Tikal National Park, El Petén, Guatemala
The Track of the Sun / across the Sky / leaves its shining message, / Illuminating, / Strengthening, / Warming, / us who are here, / showing us we are not alone . . .
—Atoni; Choctaw Native American blessing
Tikal, built in 600 B.C., was one of the most powerful kingdoms in Mesoamerica. The towering 230-foot limestone temples left behind when the Maya people abandoned Tikal by the tenth century are monuments to the glory of their civilization at its peak. Archaeologists have found dozens of pyramids, some with stone implements that amplify the human voice, possibly enabling spiritual leaders to speak with godlike intonation from the top of the pyramids.
If you seek spiritual strength to empower your voice or message, visit Tikal. Book a guided tour at the site, near the museum. Fly from Guatemala City to Flores (on Lake Petén Itzá) and drive an hour to Tikal. From San Ignacio in Belize, Tikal is a two-hour drive.
Climb to the top of a pyramid and offer a prayer for strength or a mantra affirming your great faith to the Divine. Let the words rise slowly from your heart to the top of your throat, out of your mouth, onto the wind, and toward the sun.
The abundant wildlife of Petén and the archaeological significance of the site prompted UNESCO to signify Tikal as both a Natural and a Cultural World Heritage site.