3 Ix (22nd November 2024)

21st November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Today is an appropriate day to find your connection to the Earth within yourself. It is a day to find the sacred site inside yourself.

The Earth gives us everything. We live on her skin, build our houses from her body, and consume what emerges from her. She is responsible for our ability to live, our entire existence. Industrialised people tend to see the Earth as an inanimate source of material wealth. Non-industrialised people 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 are her ears, where we ask for what we need in our world. It is very much like asking any of our family for what we need to sustain us. Mostly, our families are delighted to help where they can. Likewise, Mother Earth will help if we realise that we can ask her. All she asks in return is a little care and attention, a little show of gratitude.

As the number 3 represents the hearthstones, the home would be the favourable place to focus your energies. It is a day to work on your internal connections. Tend to the spirit of the Mother within your own home, and within your heart. Showing gratitude to her for all that she gives, and giving back are a better exercise for today. This is a day to connect your pulse to the heart of the Earth and find the magic within.

Nawal Ix

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 considered to be the most feminine of the nawales because it embodies the spirit of the Heart of the Earth. It can be seen as a representation of Mother Earth or the Maya version of Gaia. Ix is known for its nurturing energy, as it takes care of all things. However, this nurturing should not be mistaken for weakness, as Ix also embodies the power and stealth of the jaguar, which is its animal totem. The jaguar is a powerful jungle cat that moves stealthily through the darkness of the night with spots on its back representing the milky way. Ix carries the sun on its nightly journey through the underworld.

In industrialized societies, the Earth is often seen as an inanimate source of material wealth. However, non-industrialized societies view her as a living entity that we can interact with, and she carries the nawal Ix. Therefore, on Ix days, people offer prayers at her shrines and altars to ask for what they need in the world. To keep Ix healthy, it is important to approach her with a spirit of gratitude and humility. Ix is deeply connected with the natural world, where it finds its wisdom, power, and wealth. Therefore, it is a day to give thanks, remember gratitude, and engage with your magic.

The Number Three

There are various myths about the creation which link with the number 3. One is that at the time of creation, three stones 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 lacks stability and can represent challenges and obstructions. The number three brings up internal/external dilemmas. 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 yourself.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 Aj (21st November 2024)

20th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Embrace both points of view to bring harmony. The wise leader finds understanding it and uses it to strengthen the community as a whole.

Today the nawal Aj brings harmony to our home, our relationships and our community. However, the number 2 highlights duality suggesting we may need to make a choice about something which challenges this.

The nawal Aj represents the cornstalk which joins the Heart of the Sky to the Heart of the Earth. It is this connection which helps Aj to sustain the home and community through its masculine aspect of authority and feminine aspect of compassion. Today it is combined with the number 2, enhancing this ability to draw on both sides of the polarity and strengthening this connection. It connects the mother with the father to bring harmony into the home.

Aj is also known for its fairness. Traditional leaders of the community are valued for their ability to make wise decisions. Before politics, village elders would be sought after to sort out disputes, their experience, authority and compassion guiding them. In this they would have to make a choice, a judgement between two sides. This is also something we can see in the energy of today. It is a good day for decision making as both aspects of a situation may be highlighted.

The fairness and honesty of Aj may help you to make a decision which will help to bring harmony into your life, and the life of those around you. With the nawal Aj representing physical (rather than spiritual) leadership, this may be a good day to assess the pros and cons of leaders.

The Nawal Aj

The Temple of the Foliated Cross, Palenque — The Temple of the Foliated Cross. This small temple houses one of the most remarkable and beautiful friezes, the Foliated Cross. Together with those of the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Cross, this forms an architectural version of a codex. It shows both mythic and historical accounts of the ruling dynasty. The three temples together form the cross group, the sacred heart of Palenque. Picture by Mark Elmy

The nawal Aj is related to many things which generally revolve around leadership on an earthly level. It is also known as the cornstalk, sometimes the staff of life. It represents the spinal column within the body, which allows us to stand tall, proud and brave. As the cornstalk, it has its roots in the Earth, and its head in the sky.

If we wish to lead in a just manner, we should cultivate our connection with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. Aj is an authority, it is gentle, yet noble. It works quietly for the community it leads. It does not seek the limelight. This is a day that seeks sustenance for its people, that keeps everything in its rightful place. It is a day when we ask for the courage and bravery to stand up straight and tall, to do the right thing.

The Number Two

The number 2 is representative of duality, of polarity. Although a low number, it has surprising strength. 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 E’ (20th November – 2nd December 2024)

19th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The Trecena of E’ brings us the opportunity to take a new path, a new journey of discovery to colour and enrich our existence. Whether is is a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual journey that we undertake, this is the time to seek the novelty that keeps life fresh.

13 Iq’ / 2025 Calendar

My 2025 calendar is now available. The calendar shows the days of the Chol Q’ij, formatted onto the Gregorian calendar. Currently it is available electronically as a PDF in both English and Spanish. Printed versions, in English, are available locally in Guatemala in San Marcos at Lava Love Cacao and Palo Santo, and in San Juan la Laguna at the candle shop of Nana Maria Feliciana. They are also now available in the USA through Soul Lift Cacao. See this link ‎for details on how to get your pdf.

Google Calendar Plugin

For the more technically minded I have also created a plugin for Google Calendar. This enables you to track the days of the sacred calendar on your smartphone. In this way you can ensure that your activities are aligned to the most conducive energies! I have also added a description to every day, just click on the day name. It is available for purchase here

Worthwhile Recipients of Your Donations

When I mention programs within my videos, it is because I know the people involved and can vouch that your donations will go towards helping the people for which they are intended.

Bringing Water Stability to Families

A wonderful, highly active project to bring water stability to families is Water4Life Global. Jenna MacEwan and her team have been making a difference to peoples’ lives since 2018. They provide water filters to local families throughout Guatemala, thereby giving direct access to clean drinking water. Additionally, they are directly involved in action which helps to clean up the local sources of water. This is achieved through greywater treatment projects, reforestation and education. To learn more or donate, please visit: https://water4lifeglobal.org/donate/

The Midwife Project

In their words: “Our Mission is to offer safe, dignified and culturally appropriate health care to women in Guatemala by empowering indigenous midwives through education. We focus on revaluing the Mayan ancestral knowledge while integrating modern medical practices. With the creation of Holistic Clinic(s) & Birthing Center(s) as a meeting ground and model project. Our Vision is that every woman has access to humane, respected and safe birth care. The midwives and women are empowered to lead the creation of a thriving community where those who are most vulnerable have their needs met, and men support the women in creating this healthy and vibrant family and community structure.”

You can check out their site and donate here: https://www.midwifeproject.net/donate

Konojel

I mention the Konojel program and their work in San Marcos la Laguna. They have turned from a basic, “let’s make sure bellies are full” program to one of much more social development. You can check out their programs and donate here https://konojel.org/donate

Odim

Within the village of San Pablo la Laguna, there is an organisation doing great work. They are called ODIM and specialise in medical and educational services. However, 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 http://www.odimguatemala.org/donate

Readings

If you would like to know what your nawal brings to your lifepath, please follow this link to get a reading with me https://thefourpillars.net/maya-lifepath-reading/

Calendar Workshop

If you would like to dive deeper into the sacred calendar, I will be running a workshop via Zoom from 10 am to 2 pm (Guatemala time, UTC -6) from 2nd to 6th December 2024. There are currently spaces available. For more information, please go to https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=1120.

Trecena Video

You can see the E’ Trecena video here:

https://youtu.be/gu7YD7qWawo

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

1 E’ (20th November 2024)

19th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Take a new path today. The energy of this day certainly lends itself to taking the first steps in a new journey or adventure. Trying something new or exploring a new direction in life may be highly beneficial.

We have cleared the trecena of Kawok, and emerged as our new selves, fresh and vital, ready for the next journey. Here is the start, the beginning of the road which leads us forward

The last time we experienced E’, it was as a finishing point, 7 E’, the end of the road. Of course, we never stop walking, we keep moving forward and today brings the beginning of our new adventure. We might think of it as sleeping and waking. This is what the trecenas of Kame and Kawok have brought to us. Now we have awoken, revitalised and ready to start our new journey.

This is a day of new beginnings, in some ways more so than other days carrying the 1 energy. It is the day of new experiences and new direction. We might imagine ourselves just opening our eyes for the first time and being inspired to explore this world that we have been reborn into.

The energy of this day certainly lends itself to taking the first step in a new journey or adventure, trying something new or exploring a new direction in life. The day itself might not have much movement involved, these are the first teetering steps of the newborn, and you may need some encouragement to move forward. It is the day to initiate your travel, perhaps buying tickets for a journey you have been planning.

The Nawal E’

Footprints on the road — Footprints mark the road, from the Dresden Codex

Nawal E’ represents the journey of discovery, the life path in both its physical and spiritual aspects. E’ is the explorer, it craves novelty. It inspires travel to understand different cultures and ways of life, it is a seeker of experience. It can be a thrill seeker, and sometimes will take risks to understand what it is examining. Whilst it gains experience and understanding through physical travel, E’ also drives us to explore our inner world, helping us to understand our own minds and hearts, and those of others. E’ sometimes creates a restlessness. A desire to find new things within the world means that E’ finds it difficult to sit still.

E’ can sometimes cause us to explore simply for the sake of exploration. We seek the new experience because it is there. This can give rise to a lack of direction, aimless wandering. However, even in its wanderings E’ is discovering. It may not know exactly where it is going, but it will when it gets there. In it’s best aspect, E’ seeks out knowledge and experience in order to form an understanding which brings wisdom. E’ enjoys sharing the wisdom gained with its peers, for the enrichment of the community.

The Number One

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 needs the correct nutrients and conditions to germinate and develop its potential. We also may need encouragement to develop our ideas.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

13 B’atz (19th November 2024)

18th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Today you may gain inspiration from ancestral creations. Your distant ancestors may communicate something vital to incorporate into your new weaving through their ancient patterns.

The energy of the nawal of creativity combines with the influence of the ancestors to bring forth a powerful day for creative activities, especially when they bring in elements from the past.

We all draw our inspiration from somewhere as we create our beauty into the world. Today very much highlights communication with our ancestors, or receiving inspiration from them that you weave into your creation. It may be the words or ideas of our grandparents, or even further back in time that we hear today, which bring the final touches to our masterpiece.

We often have the idea that the new ideas are the most important, but each idea and each new thing is built on the foundation of the old. When we make ceremony, we call in all the altars and shrines we have worked at before, each ceremony builds on the energy of the previous ones. Each ceremony is different, but they share the same foundation.

Of course the creation of beautiful art or your reality can be seen as a serious business, but the energy of nawal B’atz can often make light work of it. The creative energy flows so easily that it is a happy and fun experience, you might find yourself remembering granddad’s jokes or grandma’s laugh as you work on what you are creating.

This is not just a day about creating art, B’atz represents the weaving of time to create the sacred calendar. This was the legacy of the ancestors here in Central America, and we may expect some intuition to pass from them through their work, through their creation, to illuminate our understanding of the movement of time itself.

The Nawal B’atz

Images of weaving using a backstrap loom, from the Madrid Codex

There are two nawales which bestow genius talents, one of which is B’atz, the other being No’j. B’atz is the nawal of artisans and of weavers. This is not just creation and weaving on the Earthly level. It weaves the threads of time together to create reality. B’atz is the nawal of the sacred calendar. The calendar could be considered to be the fabric created from these individual threads of time.

If B’atz is clever enough to weave time into order, it is clever enough to create more down to Earth trinkets. B’atz is the master artisan, creating whatever it chooses, at will. It is just as comfortable painting, as it is playing music or writing. The arts come naturally to this nawal. However, this can lead to issues when B’atz has to deal with those less talented than itself. This can lead to a certain arrogance around those who fail to achieve their standard of excellence.

Their talent draws attention, which is something B’atz craves. It is the nawal of the born entertainer, who can sing, dance and play all at once. This nawal is the life and soul of the party, it also makes excellent teachers, who hold the attention of students through entertaining them. It is a particularly fun loving nawal that feeds on the adoration of the crowd that it pleases.

B’atz is a day to create, especially within the fields of the arts. It is also a day to weave your reality the way you see fit. Where Aq’ab’al was the conception, B’atz is the gestation.

The Number Thirteen

The number 13 is the final number. It represents the spirit world. It is said that on Samhain, 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. Both the positive and negative aspects of the day come through strongly. It is a very good day for activities such as divinations. Ceremonies on 13 days are best left to experienced Aj Q’ijab who understand how to work with that energy.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 Tz’i (18th November 2024)

17th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

This is a day to trust your life experience. It’s a day to show your loyalty and most importantly of all, to love unconditionally.

Life lessons may serve to enhance your sense of faith and loyalty today. This may prove useful as the high power of this day may put something irresistible right in front of you.

The numbers from 9 to 13 are thought of as having a great deal of strength. Here we see a strong number combined with the nawal Tz’i, which also has some very strong properties. Today could be rather spectacular for either the right or the wrong reasons.

What we have learned in our lives may have shown us where qualities like faith and loyalty get us. Sometimes we misplace them. We trust people who betray us, and we give our loyalty to companies who use us. We get a few blows along the way which are supposed to help us discern. Hopefully, the next time, we know where to place our trust. Sometimes the lessons are harsh and make us question our faith in our life path. Could we really have got it so wrong?

Sometimes betrayal is of our own doing, an opportunity presents itself which just seems too right to be wrong. Our loyalty to our commitments disappears from the thought process and then we have to deal with the consequences. Today may be a day where an situation such as this occurs.

However, the other side of this day has great potential. The energy of this day helps us to call on all of our life experience to bolster our faith in the world. The energy of the nawal Tz’i comes to restore our faith through bringing these life lessons into context.

The Nawal Tz’i

The dog sits by the cauldron, from the Madrid Codex

Tz’i is possibly the nawal with the most colourful reputation. Some describe it as the nawal of “sex, drugs and rock and roll” and it has the possibility to live up to that label. One of the functions an Aj Q’ij (Mayan spiritual guide) performs is divination, usually using red seeds called Tz’ite. If a question is asked about a relationship and Tz’i comes up in the reading, it is seen as a sign of infidelity. Tz’i acts on instinct, disregarding reason when hormonally driven. This aspect of Tz’i is particularly bad, and when it fails, it does so dramatically, which is why it tends to be remembered for those events.

However, what is sometimes forgotten is the other side of Tz’i, which is the side more frequently displayed. Just as Tz’i can represent infidelity, it also represents faith and loyalty. Just as it can be the trouble maker, it also represents law. It is the nawal of police, lawyers and judges. Tz’i is unwavering faith, unconditional loyalty. The totem animal of Tz’i is the dog, and we can understand both loyalty and instinct through their actions. Tz’i is also the guide and protector on life’s path, ensuring that it’s charge travels safely. It is a day when your faith or loyalty may be tested, where your instincts are stimulated. The positive traits of this day give rise to to some of the greatest displays of friendship. However, be aware that your loyalty may be tested by temptation.

The Number 12

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

11 Toj (17th November 2024)

16th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Today is the day to redress the balance, to make payment for what you have received. Balance always has to be restored in life, and in the past few days, the energies have been very giving.

After the empowerment of 9 Kej and the abundance of 10 Q’anil, the energy of the day 11 Toj allows us to pay our way. Whilst we might make beautiful, colourful, lengthy ceremonies here, it doesn’t have to be like that. Just lighting a little candle and saying thank you can be enough to keep in balance.

It may be that payment goes out in many directions today, in one way or another. There are two ways of approaching it. Either you can wait for old debts to find you, or you can take a proactive approach to find and resolve them. Today you might find a few more than you bargained for, and some that you had forgotten. Hopefully, you received enough abundance on 10 Q’anil to give some back, if not, the energy of 11 Toj may bring you a reminder.