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by Jorge Montaño (Author), Rick Ortega (Artist), Brenda Vaca (Editor)
Labyrinth of Songs, Vol.1: Path of Tezcatlipoca is a collection of poems, reflections, insights and short stories that are based upon the day signs or tonalli of the Tonalpohualli, which is nahuatl for the count of days. This calendar can be read as a map through the passage of time with each day containing its own spiritual energy. These energies have 13 levels for each of the 20 tonalli's, which total 260 days. Labyrinth of Songs is divided into four volumes. Volume One: Path of Tezcatlipoca, consists of, The Book of Cipactli (Crocodile), the Book of Ehecatl (Wind), the Book of Calli (House), the Book of Cuetzpalin (Lizard) and the Book of Coatl (Snake). These 5 books begin the journey through the labyrinth as each day speaks according to its level and tonalli. The Book of Cipactli contains 13 poems or songs for the metaphor of instinct. The Book of Ehecatl contains 13 songs for the metaphor of realization. The Book of Calli contains 13 songs for the metaphor of shelter. The Book of Cuetzpalin contains 13 songs for the metaphor of dreams. And the Book of Coatl contains 13 songs for the metaphor of rebirth. The poems in Labyrinth of Songs were written during the pandemic of 2019, when the unknown was quickly infecting the mind with hopelessness. The hopelessness was weighing heavy on the author's daily meditations so he decided to co-create with the Spirit of his ancestors to help maneuver through the barriers made by the despair of a world bound by a virus. The path of the Labyrinth soon became clear and it was there where the Poet's heart was unbound by the spirit of in xochitl, in cuicatl, nahuatl for flower and song. It is the author's prayer that with each verse your own labyrinth opens and that your thoughts find their way out of any stillness caused by despair. Labyrinth of Songs is a spiritual movement that flows in and back out, like a breath that has been scented by the flowering of the heart.
