Traveling can be so much more than taking a selfie in front of a well-known landscape. I love traveling because it opens my mind to new worlds and times that I would otherwise never experience.
Knowing the history of the places I visit makes me feel like I can time travel and it becomes so fascinating to know I am standing in the same place as many others have throughout thousands of years, think of all the stories, events, feelings that have been witnessed by those places!
Then I get to add a bit of my own story and energy to it. This time it was through fun acroyoga
Halfway up the Moon Pyramid, playing with my cousin Pamela with a breathtaking view of the Sun Pyramid
This is Mermaid pose on my feet
Teotihuacan is one of my favorite historical places, and it happens to be in my beautiful country: Mexico! Approximately 30 miles from Mexico City where I was born and raised. Its history and cultures start way before the arrival of Columbus in 1492
And so… Once upon a time...
....around the year 150 BC, the city of Teotihuacan was founded. The pyramids took approximately 350 years to build, they weren’t complete until 250 AD. (To give you an idea of time, during this period the Roman gladiator fights were a thing.)
Nobody knows who built these marvelous structures... Possibly the Nahua, Otomi or Totonac ethnic groups. Or all of them! Research has suggested that Teotihuacan was a multi-ethnic state, an inclusive society where people from different regions could go and work as qualified craftspeople, builders, musicians, and military personnel. This society capitalized on the knowledge, technical expertise, and experience that foreigners brought to the city.
The Sun Pyramid behind me, comes in third as the largest in the world
In AD 450 the city reached its peak and became the center of a powerful culture. Its influence extended through much of the Mesoamerican region and it reached a population of 125,000. It was the largest pre-Columbian American city and at least the sixth largest city in the world during that period.
Teotihuacan is also anthropologically significant not only for its pyramids, but also for its complex, multi-family residential compounds. The Avenue of the Dead and the small portion of its vibrant murals have been exceptionally well-preserved.
Teotihuacan's architectural styles are found widely dispersed at a number of distant Mesoamerican sites, which is interpreted as evidence for Teotihuacan's far-reaching interactions and political or militaristic dominance.
Here you can see the Avenue of the Dead (Avenida de los Muertos) extending into the horizon. And the Sun Pyramid on the left.
My friend Siawn and I took the opportunity to strike a candlestick pose on the edge of the pyramid, arousing a couple worried looks and one or two screams of warning
Just like its beginnings, the fall of the city is a mystery. The decline was very sudden around 550 AD. It has been suggested that the city was invaded , but it seems likely that there may have been an internal war because the buildings that were burned were those of the ruling class - government buildings and the city remained occupied .
Shot from the top of the Sun Pyramid. Behind us is the Moon Pyramid. I am flying a shoulder stand on the strong arms of Siawn
The name Teotihuacan was given by the Nahuatl-speaking Aztecs around the 14th Century, almost 1000 years after the fall of the city. It became a very important city to them, and even admitted that they were in awe of it. They incorporated it into their own religion and history by claiming that the current world had begun in this city. *It was here in Teotihuacan where the gods sacrificed themselves so that the world could be created* and so they named the two great temples after the sun and moon.
Siawn trusts me to hold his weight upside down, because that's what we cultivate in Acroyoga. Trust, communication, and high emphasis on boundaries and safety. I would never attempt this unless I was sure I am able to keep both of us safe.
During the Aztec empire this was a city, like many others, with its own population and trade. And even though it was a sacred city to the Aztecs, it also maintained a level of independence as a political city.
There are several historical structures to visit including the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, which is precisely in the center of the city. It is monumental, complete with lavish offerings and ultra-fine decorations, with huge hand carved snake heads in the stone walls. In addition, more than 200 warrior’s remains were located, buried underneath, inside the Feathered Serpent pyramid. This sits atop of the temple.
The most efficient way to absorb the energy from these sacred ground is to get upside down!! Or maybe not, but it's super fun, especially when your friends join in
I hope you enjoyed learning a little of the history behind this important monuments where thousands of years ago a great civilization flourished and that you will one day have the opportunity to visit.
