When we wander through this once unexplored world in pursuit of self-discovery, we always leave a trail of footsteps behind us, a legacy. No matter how small or large, we have all contributed to the change in our corner of the universe. In the short history of human beings, much has happened. We are the world's youngest species, the youngest of siblings, and as we seek our place in the cosmos, we have undergone several changes. Mother nature, the plants and animals, have been present in this process of growing, whispering to themselves as they've seen us advance, and attempting to provide us with their advice along the way, but we've covered our ears to their wisdom.

Our creators and ancestors came together one day to give us the most precious gift of all: life. To be able to enter this world full of senses and emotions, where we can see the brightness in someone's eyes as they discuss what makes them happy, hear the humming of the wind as it passes through the earth, and watch the stars shine through the darkness. Unfortunately, we have detached from this and chosen that we do not want to be a part of nature; we regard her as a resource rather than our caretaker, and we've built our life in ways that are substantially different from what nature intended for us. 

In modern culture, we are expected to be running all of the time. We put much effort to increase productivity and effectiveness, and we move to our forever ticking clock. We force ourselves to move rapidly because we need to get someplace, do something, and complete a large to-do list. At the end of the day, we've done a lot, just to wake up and repeat the process. Elder Carlos Barrios used to say that we live in a never-ending race that leads to nowhere. As many people across the world are forced to shut themselves away behind four walls, we take a moment to consider whether this is truly living. 

The Maya hold the belief that the current climate crisis stems from humanity's detachment from its foundational roots—its profound connection with existence. Moreover, they assert that the crisis is exacerbated by the prioritization of certain groups and industry leaders over others and the planet itself. Additionally, within Western civilization, the Mayans emphasize that unless we achieve inner harmony—mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually—we will persist in the destruction of our planet.

As a society, we have delegated all authority to the economy and to logic. We have given it our time and effort, and in turn have filled our world with much darkness. Because of this, the Mayans believe that we are fortunate to be living in these times. 

For thousands of years, they have understood that we are living in the time of learning, as predicted in their prophecy. We are meant to experience all of these things for our own development and evolution, both collectively and individually. Chaos creates growth, as we cannot enjoy the light without first experiencing the darkness. And this is their call: we need awareness and action. We, as a society, must break away from this system in order to bring about change and foster growth. The Mayans and the ancestral traditions have provided us with all of the necessary tools, which are available to us once we uncover our ears and start listening. 

We are living in prophesied times, and it is a true luxury to be alive at such an important turning point in life and to be a part of the change. We can decide, what do we want our legacy to be?

- By Eline from the Mayan Wisdom Project