5 Toj (24th August 2025)

5 TojMaking your work an act of service will go a long way to resolving any debts which need clearing today. This will also stand you in good stead for your future, helping to keep you healthy and in balance.

The day 5 Toj is another day where the number and the nawal represent the same idea. Both are seen as representatives of the sacred fire and through the fire we make payments to keep our lives in balance.

The energy of 5 Toj would strongly suggest the payment of debts being achieved through work. Of course, this is the way that debts are resolved, either financially or through trade. It is a day of service, a day to ensure the goodwill of those around you through your work. However, today there is a special significance to this. Whilst the work may be hard, on 5 days in particular, the result is directly proportional to the effort involved.

If you have outstanding payments to be made, this is the day to make them.

Worthwhile Recipients of Your Donations

When I mention programs, 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

The Nawal Toj

The nawal Toj represents offerings and payment. It is part of the name Tojil, a Mayan god who gave fire to the people. However, this was not a gift. Tojil asked in return for a sacrifice to be made. This is a day of payment and sacrifice, a day to resolve debts, both in the physical and spiritual realms. Toj is the nawal of the sacred fire where we make offerings to burn away karmic debts. In this way we restore balance, and we bring our accounts back to zero.

It is through selfless acts that we can access the divine protection that Toj carries. Naturally, these acts might involve a sacrifice of our time or energy to strengthen our community. We can choose to act or we can choose to ignore. However, ignoring an opportunity to make a payment on a Toj day might bring the removal of the protection. We should always make our payments with an open heart. However, thanks might not be quickly forthcoming, and may not come at all. Your sacrifice could be something as simple as picking up litter in your neighbourhood, it doesn’t have to be something elaborate.

The Number Five

The Sacred Mayan calendar is said to be a calendar of human life. 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 its five digits. It is with our hands that we work, and with what we earn 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”.

September 2025

Here are the days of the Chol Q’ij mapped onto the Gregorian month of September 2025.

Astronomically, there are two interesting events this month, especially for those in New Zealand and Australia. First, a partial lunar eclipse will occur on 6 Aq’ab’al (7th September) at 15:28 UTC. This is a total eclipse with the moon showing the red colour of the Earth’s shadow. It will be visible worldwide apart from the Americas (With the exception of a small part of eastern Brasil)

Two weeks later, on the day 7 No’j (21st September) at 17:29 UTC, a partial solar eclipse will be visible over Antarctica, but will also be visible from southern New Zealand and the far south east of Australia.

The equinox will then fall the next day on 8 Tijax (22nd September) at 12:19 Guatemala time (18:19 UTC).

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 Monday 1st – Friday 5th September 2025. There are currently spaces available. For more information, please go to https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=1120. 

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/

The Trek to El Mirador and the Junajpu Journey

I recently completed my sixth trek around the El Mirador basin.  While there is a tough, physical element to this, I also consider it a deeply spiritual journey. It is a pilgrimage, and a deeply transformative journey. If you would like to see what it’s like, I made a series of videos about our experiences on each day of the trek. My highlights were days 1, 3 and 5, but day 4 was incredible too! You can find the videos here https://thefourpillars.net/the-trek-to-el-mirador/

If watching the videos inspires you, maybe you would like to join me for the Junajpu Journey in March 2026 when I will make the El Mirador trek again. This time I am creating a truly intentional journey, weaving in ceremony and spiritual practice. You can find out more here: https://thefourpillars.net/the-junajpu-journey/

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 https://thefourpillars.net/google-calendar-plugin/

Please click the calendar for a larger version to print out if you would like to. Below the calendar are clickable links to my interpretation of the energy of each of the days. Please be aware that although they might refer to Gregorian dates in the past. The energy of the day according to the sacred calendar will be the same.

September 2025

Gregorian dateDay Name (Clickable)Keywords, ideas, concepts
September
113 No'jIdeas and solutions from the spirit world, ancestral knowledge
21 TijaxThe beginning of the healing
32 KawokNew life in relationships, self sacrifice brings rebirth
43 AjpuFinding the divinity within, challenged to see it in the world
54 ImoxStabilising the dream to the physical plane
65 Iq'Working  on communication and change
76 Aq'ab'alStabilising the new dawn or new concept
87 K'atEnd of the harvest, end of the burden
98 KanCelebration of empowerment and wisdom
109 KameTransformation through the feminine principle
1110 KejStrength through cooperation and community
1211 Q'anilMany ways to ripeness, abundance all around
1312 TojPaying back life debts
1413 Tz'iFaith in the spirit world, justice from and for the ancestors
151 B'atzCreating the new fabric, the new weaving
162 E'Exploring partnership, self-sacrifice for your path
173 AjInner balance brings harmony in the home
184 IxPhysically stabilising the magic
195 Tz'ikinWorking on your vision to thrive
206 AjmakForgiveness from or for the family
217 No'jFinishing the ideas, choosing between the plans
228 TijaxHealing ceremony day
239 KawokCelebration of midwives and female healers
2410 AjpuFinding the divine in community
2511 ImoxStrong, but directionless dreams
2612 Iq'The voice of experience speaks
2713 Aq'ab'alConception from the spirit world
281 K'atBeginning to gather the harvest
292 KanSelf-sacrifice brings wisdom, power in relationships
303 KameLook inside for spiritual transformation