Mayan Abdominal-Womb Massage (Sobada) Training
5-day Intensive
April 22nd-26th, 2026 | GuateMaya
In Maya Cosmovision, our belly is considered to be our center of Power. The umbilical cord, our physiological connection to our Mother, leaves a mark, the belly button reminds us that we are always connected to the ones who Give Life. Here, in our belly, we gather the strength of our inner fire, we process and digest, here our Will power is made, here the beat of our heart joins our womb’s rhythm to inspire creation and lead the way through our intuition.
The Abdominal-Womb Massage (Sobada) is a strong foundational piece for the rich Mayan Medicine System. The grandmothers and midwives (Aj Iyom) have kept this knowledge through times immemorial and it is a healing modality indicated through pre-conception, pregnancy, and especially during the postpartum period to ensure healing for the vulnerable bodies of postpartum mothers. The Massage helps bring the uterus and organs back into place after birth, creates a feeling of containment and safety for the mother who just experienced the most expansive “opening” of energy in her body. It also assists muscles and ligaments to move back to their pre-pregnancy place, assists the sensitive digestive system of the newborn mothers as well as their babies, and so much more…
AND, due to its incredibly deep healing capacity, this massage is also indicated to treat many imbalances in the human (also male) body including energetic, emotional and spiritual dis-eases.
The Aj Iyom (midwives and grandmothers) of the Maya’ob are respected Leaders in their communities, oftentimes practicing other important professions besides the receiving of babies and caring for the mothers through the pre and perinatal continuum. Some of the other professions respective to Aj Iyom are Aj'q’ij (Spiritual Guide/Time Keepers), and Ajq’omanel (Doctors by birth). The reason why this happens is because the wisdom of the Sacred Maya Calendar Cholq’ij, used to explain literally everything in life, is based on the scientific and astronomical study of pregnancy and birth. In other words, for the Maya’ob, midwives are the ultimate authority, leaders and wisdom keepers because they know the physical and mystical Secrets to the Creation of the Universe and the continuum of Life.
The Mayan Abdominal-Womb Massage, in it’s complete and original practice, contains all the energetic, physical and spiritual information of the Cholq’ij within it’s methodology, making it more than a therapeutic treatment- the essential medicine for the Soul.
Written by María Xtal’y
Acknowledgments:
Thanks to Nana Reina, Mariu, Nana Ixquik’, Nana Nicté and Nana Rosalia for teaching me Mayan Abdominal-Womb Massage and for continuing to teach me Maya Cosmovision, for your trust in my work and for your openness to share your ancestral medicine with the world.
-Consejo de Médicos Maya’ob por Nacimiento “Raxnaq’il Nuk’aslemal, Medicina Maya en Guatemala”
-Apab’yan Tew “Ri utik awex jun Kajulew (The Birth of a Universe, The Maya Science of Pregnancy)”
Rooted in the Mayan Highlands of Guatemala, our Training will take place in Santa Cruz La Laguna, Atitlán.
The Witches Lab - A Living Territory stewarded with love, prayers and intention. We will join in circle to learn the Mysteries of the Womb and Maya Cosmovision around the sacred Altar lajuj (10) Kawoq. Intentionally planted to hold ceremonies and circles of study related to the Womb and the Earth, this space offers tranquility, privacy and beauty.
Save $150usd in your Training by applying Early! Inscriptions are Open!!
Overview
This training is carefully designed to offer you the most comprehensive, in depth and authentic education in the Art of Bodywork focused on Womb and gastrointestinal health as portals for Whole body (Spirit, body and mind) health. Studying the “Sobada” in this way invites our senses to activate mystically through skilled touch and the profound understanding of the wisdom of the organs as the containers for spiritual, emotional and physical qualities of the Soul. The Mayan Sobada is an invitation to re-member the innate intelligence that our bodies carry and to provide our service to its sanctity in this way.
This training is for those who are already bodyworkers, midwives, health care providers and doulas, looking to enrich their capacity to provide Holistic Healthcare to their patients, clients and communities.
This training is for mothers, maidens and grandmothers who acknowledge the importance of carrying the wisdom of how to tend to the Womb for their own health and for their communities.
This training is for past students of Ecology of Women Immersion who wish to deepen their knowledge and carry with them the skills to provide Mayan Abdominal-Womb Massage to their communities.
In this training you will:
Learn how to support women and your community through the Mayan Abdominal-Womb Massage from the Maya K’ich’e tradition.
Practice the MAWM supervised/assisted by our teachers, receive feedback, advice and blessings to guide you in the learning process.
Gain knowledge about healing herbs for womb health and postpartum mothers that usually complement the massage session.
Bridge ways of connection to life from the Maya K'iche' Cosmovision & integrate to your daily life, relations and your work to harmonize all aspects of your being.
Learn more about yourself through the Maya Cosmovision.
Integrate physiology, technique, energy, emotional & spiritual healing into your service and personal life through Maya K’iche’ understandings of Health and Medicine.
You will receive:
Mayan Abdominal- Womb Massage teachings, practice and receiving.
Daily ritual practice.
2 Pre-recorded theory classes: Anatomy & Physiology of the womb, MAWM essential theory. (We will review the material of these in person but it is important that you immerse yourself in the theory before our hands-on training).
1 Faja (handwoven by the midwives).
2 Mayan Fire Ceremonies with the Spirituality of Cacau & a Tabaco (Opening and Closing)
Ancestral education of Women’s health and it’s relation to the Cosmos.
Immersion into Maya Medicine, Elemental healing modalities, sisterhood, self-healing and SO MUCH MORE….
The Art of Bodywork
Learn the Art of Bodywork not only as physical therapy but as a vehicle for deep spiritual attunement to the innate intelligence of the body.
Support personal and communal healing through skilled touch, become a steward of ancestral Maya’ob technologies.
Earth-Based knowledge for Womb and Whole health
Deepen your connection with nature and the sacred cycles of life through a deeper understanding of Womb physiology and its connection to the Living Earth.
Cultivate a sense of clarity and belonging as a Guardian of Life and Womb Wisdom to support yourself and your community.
Integration of Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science
Learn to integrate ancestral Mayan teachings with contemporary understandings of human’s health.
Develop a holistic approach to physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing by profoundly understanding the natural rhythms of the body.
OUR FLOW
Logistics will run from 9am - 5pm every day, with a 1-1.5 hour lunch break.
Our Schedule is:
April 22nd, 2026 - Lajuj Ajmak’
Opening Ceremony
Demonstration of the massage + theory study
April 23rd, 2026 - Kab’lajuj N’oj
Theory revision, questions and answers
Hands-on supervised practice (you will practice on each other) #1
April 24th, 2026 - Oxlajuj Tijax
Hands-on supervised practice (you will practice on each other) #2
Questions and answers, sharing circle
April 25th, 2026 - Jun Kawoq’
Supervised practice on a guest
April 26th, 2026 - Keb’ Ajpu
Closing Ceremony
YOUR GUIDES
María Xtal’y
Born and raised in Guatemala, María is a Holistic Therapist with 5 years of experience in bodywork. She is a Medicine Woman, Artist and Full Spectrum Doula dedicated to serving the sanctity of life and our connection to Mother Earth. María weaves worlds through earth\water-based knowledge systems, utilizing indigenous ways of thinking to make holistic models of Physiology and Ecology. María is an apprentice of the Maya Cosmology via her relationships with Nana Ixquik’ and the family. She created Ruk’u’x Kawoq’ Academy in 2025 with the intention of amplifying the voices of the Mayan Midwives and sharing what has brought healing to her own life with more people around the world.
Nana Rosalía
Is a revered Elder Midwife and Ajq’ij who comes from a lineage of traditional Birthkeepers and Time Keepers from the Maya K’iche’ Peoples. Rosalía has kept and passed down to generations Ancestral Knowledge regarding birth, postpartum, womb health and the Mayan Cosmology. She is also a survivor of the Guatemalan genocide of indigenous peoples from 1960 to 1996. Nana Rosalía has sustained the Wisdom of her grandparents, attended hundreds of births in the traditional ancestral way, she has also taught and shared her wisdom with countless people from all over the world for decades and is a pillar of true Wisdom, Love and Resilience for all the K’iche’ Peoples and the world.
Nana Ixquik’
Daughter of Nana Rosalía, Ixquik’ was initiated as an Ajq’ij (Mayan Spiritual Guide) at the young age of 13, receiving a responsibility from her Elders to share the Mayan Cosmovision through her spiritual abilities with the world especially through her work as a Midwife and with Women’s health. Ixquik’ is a spiritually gifted Healer who has developed in ancestral healing modalities known only by a few talented healers in her lineage. Ixquik’s dedication to the Sacred is felt through each word she shares, her connection with the Earth and her embodiment of Ancestral Medicine is a gift to the world.
Inclusions & Details
What’s included:
Full 5-day training
1 meal per day (lunch) and some snacks: Taste traditional Guatemalan foods and be nourished by meals prepared every day by our Chef. We have vegetarian and gluten free options (please let us know any food allergies or restrictions in the application form).
Cacau and special herbal teas: Nourish the Soul with the magickal drinks of the Maya Lands which will assist you in your learning process.
Supplies for Offerings and Altar making: You will be provided with a base of offerings and materials for our community altar and the ceremonies. Some materials you will have to bring or buy.
Manual: Mindfully curated by our team, the manual contains all the essential information about the MAWM you’ll need for your practice.
2 Pre-recorded Classes: Anatomy & Physiology of the womb, MAWM essential theory. We will review the material of these in person but it is important that you immerse yourself in the theory before our hands-on training.
Pricing:
Mayan Abdominal-womb Massage, 5-day Intensive Training in Guatemala - $950
Early Bird: $800 !!!
A 30% ($240 USD non-refundable) deposit is required upon application.
If you are not accepted you will be refunded in full.
An exploration call is required to complete the registration process.
** Optional Add-on: shared Camping accommodation onsite at Witches Lab, Santa Cruz La Laguna $400 (4 nights total, meals included, 4 spots available)
Not included:
Airfare, transportation to and from the airport, or travelers insurance (recommended).
Accommodation: We are happy to provide a list of recommendations for places located nearby.
**If you’re traveling from abroad we recommend you to plan your arrival at the Lake to at least 2 days prior from our start date.
Contraindications** - This massage is contraindicated during early pregnancy (first trimester), UTIs and/or active STIs, and during heavy menstruation (for a medium to small flow it’s indicated).
Payment Plans:
After your application deposit (3o%) you can opt for any of the following payment plans:
1 payment of $560
2 payments of $280
3 payments of $187
**Payment links will be shared directly with you via email.
1 scholarship exchange position available for a creative photographer/videographer: full program exchange for documentation of our training.
IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCES, SYSTEMS CHANGE & RECIPROCITY
13% of all funds collected through our retreats and courses goes directly to support a Land-based project. 2025-2027 Will support “Casa Tortuga” a Mayan Birthing Center in Guatemala.
We care about the impact that our actions have for the collective and extended consciousness of the Bioregion we inhabit. As conscious stewards of Traditions of Care it is important for us to direct, pour and invest our energy into building the systems of LIFE that we wish to see in the world.
Your participation in our retreats and online courses contributes directly to the construction of a Mayan Birthing Home “Casa Tortuga” at Xesampual, you are supporting the continuation of Mayan birth keeping arts and Mayan Culture. THANK YOU!! MALTYOX!
“Casa Turtuga” is a project in its initial planning phase for the construction of a Mayan Indigenous Birthing Center in Santa Lucía Utatlán, Sololá. Our purpose is clear: to create a space where life can be born in a safe, dignified and profound way connected to ancestral Mayan wisdom. “Casa Tortuga” will offer service to women, children, and families integrating millenary knowledge and modern healthcare practices.
ECO-CULTURAL TOURISM
It is one thing to travel around the world to encounter the same places, costumes and activities everywhere: fast food, parties based on alcohol consumption, meaningless conversations with strangers, artificial clothing, mass-produced products to consume… This type of tourism not only affects greatly the ecosystem - with pollution and consumerism, it also affects the Soul and ancestral cultures by erasing true diversity and replacing it with a superficial homogenous way of walking through life. Mainstream tourism is a danger to humanity, to our Earth and to every living being who has a Spirit.
It is a very different thing - a sustainable way - to travel places to contribute to the unique ancestral cultures they hold, to LEARN from the Land and it’s Peoples, to travel with a purpose of bettering our humaning. A tourism that supports indigenous communities, is based on respect and genuine connection- to the Land, to people and to ourselves. When we practice this way of traveling we create a systems change, we become part of a peaceful revolution to GIVE BACK to the millenary wisdom that resides within ancestral cultures. When we practice Eco-cultural tourism we feed our Soul with connection, ancestral knowledge and a felt sense that we are walking in a beautiful way that helps us to heal our personal and collective wounds. THIS is the tourism in which we believe, in which we participate and which we inspire people to practice.
“Every breath ever taken is still in the air to breathe. I breathe the breaths of the Ancestors, and everybody else’s too.”
Mayan Abdominal-Womb Massage (Sobada) Training
Mayan immersion study