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| Pyramid of Kukulkan |
At the Autumnal Equinox, we begin a new
cycle on the Medicine Wheel of Life, entering the West--the home of autumn,
twilight, Bear, introspection, and transformation. During the spring and autumn
equinoxes, when the day and night are in balance, the Pyramid of Kukulkan (or
Quetzalcoatl the feathered serpent god) at Chich'en Itza, Mexico
is visited by its namesake. On every equinox, the sun projects an undulating
pattern of light on the northern stairway for a few hours in the late afternoon--a
pattern caused by the angle of the sun and the edge of the nine steps that
define the pyramid's construction. These triangles of light link up with the
massive stone carvings of snake heads at the base of the stairs, suggesting a
massive serpent snaking down the structure. On the equinox, Kukulkan returns to
earth to commune with his worshipers and provide blessing for a full harvest
and good health before descending into the underworld.
