Mayan Mythology in Modern Times

Where do you go for refuge when times are chaotic and difficult?

Typically, refuge is a place we go to get away, like gardens, temples, or a wooden trail. Lately, I’ve found there is a different kind of refuge, one that comes through the choices we make: choose the path that serves your true nature and you’ll find refuge—or make a decision counter to your heartsong and you’ll likely find yourself in the trenches of complex hurdles and obstacles. It’s an ancient quandary, really, whether or not we make choices that serve our intrinsic nature or go against it. Lucky for us, there is an ancient teaching from the Mayan myth cycle, The Popol Vu, to come to our rescue.

The Popol Vu is the sacred “book of community” of the K'iche' Maya people of Guatemala. It contains many stories, including one about two twin brothers, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, who are top athletes destined to participate in the annual games. On the way, the twins are diverted from their true course by their mischievous, loafing cousins, who trick the twins into doing their work, which is to clear a field for a garden. Each day, Hunahpu and Xbalanque go to chop and clear the unruly forest, but always, by the next morning, the cousins, using magic, cause the trees and vines to regrow, turning the plot back into a ruin.

This goes on for days, until the twins realize they’ve been tricked! They wait for night to fall for the cousins to return, and turn the tides by using their own magic to change the cousins into monkeys! With the cousins out of the way, Hunahpu and Xbalanque are able to clear the woods, making way for a vibrant garden. Having outwitted their opponent, the twins take away a valuable lesson and skill, to apply to the games, as they continue on the path to their destiny.

Now, if you’ve ever had that clear, intuitive intention shoot through you to go do something important to you, making you feel on top of the world, but then didn’t follow it, then you understand firsthand the trial that faced Hunahpu and Xbalanque. In a way, these twins can represent the dual nature we humans navigate: the choice between our intuitive nature, our heartsong, and the conscious mind that gets easily derailed by our “cousins,” like worry, fear, doubt, or other external forces that keep us from our destined path.

Similarly, when the twins set off on their intended path and get derailed, we sometimes trick ourselves to do things that are really NOT aligned to our goals or dreams. We take jobs we don’t really have a heart for—we might stay in relationships that we know aren’t good for us. We might hold off or save our dreams for when we feel like we have time, yet years can go by before we feel ready to take a step toward our true and essential path.

But Hunahpu and Xbalanque show us that we can always try again—they teach us that we can use our inherent magic to find a way to outmaneuver the obstacles that get in our way. It takes trusting, and even relying on, our inner magic, which in turn gives us a sense of wholeness, symbolized when the twins work together to outsmart their opponent.

As Hunahpu and Xbalanque proceed to the games, we too can recognize that there will also be more obstacles ahead. We can go onward knowing that our intuitive guidance can give us an advantage and prepare us for whatever shows up on the road ahead.

For every choice we make that honors our true path, the more our choices lead to places that feel more like sanctuary and refuge. Today, honor your magic; make choices in alignment with your true nature and heartsong. Soon, you’ll find a new kind of refuge leading the way to new opportunities!

Hunter Liguore is an internationally published author and the writer of the award-winning screenplay Everylife, which has received over 30 global film awards. Her acclaimed books include the Paterson Prize-winning Whole World Inside Nan’s Soup. Her work often explores the intersection of cultural reclamation, Irish Ancient History, and transnational voices. She teaches writing and art history in New England.