By Eugenio Amézquita Velasco
Translation: Guanajuato Desconocido
-Archaeologist Julio Celis Polanco calls for a gathering at Cerro del Culiacán to analyze the equinox as an ancient technical tool.
-Science debunks "energy charging": there is no physical evidence that pyramids or hills act as batteries for the body.
-The equinox will begin precisely this Friday, March 20, 2026, at 14:02 hours, marking the end of the astronomical winter.
-Pre-Hispanic peoples used astronomy for survival; the equinox accurately dictated sowing and harvesting cycles.
-The alleged energy recharge is a New Age myth; the well-being felt at pyramids is a psychological effect from endorphin release.
-Physically, the body only obtains energy from nutrients; the sun at the summit only provides heat and a risk of dehydration.
-Archaeologists warn that massive climbs to pyramids during the equinox cause erosion and irreversible mechanical damage to heritage sites.
-In ancient Mexico, oriented architecture was not mystical, but a scientific basis for public and social administration.
-The equinox is an orbital geometric position: the Sun does not emit "more" energy that day nor does it alter Earth's fundamental physics.
-The excursion in Cortazar on March 22 seeks to understand how extinct societies mastered time without modern technology. Whatsapp: 411 134 3479.
CORTAZAR, GTO.- Cerro del Culiacán, one of the most emblematic elevations in the Bajío region, is once again the subject of study and observation with the arrival of the astronomical phenomenon known as the spring equinox. Archaeologist Julio Celis Polanco has organized a technical excursion for March 22 to analyze, from a historical and scientific perspective, how the ancient inhabitants of the region used this mountain as a high-precision calendrical marker.
According to his research transcripts, Celis Polanco emphasizes that the interest of pre-Hispanic peoples in this event was not mere curiosity, but a technical necessity for survival. "They were eminently agricultural peoples," the specialist explains, noting that observing the stars allowed for strict control over planting and harvesting cycles. The excursion in Cortazar is presented as an opportunity to identify the geographic points that served as references for measuring time before the existence of modern technology.
For the inhabitants of past centuries, the passage of the sun through specific points of the Culiacán relief functioned as a resource management tool. According to the archaeologist, these communities built stelae and architectural structures aligned with the mountain to obtain exact references. Today, the study of these remains allows modern archaeology to understand the level of sophistication in engineering and celestial observation achieved by these extinct societies.
The Myth of "Energy Charging" during the Spring Equinox
From a strictly scientific perspective—physical, biological, and medical—there is no evidence, controlled experiment, or quantitative measurement demonstrating that the human body "charges with energy" by standing atop pyramids or mountains during the equinox or on any other date.
To understand why this belief is a modern myth and not a scientific fact, it is necessary to break down the concepts from both physics and archaeology.
The Confusion of the "Energy" Concept
In physics, energy is defined as the capacity to do work (kinetic, potential, thermal, electrical, etc.). The human body obtains its energy exclusively through metabolism—the oxidation of nutrients from food. While it is true that being at the top of a pyramid exposes you to electromagnetic radiation (light and heat) from the Sun, this energy is not "stored" as vitality; in excess, it causes sunburn or dehydration, not a biological "recharge." Although Earth has a magnetic field, its intensity is very low (between 25 and 65 microteslas). There is no evidence that pyramidal structures concentrate this field in a way that affects human metabolism positively or measibly.
The Equinox is Astronomical, Not Energetic
The equinox is a geometric position in Earth's orbit. The Sun does not emit "more" energy that day, nor does the Earth undergo any alteration in its fundamental physics. The equinox was a time marker. Climbing to a high point like Cerro del Culiacán allowed ancient peoples to observe the horizon and adjust their agricultural calendars.
The idea of "charging with energy" is a recent cultural construct—influenced by the late 20th-century New Age movement—rather than a practice faithfully documented in pre-Hispanic codices for personal "energetic" purposes.
What many people experience at the top of Teotihuacán or Culiacán is a real phenomenon, but it is psychological and physiological, not energetic. The physical effort of climbing a mountain or pyramid releases dopamine and endorphins, generating a sense of well-being and euphoria. If a person firmly believes they will receive energy, their brain may reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone), causing a feeling of peace and vitality. Panoramic views and fresh air also produce a relaxation response in the autonomic nervous system.
Archaeology and Conservation
From a heritage standpoint, archaeologists point out that the massive influx of people to the peaks of pyramids—such as the Pyramid of the Sun—during the equinox causes accelerated deterioration of the structures through mechanical erosion. Consequently, climbing to the highest points has already been prohibited at many archaeological sites.
Scientifically, the human body is not a battery that charges by proximity to stones or astronomical alignments. The benefit of a visit to Cerro del Culiacán lies in physical exercise, cultural enrichment, and mental rest—all of which are highly valuable but operate under the laws of biology and psychology, not mystical energy.
Spring Equinox: Celestial Mechanics and Astronomical Precision
Strictly speaking, the spring equinox occurs when the plane of Earth's equator passes through the center of the Sun's disk. This event happens only twice a year and produces a global effect: Earth's axis is positioned such that both hemispheres receive equal amounts of sunlight, resulting in a day and night of nearly identical duration worldwide.
For this year, astronomical calculations indicate that the spring equinox will occur on Friday, March 20, 2026, at 14:02 hours -Central Mexico Time-. At this exact minute, the astronomical winter ends, and spring begins in the northern hemisphere.
Time Management in Pre-Hispanic Mexico: Science Applied to Agriculture
In ancient Mexico, observing the spring equinox was understood as a tool for public and social administration. Past cultures developed oriented architecture that is now the subject of archaeoastronomical analysis. This was not an isolated mystical practice, but the foundation of their subsistence economy.
Historical analysis reveals that rituals and festivities were mechanisms to communicate to the peasant masses that the work cycle should begin. Modern archaeology studies these events to document the history of science in Mexico, clearly differentiating between the importance these facts held for extinct cultures and today's scientific reality. #MetroNewsMx #GuanajuatoDesconocido
