Transcending the Shadow

Florecer Mexico Retreat

 October 31-November 8th, 2023

 
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Facilitated by Pablo Hernandez, Héloïse Magnier, Florencia Fridman, with the support and guidance of Tata Límbano and others throughout the journey

 

How we Begin

We will open the with a Mayan ceremony with the Mayan elder and spiritual guide, Tata Límbano and his nanny wife Liz. Tata Límbano will be joining us for the whole retreat sharing his insight and wisdom throughout the experience.

Meet your Guides

  • Pablo Castro Hernandez

  • Héloïse Magnier

  • Florencia Fridman

  • Maya Guide Melquiades Martínez

  • Ajq'ij Tata Límbano Milpa

Join us to explore the sacred Mayan city of Toniná in the mystical region of Southern Mexico.

 
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About your Journey to Tonina

Imagine walking amongst one of the most important ancient Mayan stone cities in MesoAmerica. This trip is dedicated to deepen our connection with the Mayan culture, through its ancient temples, and elders of wisdom, and practices to support your overall wellbeing. The intention of this trip is to continue honoring ancient cultures while continuing to strengthen our spiritual path.

Tonina was part of the so-called "Classic" period (250-900 AD), the most impressive ancient Mayan period due to the high level of art and science developed. 


According to Pablo's theories, this Classic area of Toniná was one of the most important times in Mesoamerica due to the high level of shamanism reached. Getting to experience being in the heart of this land will activate a beautiful and profound energy that will surround and inspire us.

"Toniná" means "house of stone" in Maya-Tseltal. Although his real name was Popo' (a word that is still not well understood). Toniná has one of the tallest pyramids in Mesoamerica with an extremely beautiful landscape.

This city was ruled by the self-appointed “centipede” kings. The centipede was a sacred insect for the Mayan culture, which evoked the connection with the forces of darkness. For this reason, Toniná was probably a sacred space dedicated to working with the transmutation of the shadow. During this journey together, we will work with many sacred practices to assist us in balancing our work between our light and shadow.

 

Learn more about Toniná

Check out our recent open virtual cacao circle with Pablo where he goes in depth about Toniná + shares some details about the retreat

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Museum of Tonina

Archeological Visit

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Exploring San Cristóbal de Las Casas

What to expect during your time in this beautiful colonial city in the south of Mexico

  • A walk through the historic center; a visit to a Mayan textile cooperative.

  • A Temazcal, a traditional Mexican ceremony of well-being and purification of the soul, spirit and body.

  • A Mayan ceremony to open the trip with the Mayan elder and spiritual guide Tata Límbano and his nanny wife Liz. Tata Límbano will be joining us for the whole retreat sharing his insight and wisdom throughout the experience.

  • Héloïse will guide us in creating an altar of cempacúchitl flowers to honor the “day of the dead." We will also be enjoying a delicious traditional chocolate drink (vegan), made by her, and we will eat the traditional bread of this party (gluten and gluten free option).

  • A visit to a nearby community, Zinacantán, of the Maya-Tsotsil indigenous group, to observe how the Day of the Dead is celebrated by bringing flowers to the graves to honor the ancestors.

 

Exploring Tonina

What to expect during your journey through time in the sacred Mayan city of Toniná in the mystical region of Southern Mexico.

  • Cacao ceremony, we will connect with the sacred heart medicine of cacao while connecting deeply to the land and it's rich history.

  • Visit to the archaeological site and sacred temple of Tonina and archaeological museum of Tonia

  • Conference on Spiritual Archeology with Pablo Castro

  • Visit a waterfall sacred to the Maya-Tzeltal

  • Sacred rituals supporting the physical and energetic body

  • Closing Mayan ceremony with Tata Luis from the Maya-Tzeltal community

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Cleanse the spirit

A waterfall flowing over rocks into a pool of water surrounded by lush green trees

During our time together we will be connecting with beautiful and invigorating natural spaces, places that great peoples have been visiting for millennia, a chance to connect with the wisdom of the elements.

Meet Your Support Group

  • Florencia Fridman

    PROGRAM ASSISTANT + MEDIATOR

    Florencia, co-founder of Cacao Laboratory is a self-empowerment artist working with heart opening therapies involving holistic nutrition, ceremonial-grade Cacao, yoga, sound, and breath as instruments for transformation. Florencia works closely with Manari and the Sapara community in Ecuador.

  • Pablo Hernandez

    ARCHAEOLOGIST

    Pablo was born in Mexico. He is mainly an Archaeologist of the Mayan culture, but he is also a teacher of Capoeira Angola (Afro-Brazilian dance) and a singer-songwriter of medicine music. In the field of Archeology, he is very dedicated to hieroglyphic writing and the use of Cacao. With the guidance of Mayan spiritual teachers, he has been initiated into the practice of the Mayan "vapor bath" and the use of the Tzolk'in calendar. Because of his alternative theories, he works outside the universities, promoting his work at conferences, workshops, and also on trips to the Mayan pyramids. In his words: "the mission is to awaken the human spirit through ancestral wisdom, seeking that the Mayan past make our present flourish.

  • Héloïse Magnier

    SACRED FEMININE

    Héloïse is from the island of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean Sea. She always had a connection to animals and trees, such as Cacao. She studied Nutrition and Naturopathy in France.

    For the last 5 years, she has lived in Chiapas, Mexico, learning from Mayan spirituality and dedicating herself mainly to the rituals of Corporal Well-being and Sacred Femininity, seeking in it the union between body and spirit. In her own blood, her Héloïse carries the history of European and African cultures, and perhaps that is why she feels nomadic, with a passion for exploring lands to understand ancestral and feminine essences.

  • Melquiades Martínez

    MAYA GUIDE

    At the young age of 16, in 1997, his parents agreed with the archaeologist Juan Yadeun that he join the Toniná archaeological project as an assistant. His grandparents performed a ritual for him, asking that Melqui have permission to touch everything that was found with his hands.

    He learned to carry out archaeological excavations, and later learned about the restoration and restructuring of monumental architecture. He has also made reproductions of the exhibit pieces on the site. He also worked for a week as a drawing assistant alongside the famous archaeologist Ian Graham at the Toniná museum. He worked as the site manager of the Toniná archaeological project from 2000 to 2018. He worked with other archaeologists such as Margarita Espinosa or Carlos Payan. Recently, he joined the team of archaeologist Martha Cuevas, Ángel Sánchez and Restorer Luz de Lourdes.

  • TATA LÍMBANO MILPA

    He is a Ch'ol Mayan from Pactiún Tumbalá, Chiapas. Since 2017, the path of fire began, formed by maya-mam and may-kaciquel grandfathers and grandmothers. He has been walking for six years as a patient of the deer grandfather of the Wixarika culture. As a guide, he has accompanied people in group and individual ceremonies. He is part of the Oxlajuj Q'anil group from San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas.

Included

✅ transportation from the airport of the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez to the city of San Cristóbal de Las Casas

✅ Trip included 3 meals a day

❌ Flights to and from Mexico

❌ Transportation from and to the airport

❌ Tips & souvenir money

Not Included

Lodging

Wooden house on a hill surrounded by trees and greenery, with a small wooden ramp leading to its entrance.

We will be staying at the Hotel Kayab, some silent cabins among flower gardens, horses and 3 beautiful dogs. These beautiful cabins are very close to the sacred temples and pyramids of Tonina.

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Arqueología Social Pablo Castro

Learn more about Pablo’s Path of
SPIRITUAL ARCHEOLOGY

SPIRITUAL ARCHEOLOGY
Colorful poster about ancient Mayan temples featuring stylized black and white Mayan art at the top, a green QR code in the center, and bold black text stating "GUÍA PARA PARAR CONOCER... TEMPLOS MAYAS" with additional smaller text and decorative elements.

 FAQs

  • Mexico uses pesos which is an exchange of an average of 18 pesos per dollar. You may exchange at your local bank but there are also ATMs where you can do the exchange. It is not recommended to exchange at the airport as the rate exchange may be much higher.

  • The rooms are shared rooms both in San Cristobal and Tonina. The rooms are simple but very comfortable. If you feel you are needing your private room, please let us know ahead of time.

  • The days tend to be sunny and dry but the evenings, nights, and early mornings tend to get much cooler, especially in San Cristobal. We recommend bringing layers for these times.

  • Biodegradable:

    Shampoo

    Conditioner

    Body wash

    Sunscreen

    Bug spray

    Hat for walking through the sacred sites

    Ceremonial clothes for ceremonies

    Easy dry towel

    Bathing suit

    Sandals/flip flops

    Comfortable walking shoes

    Comfortable pants/shorts

  • Everything is included once you arrive to the airport. But bring what you feel is necessary for gifts, tips, etc.

  • You need a passport, as a US citizen or permanent resident you do not need a visa for entering Mexico.

  • Although it is highly recommended for any emergency, it is not obligatory

  • We recommend always drinking bottled water. Please do not brush your teeth with the tap water at any of our locations as our digestive system may not be used to the bacteria that is in the water

  • There are no medical or health preparations necessary for the trip. If you are under any medication, please let your guides know.

With the proceeds of this retreat, we will be supporting educational projects in the schools in the community of Maya-Tsotsil and the Yahxun organization. 

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Any questions? Email hello@flourishingoneness.com