| | |  Health & Beauty | April 2009 
Terra Noble Celebrates Vernal Equinox
 Marla Hoover - PVNN
On Saturday March 21, Jorge Rubio opened his internationally renowned spa, Terra Noble, for his 16th annual spring celebration. Because the vernal equinox, the precise moment in the Northern Hemisphere when the sun crosses over the earth’s equator, literally meaning equal night – in which day and night are equal in length - is believed in many cultures as a magical moment which allows in light and peace, Rubio dedicated his celebration to the goal of non violence.
On November 7, 2008, at 9:45 am, the 500 people attending the Alliance for a New Humanity Human Forum in Barcelona along with Dr. Deepak Chopra took a vow for non violence in their thoughts, speech and actions. Each person decided to ask other people in their lives to join them in taking the vow. The goal then became to create a global movement, which would mobilize 100 million people to make the same commitment.
The members of Alliance for a New Humanity believe that if a critical mass of people commit to this vow, that world would be transformed. Since then almost 200,000 more have made the same commitment. For more information and an invitation to take the vow visit: itakethevow.com
Sr. Rubio joining with Deepak Chopra will continue to have meditations for non violence at Terra Noble. Please visit TerraNoble.com for more information. |
When entering the event, guests many of who were dressed in white, where given a red ribbon. These are the traditional colors that according to pre-Hispanic tradition helps the wearer better absorb the good energy that peaks during the equinox. They were also given a large see pod from the Tabachin Tree, to use as a percussion instrument during the ceremony later in the day. Visitors were then escorted to a “non violence walk” where women dressed in Aztec costumes complete with huge brilliantly colored feathered head dresses, performed a traditional cleansing ceremony on each attendee. Plums of copal incense from earthen chalices were raised by the Indian goddesses around each person who was invited to out stretch their arms and turn during their ceremony. When finished they were asked to walk slowly through a marked labyrinth while meditating on physical and verbal non-violence. Different artwork from local artists guided them along on their peace pace. From there guests could either take a yoga class or enjoy any of the spas services before the Pre-Hispanic Ceremonies began.
On the front lawn which perches over the city looking down on the entire Bay of Banderas as if from heaven, Sr. Rubio gathered his guests for a moment of meditation. Mirroring Dr. Deepak Chopra’s intention of having 100 million join him in taking the vow for total non violence in thought, speech and action, Jorge Rubio asked invitees to do the same. Paralleling thousands of people across the globe who were also taking vows of peace on this same day. During the guided mediation guests were asked to listen to the quietness of their hearts in order that love could surface and each could proclaim non violence.
The mindful mediation was followed by a traditional Aztec ceremony in the ancient Nahuatl dialect. Interestingly, the term "Aztec" is actually a blanket term used to describe the various cultures that spoke the original Nahuatl language. It also belongs to a large group of Indian languages which also includes the languages spoken by the Comanche, Pima, Shoshone and other tribes of western North America. The Nahua Ceremonial Center at Xochitécatl, (place of flowers in Nahauatl) Tlaxcala, Mexico inhabitants constructed the temple to honor Xochiqueteali, the goddess of fertility. There are four pyramids, the largest of which, the Piramide de los Flores, is actually a pyramid on top of a pyramid. During the spring equinox, the sun passes through the columns on top, which were thought to have been constructed to bring fertility to all women who passed through them.
Terra Noble’s own spring ceremony was conducted by several ornately dressed Aztec dancers who performed to the rhythmic and hypnotic beats of a single drummer and the shaking of the Tabachine pods. Their dance depicted welcoming spring back to the earth. A blessing was made to each of the 4 directions; north, south, east and west and as well as to the energy of the earth. A prayer of thanks and gratitude was offered to the sky and our Higher Power. At appropriate times during the rite, visitors raised their arms to the sky to receive the special energy from the spring equinox just as they have done for centuries during the same ritual at the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacán, Mexico.
After the ceremony, Sr. Rubio instructed any who wanted to commit to nonviolence in thought word and deed to form a circle while holding hands. Everyone in attendance complied and an invocation for peace through non violence was offered to the crowd. The day was ended with guests mingling in the state of wellness and harmony that proliferated from the grounds of Terra Noble on the first day of spring.
Marla Hoover is a practicing yogini, a registered RN, a Puerto Vallarta Real Estate professional and an accomplished journalist with over 300 published articles in both international and local print and online publications.
Click HERE for more articles by Marla Hoover. |
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