you should you seek. It was a miracle.
The swim had been effortless and felt extremely cleansing in this mineral rich pool that people would no doubt spend a fortune on in a health spa of some kind. During the cleansing swim I only heard my breathing and the water splashing around me in an echo-like way. I cursed forgetting my underwater camera and not having goggles for this very unique experience, but hey, maybe it was better just to enjoy the time and not be fucking around with devices of some kind or other. I dressed again deep in thought and allowing more of the rush of energy to flood me.
As I meandered though the larger shallow lake again on my return I pondered my existence and mortality, I felt a deep serenity that I have never felt before and I doubt I will feel again, for this my friends I believe was my personal shift to the next level and a direct pineal gland communication or just enlightenment if you will.
When I arrived at where you could start to see the exterior sunlight I switched off my torch and went out into the light, my rebirth feeling complete. The dogs were completely quiet when I returned my torch, they knew. The lovely lady merely smiled knowingly, satisfied that this old bird had embraced the whole experience.
While walking back into town I felt lighter, I felt new and I felt I was in my next stage of advancement. You might sneer, I’d prefer it if you just experienced it and felt it for yourself, for indeed it does make you “far out”!
I’ll explain these amazing geological features and the theories as to their occurring, but I just want to leave you with the fact a very broken man from the hostel took my advice and went there and had a huge healing experience for himself which he was truly grateful and so was I.
Love and peace x
Old Bird Travels Solo! 