The People Behind Iluminado Tours

Trudy Woodcock
When Trudy came to the Yucatan in 1978 she remembers sitting on the top of the pyramid at Chichen Itza and suddenly knowing there was something important for her here. In 1992 when she first visited Mérida she knew this city would be her home. Like many of you, she was doing her personal work, following her spiritual path, and saying “yes” more often than “no” to the many opportunities and challenges that came her way.  As you know, there is a point along this path where you have to keep moving forward, there is no going back. In October, 2001 she left her life in Vancouver, Canada, and moved here to Mérida.  

Trudy created Iluminado Tours in order to introduce others to the magic and excitement she found in the Yucatan.  During this time she continued to learn about the Maya from books, teachers, and more importantly from her personal experiences at the sacred sites themselves.  Then she met her teacher Miguel Angel Vergara and started to understand where this journey was heading. All the little “yeses” were adding up to the big “yes” that meant defining, accepting, and following her life’s purpose.

Part of that purpose is to act as a bridge between the vast knowledge of the ancient Maya and today’s spiritual seeker. At Iluminado Tours she creates programs that lead people to their own special experiences at the sacred sites of the Maya.  To complement these spiritual journeys, she has joined forces with Miguel Angel Vergara and Erik Solis Puga to open the Maya Cosmic University here in Mérida.  This school is a place for people to study specific aspects of the sacred Maya world in depth. Commenting on this phase of her life, Trudy says, “I am really excited about this school. There was nothing like this in Mérida when I first arrived in 1992. I couldn’t even have imagined it then. I am now looking forward to whatever is coming next.  I can’t imagine what it could be.”

Miguel Angel Vergara
Miguel Angel Vergara Calleros is a Mayan Cultural Teacher and leading authority on Chichen Itza and the pyramid of K'u-Kuul-Kaan. He is the author of several books on the Maya including two on Chichen Itza. He was Coordinator of Cultural Services for the Yucatan state government and the director of Chichen Itza for four (4) years.

He studied for 17 years with Mayan elder, Don Vincente Martin, who was a wisdom keeper, professional teacher and artist. Miguel Angel became a master in his own right, known as Master Nazul, and teaches seminars in Mexico and abroad on Mayan astronomy, philosophy, calendar, glyphs and symbols, medicine, cosmovision, traditions and prayers, ceremonies and healing. Miguel Angel teaches us how to connect with the masters of light who are available to teach and guide us now, as in ancient times. He conducts tours to the Mayan sacred sites so that we can experience first-hand the powerful activating energies of those areas. His knowledge and experience make the journeys come alive as we begin to understand how the messages were imprinted, what the glyphs mean, how the buildings were used and how the ceremonies were conducted.

Miguel Angel teaches in a heart-centered style that connects rapidly and profoundly with his audience. Those who experience him realize they are in the presence of a master and are being given an extraordinary gift.

Erik Solgis Puga
Erik Solis Puga was born in Yucatán and is proud of his Maya roots which come through his maternal grandmother’s family, Balam, in the town of Ake.  Erik was born in Progreso and grew up learning much from nature as well as from his family.  He went to university in Mérida where he received his degree in Tourism and continued his education by working with many Maya teachers, elders, healers, and Maya Xmen and Hmen (Shamans). 

Erik generously shares all he learns and strongly believes in teaching by example. He is a Mayan Walker, traveling on his path, sharing his personal experiences and vast knowledge while continuing to learn and grow as he helps guide people to find their individual paths to freedom, peace and happiness. He has traveled to Europe and the United States by invitation to teach at various Maya seminars and workshops.  Erik’s generous, caring and gentle way of teaching allows him to connect easily with people.

In 2005 Erik created his travel agency, Mayan Connection, which offers authentic Mayan journeys to groups and individuals searching for more than the usual tourist experience. He currently works with Iluminado Tours organizing the Maya Sacred Tours and is a founding partner with Miguel Angel Vergara and Trudy Woodcock in the Maya Cosmic University in Mérida, Yucatán. 

Joining Us for Specific Programs

Stephen Mehler
Stephen Mehler’s fascination with ancient Egypt, which began at the age of 8, has guided his education and spiritual work all his life. Stephen holds 3 degrees in the sciences and is a trained field archaeologist and prehistorian. Stephen also served as a Staff Research Scientist for the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, in San Jose, California from 1978-1980.

Since 1992, Mehler has worked with and been a student of Egyptian-born Egyptologist and indigenous wisdom keeper, Abd’El Hakim Awyan, popularly known as Hakim. Stephen has written 2 books, The Land of Osiris and From Light into Darkness: The Evolution of Religion in Ancient Egypt, based on his over 15 years of work with Hakim and Stephen’s almost 40 years of research in the area. Stephen is currently Director of Research of both the Great Pyramid of Giza Research Association and his own Land of Osiris Research Project. He also leads tours to Egypt and is working on a third book with Hakim.

Stephen has researched the phenomenon of crystal skulls since 1979, especially those known as ancient crystal skulls. He has experienced and tested 4 skulls that he has labeled ancient artifacts and has seen as many as nine that could fit that category. Stephen has co-written a book on the subject with David Hatcher Childress, The Crystal Skulls: Astonishing Portals to Man’s Past.

Richard Jelusich, Ph.D.
Dr. Jelusich has been teaching, giving lectures, workshops and private sessions for over 20 years. He is Dean of Administration and Core Faculty at the California Institute for Human Science. His Ph.D. is in Human Science, and his research work is in light and sound, and the blending of metaphysics and science. Richard is a gifted intuitive and adept energy worker, accurately reading how the soul-quality infuses itself into our working personality.

He is author of The Eye of the Lotus, a book about the Psychology of the chakras, published by Lotus Press, and now in its second printing. Richard’s work is about how dominant chakras affect the way we perceive and react to our life’s experiences. The Chakras are our access to our higher selves, and each affects our nature and disposition uniquely through our mental, spiritual, physical and emotional states.
Dr. Jelusich’s goals are very simple:
- To de-mystify metaphysics.
- To profoundly heal and help self-empower individuals on multiple levels.

Richard’s “Healer’s Training for the Whole Human Being” has over 95 students in cities in the U.S. and Canada. He travels extensively, teaching a 17-level, 2-year course in spiritual healing and philosophy of the Whole Human Being.

Kathryn McCusker
Eight years ago in Yucatán, Mexico, Kathryn McCusker discovered Kundalini Yoga.  She is a certified teacher of Kundalini Yoga, Pregnancy Yoga and Children’s Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. Kathryn trained with Guru Dharam Singh at the School of Kundalini Yoga (SKY) in the UK and with Karta Singh at the Amrit Nam Sarovar School in France. 

Kathryn passionately shares this transformational practice, teaching throughout London and offering yoga workshops and retreats worldwide. Chanting with Kathryn takes on another dimension as she was principal soprano with Opera Australia for 7 years.  Her career as a professional singer and teacher informs her approach to mantras, which are integral to Kundalini. Kathryn performs at Yoga festivals throughout Europe and travels widely in India, Tibet and Mexico.