On the lake Atitlan you can find various and unique places. For example, if you are interested in spirituality, San Marcos is perfect spot to spend some time. There are many opportunities in there to get or learn to do massages, yoga or meditation.
When I got to Guatemala I wanted to experience something like that, and my wish became true. I found a place where I felt like home: Las Piramides. It’s the biggest and probably also the most popular place in San Marcos. A mediation center founded by Chaty Secaira more than 15 years ago. Since then, a huge number of travelers have atended their courses.
Before starting the center, Chaty got predicted that, in that place, there would be people from four different continents. Well, obviously that was correct! When I came to Las Pyramides there were many people from very different parts of the world: Europe, America, Asia and Australia we were all there!
This place is easy to found, it even has its own dock, sooner or later you notice buildings in the shape of pyramid. The biggest one is the Sun Temple, there is also the Moon Temple and smaller pyramids which are actually places to stay.
Las Pyramides has quite a wide range of facilities: communal kitchen, library, sauna, vegetarian restaurant (with amazingly good cookies and croissants) and bakery.
The Moon course takes 1 month (from full moon to full moon) and it’s divided into four weeks, each one with a different objective of learning:
First week: metaphysic, dreams, charkas and different dimensions.
Second week: reincarnation, past lives, life after death, astral traveling and astral projection.
Third week: astrology, numerology, healing, tarot reading….
Forth week: a five-day retreat of silence and fasting.
All of these classes are held by Chaty and are exercised in verbal form. Chaty shares a lot of her own experiences she has in her life, lucid dreaming, astral traveling through higher dimensions, talking to her parents after their death, etc.
Every morning starts at 7 a.m. with hatha yoga, where we learned how to do breathing exercises together with the poses. The objective of yoga is to relax and to energize the body and the mind, increase concentration, stretching, balancing, etc. In every session there are different exercises performed, each class is one hour and a half and take place in the Sun Temple.
The temple was quite crowded, when some people left other people came. Most of us were very well connected, spending lot of time together in the courses, cooking in the kitchen, making the sauna, swimming in the lake and visiting other places.
Every afternoon there is time for meditation techniques, breathing, visualizing, regressions, learning about aura, etc. The busy day ends with the evening meditation, a pure silent meditation.
There are also optional courses, for example the Shaluha-Ka which is healing technique that includes massage, aura cleansing and energy channeling Medicinal plants, where you learn how to grow plants, use them for healing, make tees and oils, etc.
Only nine of us decided to stay for the last week. We stayed in silence (so, no talking) for five days. We also fasted, that is without any type of food, only drinking water, herbal tees and liquates. We also took cleaning baths.
Our last day we had a really nice ceremony with Chaty and other teachers, we all shared our feelings about living so differently than before and what that change meant for us. This experience for me, and I believe for all of us, was quite strong, especially the last week. For sure you feel good and happy since you were staying away from the nervous city culture, the busy traffic, the smoky places and the loud noises.
I recommend the course in Las Piramides to everyone who wants to know more about him/herself, the meaning of life; in other words, about living a healthy and peaceful life.
This article was published by Alja Bulič
from Ljubljana, Slovenia.
She visited Guatemala during march-may 2005
Comment by cvander at Jun 16th, 2005 2:07 pm ↑
Great review Alja. The place seems very interesting. I need to save some free time for The Moon course.
Comment by Pampa at Jun 16th, 2005 2:16 pm ↑
I think the lake is the most beatiful place in Guatemala, and this seems like an unique way to experience it. Next holidays I know where to go
Comment by Erick Bucaro at Jul 4th, 2005 10:14 am ↑
I was there and with Alja and everything she says is nothing but the truth! Love to everyone!
Comment by Gary at Jul 13th, 2005 6:33 pm ↑
Just visited “the piramids” this month. I didn’t get to take any courses but I would highly recommend
the daily meditation session from 5 to 6 pm every evening. It’s open to everyone for a small fee and you it is a great way to finish out another relaxing day in San Marcos.
Comment by kate at Sep 18th, 2005 1:59 pm ↑
Hi-It sounds like you had a fantastic time. I am interested in the full moon course but I haven’t been able to find out much information. Do you know their website or how I can access some information? Thanks so much. Kate
Comment by Kieran and Liz at Nov 17th, 2005 1:17 am ↑
Spent a wonderful month at Las Piramides nearly 5 years ago couldn’t recommend it enough. I wonder can anyone update me as to how the recent bad weather, mud slides etc effected San Marcos and Las Piramides?
Comment by K at Jan 9th, 2006 5:22 am ↑
Is there a site about the las pyramides center? How can we contact them?
Comment by Julie at Jan 3rd, 2007 1:26 pm ↑
I was in Las Pyramides seven years ago. I arrived for the last week, so I did the retreat of silence and fasting. The last day of the retreat, we did a special exercise. For three hours, we put a scarf on our eyes to pretend that we were blind and we had to function as usual. It help to know how to be confident in ourself and to believe in our heart. An amazing experience.
Comment by Athenia at Apr 7th, 2007 2:00 am ↑
Sounds great. i was there before but not staying long enough to do the moon course. how much does it cost?
Comment by susanna at Aug 24th, 2007 1:28 pm ↑
Do they still do the 40 day fasting/meditation retreats?
How do I email them and register?
Comment by Stephanie at Sep 24th, 2007 1:48 am ↑
This is re-hashing other people’s comments but i’m also really interested in staying at Las Piramides but have been unsuccessful in finding contact details for them. Can anyone help? Thank you.
Comment by Alice at Oct 3rd, 2007 3:06 am ↑
I was just wondering if anyone had visited Las Pyramides recently and if there was a contact number for a 2 week yoga course or something similar?
Comment by Gwen baker at Dec 11th, 2007 5:07 pm ↑
Hello las piramides
I am planning to come to do your moon course in 2009 - if I can get there sooner I will. I believe that it is now time for me to look within myself again as its been far too long since I have done that. I understand that one cannot book a place on the course but just turn up - is that right? I am travelling from Australia. las Piramides sounds like a wonderful learning and healing place for myself and others who are searching within themselves. Can you reply with contact details and how to get there? many thanks……Gwen
Comment by Gaby at Jan 17th, 2008 9:52 am ↑
That all sounds very good. It would be good to practice what you learned there when you’re back in your normal life.
Comment by Cat at Apr 28th, 2008 2:45 am ↑
Hello,
I’ve been at ‘las piramides’ in 2004 & would like to go back, but heard there was a big earthquake @the end of 2005… Do you happen to know if it’s still standing??
Thank you,
Cat.
Comment by Gary O'Brien at May 9th, 2008 1:22 am ↑
I am thinking of attending the one month course in June thru July full moon course…do u really highly recommend it? Gary
Comment by Paul Eijkemans at Jun 17th, 2008 11:43 am ↑
Hi, the site of Las Piramides del Ka can be found at www.laspiramidesdelka.com
Cheers!
Paul
Comment by GUS ROSA;ES at Sep 20th, 2008 10:17 pm ↑
HELLO ALJA , I WOULD LIKE TO BE YOUR FRIEND, I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA, I AM ORIGINALLY FROM ANTIGUA GUATEMALA,I AM PLANNING IN BUYING A HOUSE IN JALBATILLO CLOSE TO SAN MARCOS, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU