Nagualism

NAGUALISM. - It is a belief, based on the conception of an individual totemism, widespread in Mexico and Central America. The term derives from "nagual," a word used by the indigenous peoples of Honduras and Guatemala to indicate the guardian spirit. According to Seler, the Mexican "naualli" (= witch, sorcerer) would be akin to it, itself deriving from a word meaning "hidden," "unknown."

According to this belief, every individual would have an animal as master and protector throughout his life. Those who practiced the secret cult, moreover, could assume at will the spirit of that animal. The power to transform oneself into the form of the spirit of the guardian animal would have been taught to the adepts, the first time, by a woman of great power, capable of assuming four forms at will.

In the esoteric cult of nagualism men and women danced completely naked: this made the missionary fathers suspect that these ritual feasts ended in orgies.

Three was a sacred number in nagualism. A metaphorical language was used by the adepts. Curious examples of it were collected in the 12th century by Fr. Giacinto de la Serna: the rabbit was the representation of air and wind; the earth was invoked as Tonan, our mother, and as "the flower that contains all flowers" because from her prolific bosom all things come forth; the earth was also indicated as "the mouth that eats all mouths" insofar as it swallows in death all those who eat.

Tullio Teritori