Teyolía is an animic entity of the human being which was physically located in the heart according to the cosmovision of the
ancient Aztecs and in the beliefs of some modern indigenous groups from Mexico and Central America.
Together with the ''
tonalli Tonalli (see also: Tonal (mythology), Tonal) plays a multiplicity of roles; acting as a day sign, body part, and a symbol of the sun's warmth. Ancient Nahua people believed that it was located in the hair and the fontanel area of one's skull, and th ...
'' and the ''ihíyotl'' was one of the three strengths that brings life and health to the humans. It was the part of the human being considered as the one that trascended to
afterlife to different realms according ones way of death. After the
Spanish conquest
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its predece ...
the term was assumed by Spaniard translators as equal to the word "ánima" and "alma" (soul), which have some reminiscences in current expressions among modern indigenous.
Etymology
The
Nahuatl word ''teyolía'' incorporates the
prefix "te-" and the substantive "yolía". The particle "te-" is an indefinite pronominal
prefix that indicates possession, so when it is placed before a noun it can be translated as "of somebody, of another, of the people, of some". The noun "yolía" contains the
root
In vascular plants, the roots are the organs of a plant that are modified to provide anchorage for the plant and take in water and nutrients into the plant body, which allows plants to grow taller and faster. They are most often below the su ...
"''yol''" meaning "life", consequently it can be translated as "''that what makes to live''". All together the word teyolía might be translated as "what makes to live the people". It is related etymologically with the word "yollotl", used to describe the heart.
Description
According to the Aztec thought the ''teyolía'' was an animic entity that gives life to the human beings located in the heart and, therefore, inside every person's chest. Related with the half part of the cosmos.
In addition to the vitality it was attributed it to be the source of knowledge, tendency, affections, passions, memory and will.
The Aztecs believed that after dead the teyolía was the part of the man that separated from the body remained immortal. The teyolía remained some days on the surface of earth be carried afterwards to one of any different destinations in which the Aztecs believed. The final destination of the teyolía was determined by every person's way of dead.
The teyolía of the warriors, for example, was carried to the sun realm (''nepantla tonatiuh'') where they turned into beautiful birds.
Among the modern indigenous peoples the term is used in some deformed ways as "", "", "", "", "", ""; or, by means of Spanish terms "", "" or "".
See also
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Tonalli Tonalli (see also: Tonal (mythology), Tonal) plays a multiplicity of roles; acting as a day sign, body part, and a symbol of the sun's warmth. Ancient Nahua people believed that it was located in the hair and the fontanel area of one's skull, and th ...
*
Ihíyotl
References
Bibliography
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Teyolia
Aztec mythology and religion
Nahuatl words and phrases