Nu ik afgestudeerd ben heb ik besloten om de werkstukken die ik tijdens mijn studie Religiewetenschappen geschreven heb te publiceren op deze weblog. Ik heb de opdrachten, papers, essays, recensies, besprekingen en presentaties altijd met veel plezier gemaakt, en ik vind het leuk om deze met de wereld te delen. Het zou immers zonde zijn als deze documenten langzaam zouden vergaan op mijn harde schijf. Daarom hierbij een blogreeks met vandaag een field report over Munay-Ki voor de cursus New Age Religion aan de University of Edinburgh.
Introduction
A while ago, Famke, a fellow student and friend, told me that one of her friends, Carolien, would initiate her into Munay-Ki. Famke asked me if I would like to participate as well. At that time I had never heard of Munay-Ki before, but because of my interest in New Age I said yes immediately. In this field report I will explain what Munay-Ki is and describe the workshop. During the workshop I noticed New Age characteristics which I will examine. They can make Munay-Ki valuable for studying New Age.
The workshop
The workshop was led by Carolien, a forty-two year old visual artist. I would describe her as a charismatic and outgoing person. She had attended a Munay-Ki weekend-workshop for which she had paid a ‘ridiculously large amount of money’. She had experienced it as ‘very intensive’, because she received all initiations at once. She would pass on the initiations one at a time and free of charge, except for the pi-stone[1]. Femke, Famke and I were her first apprentices. Femke is thirty-one years old and works with mentally disabled people. Famke is a thirty year old Religious Studies student. She experienced the connection of the group as ‘loving and caring’.
We met ten times over the course of several months at Carolien’s small but cosy house in Venlo[2]. It was also her workshop, gallery and shop and it was decorated with Buddha-statues, Mary-statues, crystals and the like. During the first meeting we watched an introduction video on Munay-Ki. We were told that, according to the Maya-calendar, on 21 December 2012, a consciousness shift will take place which leads to the New Age, the Age of Aquarius and the Fifth or Sixth Sun.[3] The Homo sapiens will reach its potential and becomes Homo luminus, the Enlighten Human with a ‘rainbow-body’, also mentioned as Christ- or Buddha-consciousness. Humans will be able to create their own reality with the power of intention. The aim of Munay-Ki is to make people ready and speed up this ‘next step in evolution’. It consists of ten initiatic energy transmissions through the chakras which changes the DNA and reconnects humans with their inner divine. Munay-Ki, meaning ‘I love you’[4], comes from the Q’eros from Peru, who are believed to be the last descendants of the Inca’s. Sixty years ago, they received a prophecy with the task to share seven initiations with all of humanity and in 2006 three new initiations were revealed. This correspondents with their only law, Ayni: sacred reciprocity of energy by sharing.[5] Dr Alberto Villoldo, a psychologist and anthropologist, saw it as his duty to spread the initiations in the western world.[6] Afterwards, Carolien gave us a hand-out and allowed us to borrow a book[7] for more information.
All meetings were set-up similarly. We had a potluck-dinner and discussed the synchronicity that everyone of us had experienced after initiations. For instance, we all saw an unusual rainbow.[8] After dinner we ‘smudged’ the room and each other with burning sage. Carolien led a ritual to make ‘sacred space’ and whispered a prayer. We ‘played’ musical instruments while Carolien said the incantation “Hampui, Hampui”[9] to invoke the six directions: first we all headed South, then West, North, East, Earth and Heaven. The sacred space was approached with respect: we had bare feet and smoking was not allowed. Carolien closed the sacred space later on, or she kept it for the next meeting.
While in sacred space, Carolien showed us a video explaining the meaning of every initiation. The first four initiations are the Foundation Rites to let go of the past and prepare for 2012. Hampe Karpay is the Healer’s Rite. With Chumpi Karpay one receives five Bands of Power to connect with the five elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Light. Ayni Karpay is the Harmony Rite to connect with the seven archetypes in the chakras: Snake, Jaguar, Hummingbird, Eagle, Under-world, Middle-world and Upper-world. The Seer’s Rite, Kawaq Karpay, awakens the inner seer to receive messages from the universe. The next three rites are the Lineage Rites to tune oneself to the ‘beings of light’, ancestors and other sources of collective wisdom. Pampamesayok is the Daykeeper’s Rite to improve the relationship with Mother Earth and the feminine, while Altomesayok, the Wisdomkeeper’s Rite, improves the relationship with Father Sun and the masculine. The Earthkeeper’s Rite, Kuraq Akuyek, awakens the inner divine to create our own reality with the power of intention by connecting with the ‘beings of light in the Galaxy, the Stars and the Sun’. The last three initiations are preparations for 2012, the Rites to Come. Mosoq Karpay, the Starkeeper’s Rite, ‘upgrades’ the DNA to become Homo luminus in 2012. The Creator’s Rite, Taytanchis, awakens the inner divine to create reality.[10] For this initiation we chose our own pi-stone by feeling if it ‘felt right’. I chose a rose quartz. The Goddess Rite, Ñusta Karpay, is the female side of creation.[11] Carolien said we could give this one to each other, but this never happened.
Carolien initiated us individually, but we could watch when others were being initiated. Energy is transmitted by Carolien’s intention through the pi-stone. I will describe Mosoq Karpay at length, because this initiation is for the New Age and the other initiations have a similar pattern. The initiant lay on the ground with eyes shut, while Carolien sat beside her and asked for permission. Carolien closed her eyes and pressed her hands together with the pi-stone. She raised her hands and moved them down in a circle around her. Her hands went up again and she made a similar circle around the initiant’s body. She pressed her hands together again and moved her palms up. With one hand, Carolien ‘took’ energy from above and lay down her hand on the root chakra. The same was done for the other six chakra’s. She lay down her hands on her heart and then pressed her hands together. She made a circle around the initiant’s body and her own body, to conclude with hands pressed together.
Afterwards the initiant would tell us what she had experienced. Famke saw the Ahau[12], ‘a sign of unity, love and completion’. During the Harmony Rite she felt ‘a snake of energy going up through the spine’ which ‘activated the kundalini’. Afterwards, she felt ‘an expansion of her energy-field and inner calmness’. Every participant had similar, but personal experiences which were treated with respect.
Reflecting on her experiences, Famke saw Munay-Ki as ‘being more aware of herself and being in general and as Self-improvement’. Back then she wanted to continue practicing Munay-Ki, but this never happened: ‘now it is a pleasant memory’.
Characteristics
Munay-Ki has significant characteristic which can be considered as New Age. The participants match the New Age-profile in being white, middle-class females, except that they are younger than middle-aged.[13] They can be considered ‘unattached spirituals’[14], which are thirty-five to forty-nine year old higher educated city dwellers who seek personal spiritual development in loosely organised groups by using esoteric ideas and practices. Twenty-six percent of the Dutch population can be classified as such.[15] ‘New spirituals’, eighteen percent of the population[16], can suit as well. It consists of emphasis on the Self[17] and Self-improvement[18], experience[19] and seekership[20].[21]
Within New Age, higher spiritual beings help humans to achieve a higher consciousness.[22] Munay-Ki mentions ‘sources of collective wisdom’, like ‘beings of light’ or ancestors. The latter can refer to Q’eros-ancestors. This matches with New Age, which considers ancient cultures as keepers of spiritual wisdom.[23] It is remarkable that the Q’eros live in Peru, the country where The Celestine Prophecy[24] is set. Its ‘insights’ correspond with Munay-Ki cosmology. All participants experienced synchronicity[25] in their lives after initiations. The existence of omnipresent divine energy[26] is assumed, which suggests holism.[27] This energy can be influenced by the power of intention, which enables humans to create their own reality.[28] During initiations humans become reconnected[29] with divine energy within.[30] Participants describe this as a ‘Self-aware, loving[31] and unifying experience’.[32] The law of Ayni teaches to share the initiations with all of humanity[33], in order to become Homo Luminus[34] and therefore ready for the New Age in 2012. This post-millennialism can be seen as a revival of New Age sensu strictu.[35] Munay-Ki will ‘upgrade’ the DNA for the ‘next step in evolution’[36] and transforms human bodies into a ‘rainbow-body’ or Christ-consciousness.[37] Humans become who they potentially[38] are: co-creators of their own reality, which can arguably be considered as ‘walking into heaven’.[39] Strikingly, this Munay-Ki workshop does not match with the expensiveness of many New Age workshops, although Carolien herself did pay a large amount of money for her initiations.
Conclusion
For this field report I actively participated in a Munay-Ki workshop, which gave me the opportunity to approach the matter etically, but with emic understanding. Significant New Age characteristics of this workshop are the participants’ profile, loosely organised groups, the emphasise on experience, seekership, the Self and New Age cosmology.
Bibliography
Primary sources
- De Graaf, J. “Munay-Ki”. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.munay-ki.nl/.
- Liekens, P & de Graaf, J. 2012 … en Daarna?!. Deventer: AnkhHermes, 2008.
- Redfield, J. De Celestijnse Belofte: een spiritueel avontuur. Amsterdam: De Boekerij, 1996.
- Redfield, J. “The Celestial Prophecy Movie”. Accessed 4 February 2011. http://www.thecelestineprophecymovie.com/insights.php.
- The Four Winds Society. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.thefourwinds.com/.
- The Four Winds Society. “Munay-Ki: the next step in evolution”. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.munay-ki.org/.
- Van der Drift-Batenburg, E. “Munay-Ki: de volgende stap in evolutie”. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.munay-ki.nu/.
- Van Leeuwen, M. “Munay-Ki Inwijdingen”. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.munay-ki-inwijdingen.nl/.
Secondary sources
- Chryssides, G. “Defining the New Age”. In Handbook of New Age, edited by D. Kemp & J.R. Lewis, 5-24, Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2007.
- De Hart, J. “Postmoderne Spiritualiteit” In God in Nederland 1996-2006, edited by T. Bernts, G. Dekker & J. de Hart, 116-192. Kampen: Ten Have, 2007.
- Hanegraaff, W.J. New Age Religion and Western Culture: esotericism in the mirror of secular thought. New York: State University of New York Press, 1998.
- Jespers, F. “Verkenningen en Bevindingen over Nieuwe Religiositeit”. In Nieuwe Religiositeit in Nederland, edited by F. Jespers, 9-40, Budel: Damon, 2009.
- Melton, J. G. “A History of the New Age Movement”. In Not Necessarily the New Age: critical essays, edited by R. Basil, 35-53. New York: Prometheus Books, 1988.
- Partridge, C. “Truth, Authority and Epistemological Individualism in New Age Thought”. Handbook of New Age, edited by D. Kemp & J.R. Lewis, 231-254. Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2007.
- Rose, S. “An Examination of the New Age Movement: who is involved and what constitutes its spirituality”. Journal of Contemporary Religion 13/1 (1998): 5-22.
- Sutcliffe, S. “The Origins of New Age Religion Between the Two World Wars”. In Handbook of New Age, edited by D. Kemp & J.R. Lewis, 51-75, Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2007.
[1] A flat, donut-shaped crystal; € 7,50 (approximately £ 6,30)
[2] In the south of the Netherlands.
[3] The latter two are respectively Inca and Maya prophecies.
[4] In quechua, the language of the Q’eros.
[5] De Graaf, J. “Munay-Ki”. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.munay-ki.nl/;
Liekens, P & de Graaf, J. 2012… en Daarna?!. Deventer: AnkhHermes, 2008;
The Four Winds Society. “Munay-Ki: the next step in evolution”. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.munay-ki.org/;
Van der Drift-Batenburg, E. “Munay-Ki: de volgende stap in evolutie”. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.munay-ki.nu/;
Van Leeuwen, M. “Munay-Ki Inwijdingen”. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.munay-ki-inwijdingen.nl/.
[6] Liekens & de Graaf. 2012… en Daarna?!;
The Four Winds Society. Accessed 3 February 2011. http://www.thefourwinds.com/.
[7] Liekens & de Graaf. 2012… en Daarna?!.
[8] It was on a sunny day and we could see both its beginning and ending in the middle of the sky.
[9] “Come to us” in quechua, the language of the Q’eros.
[10] Liekens & de Graaf. 2012… en Daarna?!;
Van der Drift-Batenburg. Munay-Ki;
Van Leeuwen. Munay-Ki Inwijdingen.
[11] Liekens & de Graaf. 2012… en Daarna?!;
Van Leeuwen. Munay-Ki Inwijdingen.
[12] The Sun-sign in the Maya calendar.
[13] Rose, S. “An Examination of the New Age Movement: who is involved and what constitutes its spirituality”. Journal of Contemporary Religion 13/1 (1998): 5-22.
[14] “Ongebonden spirituelen”;
Jespers, F. “Verkenningen en Bevindingen over Nieuwe Religiositeit”. In Nieuwe Religiositeit in Nederland, edited by F. Jespers, 9-40, Budel: Damon, 2009.
[15] Jespers. ibid.
[16] De Hart, J. “Postmoderne Spiritualiteit” In God in Nederland 1996-2006, edited by T. Bernts, G. Dekker & J. de Hart, 116-192. Kampen: Ten Have, 2007.
[17] Chryssides, G. “Defining the New Age”. In Handbook of New Age, edited by D. Kemp & J.R. Lewis, 5-24, Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2007;
Melton, J. G. “A History of the New Age Movement”. In Not Necessarily the New Age: critical essays, edited by R. Basil, 35-53. New York: Prometheus Books, 1988;
Partridge, C. “Truth, Authority and Epistemological Individualism in New Age Thought”. Handbook of New Age, edited by D. Kemp & J.R. Lewis, 231-254. Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2007.
[18] Chryssides. Defining the New Age.
[19] Partridge. Truth, Authority;
Sutcliffe, S. “The Origins of New Age Religion Between the Two World Wars”. In Handbook of New Age, edited by D. Kemp & J.R. Lewis, 51-75, Leiden, Boston: Brill, 2007.
[20] Chryssides. Defining the New Age;
Jespers. Verkenningen en Bevindingen;
Sutcliffe. The Origins of New Age Religion.
[21] De Hart. Postmoderne Spiritualiteit.
[22] Hanegraaff, W.J. New Age Religion and Western Culture: esotericism in the mirror of secular thought. New York: State University of New York Press, 1998.
[23] Partridge. Truth, Authority.
[24] Redfield, J. De Celestijnse Belofte: een spiritueel avontuur. Amsterdam: De Boekerij, 1996.
[25] Insight one and seven;
Redfield, J. “The Celestial Prophecy Movie”. Accessed 4 February 2011. http://www.thecelestineprophecymovie.com/insights.php.
[27] Hanegraaff. New Age Religion;
Jespers. Verkenningen en Bevindingen.
[28] Insight three;
Redfield. The Celestial Prophecy Movie.
[29] Insight four;
Redfield. ibid.
[31] Hanegraaff. New Age Religion.
[32] Insight five;
Redfield. The Celestial Prophecy Movie.
[33] Insight six;
Redfield. ibid.
[34] Insight eight;
Redfield. ibid.
[35] Hanegraaff. New Age Religion.
[38] Chryssides. Defining the New Age.
[39] Insight nine;
Redfield. The Celestial Prophecy Movie.
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