Christmas in Puerto Morelos, Mexico

Village Square, Puerto Morelos, Mexico

72 Days to Spring 2012 Goddess Trip!

It is pretty bleak looking outside today.  A layer of thick frost covers everything, there is NO snow and it si cloudy.  Of course my mind began to wander and I began to wonder what the Puerto Morelos Village Square looks like during the Christmas Season. 

So, I put into Google Search "Christmas Puerto Morelos, Mexico." And up came an article describing the myriad ways the people of Puerto Morelos celebrate La Posada.  Beginning December 16 with reenactments of the birth of Christ and with many attending "Pastorelas" or plays about the shephards and their visit form the angel, the celebrations continue through January 4.

Click on La Posada (above) to learn about the ways that the people of Puerto Morelos celebrate in the heart of the Yucatan.  In 72 days we will experience spring in the Yucatan!

For information on the Spring 2012 Goddess trip and learn more about Traveling Goddesses amazing decade of planning and guiding trips to the Yucatan for women visit:  Traveling Goddesses:

Posted by:  Ginger Hedstrom, Traveling Goddesses Technology & Promotion

"Goddesses in Everyday Living"

Jean Shinoda Bolen, MD

First of all...my math has been WAY off!  It is happily a mere 78 days till the Spring 2012 Goddess Trip.  I can't even begin to figure out how I made such a mistake.  But am glad I did discover it!

On the day after the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe 2011, eight women met at a town home in Woodbury, Minnesota to discuss Crones Don't Whine by Jean Shinoda Bolen, M. D.  In it she writes, A crone is a juicy older woman with zest, passions, and soul. If you aspire to be one, the secret is to be yourself, while your mind, heart and body still function well enough, and you appreciate being alive.

We talked about being happy growing older, being frustrated when others perceive that we are: finished, have nothing more to learn or to give; only worthy of receiving birthday cards with caricatures featuring women with deep wrinkles, sad faces, failing bodies, rocking chairs and over the counter drugs to keep ones body functioning; long past our prime in intelligence and productivity and insights.


And we talked about who we really are, what really matters to us, what gives us meaning, what we enjoy doing, how we celebrate ourselves and what more we want to do with our lives, that we are the very women Bolen describes, zestful, full of passion and soul.

Traveling Goddess Trips to the Yucatan entered the conversation at which point Connie and I enthusiastically described the Fall 2011 Goddess Trip planned and guided by Connie, Margo and Beatriz to Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico and the zesty, passionate, soul-full, energetic, intelligent, creative, enthusiastic and joyful women who savored the beauty of Casa Margarita, went snorkeling (two for the first time), experienced the Day of the Dead at Xcaret and a Temezcal, strolled the white sandy beach, practiced yoga on the beach and by the infinity pool, ate decadent local food prepared by our own chefs, slipped into siesta time and into the Caribbean for a swim -  and savored each others company!

Each woman took a color flyer of the Spring 2012 Goddess Trip and two plan to meet with Connie to further explore planning to go in March!

What seems to be so appealing to them is:  traveling with amazing women; having the details planned and finalized; the opportunity to explore the Yucatan and the opportunity to choose to stay at the Casa to savor the beautiful quiet warm serenity of the Caribbean.

It was a tremendous evening with lots of laughter and authenticity, creativity and imagination, encouragement and affirmation blended with gratitude for being with women who are walking similar paths - some retired and some still working; some married and some single; all agreeing that there is not a late bloomer among us!  The blossom that is each of us continues to open more fully every day of our grand lives.   We will gather again next month to continue our conversation and celebrate LIFE!

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Our Lady of Guadalupe

Our Lady of Guadalupe

It is 117 Days until the Spring 2012 Goddess Trip.

Yet once again, I find myself thinking about the Fall 2011 Goddess Trip, the amazing women who went and the hospitable loving people of the Yucatan and the astonishing beauty we encountered.

Tonight in St. Paul, Minnesota it is scheduled to be the coldest day here since last March.  Burrrrr!  While I celebrate Advent and look forward to Christmas with my dear family and friends, I am also mindful that Monday, December 12, is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

I began to learn about Our Lady of Guadalupe when I was a student at St. Catherine's and then learned even more from Sisters of St. Joseph who lived and worked in El Pasco, Texas and Lima, Peru.  Then in 2002 I began visiting the Yucatan where images of "Our Lady" are ubiquitous and my curiosity deepened.  While on the Fall 2011 Goddess Trip to Puerto Morelos, I encountered numerous images of Our Lady of Guadalupe, some very traditional, others quite quirky and stylized! 

Today I decided to visit the website for Puerto Morelos and found complete details of this year's events.  Below is a description of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the ways the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is being celebrated in Puerto Morelos this year from that website.  May Our Lady of Guadalupe watch over all people of the Americas and bring justice and peace. 

Our Lady of Tepeyac or Our Lady of Guadalupe) is a manifestation of the Virgin Mary who first appeared on Tepeyac Hill outside Mexico city to a native Mexican peasant named Juan Diego in 1531. In Puerto Morelos they really celebrate and invite everyone to join in their celebrations. 

Please join us to celebrate our traditions! Itinerary below.  All visitors are always welcome to participate in the events of our community (it's also yours).
 
The Virgin of Guadalupe (also called Our Lady of Tepeyac or Our Lady of Guadalupe) is a manifestation of the Virgin Mary who first appeared on Tepeyac Hill outside Mexico city to a native Mexican peasant named Juan Diego in 1531. She asked him to speak to the bishop and tell him that she wished for a temple to be built in that place in her honor. The bishop required a sign as proof. Juan Diego returned to the Virgin and she told him to pick some roses and carry them in his cloak. When he went back to the bishop he opened his cloak, the flowers fell out and there was an image of the Virgin on his garment.Juan Diego's tilma, or cloak, with the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe is displayed at the Basilica of Guadalupe. Over 12 million faithful visit the Basilica every year, making it the most visited church in the world, after the Vatican. Juan Diego was canonized in 2002, making him the first indigenous American saint.

FIESTA DE LA VIRGEN DE GUADALUPEJueves 2/Dic
9:00 a.m. a 7:30 p.m. Adoracion al Santisimo
Viernes 3/Dic
1:00 p.m. Santa Misa. Gremio de Comerciantes
7:00 p.m. Novena
Sabado 4/Dic
1:00 p.m. Santa Misa. Gremio de Artesanos
Domingo 5/Dic
1:00 p.m. Santa Misa. Gremio de Senoritas
Lunes 6/Dic
1:00 p.m. Santa Misa. Estudiantes y Misioneros de la Universidad Interameridana de desarrollo (UNID)
Martes 7/Dic
1:00 p.m. Santa Misa. Gremio de Senoras
Miercoles 8/Dic
1:00 p.m. Santa Misa. Comunidad celebrando fiesta de San Juan Diego
Jueves 9/Dic
3:30 p.m. Encuentro y Salida de peregrinacion de los Hoteles
4:30 p.m. Santa Misa frente la Iglesia de Guadalupe
Viernes 10/Dic
1:00 p.m. Santa Mida. Gremio de Ejidatarios y Palqueros
6:00 p.m. Bendicion del Gremio de Volqueteros
7:00 p.m. Homenaje literario musical a la Virgen
10:00 p.m. Llegada de Antorchistas
12:00 a.m. Manianitas y Santa Misa
Sabado 11/Dic
11:30 a.m. Primera carrera Juvenil Guadalupana
1:00 p.m. Santa Misa. Gremio de Taxistas
4:00 p.m. Procesion en la Colonia de la Virgen Guadalupana
6:00 p.m. Misa de Coronacion y Bendicion de Ninios


Photo taken by Margo Hinnenkamp, Goddess Travel Planner and Guide, 11/2011
Posted by: Ginger K. Hedstrom, Goddess Technology and Promotion

A Temezcal the Yucatan

This year, as in previous years, we experienced a Mayan sweat lodge or Temezcal during our Goddess week in the Yucatan.  Temezcal is an ancient ceremony of cleansing and rebirth that is practiced in many cultures.  

Six of us traveled to a beautiful Temezcal north of Puerto Morelos.  A Temezcal is a domed structure with a dirt floor which symbolizes the “womb.” It is circular - with a fire pit in the center.  Outside a large fire is heating the rocks that will be taken into the Temezcal at four intervals called “doors,” each "door" is symbolic of one of the four directions.

The Temezcal is led by a Shaman or holy person who guides the ceremony.  Dressed in bathing suits, we gathered around the fire as the Shaman explains the ceremony and symbolism.  As the Temezcal begins, the Shaman describes the many faces we wear in our lives (parent , child, partner, professional).  Next  a bowl of mud is passed around the circle and we were invited to put some on our face to symbolize the many faces we wear.  We then went to a nearby waterfall and washed off the mud and returned prepared to enter the ceremony stripped of all our masks and pretenses - as our true and authentic selves.  Next we were cleansed with frankincense and entered the Temezcal through a low door on our hands and knees to sit in a circle around the fire pit. 

The Shaman continued to lead the ceremony and introduced the first round of rocks.  The door to the Temezcal was closed leaving us in total darkness and silence… thus creating the “womb.”  As we were led in prayers, songs and sharing, water was poured over the hot rocks increasing the heat and steam.  

At the end of each section the door of the Temezcal is opened and more hot rocks are brought in to further increase the heat.  Note:  Participants are  free to leave at each “door” (if one chooses to leave, they cannot return).

The ceremony concluded when we left the Temezcal on our hands and knees symbolizing rebirth,   and returned to the waterfall to wash off and dress for the trip back to Puerto Morelos.  An offering of refreshing native fruits and juices were provided to aid in our rehydration.  

Temezcal is an amazing experience - humbling, cleansing, spiritual, inspirational and transformational - different for each person and different each time one enters a Temezcal -it filled me with a deep, humble respect and love for all those with whom I shared this unique spiritual exercise.  I look forward to returning to the Temezcal on our March 9-10, 2012 Goddess trip with another group of incredible women travelers.

Posted by:  Connie Delgado, Goddess Travel Planner and Guide