Sometimes, the world’s weight makes us shield ourselves, but as we grow, we let down our defenses and rise to the sky.
In Maya cosmology, the Pochote—the sacred ceiba—stands as a bridge between worlds. Its roots dig deep into the underworld, its trunk holds the realm of the living, and its branches reach for the sky.
But growth is never without struggle. In its youth, the tree wears a coat of thorns, a shield against the world. Yet, as it rises, the need for armor fades. Its bark softens, its limbs unfold in violet bloom, and the wind carries its cotton-wrapped seeds to the earth.
What once stood in defense, in maturity, becomes an offering.