The 20 Sage Advices of the Native Ancestral Nations of Anahuak
The following proverbs originated from the Nahuatlaca Native Nations of Mesoamerica. They have been passed down from generation to generation. They were compiled and published by the reknown author and ethno-historian, Arturo Meza Gutierrez in his book, Topohual. We are forever grateful for his work.
These proverbs are central to our value system as individuals, a pack/community and organization.
These proverbs are central to our value system as individuals, a pack/community and organization.
- Respect your Fathers, your Mothers, your Grandfathers and Grandmothers. But respect even more everyone and everything that surrounds you, only in this way will you be able to live in harmony with life.
- Everything around you is moldable, with your thoughts and your actions, make them more beautiful than when you found them.
- Have your words and actions walk in the same direction, for if not, your ancestors will be shamed.
- The stone in your path will not move of its own volition.
- Hot and cold break the stone
- In whatever you do, be complete. Allow the light to transcend through your actions.
- In whatever you do and decide, be complete and transparent. Let people see through you, not through your holes.
- In everything you do, do it with integrity, be sure not to leave holes because that is where the air will sift through.
- Remember you are a star, lest you forget, the deeper the hole will be and the further from the sky you will fall.
- If you are truly a star, do not light yourself with fatwood.
- Take a handful of ixtle and save it, because problems come in 20 by 20's
- When your hair becomes entangled, passing a comb through it will untangle the knots..
- Two hands are needed to make tortillas
- Teach your right hand what your left hand knows, in this way you will be able to achieve twice the work.
- The little bird finds its own worms.
- No one should ask for that which they are unable to give of themselves.
- Be like the water: clear, tranquil, soft yet strong at the same time
- Your head hurts me, because I am you and you are me. Let me get to know you and in this way I too will know myself
- Born you are, born you were. Past you are, past you were.
- From one is the being, from two the essence, from four is life, from seven is flight and from thirteen is the flower.
Traducción a español:
- Respeta a tus Padres, respeta a tus Madres, respeta a tus Abuelitos y a tus Abuelitas. Pero respeta aún más a todos y todo lo que te rodea solo asi podras vivir en armonía junto a la vida.
- Todo lo que está a tu alrededor es moldeable, con tus pensamientos y con tus manos, hazlo mas bello de cómo lo encontraste.
- Haz que tus palabras y tus acciones vayan hacia la misma dirección si no, tus ancestros se avergonzarán de ti
- La piedra que está en el camino por si sola no se va a mover
- El frio y el calor pueden romper la piedra
- En cualquier cosa que hagas sé completo deja que la luz trascienda a través de tus acciones.
- Cualquier cosa que hagas y decidas sé completo y transparente, deja que las personas vean a través de ti pero no de tus agujeros.
- En todas las cosas que hagas, hazlas completas no dejes agujeros porque por los agujeros se cuela el aire.
- Recuerda que eres estrella si lo olvidas más hondo será el pozo mientras más te alejes del firmamento.
- Si en verdad eres estrella no te alumbres con ocotes.
- Toma un puñado de ixtle y guárdalo por que los problemas vienen de veinte en veinte.
- Cuando el cabello se enreda basta con pasar el peine para que los nudos se desenreden.
- Dos manos se necesitan para hacer tortillas.
- Enséñale a tu mano derecha lo que tu izquierda ya sabe, de esa manera podrás hacer el doble de trabajo.
- El pajarito se busca su propio gusano.
- Nadie debe pedir lo que no sea capaz de dar.
- Sé como el agua; claro, tranquilo pero fuerte a la vez.
- Tu cabeza me duele porque yo soy tú y tú eres yo. Déjame conocerte y así yo me conoceré.
- Naciste, fuiste nacido, pasaste, pasado estás.
- De uno es el ser, de dos es la esencia, de cuatro es la vida, de siete es el vuelo y de trece es la flor.