The Mayan gods were thought to have two sides: one benevolent, and one malevolent. This was reflected in the Mayans’ beliefs about the soul; they believed that their spirits had two parts within them; the first was entirely human, while the second part was that of an animal, which served as a protector or companion. These two parts were through to be completely intertwined, destined to the same fate. Typical of most ancient religions, these gods normally pertained to elements, such as water or fire. Some of these gods include Izamna (the supreme god and creator), Chaac (the hooked-nosed deity of rain and lightning), and Kukulcan, the Feathered Serpent.
These gods were supposedly nourished by human blood. Because of this, the Mayans often participated in ritual bloodletting, mutilating themselves as a sacrifice to the gods. They also sacrificed animals and even other humans, generally those captured from neighboring tribes. These individuals would be placed upon a Mayan altar, and their hearts would be ripped out by a priest. The heart would then be burnt as an offering. The Mayans believed that only through sacrifice and bloodletting could they communicate with the gods. Unsurprisingly, kings and other nobility were seen as mediators between gods and humans: semi-divine beings who could contact the gods. Those of higher class were expected to practice bloodletting more often, and more severely, than those of lower class; the Mayans believed that these rituals kept the universe in balance, and prevented it from descending into chaos.
Astrology was also very important to the Mayan religion, and a lot of their rites were made to concede with celestial events. Furthermore, each Mayan god was associated with a certain period of time, and was thought to be more sacred during it. For these reasons, the Mayan calendar was vital to their faith.
Another unique part of the Mayan religion was their view of the afterlife. This was mainly dominated by the underworld, which was populated by ominous deities. The Mayans believed that most souls went to the underworld, and that there they embarked on a treacherous journey. Heaven, on the other hand, was an incredibly reserved area; in fact, not even the Mayan rulers were said to make it there. Instead, only those sacrificed and those that died in childbirth were allowed in. The Mayan afterlife, and especially their underworld, was represented by a jaguar, as it was the symbol of night.
The Mayans also thought that humans were created for the purpose of honoring the gods. According the aforementioned codices, the gods attempted to make suitable worshippers many times before they were successful. In the first attempt, animals were created, but were unable to recognize their creators. In the second, they tried to make humans out of earth; these humans collapsed, becoming mud once more. In the third, they used wood, but the resultants could not move and only resembled humans. Finally, on the fourth attempt, the Mayan gods succeeded, crafting humans out of maize ground with water. This was highly symbolic to the Mayans, as corn was a vital part of their society.
