Temple of the Moon

Mini-Blog Entry from Peru During this amazing trip to Peru, I have had the opportunity and privilege to visit the northern coastal part of the country to a valley area called Moche. Here, archeologists have discovered pyramid-like structures that were first thought to be just mountains. After revealing what was underneath the dirt and sand, they found great pre-Inkan civilizations. One portion has been named The Temple of the Moon and it appears to have the shape of a pyramid. What is most remarkable is the history surrounding the structure. To put it simply, a layer is created that becomes the foundation of an empire for the reign of a king. Within this layer are rooms, sleeping quarters, and ceremonial spaces. The people work and live to serve their king and take care of their community: they work and create pottery with images that symbolize their existence and activities. Once the king perishes, this whole layer is completely covered in stone. Every room is filled and every wall is covered with another layer of brick. Then another layer is created with an amazing and artistic fresco marking the end of the era. A new era and new king is symbolized by the creation of the next layer on top of the one that was just covered. Again, great rooms and ceremonial spaces are designed. At the end of the empirical cycle, this layer is also covered and creates the new foundation for the next empire. As the cycles continue, what remains now is a 7 or 8 layered pyramid. Each layer being larger and more grand than the previous. The idea is to live and experience the inner growth of the people and to bring themselves closer to God. We can do the same in our daily lives. As we live our lives, we grow, we change, we shift. We plant strong roots creating a strong foundation beneath us. We continue to have a link to the past as we hold true and strong in the present. As we mature, we grow out of our old ways. We bury those old ways and build anew. Upon these new and strong roots, we live and experience our new lives. We create for ourselves a new and expansive existence. Just like these pre-Inkan people, our life progression is an evolution. We are moving toward enlightenment: a greater connection to the Divine and God within ourselves. As you practice yoga, you are shifting and changing. The process is slow and gradual, but the journey is toward the same destination of greater connection to Self. Namaste