Customer Reviews

Burning Water: Thought and Religion in Ancient Mexico

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There has generally been an unfavorable impression of this book within conventional archeological circles. Although the author was active in multiple digs at Teotihuacan she did not always follow the conventional historical or interpretative lines (or lies?). It is surprising that in the beginning of this book she tows the historical line that the Aztecs were a bloodthirsty lot, a view that must be considered in light of the Spanish/Vaticanal desire to somehow morally justify their exploits and own cruelty in the New World.

However conventional this book begins starting with the chapter on Quetzalcoatl the author makes an unexpected shift (starting at page 70) into some deep material. She discusses topics such as the union of spirit and matter, fire and water (hence the title Burning Water). She also later gets into deep mystical thought discussing the idea of the four directions around a unifying center and how this relates to the mystical development of the heart.

If you read this book as just another diatribe on Aztec history you could easily miss what is really here. I can understand why those who hold to conventional historical and archeological views would miss, or malign (even wryly by Pasztory), what the author is saying here. After studying various forms of mysticism for years, and having been to Teotihuacan, I can say clearly that this book is an important gateway into the mystical stream that has lived, and continues to be expressed in this area of the world through both it's monuments to current living spiritual guardians. There are deep truths here if you are prepared to see them.

For those with an anthropological interest in ancient Mexico this is probably must reading. For those with more esoteric interests it will probably fill in some blanks. But much of it seemed highly speculative to me. It's not hard to find a brujo in the vicinity of Teotihuacan with a much different view of the ancient Toltecs, and their corrupted Aztec descendants, and also one both more complete and more coherent.
One of the modern Toltec teachers has a cute story about how the Aztecs got so deeply into human sacrifice. Their rationale was this: the ancient teachings say one should give his/her heart to Spirit. Well, the Aztecs took that literally, and since they owned a good many hearts, beating in the chests of their slaves and captives, they cut those out and gave them to the gods. That works for me, and it is a near perfect example of fundamentalist thinking. But I digress.
This book is well worth a read.