Tag Archives: N’oj

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

6 No’j (7th October 2022)

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6 N'ojNo’j, the nawal of the brain and thought is embellished by the number 6 which brings a higher essence into the physical ideas. Today, inspiration may come from more than just what you see around you.

As the trecena of E’ unfolds, today we are entering the balanced period, the sixth, seventh and eighth days which are considered to be some of the easier days to negotiate. The energies of these days are generally conducive in combination with the nawales they are paired with. The E’ trecena can be a time not just of a new direction or new path, but also of new discoveries. The day 6 No’j would suggest a little help comes from the other realms to help to piece together the new ideas and information you may be discovering in this journey. The path is not always straight and even, sometimes there are blockages and obstructions to overcome. The energy of the day 6 No’j can bring divinely inspired ideas of how to move through obstructions on the path, ideas which are practical and relevant in the physical world, yet simultaneously fulfil a greater purpose.

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (No’j). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

 

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies.

The number six is said to be the number of ultimate stability. It is the first of the three middle numbers of the cycle, the balance point neither too strong nor too weak. It is a day frequently used for ceremony thanks to its conducive energy. It represents the four directions with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. It also represents family, relating to the six qualities that nourish and hold families together – health, understanding, property, employment, friendship and actions.

The cross at the top of the central hill, Paclom, in Momostenango. Paclom is known as "the six place" and the two armed cross represents the four directions combining with the Heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Sky. This picture was taken on Wajxakib B'atz, February 2010.
The cross at the top of the central hill, Paclom, in Momostenango. Paclom is known as “the six place” and the two armed cross represents the four directions combining with the Heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Sky. This picture was taken on Wajxakib B’atz, February 2010.
Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 No’j (17th September 2022)

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12 N'ojIntellect without experience does not always solve problems. Today brings an energy which collects past experiences and pairs them with intellect, possibly bringing new relevance to old ideas.

No’j, is the nawal of the brain, the problem solver is a bringer of inspiration and solutions. Everyday we learn something new in general our level of experience rises as we travel our life path. Some of this is of immediate use and some of it seems irrelevant at the time, but it all seems to get filed away somewhere. Sometimes those concepts or ideas become relevant with the perspective we gain as we move further along our life path.

As we come towards the end of our journey through the Kame trecena, the time of our spiritual transformation, we might ask ourselves what we choose to transform into. What is our grand plan and how can we make it happen?

The combination of the energy of the nawal No’j with the energy of the number 12 gathers our past thoughts and ideas together, as our life experience joins them into one unified plan. The intellect and problem solving abilities No’j bestows could give the opportunity to put together parts of our personal jigsaw that we couldn’t recognise as relevant before.

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N’oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j  can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies.

The number 12 is the penultimate number. In some ways it can be seen as the last Earthly number, the number 13 representing the spirit world. We travelled through the mortal world with 1 through 6, then the other world with 7 through 12. In this way 12 can be seen as a point of bringing all of the experiences into one bundle for presentation to the spirit world as we step into 13. As such, the number 12 brings a wealth of experience into one place, it is rather like writing an autobiography. It is totality, all that is, brought together.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

5 No’j (28th August 2022)

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5 N'ojThe energy of the nawal No’j brings us ideas, thoughts and solutions to our problems. Today its combination with the number 5 suggests the need to really put some energy behind our ideas to bring them to fruition.

The concept of a straightforward plan evolving without too much input from ourselves is particularly unrealistic today. The energy that the number 5 brings to the day suggests that a real push will be necessary, with some hard work involved, to get your ideas into motion. It is true that the day may bring some solutions that you had not thought of before, but these solutions may not be quick or easy to employ. In fact, the quick answer may actually cause a problem. One of the qualities associated with the energy of the number 5 is rushing into situations without really thinking them through. Today this could signify that something within your plan needs a little more thought. The consequence of trying to rush your work may result in an unexpected obstruction to the application of your idea.

This is certainly a day to work on solving problems, but the long route to the solution may be the most beneficial. Taking shortcuts to save effort may result in challenges.

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (No’j). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies.

The Sacred Mayan calendar is often said to be a calendar of human life, and parts of it can be seen as a microcosm of the human body. The number five is one of these parts. It is representative of the hand with it’s five digits. It is with our hands that we work, and with what we earn for that work that we pay our debts. Five is also a number that relates to the sacred fire where we pay our debts with offerings and prayers. Five might be so busy working that it fails to remember what it is working for. It can also signify that what it is attached to becomes work, or is “hard work”.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

11 No’j (8th August 2022)

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11 N'ojThis is a day for “those free-thinking types.” It may be a day with a myriad of genius ideas, although finding a train of thought to follow may be challenging.

Most days which carry the number 11 can be a little confusing to say the least. The strong energy of the 11, combined with its lack of true direction, can lead to situations where you don’t really know where you are, or where you are going, although you are sure you are in the right place. The energy of the nawal No’j may bring some stability to this through its logic. It may be a day of many thoughts and ideas which seem to form some kind of cohesive structure from a certain point of view. You may need to patiently observe your thoughts until the end of the day in order to understand where the trail is leading. In fact it may be that today you are able to come up with the rather left field thoughts that were the missing pieces of your master plan.

Earth Lord
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N’oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies. The last No’j year was  2020, the year 8 No’j.

The number 11 is a high and odd number. This gives it some rather challenging properties, although it can come good in the end. Imagine you visit Ireland and are transfixed by the green of the hills, then you go to Morocco and are awed by the red of the buildings, then you go to the Caribbean and are moved by the turquoise sea. You return home and paint a beautiful picture using those colours. When you were in Ireland you didn’t know you were going to paint that masterpiece, you may not have even known why you were there.  This is how 11 works. You are sure you need to be doing something, but unsure why. You are collecting experience through many wanderings.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

4 No’j (19th July 2022)

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4 NojThe energy of thought and ideas comes down to four corners of the Earth today.  This is a day to solidify plans, and to bring ideas into the physical plane.

The 4 is representative of physical stability, or rather the materialisation into physical form. No’j is the flash of brilliance, the inspiration we receive. When we combine the two, we get a rather beneficial day. Today is a day when we are able to materialise our ideas into the physical world. We may have been sitting on them for some time, waiting for the right moment, and now is the time to ground them. These ideas may bring you sustenance, they have the fertile mind of the Earth Lord behind them, and the Earth Lord presides over all that comes from the Earth – crops, jade, silver. The four suggests that the ideas are not quite complete yet, this will happen on 8 No’j, but they are robust enough to be brought into the world and stand on their own two feet. It is a day to get your plans out into the open and allow them to start to bring their benefits into your life.

Earth Lord
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (No’j). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

 

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

The number 4 is very important within Mayan mythology. Four represents the cardinal points, the four colours of maize, the four carriers of the year, the two equinoxes and two solstices, as well as midnight, sunrise, midday and sunset. The number four is representative of the four first men, who raised the sky from the sea to create the world we live on. In Mayan myth it is four pillars that support the sky from the Earth. As you can imagine, four is a number which represents stability, a solar number. Even though it is still low, it is thought of as a good number.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 No’j (29th June 2022)

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10 N'ojSome days should really work out well, with a strong and positive effect coming from both the nawal and the number. Today, the clear thinking, analytical energy of No’j is combined with the socially helpful 10.

Today is a day to get things sorted out, a day to find solutions within your community. It is a day when the saying “a problem shared is a problem halved” is extremely applicable. Join minds with your friends, colleagues and neighbours to come up with unique and novel solutions to problems that may have been perplexing you for some time.

One slight drawback could be that the energy of the nawal No’j sometimes brings many ideas but not so much action. It may be a day where the mind drifts through many ideas of how to resolve situations within the community, without actually initiating those ideas. This could even result in the ideas themselves becoming muddled, lines of thought being expressed and followed without actual realisation into the physical world. Whilst the energy of No’j does have a practical edge to it, it can on occasion end up lost in its thoughts.

A logical solution to this may come through cooperation. However, despite your combined solution being obvious to you and your group, be aware that you may still be ahead of your time. Be patient with those you explain your new big idea to, they might need a little time to catch up.

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N’oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

 

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

The number 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

3 No’j (9th June 2022)

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3 N'ojThe nawal of the brain, thought and inspiration combines with the number of external challenges. This is a day to focus on solving inner issues rather than looking for solutions outside.

The day 3 No’j can present challenges around the ability to think clearly. This may manifest as some kind of block, but also it might lead to inappropriate action. If a problem needs to be solved logically, it would be better to put it off to another day with a more conducive energy. This may be a day where the ideal tasks will be the more mundane ones which don’t require too much thought.

However, there is a positive side to the energy of the number three and this has to do with creation. It gives rise to a time to go inside, to focus the creative thought process within. Choosing to focus on solutions around your home may be more conducive trying to solve problems in the outer world. Be gentle on those around you who seem to be acting thoughtlessly, you might be just as lost as them today.

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N’oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

 

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea. No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies.

There are various myths about the creation which link with the number 3. One is that at the time of creation, three stone jumped out of the fireplace and formed the new world. These three stones are called the hearthstones, and are still seen in many Maya homes today, on the fire supporting the tortilla griddle. From an astronomical point of view, the stones are the stars Alnitak, Saiph and Rigel in the constellation we call Orion, and the Smoky Fireplace is the Great Orion Nebula (M42)

The number 3 is still in the low end of the range of numbers. It does not have much energy yet, and it is also an odd number. It can represent the home, relating to the three hearthstones laid by the creators, and this is probably a good focus for a 3 day. However, it is possibly the most troublesome of the numbers to deal with, it lacks stability and represents challenges and obstructions. The number three brings up internal/external dilemma. The lack of stability in the physical, external world that it brings suggests that the more appropriate action is to look to the internal world, both of the home and of yourself.

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

9 No’j (20th May 2022)

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9 N'ojThe day 9 No’j can be seen as a day when the polarities come together to solve a problem. It is a marriage of the masculine, square, logical No’j, with the  feminine, rounded, artistic nine.

Today might be a day when feminine problems may be resolved with masculine logic, and masculine problems resolved with feminine intuition. It can be seen as the union of the left and right hemispheres of the brain, a day of particular inspiration, with the possibility for the emergence of true genius. This is enlivened with the energy of the number 9, its connection with the divine feminine and life energy, which would also bring in the energy of the heart. I have heard this referred to as the holy trinity, left brain, right brain and heart working together, creating the best possible solutions, bringing sustainable, compassionate, beautiful ideas into practicality. This is the ideal day for an ideas circle within your community.

It is a day to pay attention to ideas inspired by life, and a day when realistic resolutions of life’s problems may emerge. This may particularly come through a feminine channel, this is most certainly a day to ask for practical solutions from the women around us.

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (No’j). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

 

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies.

The number nine is very special indeed. It is the number of lunations in the human gestation period and in the sacred calendar. The sacred calendar is known as a calendar of life, and it is women that give life. As such the number nine is seen as the number of life and the number of the divine feminine. It gives all that it is attached to a strong feminine presence and is a day on which women may wish to give thanks for their gifts.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 No’j (30th April 2022) Solar Zenith in Guatemala

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2 N'ojThe energy of the nawal No’j often brings practical solutions to problems, and today the number 2 highlights polarities. This brings the ability to solve problems by understanding both sides of the issue.

The second day of the trecena of Ajmak, the day 2 No’j, enables us to move through the trecena of forgiveness by helping us to understand different points of view. No’j helps us to think things through, its intellect and intelligence empowers our thought processes to come up with the most appropriate solution. However, if we approach problem solving from a unilateral standpoint, we may miss important issues. 2 No’j brings us the the ability to encompass both. Days carrying the energy of the number 2 are always good for mediation, but here we see it particularly linked with intelligent solutions.

With the number 2 highlighting relationships, this could also be a day to help soothe any friction within partnerships.

Solar Zenith

Here in Guatemala, at 15 degrees north of the equator, we experience this phenomenon two time per year. The Solar Zenith is when the Sun crosses the hypothetical North – South line (the Meridian) at 90 degrees. If you live outside of the tropics, you will be accustomed to the Sun being at its greatest height in the sky on the solstice (whether that’s in June in the Northern hemisphere or December in the Southern Hemisphere.) Here at 15 degrees North, we can add the Zenith into the mix. On August 13th and April 30th, the Sun will be directly overhead at solar noon, and we will experience what seems to be no shadow! Why is this so exciting? Well, between 13th August and 30th April is 260 days, and  between 30th April and 13th August is 105 days.  Some people have theorised the the sacred calendar may have been developed at this latitude due to this phenomenon.

Many Maya sites have structures that mark the zenith transit, often zenith tubes. One possible reason that the zenith transit was so important was because of the planting of maize. I was talking with a researcher one time, and she suggested that the start date of the Maya solar year should be 13th August. We both had carried out some work on the names of the months of the Maya solar calendars and found correlations between natural phenomena and month names. The first month of the solar calendar is called Nabe Mam, meaning “the first season of the early aged”. What is said along with this is that corn planted in this time will struggle to reach its full maturity. Here in Guatemala, the rain becomes sporadic by the beginning of November and by mid November, we are often fully into dry season. The corn takes 105 days to grow, and 105 days from 13th August would be around the 26th November. Therefore, it would make a lot of sense to plant the last crop of corn before the second solar zenith transit. Maybe this is why it was deemed so important.

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (No’j). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies.

The number 2 is representative of duality, of polarity. Although it is a low number it has surprising strength as it is said to be able to call upon both aspects or polarities of what it is attached to. It is said to be the number of lovers, it signifies relationships and self-sacrifice. Whilst it can lend itself to mediation, seeing both sides of the story, it also can be indecisive.

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

8 No’j (10th April 2022)

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8 N'ojThe nawal No’j representing the brain and logical thought combines with the number of wholeness giving a day to think about all options. This is a day to celebrate our ability to plan and solve problems.

As humans we have been blessed with the amazing gifts of our brain and our mind. We can use them to achieve incredible feats, to advance our lives, and those of our families and communities. We can use them to solve the problems around us to make our world a better place. However, sometimes that intelligence turns against our evolution, as new ways to destroy our planet and ourselves come from the brains of some humans. This of course shows the difference between intelligence and wisdom. Our intellect can also lead us to overthinking situations, it can lead us into such minute details that confusion or inaction occurs.

Today we see these qualities combined with the number which represents wholeness. This can give us the ability to think through every aspect of a situation. It suggests that we are able to use all aspects of our intellect, to resolve what we need to. We are able to use our minds to gain the new inspiration, coming as unexpectedly as an earthquake, combined with understanding of how to bring the idea which forms to completion. This is the day to understand the true scale of problems in our lives and how to overcome them. It is a day on which whole solutions may arrive, complete from inception to execution, a whole package to make the world a better place for all. It is a day to make ceremony to give thanks for our ability to think clearly and develop solutions, and to ask for pardon for the times when we act without fully thinking through the consequences of our actions.

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N’oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies. The last No’j year was the year 8 No’j in 2020.

The number 8 is considered to be a number of wholeness. It can be seen as birth (1) and death (7) combined to represent the whole cycle of the soul. It can also be seen as the point where the four first men who raised the sky from the sea were joined by their wives and the world become whole. It is the most common day for ceremonies to be made, it is still in the balanced range of numbers and is an even number, which is also considered fortunate. As this wholeness represents every aspect of the energy of the day with which it is coupled, it is the wholeness of the nawal that is addressed in ceremony.