The ancient Mayas used the term "kin" for the solar energy that nurtures all life on earth. This energy while distributed all around the human body, was concentrated in the region of the solar plexus, which the Mayas called "kinab." Interesting how the Latin word for sun "sol" was used to define the same region.

According to this perspective, we all have an inner sun, and when we manifest this essence of our being, we leave the world of time and form, and enter the domain of eternity: pure energy. The Mayas tell us that such phenomena is rare, it happens to a few. The rest of us, have to deal not only with this essential energy, but with what happens to it when it becomes blocked and polluted, when it becomes toxic. Eventually, this toxic energy takes a life of its own, and, if we are not careful we end up identifying ourselves with it.

This perspective of the human being, tells us that we have three layers of being. The first one -the one of the surface- is conditioned by our external world. We do what is expected of us, we are formal and polite. And yes, we repress feelings that are not appropriate to our surroundings. Mexicans represent this part of our being with "mascaras" masks.

The second layer of being, is the one of our toxic energy. Thus, when people move deeper into their being, going from the first to the second layer, they are likely to get in touch with feelings of anger, fear, or pain. The worst examples of destructiveness unfold from the poor management of this second layer of being.

The third and deepest layer of being, is the one of our essential energy, flowing unrestricted from ourselves to the world, characterized by the feeling of oneness with all living beings.

Given the rarity of individuals who have reached this level, it is not surprising to see that our social systems have been geared to the first two layers of being, with its corresponding models of conditioning and control. And yet, each one of us, has this dream that we can become who we were meant to be; that we too can become a center of light, kinab.

Some traditional stories tell us what it takes to reach the third layer of being.

The Toltec Indians tell us that when the current sun was created, people from all parts of the earth were asked to congregate at Teotihuacan, the city of God. There, they were to gather all of the trees of the earth, and make the biggest bonfire. Then, at a critical moment, a mighty leader would jump into the fire, and become the sun. Everything was done according to plan. Everyone was there, the bonfire was reaching its highest point, but the mighty leader lost his courage, and retreated. As the fire was beginning to disappear, a young man who was there with his beloved, could not conceive of a world without light for those around him, especially the woman he loved, so he ran and jumped into the fire. As the fire engulfed him, his beloved also jumped into the fire after him. The young man became the sun. The woman the moon. And up in the sky they follow each other to remind us, by day and by night, that it is by acts of love that we transform ourselves into the beings that we were meant to be.