Here is a recording of a presentation I made of my perceptions about Wayeb, the final five days of the 365 day solar calendar, and how they might be navigated.
Daily Archives: 13th February 2022
5 Iq’ 0 Wayeb – The First Day of Wayeb
The posts that I am writing every day concern the days of the Chol Q’ij, the Mayan sacred or ritual calendar, which consists of 260 days. However, this is, of course, not the only calendar used by the Maya people. One of the other calendars used is known as the Macewal Q’ij or Ordinary Days. This has been termed a civic or agricultural calendar, which may seem less grand than the sacred days, but without agriculture, the people would starve. There are ceremonies associated with certain days of the Macewal Q’ij, not least the arrival of the first day, the new Year Bearer. Kenneth Johnson wrote an excellent first hand account of his experience in Momostenango of the arrival of the new year bearer or Mam here
However, the new year is not here just yet, first we have to get through the Tz’ipin Q’ij, the closing days, also known as Wayeb. These are the five days at the end of the 365 day count. They are thought of as a dangerous time, when the energy is confused to say the least. It is interesting to note that the final five days of the solar year are overseen by the previous incarnation of the same nawal. 5 Iq’ was the year bearer for 2017. If we imagine reality as a ship and the year bearer as the captain, it is as if the captain has died and been replaced by the ghost of the previous captain. Maybe this is why this time is thought of as being so unpredictable.
Wayeb is seen as a time of introspection, a time when we take stock of what has happened over the previous year. In some communities, it is seen as a time when public ceremony is avoided, some people do not wash or comb their hair, they may not leave the house. It is a time when the energies of the days are unsupported and misfortune may occur.
The introspection of the first day of Wayeb is used to review the previous year. Its combination here with the day 5 Iq’ suggests a review of the way you were able to work on our communication, and on our breath during the last 360 days, during the current year, 9 Iq’. 9 Iq’ could be seen as a year reflecting the breath of life, it could also be seen as the voice of the women. It certainly feels like in this time we are now able to breathe more freely having re-established our life breath. There have certainly been some very interesting changes and upsets to the establishment brought through the voices of women. On this first day of reflection, we could ask ourselves “where did I put my energy into change, and what areas still need some work?”
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5 Iq’ (14th February 2022)
Clear and effective communication is always an important goal, especially if it can become something which transcends the usual level. Today is a day to work towards this ideal, although it might not come easily.
The nawal Iq’ does highlight communication, but it also brings about changes and its most challenging property is anger. These three properties can all be seen working hand in hand. Lack of communication can lead to anger, as can enforced, or unforeseen changes. It is worthwhile remembering this on Iq’ days, as sometimes the energy can make people more sensitive to these things and produce a stronger than expected reaction.
Days carrying the number five have some interesting properties and can lead to some frustration. It all comes down to putting effort into or working on the properties of the nawal to which it is attached.
This can lead to a day where putting a little extra effort into the clarity of your words will certainly help to overcome possible negative outcomes. In fact with suitable attention to detail your hard work may pay off, and your words will be blessed by the divine breath, inspiring those around you.
Today is the first day of the Tz’ipin Q’ij or Wayeb, the closing days of the Mayan solar year. It is the beginning of 5 days of reflection and meditation. 5 I’q was the bearer of the year in 2017, and here we see it come around once more. I have created a separate, special post about the closing days of the year here
Nawal Iq’ is another strong nawal. It represents communication and particularly divine inspiration. It is the wind, the breath of life, that which brings the change in seasons.
The communication brought by Iq’ can be enlightening and inspiring. It is the breath of the divine which flows through us all, in fact the word for soul is Saq Iq’ – white breath. When our breath stops, our divine essence leaves our physical body. When we engage ourselves with the divine breath we are able to create, to manifest with our words, to inspire those around us. However, Iq’ also has a destructive side. It has the ability to blow like a hurricane and may level everything before it. It is the angry words which cut down everything in their path.
Hurricane is one of the few English words which is actually derived from a Mayan word- Junrakan, meaning “one footed”. Junrakan is another name for the Heart of the Sky, one of the creator deities. Once again it seems that certain patterns follow through the sequence of the nawales which are interrelated. Imox, the female creative principle, or egg, is fertilised be Iq’, the male principle. Their combination results in Aq’ab’al, the conception and a change in the state, bringing the dream into reality.
Iq’ is a day of communication, a day of inspiration. It can be a great day to express yourself through written or particularly verbal means. It is also a day on which changes happen. You can either embrace those changes or resist them, but be aware that the wind blows forcefully and resistance of change requires a great deal of energy. Embracing change helps you to learn to dance like a leaf in the wind.
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”.
