Monthly Archives: July 2023

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

4 Q’anil (5th July 2023)

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4 Q'anilA combination of elements today leads to an auspicious day to be working in your garden. The ripening talent of Q’anil is augmented by the number 4, bringing physical stability to what you plant.

Q’anil days are always good days to be working with the plant kingdom. Different numbers will give rise to different aspects of how to work, some days might be better for harvesting, some for planting. Whatever you “plant” today is infused with the energy to come to a stable fruition, to ripen beautifully into a stable source of abundance.

This day could be seen as a day of material wealth, of material abundance. Of course, this would mean that there is something missing. The stability of the four creates a good, solid foundation, and if we look at the glyph for Q’anil, we can see that the number four is well represented within it. But there is another aspect to Q’anil which would suggest waiting a little before full maturity. Perhaps what we harvest today might be enough to bring stability, but not yet enough to incorporate the full potential that could be achieved. The position of the number four within the cycle of the trecena shows that the energy is still growing, it is nowhere near its peak. As we journey through the Kan trecena, the day 4 Q’anil shines its light on developing wisdom, on knowing through experience when to wait in order to reap a more abundant harvest. This could be seen as a good day to plan the future harvest, to create a framework within which the abundance can be gathered, and possibly have a trial run.

If the needs really cannot wait, harvest what will sustain you for now, but waiting a little longer will bring a greater abundance from a more mature crop.

The Queen of Spain, by Mark ElmyNawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. The maize in this part of the world has a 260 day growth season between planting (conception) and harvest (birth.) This connects maize with both the sacred calendar and with the period of human gestation.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly, it is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with, Q’anil people light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

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 beneficial number.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

3 Kej (4th July 2023)

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3 KejIf we see Kej as vitality and the number 3 as obstructions in the physical this could be seen as quite a challenging day. However, the 3 may be suggesting we look inside ourselves for support.

There are two leadership nawales, one is Aj and the other Kej. I tend to see Aj as the “mayor” in its non-political, original role of the head of the community making sure the community flourishes. Kej, on the other hand, functions more as the “priest,” attending to the spiritual needs of its community. Both have their strength about them, although Aj is more passive than Kej. Aj is a representative of the home and Kej the wilderness, both equally important opposites to create balance within society.

The strength and determination of Kej can give rise to situations where Kej may try to use force to make things happen. Even if the door is marked pull, Kej will keep pushing if it believes that is the way it should happen. This is an example of where determination might get you nowhere today, it is important to look around and read the signs before applying the action in the physical.

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.

The power of today lies in the internal process, within the home, both of your body and soul. It is a day to connect with your inner wilderness, your inner nature, to find your strength and determination there. It is a day to bring that essence into your home, through connection with the spiritual leader, the teacher, inside of you.

Xbalamkiej, patron of the day Kej one of the hero twins from the Popol Vuh. From the Dresden Codex

Xbalamkiej, patron of the day Kej one of the hero twins from the Popol Vuh. From the Dresden Codex 

Kej is possibly the strongest of the nawales, it is powerful, but in a different way to Kan. Kej is energetic, lively and determined. It is the nawal of nature, of the wilderness and it is this power that it draws on. The animal totem of Kej is the deer, but if you have fragile, new-born Bambi in mind, think again. This is the majestic stag, standing on the mountain surveying his domain. Whilst most nawales are not necessarily engendered, Kej is most definitely masculine. Both men and women that carry Kej as their nawal have great strength, although the men tend to hide their strength more. Kej women are particularly driven, resourceful and brave, sometimes to the point of being rather dominant. All radiate an aura of nobility, people tend to look to them to lead.

Kej is the nawal of the Mayan “religion”, a day of spiritual leaders, of shaman and of priests. It is these leaders who understand how to read the messages from the natural world, who help to keep our existence in balance with nature. It is a day to connect with the wilderness and draw the power of the natural world into you, to harmonise and replenish.

M42, The Orion Nebula. Photographed by Mark Elmy

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)

A (slightly crude) montage showing a proposed correlation between the constellation of Orion and the triadic structure of Maya pyramids. This one is "El Tigre" at the El Mirador site. Photo and montage by Mark Elmy
A (slightly crude) montage showing a proposed correlation between the constellation of Orion and the triadic structure of Maya pyramids. This one is “El Tigre” at the El Mirador site. Photo and montage by Mark Elmy

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 Kame (3rd July 2023)

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2 KameThe combination of the nawal of death and the number which represents self sacrifice sounds rather ominous, but today could actually give rise to a fortuitous breakthrough.

The nawal Kame may mean death, but it pertains to the changes we go through, in our mortal bodies, that bring out our better self. It relates to the moments where we go through an experience that takes us to the next level. Sometimes this can be very strong, an event where we have a near death experience for example makes us re-evaluate our place in the world and how we conduct ourselves. This is an extreme, but obviously it is not always like this.

The number 2 represents duality and can be indecisive. This could represent that an opportunity to go through a great change, one that advances you on your life path, is in front of you. It may seem like something as fearsome as death, a great challenge to overcome. It is your choice as to whether to accept the challenge or not. The energy of 2 Kame may bring a day for evaluating a choice, possibly a decision on whether or not to face something you fear. As we are moving in the Kan trecena, it would suggest that the outcome of embracing the change would be growth in both wisdom and power. This is also a day to recognise the self-sacrifice made by our ancestors, and the wisdom which has come to us as a result.

With the number 2 also representing relationships, today can be seen as a day on which you may experience a profound change, something which feels like it reaches you at a soul level, as a result of an interaction with a partner. This can be an understanding of the self sacrifice that someone will make on your behalf, or the sacrifice of your time and energy that you make on behalf of someone dear to you. Either of these may give rise to you moving towards a higher expression of yourself, engaging with your inner hero.

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves. They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river, then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

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 Kan (2nd – 14th July 2023)

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The Trecena of Kan gives us new opportunities to learn, to discover new wisdom and to begin to empower ourselves and others. The link to the trecena video is at the bottom of the page.

In the video I make two suggestions for organisations you may wish to donate to, particularly on the 5 Toj day. The links for these are below. However, I have also been made aware of another worthy cause which is a bit more personal. My dear friend Dolores Ratzan is recovering from illness and in need of some support. Some of you may have met Dolores, I often send people in her direction if they would like a tour of Santiago Atitlan as I feel she brings the town and culture of Santiago truly to life. Her friend Rosemary has organised this GoFundMe page to help Dolores, you can find it here https://tinyurl.com/47aemyf8

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

1 Kan (2nd July 2023)

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1 KanThe cycle of the trecenas turns again and our life story unfolds before our eyes. Kawok trecena births us, we take our first steps in the E’ trecena and now wisdom begins to grow within us during the Kan trecena.

An ancestor brings wisdom through the vision serpent. Feathered Serpent Diety, detail of Classic Maya lintel at Yaxchilan, from ''A Study of Maya Art'' by Herbert Spinden, 1913 {{PD-US}}
An ancestor brings wisdom through the vision serpent. Feathered Serpent Diety, detail of Classic Maya lintel at Yaxchilan, from ”A Study of Maya Art” by Herbert Spinden, 1913 {{PD-US}}

Today is a day to see our potential wisdom and potential power. It gives us a glimpse of what we can attain should we follow a particular direction in life. The energy of the nawal Kan has the power to enlighten, it also has the power to destroy. How we use its energy is our decision.

Perhaps today you will see something that shows you where the use or abuse of power might take you, a potential resonance in your life. You may be encouraged to use your power, a situation challenging you to choose between the light and the dark side. It is your choice of how to react, and how you react will lead to wisdom, even if it is of the “I’m never doing that again” variety. It may give you the first understanding of your true power.

Equally, you may get an idea of the wisdom you may attain. It may be that others see that in you more than you see it in yourself, and their encouragement helps you to develop further. This is a reciprocal arrangement and you may also find that your encouragement of others empowers them.  Today is the day to see the possibilities that arise when you engage with the lightning in your blood.

Lady Xoc pierces her tongue and receives wisdom for her people from her ancestor emerging from the mouth of the vision serpent. From http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/maya-lintels.htm

Kan is one of the more powerful nawales and it represents just that – power. It is connected to serpents, and serpent symbolism is very strong in Maya mythology. In the past, lightning was referred to as sky serpents, and what is seen in the outer world is reflected by the inner world. The power of Kan comes from something which is referred to as itz or coyopa, the lightning in the blood. This is the power which may also be known as Ki, Chi, Prana, kundalini or “the force”. It is life force energy. Kundalini is a sanskrit word actually meaning coiled, like a snake. When working with any of these energies, training must be undertaken in order to understand how to use them. In its most positive aspect, the energy of Kan brings great wisdom; in its negative aspect, great destruction. A lack of understanding or control of this power can lead to undesirable consequences. The dark side of Kan can seduce with its power, and a very sexy power it is too, holding its prey in an almost hypnotic grip with its allure. It can become the ultimate ego trap.

However, it is also said that the feathered serpent Q’uq’umatz (also known as Kulkulkan or Quetzalcoatl) brought wisdom, through the sciences of astronomy and agriculture, to the ancient Maya. Here we see the positive aspect of Kan, where the ability to work with the body lightning brings great wisdom. People born on a Kan day can become some of the greatest healers or psychics, or they can become the darkest sorcerers and manipulators.

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.