Understanding The Pyramid of Positive Thinking

How I Completely Missed The Purpose Of This Art Piece

Along our trek back from Aldea Zama, I wanted to stop by an art installation that I had read about, the Pyramid of Positive thinking. It was right along our path back to the resort.

The structure starts with a path that winds through the trees, ducking beneath red arches that represent a snake that leads to a small opening and a large pyramid. 12 meters wide and 12 meters tall, the Pyramid of Positive thinking was constructed by Xavier de Maria y Campos to commemorate the year 2012, which coincided with the end of the Mayan calendar cycle – an event that signals the transition into a new Baktun.

Upon approaching the installation, I ignored the detailed signage that was posted to instruct visitors about the purpose of the art piece and how they can contribute to it. Instead, I walked straight for a set of very steep stairs on the side of the pyramid and climbed to the top. I peered inside of the pyramid and was immediately disgusted; it was full of plastic bottles. I had thought people turned what could have been a really nice work of art in the middle of a nice neighborhood into an oversized trash bin.

I was wrong.

When I got home, I did some more research on the pyramid and found that the bottles were fully intentional. Xavier had encouraged visitors to write down one positive thought on a piece of paper, insert it into a PET bottle (Polyethylene terephthalate – a 100% recyclable plastic material), and layered within soil containing regional plant seeds. Over time, the structure will decompose and leave a pyramid of green that has been imbued with the positive energy of the visitor’s thoughts.

Reflecting back, I wish I had taken the time to read the signage and learn about the art piece before passing swift judgement and leaving the area with a poor taste that it didn’t deserve. Nearly a decade later, I do think the artist may have leaned towards a more environmentally-safe method of building the structure (a biodegradable substance rather than plastic) if he had created it today, but I am encouraged by the mission behind the art piece and look forward to slowing down the next time I see a piece of art that has been designed to spread positivity.