Monthly Archives: February 2023

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

8 Iq’ (1st March 2023)

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8 IqThe nawal Iq’ governs communication and change and today it is combined with the number of wholeness, the number 8. The words of the young combine with those of the old to bring the complete message.

The eighth day of the trecena is the most widely recognised day of ceremony, and the ceremonies today are to give thanks for the many qualities attributed to the nawal Iq’. First and foremost, they are for the breath of life. As this wind fills our lungs we live and we move, the continual change from inhale to exhale representing life itself. In some ways, we can see life as a constant state of change and when change stops, so does life. It is the nawal Iq’ which breathes life into us. Therefore, in many ways, the celebration of nawal Iq’ is a celebration of life itself. It is also a day to recognise what the passing of the breath of life through our throats brings, that is communication. Iq’ days are wordy days, days to receive and transmit messages, especially when they are of deeper meaning. These are days when your words are empowered by the divine breath, sometimes you might not even recognise the words you utter. They are messages for others, not from you but through you. These messages bring change and therefore life, and today is a day to show gratitude for them.

The day 8 Iq’ can be seen as a day of communication, where inspiration may come to you in a truly useful, practical way. It can also be a day where challenging subjects that need to be discussed can be communicated in such a way that the point gets across without conflict. Changes might happen, but they happen with a particular grace and ease that helps to embrace life rather than turn it upside down. The effect of these changes will wholly depend on your attitude towards them.

Wind God 1

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 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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

7 Imox (28th February 2023)

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7 ImoxWith the infinite possibilities represented by the nawal Imox combined with the ability to see all at once represented by the number 7, it is unsurprising the today might be rather inspiring, although possibly confusing.

The energy of the nawal Imox helps us to dive deep into the primordial ocean of the collective consciousness. It enables us to reconnect with the original essence from which we all came, with which we are all connected. We do this through our feelings, our intuition and particularly through our dreams. However, when we do not know or understand how to navigate this dreamscape, the messages can become jumbled. It may be difficult to put them into some form of logical order which can be applied in the physical world, thus giving the impression of insanity, whereas in reality the information may be important, it just needs arranging. When the arrangement is performed a great amount of creativity may arise.

The combination of this with the energy of the number 7 may lead to the ability to see all the dreams at once. This may lead to indecision, after all when all possibilities are laid out before you, will choosing one mean that you have to give up the others? This is where a problem arises. Life moves forwards when decisions are made and paths are followed, indecision can lead to stagnation. Today may bring the need to make a choice on which creative potential you wish to follow, what desire you wish to engage with.

The energy of the number seven also has the connection with death, endings and finality. This could represent bringing a particular dream to its conclusion, possibly even the end of the dream being its realisation. On the other side of the line it could represent an end to a particular connection to the collective which may have been less healthy.

The energy of the day 7 Imox may lend itself to being able to balance both the dream and the reality. It is possible to tap into the creativity associated with the collective consciousness, while bringing that inspiration into the physical world. The challenge, however, may be knowing where to draw the line between the two. Being able to see all points of view within the collective may lead to confusion rather than clarity, remember to apply your powers of discernment.

This, being the midpoint of the Tz’ikin trecena, may be asking for us to use this vantage point to decide which dreams we wish to bring into our new vision, and how we might bring them to a conclusion.

Nawal Imox represents the collective consciousness, the great ocean. It is the moment before the “big bang”, when all that existed was the dream of the creator. It is everything and nothing in one place, the ovum from which reality was conceived. Imox is still very much in the other world, requiring another component to physically manifest the dream into reality.

Imox is considered to be a feminine nawal. Sometimes called water lily, sometimes crocodile, it is an embodiment of the primordial. It was from the great ocean that the four first men raised sky to create the world which we inhabit. Imox can also be seen as the Darwinian swamp from which all life emerged. It is fertile and creative, the mother that gave birth to our entire reality.

As the water lily, Imox is probably a representative of  Nymphaea ampla, the white water lily. It has been suggested that the white water lily was smoked by the ancient Maya in a similar way to the blue lotus was used by the Egyptians. It was a plant which allowed access to the otherworld, a plant from which visions came if used correctly.

Imox is our common origin, and as such links us all together. It is the place of dreams, the collective conscious we delve into on our nightly voyages. It may also relate to the place that certain plant medicines take us to in order to bring us wisdom. However, as the font of all of creation, Imox harbours the dark as well as the light. When faced with the entirety of creation, the line between sanity and madness may become blurred.

Imox is a day to celebrate the spirit of the times, to understand the collective mind, particularly of humanity. It is a day to dream your creations, your art, your music. It is a day when we may all feel connected, a day when the psychic field between us may be particularly strong. Discernment may be called for, to understand when to dissociate from the collective, to remember your individuality, and to pull yourself back out of the dream world.

Number Sequence.jpg
The sequence of numbers as they appear with each appearance of a nawal. Here we see that the sequence begins with 1 and ends with 7, giving 7 as a number of finality.

The number seven is the mid-point of the range of numbers. It is known as a number of death and endings, which would seem strange as it is only half way through. It is another representation of the change of state of the soul, showing half of the journey (1-6) in the mortal world and half (8-13) in the otherworld.

The numbers of the days set out as a pyramid.
The numbers of the days as they appear through the trecena. Here they can also be set out as a pyramid, reaching the peak is also the end of a journey.

If we imagine the numbers 1 through 13 as a pyramid, the number seven would be at the top. Seven is the number of balance, it gives the ability to weigh up situations and see all points of view. While this may be very noble, it may lead to indecision.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

6 Ajpu (27th February 2023)

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6 AjpuToday the nawal of the divine combines with the number representing stability and family values. It is a day of recognising the holiness in what is directly around you.

Both the number four and the number six are said to represent stability, but there is a different quality to each of them. The number four represents the four directions, as well as many other phenomenon such as the cycles of the Sun both in the daily (midnight, sunrise, midday and sunset) and annual (solstices and equinoxes). These things are what bring balance to our world, they keep the harmonious rhythm in the physical realm, and can be seen very much as representing physical stability. The number 6 carries those qualities, but has the addition of an extra axis. If we think of the number four representing the cardinal points, the number six adds a polar axis to these, bringing in up and down, the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. The number six has the stability of the number four embellished by an energetic connection to the masculine and feminine principals. It could almost be seen as the number four represents the physical world and the number 6 represents the physical world animated by the life force energy.

Today we see the number 6 connected with the nawal Ajpu, representing divinity and holiness. Ajpu reminds us of the beauty in our world, it shows us the hand of the divine in all things. Perhaps this might sound a little flaky, after all Ajpu energy can sometimes become too mystical for its own good and lose sight of the real world. However, the Ajpu energy gives us the ability to perceive things that cannot always be rationalised, it reminds us of what we are all part of, but cannot be defined. The energy of the number 6 would suggest that today the Ajpu energy might reveal to us the way that the energy flows from heaven and Earth into our physical reality. This may be experienced in a very practical and physical way without losing its divinity.

Thus, the day 6 Ajpu can bring stability to the divinity we experience in life. In particular it can be a day on which to appreciate the blessing of family. It is a day when you may experience the holiness of life in very stable and down to Earth ways, which remind you that there is  a little divinity everywhere. The stability and balance of the six should allow you to appreciate this without being overwhelmed by mysticality.

Kinich Ahau, the solar deity, lord of space and time. From the Dresden Codex.
Kinich Ahau, the solar deity, lord of space and time. From the Dresden Codex.

Nawal Ajpu is once again a nawal with a multitude of meanings and translations. In the Yucatec language it is known as Ahau, in Kiche is is also known as Junajpu. These are in turn variously translated into English as lord, hunter, blow gunner, flower and sun. Each one of the translations has its merits, and represents an aspect of this auspicious nawal.

Within the ancient Mayan society, the royals were not just political leaders of their particular city-states, they were priest-kings and priest-queens. They served as the conduit to the divine, deriving their wisdom for guiding their people through their connection with the Heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Sky. This wisdom enriched both the ruling dynasty and their people, as they would be working in harmony with the gods. Thus the ruler of the city was also the physical embodiment of the divine, and it is to this that Ajpu is so closely related. Likewise it represents our potential, the state of divinity to which we may aspire.

Ajpu represents the holiness in life, the divinity in the physical world, and our search for it. It is that moment when you look closely at a flower to see the beautiful detail, the moment when you see the magnificence of the landscape you live within, the beauty in your child’s eyes or in the your partner. It is the random act of kindness that restores our faith in humanity. It is the search for the underlying meaning in all situations, understanding that each person is a part of the whole. Whether we like it or not, and however we judge it, we are all a part of creation. Our every action, and every action of others gives us the opportunity to explore ourselves and our reaction, whether we are attracted or repelled by the action of others. However, sometimes Ajpu can lead us to become immersed in the other world, to lose sight of reality, it is important to remember to stay in touch with the Heart of the Earth as we reach to the Heart of the Sky.

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

5 Kawok (26th February 2023)

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5 KawokThe energy of days carrying the number 5 always suggests that hard work will be rewarded. This is a day to work on your renovation, the effort you invest clears your path to the new.

Kawok energy is known for its softness and compassion, even in its storm aspect, often the storms in its life are those of others around it. It is the guiding hand, keeping the boat steady as the storm rages all around it. It brings an energy of helping each other through the storms of life with compassion and love. Whilst Kawok has a connection to Chak, the rain god, it also has a connection to Ixchel, she of the rainbows. She is grandmother, and it is this caring energy of a grandmother which is manifested through Kawok. She is the goddess of medicine, and a midwife goddess, fulfilling the other aspects associated with Kawok.

Kawok helps us navigate through our problems by washing away the things we no longer need in our lives. Nothing can resist the strength of her current as it clears our path of debris. This can seem destructive, but it is purely to allow the new growth, the new birth to emerge.

The day 5 Kawok is a day to focus your energies on bringing new growth into your world. Whether it truly is bringing a new life into the world, or a project you have been working on, the energy of today is conducive with working to clear the way to allow its smooth passage from the darkness into the light. That is not to say that this process will be entirely free of resistance, some work may be required to ensure a safe arrival, but the results should be worth the effort.

Ixchel empties the water jar, washing away the old world in order to bring in the new. From the Dresden Codex
Ixchel empties the water jar, washing away the old world in order to bring in the new. From the Dresden Codex

While most healing roles do not seem to be gender specific, one is. Both women and men may be healers, prayer makers, herbalists and diviners, only women will become midwives. Kawok is the energy of the midwife. Kawok helps to clear the obstructions from the birth process, in some ways it actually represents the birth process. Kawok brings the new into the world. In the Mayan cross, Kawok, the birth process finishes the sequence which starts with Aq’ab’al (conception) and moves through B’atz (gestation.) In the sequence of the calendar, Kawok precedes Ajpu. Ajpu represents the resurrection of the maize lord, also the creation of the world. Kawok creates the conditions for that to happen, the rain which brings forth the sprouting of the maize.

In its storm aspect, Kawok can be destructive, although it is a destruction which allows a new creation to happen. Kawok energy can give rise to some tempestuous situations, it can be a day which can give people a rough ride, although this may be for the eventual good. It is a day to ask for the gentle rain to bless your crops, and for the harsh rain to stop. It is a day which washes away the old and outworn in life, so that the new growth, life and divinity may emerge.

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

4 Tijax (25th February 2023)

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4 TijaxThe combination of the number 4 with the  energy of the nawal Tijax brings about a steadiness to the tenacity that Tijax has. It can bring powerful, decisive healing into the physical realm.

The energy of Tijax can accentuate the drive on a quest. This may be the usual kind of Tijax quest, searching out the truth in matters, cutting away at falsehoods and perceived injustice or a pure drive for healing. It brings an essence of tenacity, cutting through that which stands between you and your goal, sometimes almost literally. Tijax can sometimes have a rather belligerent reputation, even if its desired achievement is noble. It can be seen as cutting away the “fluff” around words and conversations in order to get to the point, and in doing this may be rather short.

Today this energy is tempered by the stability afforded by the energy of the number 4. The energy of the 4 brings out the solid, grounded, physical aspects of what it is connected to. It is a day on which forms of healing should have  exactly the desired effect, with recipient put firmly on the road to recovery. It can also be a good day to sever any unnecessary ties gently, but with firmness and certainty. It is a day to apply your powers of discernment very much into the physical world, to understand where improvements, or cuts, may be made, with a steady hand on the knife. It could also be a great day for de-cluttering!

Sacrificial Death God 1

 

The nawal Tijax is often thought of as an obsidian blade or knife. How the blade is used depends on the intention of the person wielding it. It can be wielded by a warrior or by a surgeon. These would seem like opposite ends of the spectrum, but where Tijax is concerned the aim is the same – healing.

Tijax is the nawal of the holy warrior. In the Mayan book of creation , the Popol Vuh, the first act of the hero twins was a mission given to them by the Heart of the Sky to rid the world of the false gods Seven Macaw, Zipacna and Earthquake. This is their quest, their crusade, and is represented by Tijax. They then sacrifice themselves in the underworld (Kame) and are resurrected with magical abilities (Ix). By destroying the false gods, the twins brought balance to the world, and helped mankind, they brought healing to the world. They cut out that which caused disease, exactly as a surgeon would do.

Tijax is celebrated as a day of healers, particularly what could be seen as the masculine aspect of healing. It is a day of crusading, of standing up for what is right. It has a tenacity to it, it is sometimes belligerent, it will not be stopped in it’s quest. It is the healer who refuses to give up on finding a cure. Tijax gives powers of discernment and refinement. Just as the surgeons scalpel cuts away disease and the warriors blade dispatches the evil, the sculptors chisel creates beauty by remodelling the base material. It is a day of alchemy, both internal and external, turning the ordinary into the divine.

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

3 No’j (24th February 2023)

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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

2 Ajmak (23rd February 2023)

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2 AjmakThe day 2 Ajmak empowers both the ability to forgive and to be forgiven, particularly in connection with lovers or relationships. This is a day to heal any wounds and ask forgiveness.

Of course, we get these wounds by falling over, and Ajmak days do sometimes bring the opportunity for us to make mistakes. What seemed like a good idea at the time can often look very different with hindsight. The way we choose to deal with the mistakes we make is what is highlighted today. Sometimes we hide things, we protest our innocence, we try to get away with things and then we get caught. This can often end up with a greater grievance than the initial error would have cased. The number 2 also represents self sacrifice, which would suggest that today is a day on which to hold our hands up to our errors, acknowledge our failing and ask forgiveness. By choosing to act voluntarily we initiate the forgiveness process, which in itself can bring goodwill.

I’m sorry

Please forgive me

Thank you

I love you

It is a day on which to ask for forgiveness for our conduct within relationships should we need to. It is also a day on which to forgive not just current, but previous partners. It is a day to free yourself from the burden of what might have happened in the past and move forward. Whether you have something to ask forgiveness for or not, it is an excellent day to give flowers (or chocolate) to your lover and bring the sweetness of life into your relationship.

Ajmak is the nawal of pardon and forgiveness, the nawal of redemption. It is the energy of being human, of falling down and getting back up again, and giving those chances to others.

When the creators fashioned the four first men, the Bacab’ob, they created them as equals. These four first humans had superhuman abilities, including the ability to see through space and time. As equals were not desired, the gods smoked the mirror of perception, giving us our human set of senses. When we lost the ability to see through time, we lost the ability to see the true consequences of our actions and thus we needed to start asking for forgiveness. Sometimes even well meaning actions can cause problems at a later date. Ajmak represents this ability to forgive others, the ability to forgive ourselves and the ability to accept forgiveness.

Ajmak is a sensual energy, which creates some of the reasons for it’s needing to be forgiven. It is kind and very lovable, but irresponsible. It can be a very talented energy, with great ideas. However it can also be very easily distracted, especially by anything that makes it feel nice. This often leads Ajmak to failing to fulfil it’s true potential, although due to it’s lovable nature it is easy to forgive. One of the lessons with regards to the Ajmak energy is learning to forgive oneself.

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

New Video – The Trecena of Tz’ikin (22nd February – 6th March 2023)

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The trecena of Tz’ikin brings the opportunity to bring forward a new vision for ourselves, our family or our community. It brings a time of re-envisioning how we choose our world to be, how to create a new time of sustainable prosperity.

My 2023 calendar is now available. The calendar shows the days of the Chol Q’ij, formatted onto the Gregorian calendar. This year it is available electronically as a pdf in both English and Spanish. Printed versions, in English, are available locally here in Guatemala, from Nectar, Palo Santo and Lava Love Cacao in San Marcos. It is also available at the candle shop of Nana Maria Feliciana, opposite Banrural in San Juan la Laguna. See this link for details on how to get your pdf https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=9580

Within the village of San Pablo la Laguna, there is an organisation doing great work. They are called ODIM and are specialising in medical and educational services. During the pandemic restrictions, they helped feed many people, but this is in addition to their regular, long term work there. You can find out more about them through this link https://tinyurl.com/yb4l3rux

Popol Jay is an ancient name to define the House of the Council of Elders, among the Maya of Guatemala. These were places of wisdom where sacred knowledge about medicine, the calendars, music, spiritual practice and more was kept and passed to future generations. All were burnt down during the Conquest and subsequent Colonization periods. Today, the Q’eqchi’ Maya Council of Elders Releb’aal Saq’e has joined forces with many supporters to rebuild the Popol Jay of the North, in the lowlands of the Petén region, heart of the Maya culture of the Classic Period. The Elders have worked hard to acquire land and co-design this Center of Knowledge to share ancient wisdom with the World. To donate to the Elders of Peten to fund the Popol Jay, please use this link https://tinyurl.com/8s7vkvr

If you would like to dive deeper into the sacred calendar, I will be running a workshop via Zoom from 10 am – 2pm (Guatemala Time, UTC -6) from 27th – 31st March 2023. There are currently some spaces available. For more information, please go to https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=1120 

 

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

1 Tz’ikin (22nd February 2023)

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1 Tz'ikinThe nawal of vision and prosperity combines with the number of novelty and birth to bring an auspicious day, and new trecena. This is a day of inspiration, a day to begin work on a new vision.

The nawal Tz’ikin is also a nawal of manifestation, and one way it does this is through the voice. The relatively low power of 1 Tz’ikin suggests that while this manifestation is possible, it is likely to need a little encouragement. You may need a little nudge to speak up for what you wish to bring into your life, but once you do so, the potential for it to manifest is strong.

If you are looking to start a new business venture, in particular, this is the day. However, you might find that it is not yet fully formed and input from your friends or advisers may help to define it further. Perhaps you are guided to start something new, perhaps today is the day on which to ask for a vision on how to proceed. Tz’ikin energy is seen as lively and sociable, occasionally to much so for its own good, but today this may be slightly muted and may be very useful. It is a perfect day to ask your associates to help you to clarify your vision. It may also be a time to bring several ideas together into one, clear unified image.

Bat Falcon sitting on top of Temple 216 at Yaxha. Photo by Mark Elmy

Nawal Tz’ikin is the nawal of prosperity, which sometimes seems odd to people seeking “higher knowledge”. It is not quite seen the same here. If your family is starving, you are more likely to fall off the good road, perhaps into dishonesty or criminal activity. By asking nawal Tz’ikin for prosperity in your life, you are more likely to be relaxed, to be able to help others and to be more constructive within your community. That is not to say that your own input of hard work will not be necessary, just that it is hard work that will pay off.

Tz’ikin has the ability to give visions, it helps people to see the bigger picture within life. It also helps people to focus on details. It has grand aspirations and helps people to rise to the top of their abilities, which of course brings them prosperity.

Just as Tz’ikin can focus, its broad vision can occasionally cause distraction. Sometimes, just when it is heading towards its goal it can be distracted by something “shiny.” This energy gives an ability to create great social networks, but sometimes spends too much time trying to maintain them.

The number 1 is representative of the seed, of unity. It represents birth and beginnings. It is a low and odd number, which usually represents something challenging. However, the seed can grow into a mighty tree, it is full of potential. It just needs the correct nutrients and conditions to germinate and develop, just as sometimes we need encouragement to develop our ideas.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

13 Ix (21st February 2023)

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13 I'xIf there was ever a day to expect magical things to happen, it would be 13 Ix. It is a day when the energy of the spirit world is listening, and so prayers made at natural shrines and altars may prove very fruitful.

The nawal Ix is particularly associated with shrines and altars, and with the energy of the number 13 associated with it suggests ancestral places. This suggests a focus on the ancient sacred places, and it is likely that words spoken at these places may have very strong effects. This day also finishes off the Iq’ trecena, this time of change and possible upheaval. However, Iq’ is also the nawal of communication, and we see here on the final day of the Iq’ trecena, the divine breath put into practice at the ancestral shrines as Ix, the prayer giver, makes the flower words. This is a day to call on the spirits of the ancestors to help  us better understand our relationship with Mother Earth.

It is a day to ask the spirit of Mother Earth for that which you require in your life path. Of course when she gives you exactly what you need, it is important to thank her, and this day is an excellent day for demonstrating your gratitude to Mother Earth. This may be through some act of caring for your local area.  The manifestation energy today is very strong, it should be noted that the phrase “be careful what you wish for” is particularly applicable.

A dancing shaman transforms himself into a jaguar. From a late classic era vase found at Altar de Sacrificios. Source http://shortstreet.net/Maya/mayapaintedvases.htm
A dancing shaman transforms himself into a jaguar. From a late classic era vase found at Altar de Sacrificios. Source http://shortstreet.net/Maya/mayapaintedvases.htm

Ix is possibly the most feminine of the nawales. It represents the spirit of Mother Earth and could easily be seen as a Mayan representation of Gaia. Ix can be seen as a mothering energy, nurturing all things, but this should not be confused with weakness – the animal totem of Ix is the jaguar and it is as the jaguar that Ix is often known. The jaguar is, of course, powerful and stealthy. Ix also embodies these qualities. The jaguar is an animal of the night, slipping magically through the darkness, the spots of her back a representation of the milky way. She carries the sun on it’s nightly journey through the underworld.

Industrialised societies tend to see the Earth as an inanimate source of material wealth. Non-industrialised societies see her as a living entity with whom we can interact, and she carries the nawal Ix. So, it is on Ix days that prayers are offered at her places, the shrines and altars, her ears, to ask for what we need in our world.

The connection Ix has with the Earth gives it the ability to manifest material wealth. In the Mayan cross astrological configuration, Kame evolves to Ix. In the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, the Hero Twins sacrificed themselves in the underworld (Kame) and then were resurrected as a pair of catfish, later to become travelling magicians (Ix.) They cut the heads off animals, then resurrected them, they even cut off each others heads and brought each other back to life. In these scenes they are shown with patches of jaguar skin on their clothing, a symbolism denoting that the wearer is a shaman. Thus through the symbolic death or sacrifice, the shamanic power emerges.

Whilst Ix has the power to engage with the magic of the Earth, it also has a tendency towards illness. This is particularly strong when the vain, ungrateful side of Ix emerges. The magic that runs through this nawal comes so easily, that sometimes it forgets that everything really comes from the Earth and it is to the Earth that we must show our gratitude. Ix is also the nawal of natural shrines and altars, the places where fire ceremonies are made to give thanks. A spirit of gratitude and humility keeps Ix healthy. Ix is of course deeply connected with the natural world and it is here that they find their wisdom, power and wealth. This is a day to give thanks, to remember gratitude, and a day to engage with your magic.

The number 13 is the final number. It represents the spirit world. It is said that on Halloween, the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. However within the sacred calendar, this thinning happens every 13 days. This connection with the spirit world creates a powerful day, where both the positive and negative aspects of the nawal it is attached to come through strongly. It is a very good day for activities such as divinations, however, ceremonies on 13 days should only be carried out by the most experienced Aj Q’ij who understand how to work with that strength of energy.