MAYAN CLAY STORY

Maria's Journey

Maria

María is a medicine woman in every sense of the word.

She heals not only with her hands but also with her heart. She firmly believes in magic, the wisdom of the universe, and that when one is open, life will guide you exactly where you need to be.

Beginnings

In 1989, while living in Auckland, New Zealand, María won a trip to Mexico City through a contest sponsored by Corona Beer. What seemed like a simple prize turned out to be the beginning of a profound transformation. At the time, she was working as a massage instructor at the renowned Joyce Blok academy.

"Joyce was a great mentor. Her guidance was key to the vision that later inspired me to create my own spa," María recalls.

Mexico

Before that trip, María had already been exploring the power of healing. She studied cosmetology, physiatrics, and alternative therapies. She attended dozens of body release sessions based on an Osho technique, where she learned that traumas could be trapped in the muscles, and that by unlocking the body, the mind could also be set free.

In Mexico, her path led her to Tepoztlán, where she lived an alternative life with her three children, in a Huichol palapa, without electricity or running water. There, she began intuitively applying clay, witnessing real healing results among those around her. Her faith in clay grew, along with her desire to unite all she had learned in New Zealand with the teachings the Mexican land was giving her.

Vision

It was then that the vision for Mayan Clay was born. Inspired by Cristóbal, her partner, who often reminded her that the best therapy can happen under a tree, and by a mentor who taught her the importance of the environment, María decided to create a space in harmony with nature. She traveled to Palenque to collect clay and began offering therapies deep in the jungle to groups she met at campsites. Her first group was a team of scientists, who were amazed by the detoxifying effects of the clay.

For María, clay is a living being. She sees it as an ally, a nourishment for the soul and theskin. She believes that, in its virg in state, it holds the power to heal, just as ancient cultures once knew.

Her philosophy is summed up in a simple phrase: "If you can't take your head to the earth, bring the earth to your head."

Today

Today, the spa she founded in Tulum alongside her family is a living sanctuary. They planted trees, created sacred spaces, and built a community. She feels proud to see how her therapists have grown, how clients return, and how every visitor receives a blessing upon crossing their doors.

According to María, the body has the innate power to heal itself — through rest, nourishment, meditation, and presence. And Mayan Clay exists to remind you of that truth.