Three years ago this month, the Templo de la Diosa en México, or “Goddess Temple in Mexico,” opened its doors as a permanent temple in Mexico City’s Roma neighborhood. This space, founded by Alejandro Reyes-Ortiz, is dedicated to the exploration and celebration of the divine feminine and is part of the Glastonbury Goddess Temple’s web of Goddess temples.
Alejandro Reyes-Ortiz is an interior designer, internationalist and entrepreneur. He has practiced Kabbalah, Freemasonry, Wicca, and Druidry. He is dedicated to the practice of the path of the Goddess and the Motherworld, and he was trained as a Priestess of Avalon for more than five years in England under the mentorship of Kathy Jones.
I spoke with Alejandro about the temple’s history, how it was created, and its plans for the future.
The Wild Hunt: Why did you decide to found the Goddess Temple in Mexico?
Alejandro Reyes – Ortiz: The idea of the Goddess Temple in Mexico started in Glastonbury some years ago with the initiative of Dawn Kinsella, the Melissa Mother [the priestess in charge of the people that serve in the temple]. During a meditation in the temple, she spoke to us about how she saw little temples spreading around the world, and the first idea of a pop-up temple emerged: a temporary temple that is established in a certain place so the local people can learn about our tradition.
At that moment, I thought it was a good idea to take the chance. We established the first pop-up temple in the Polanco neighborhood three years ago in May, and because of the good response and my interest in sharing what personally and spiritually changed my life, I thought of creating the first permanent temple in the Cuauhtémoc neighborhood, and later evolved, changing it to the Roma neighborhood in order to be able to receive more people.
Simultaneously, we have a digital platform, Facebook, and all the online activities we do, like streaming and meditations. The temple will probably move towards this channel in the future, as I’m not permanently living in Mexico.
The Templo de la Diosa in Mexico City [courtesy.]
TWH: How would you describe the Temple’s path during these three years?
ARO: I believe it has been quite fluid and organic, very peaceful. It has been a bit difficult on some occasions to make the diverse Pagan community understand we don’t fit within the paths that are already known. We are a very inclusive spiritual path, we don’t segregate any type of beliefs. We simply are based on a set of rules of the Motherworld, of Mother Nature and the sacred feminine archetype. We greet anyone who wants to be part of what we celebrate when these premises are met, although we have a practice, the legacy of our teacher.
TWH: How are the people that approach to the temple?
ARO: There is a great diversity of people that attends and approaches us in the temple, I wouldn’t be able to set a stereotype of the visitors. Men and women come to us, mostly women, as it’s a path about the sacred feminine archetype and there can be more resonance with them. We have young people, little ones that are sons or daughters of the students, and older people. We have people that are frequent and also people that sporadically assist to one of our moon celebrations or free meditations.
TWH: Why do you think people approach the temple?
ARO: We believe we have created a physical and ethereal sacred space. People come looking for a place where that can receive comfort, express themselves, relax and heal. Most of the recommendations are given through word of mouth, however, there are all kind of situations. Some people casually pass by and knock on our doors; they are always welcomed to the temple as long as the physical doors are opened.
TWH: How is the relationship between the temple and the locals?
ARO: We’ve had a very pleasant relationship with the community. We are in the middle of the Roma neighborhood, and there are diverse places in the adjoining streets where different types of religious and spiritual practices are professed – Yoga or Buddhism, to name a few. It is something really common in the neighborhood. We haven’t had a problem. On the contrary, we have a great relationship with our neighbors because we generate transit to each other. There is a restaurant next door and a couple of chose shops nearby, so the traffic benefits all of us economically and collectively.
TWH: Who can visit the temple, and how can they do it?
ARO: To attend the events of the temple there’s nothing in particular that is needed. Booking a spot beforehand is the only requirement for meditations and public events; space is limited for the comfort and benefit of the attendees. Some other celebrations and sessions are private, for which there is no access for the general public. The digital events are open to anyone.
Alejandro Reyes-Ortiz [courtesy]
TWH: How’s the Spiral process that you have for the training on the path of the Goddess? Are there any requirements to participate?
ARO: The selection process of those who enter the Spirals is a little bit different. First, there’s a pre-selection made through an interview conducted by some of our priestesses and me, which consists of validating a certain level of knowledge and expectations. Once the first filter is passed, we move on to a preparatory course to understand the dynamics for a couple of months. The initial Spiral always starts during September, when the period we call “Darkness” begins. As it’s the end of the year, the end of the wheel, they are ready to start to study with us.
TWH: What would you tell to someone in Mexico who doesn’t know about the temple?
ARO: We’re a place of worship, reverence, and respect to the sacred feminine archetype in all its manifestations: Mother Nature, the Goddess, or however you want to call her, based on our context and our background. We’re based on the principles on which nature is governed, the natural cycles of the moon and the sun, the seasonal changes, the properties and abilities granted to us by the unwavering spirits of the plants, the stones and everything that surround us. All of this is always in search of integration, love, communication, compassion, and most especially, the sense of community and service.
TWH: What can be expected by someone who visits the temple?
ARO: A visitor can expect a place of support, acceptance, integration, and communication, but most of all, of unconditional love in order to solve doubts and to find a resting place, both physical and spiritual, where they can go back to the fundamental roots that make us live and decide in this modern world. It would be like getting to an oasis within this desert of complexities that entails living in urban areas like Mexico City.
TWH: How do you currently perceive Mexico’s relationship with the female divinity?
ARO: One of the reasons that led me to found the temple in Mexico is related precisely with this. Mexico is a country that spiritually has more affinity to the feminine spirituality than toward the masculine. I always speak about Mexicans being Guadalupean people, mostly Marian, so it is more cultured and much more devoted to the mother and all the characteristics, attributes, and qualities that emanate from her. I think there is great capacity and potential to awake these attributes and qualities to restore the balance of this modern society, which has leaned a lot in the last centuries towards a misunderstood and misappropriated patriarchy, at times exposing its darkest parts.
It seems to me that it is through this reconciliation and balance with the sacred feminine that we can develop and find more upright, balanced, and harmonious human beings and individuals that function well, not only in their lives, but that also have an impact in the life of their communities, their society, their country, and the world. I believe that if we all contribute with some of our knowledge and desires we would be able to get what we truly want as a future for all.
TWH: Is there something else you would like to add?
ARO: I would only add that for those who want to approach the temple, our activities will be much more digital for the next year, through platforms such as Facebook and our YouTube channel, so we can have a bigger impact on people. We know there are lots of people that can’t commute, who have the interest but not the resources to do so. Also, it is worth mentioning that the Temple of the Goddess in Mexico is a non-profit institution and does not pretend to be a business. What we’re really after is to share the path that has worked for me and for so many others to achieve a better quality of life.
I thank Alejandro for his time and attention.
The Temple of the Goddess in Mexico is located at Manzanillo 70 Col. Roma, Mexico City. More information can be found on their Facebook page.
The views and opinions expressed by our diverse panel of columnists and guest writers represent the many diverging perspectives held within the global Pagan, Heathen and polytheist communities, but do not necessarily reflect the views of The Wild Hunt Inc. or its management.
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