From Texcoco 7/28/12;

hi again my friends,
I am sitting on the ground on a beautiful clear day, looking up at the crisp white clouds passing by, while a group from Xochimilco is singing traditional Mexica songs. They just finished dancing in the little patio here, and to my right a few feet away is the oven where Tlakaelel's body is being transformed back into it's elements for the rest of the universe to recycle and use again. It is truly a beautiful day. There are about 20 or 30 of us here at the crematory, all sitting, talking, singing, dancing, or just contemplating. As Tlakaelel says many times, nothing is destroyed, nothing really dies, all is transformed, and we are outside the oven where we have a real example. Last night, his body was prepared and laid out on a Petate (mat of reeds) and surrounded with flowers. many people came last night and many more today including many we have not seen for a long time to pay their last respects and give thanks for the life of Tlakaelel. This morning, I was asked to share the Chanupa with all the people gathered around Tlakaelel's body. All sang as the pipe went around, and we blew smoke over Tlakaelel's Earthly body so he could share in the ceremony. Many people came who I haven't seen for a few years, and more today. It was good, as Tlakaelel kept saying yesterday that we need to continue on together, united and forget the differences that have divided us.

Yesterday, as Tlakaelel was finishing his task here on the earth plane, a line of people came in to say goodbye, and he called others to let them know he was on his way. He even called Andreas Manuel Lopes Obredor, the presidential candidate who probably really won the recent election. Downstairs, a huge group of Sundancers, singers, and supporters were singing Sundance songs. He was very happy. He kept saying he had no pain, and he was happy, and that we should all keep on our mission, and keep spreading the Mexicayotl. He talked about how he chose this day, July 26, as the most auspicious day, since it was the day of the founding of Mexico Tenochtilan, and the greatest confederation of Anahuak. I have so many precious memories of the faces of the people who came to see him, and his smiles, even tho it was hard for him to speak. He refused the oxygen as he wanted to keep speaking to people but finally began to let go and relax as we few remaining upstairs in his room all held his hands around the circle, and he said goodbye to us all as we sang to him his favorite song, and shouted Tiahui, Tiahui, Tithui, Tiahui to him, and wished him well on his journey. He was ready, and after a few movements sloughing off his body, he finally came to peace and just lay there. We all cried, as much for joy for him as sadness for us. We laughed a bit too, as we all have been doing since then. It was a beautiful day.
His life on this earth was not easy, both physically and with his mission. He put aside his personal life for his mission, and that became his sole focus. For many years, Tlakaelel has had lung problems, along with diabetes, and many other maladies. When he left Chaplin after the last trip a month ago, he was in pretty good shape, but it seems he began to have more breathing problems (as plagued him for many years). Monday night, he insisted on going down for the cutting of the Sundance tree, saying he would just stay for a little while. I knew better, but he never was on to stop! He dressed up very warmly with a long wool coat and a Russian hat (I have a very funny picture) and we went down. Well, he stayed the whole time and we got back to the house well after midnight. by the way, the tree came down well, despite a very difficult location. He began to cough more and more, and kept getting weaker, tho the next morning he was some better. he was very well attended by a team of very understanding doctors who I think were joining the Kalpulli here. He was enough better that I felt ok going up the hill for the Dance. the second morning of the dance, we received word that he was not doing well, so I came down to find him in very grave condition, tho he was in no pain and he was happy. It seems he decided that it was time to go and picked a very important date.

I think that what overcame all his physical difficulties on this earth was the fact that Tlakaelel was driven by a great sense of mission, and he hoped to transmit some of that sense of mission to all he spoke to.

he oven has shut down and they will now take out his ashes for us to bring home. Some will go with his mother's ashes, some to Serpent Mountain, and some to the Sundance circle. He is reintegrated into the cosmos and has become a part of us all.

Tiahui,
Bert