THE TOLTEC CIVILIZATIONTHE TOLTEC CIVILIZATION

Audrey FriendAudrey Friend

04-2004-20

Who are they?Who are they?

• Pre-Columbian Native Pre-Columbian Native Americans Americans

• Language- Nahuatl Language- Nahuatl

• Name means: an Name means: an “urbanite,” a “urbanite,” a “cultured” person, and “cultured” person, and the “reed people” the “reed people”

• Dominated Mexico Dominated Mexico between 10between 10thth and 12 and 12thth century ADcentury AD

ReligionReligion

• TlazolteotlTlazolteotl

• Mother of all GodsMother of all Gods

• Consuming sins and Consuming sins and making puremaking pure

• Goddess of childbirthGoddess of childbirth

• Gods were extensively Gods were extensively worshipped: they worshipped: they symbolize answers for symbolize answers for the uncontrollable fate the uncontrollable fate of humansof humans

• Xipe TotecXipe Totec

• God of vegetationGod of vegetation

• Having a mask Having a mask which represents which represents the dry, infertile, the dry, infertile, barren surface barren surface under which is the under which is the lively seed of lively seed of growthgrowth

• CoatliqueCoatlique

• Goddess of earth Goddess of earth and deathand death

• God of fate and God of fate and destinydestiny

• Smoking mirror: Smoking mirror: both beneficial and both beneficial and destructivedestructive

Toltec Art and Religious Toltec Art and Religious PiercingsPiercings

• MuralsMurals

• Depicting Depicting gruesome battle gruesome battle scenesscenes

• Chief Bird WarriorsChief Bird Warriors

• Piercing his own Piercing his own cheek for losing cheek for losing battlebattle

• Strongly resembles Strongly resembles an Aztec Eagle an Aztec Eagle WarriorWarrior

• CeramicCeramic

• Represents a Represents a Toltec priestToltec priest

• Drawing blood as Drawing blood as an offertory an offertory sacrifice sacrifice

Modern Toltec Body ArtModern Toltec Body Art

• NanautzinNanautzin

• God of Garbage God of Garbage

• Jumped into sun to Jumped into sun to bring life into the bring life into the worldworld

• Ridiculed for Ridiculed for wearing art from wearing art from ancient times ancient times

Toltec WisdomToltec Wisdom

• Don Miguel Ruiz was born into Don Miguel Ruiz was born into family of healers:family of healers:

Curandera (Healer) motherCurandera (Healer) motherNagual (Shaman) grandfatherNagual (Shaman) grandfather• Near death experience enlightened Near death experience enlightened

him to practice Shamanismhim to practice Shamanism• Wrote Four Agreements, Companion Wrote Four Agreements, Companion

Book, Mastery of Love, etc.Book, Mastery of Love, etc.

Four AgreementsFour Agreements

1.1. BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD: BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD:

Speak with integrity. Say only what Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your about others. Use the power of your word in the use of truth and love.word in the use of truth and love.

2. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY:2. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY:

Nothing others do is because of you. What Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.suffering.

3. 3. DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS:DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS:

Find the courage to ask questions and Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely agreement, you can completely transform your life.transform your life.

4. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST:4. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST:

Your best is going to change from moment Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you to moment; it will be different when you are tired as opposed to well-rested. Under are tired as opposed to well-rested. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.abuse, and regret.

ReferencesReferences

• www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/ www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/prehistory/ latinamerica/meso/cultures/latinamerica/meso/cultures/toltectoltec

• en.en.wikipediawikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatl – .org/wiki/Quetzalcoatl – • www.www.mapmaps-of-s-of-mexicomexico.com .com • www.www.miguelruizmiguelruiz.com .com • Ruiz, Don Miguel. Ruiz, Don Miguel. The Four AgreementsThe Four Agreements. .

San Rafael, CA; 1997.San Rafael, CA; 1997.• members.aol.com/xiuhcoatl/tolwarb.htm members.aol.com/xiuhcoatl/tolwarb.htm