Tag Archives: Work

6 Kej 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. 6 Kej was the year bearer for 2018. If we imagine reality as a ship and the year bearer as the captain, it is as if the captain has died and been replaced by the ghost of the previous captain.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 6 Kej suggests a review of the way you were able to bring stability to your connection with the natural world during the last 360 days, during the current year, 10 Kej, which began on 19th February 2022.

10 Kej could be seen as a year of integrating community with nature. Kej represents the wilderness, and is said to strengthen us when we connect with it. It can strengthen our determination, and through spending time in the natural world, the forests and the mountains, we can better understand the ways of nature. It can help us to overcome our stubbornness, which can also be a trait of Kej when it gecomes unbalanced. Kej can also be seen as the nawal of the spiritual leader, those who draw their strength from close observation of the natural world. On this day of introspection and evaluation, it may be interesting to meditate (in nature, if possible) on how you have used this solar year to connect with both nature and you community, how you might have used your time spent in nature to inspire agreement and cooperation to your community.

Pawahtuun, also known as Mam and god N. Known as the god of the Wayeb and the number five. An old man that carries a conch shell, who was both a beloved creator and a trickster. From the Dresden Codex

5 Kame (13th February 2023)

5 KameThe nawal of transformation blends with the number of work, which can give a good impression of the sort of things today may hold in store. Just remember that some changes are more beneficial when they are clearly thought through.

Kame days can be days on which we face challenges, with an opportunity to overcome them and grow. These may be the things that we fear the most, the things that really frighten us. Kame brings us the strength to overcome our greatest fears, should we choose to, and in order to do this, they have to present themselves to us. When they do, we are faced with a decision – do we tackle the issue or turn away from it. If we turn away, we just stay where we are for the time being, waiting for the next opportunity to grow. After all, the number 5 bringing the energy of hard work may mean that the next occurrence of Kame may be a more conducive day for it.

However, hard work does bring benefits, and putting work into stepping up to your challenges should bring results. The energy of the number 5 is also connected to rushing into things. This is possibly because in the Maya cross configuration for the number 5, we see 13 in the future, drawing it strongly forward. It gives an energy that is so focused on the future that it doesn’t always see what is around it. In the case of today it may lead you into your challenges not quite fully prepared. Take a breath rather than rushing headlong into things.

Another interpretation may arise through the nawal Kame representing the ancestors. This could be an excellent day to engage with, or carry on, the work once undertaken by your ancestors.

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 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”.

Today is a day to work on your development, your transformation towards your better self. It is a day where you may be faced with decisions where you need to ask yourself “how would the person I would like to be handle this?” It is not necessarily a day when this choice will be easy, but your hard work will gain it’s rewards. It is also a day to thank your ancestors for the work they have put into your development.

5 Aj (31st January 2023)

5 AjPutting energy into the sustenance of our home or community benefits both ourselves and those around us. The day 5 Aj brings together these aspects to give a day where this type of work flourishes.

The nawal Aj is related to the spinal column. It holds us upright, brings us the strength and courage to do the right thing. It holds everything in its rightful place. However, it may not have always been like that. It gains strength as it is used, the wisdom it holds comes through experience. Whilst Aj is very much a leadership nawal, it is almost reluctant in stepping forward, preferring to guide gently rather than exercise the authority it also carries. These qualities of Aj are a blessing for all and are achieved through the experience of the work of life.

The day 5 Aj is a great day to be doing some form of work on behalf of your community, your work and your input will bring great nourishment to those around you. It is a day for selfless work, a day within the Toj trecena, where we have the opportunity to pay back the support our families, friends and communities show to us. However, it may also be a day when efforts to guide or lead may be rather more challenging than expected, especially if you feel yourself rushing into things.

The Temple of the Foliated Cross. This small and unassuming temple houses one of the most remarkable and beautiful friezes, the Foliated Cross, the featured image of this article. Together with those of the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Cross, this forms an architectural version of a codex, showing both mythic and historical accounts of the ruling dynasty. The three temples together form the cross group, the sacred heart of the beautiful site 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 sometimes known as the cornstalk, sometimes the staff of life. It represents the spinal column within the body, that which allows us to stand tall, proud and brave. As the cornstalk, it has its roots in the Earth, and it’s head in the sky. As we are the people of maize, 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.

Foliated crossThis is a picture of the carving at the top of one of my favourite Mayan temples, the Temple of the Foliated Cross on the site of Palenque (Bàakʼ) in Chiapas, Mexico. At the top of the tablet you see a bird, which represents the Heart of the Sky, the face with the large rectangular (crossed) eyes at the base of the cross represents the Heart of the Earth. The foliated cross is a stylised maize plant with the heads of humans emerging. This is Aj bringing life to the world. It is the central pillar, that which supports life. It is represented by the staffs carried by the elders of Mayan communities to this day. 

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 it’s people, that keeps everything in it’s rightful place. It is a day where we ask for the courage and bravery to stand up straight and tall, to do the right thing.

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”.

5 Ajpu (18th January 2023)

5 AjpuThe day 5 Ajpu may be a day when recognising the divine in the world around you may be challenging. However, hard work is rewarded, and things don’t always get handed to you on a plate! It may be a day to find a higher meaning in your work or everyday tasks.

The energy of the nawal Ajpu often drives us to try to find the higher meaning in things around us. It fuels our quest for the divine in the everyday. Of course, everything is part of the oneness from where it all came, but over time some things have become very separated from that source. We may have many judgements about the world in which we live, many of which will be correct. However, sometimes we may become overwhelmed by these as the mass media bombards us with images of man’s inhumanity and disrespect for the Earth. Sometimes this can lead us to losing sight of the beauty in our world.

Today is a day when this may be particularly hard, however, the energy of nawal Ajpu encourages us to try. This may be a day when finding that goodness, or divinity, in the world around you may help to remind you of the true beauty which can be perceived. You will just need to actively go and seek it rather than expect it to come to you.

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 it’s 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 face of 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 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”.

5 Kej (5th January 2023)

5 KejThis is a great day to get the hard work done. You have the strength and determination of Kej attached to that which you work for. However, make sure you remember to make time to recharge with a connection to nature.

The nawal Kej brings strength and vitality which it helps us to draw from the wilderness. It brings out our leadership from within us, helping to assure us of our decisions. It acts as a spiritual leader charging forward on behalf of its people, determined to bring out the best of the world for them, whether real or perceived. Kej represents the priest, with concern for more than just the physical well being of the people it leads. It does what it does with a divine conviction, which leads can lead it to be a little overbearing.

Here we see it connected with the number 5 which is representative of work. As a consequence, this can be an exceptionally empowered work day as Kej comes through to bring you determination in whatever your chosen work is. However, this determination can lead to trampling over others in the drive to achieve a goal, which should be avoided. It may require a little reigning in of the pushy energy in order to avoid possible confrontation.

One way to balance the strength is through connection to the wilderness. This is a great day for working in the natural environment, the work will be blessed by Kej, helping you to tune in to what you are doing. It is likely that environmental work may take some effort to get going, but once it does you may be well rewarded. This may take some form of insight as the essence of the spiritual leader within is empowered through the natural world.

Within the Macewal Q’ij, today marks the beginning of a new month as we travel through the solar year. Today is the first day of Q’ib Ixik translated as the season of smoke, of burning brushwood. Many people here in highland Guatemala burn the remains of the old corn plants and weeds on their milpa (corn field) before planting the new crop. The hills are starting to show this smoke appearing now as preparation for the new growth starts. Whilst the Gregorian year may have turned already, in the Highland solar count we still have 45 days left of the year 10 Kej. The year bearer is getting towards the end of his period of stewardship, his energy is nearly worn out. The remains are burned and turned into the soil enriching it with the ashes of experience for the next crop.

 

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.

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”.

5 Q’anil (27th November 2022)

5 Q'anilThe energy of the day 5 Q’anil combines the number of work with the nawal of ripening and abundance. This combination gives an excellent day to put extra effort into your project, it will be rewarded.

There are some days where using additional energy results in exhaustion as the energy of the day is not conducive. It might just feel that you are pushing against a brick wall, wasting your time or energy on something of no benefit. Today has the exact opposite energy. Today the energy put into your work or your project will be magnified by the fruitful and productive nawal Q’anil,  bringing about the possibility of a great harvest in the future.

However, some reserve is required. Sometimes we become impatient with our process, impatient with our crops. This can lead us to taking our harvest before it is ready, losing out on our future abundance for a want or need of more immediate gratification. Be aware that the effort you put in to your work may not bring immediate results, you are setting a larger ripening process in motion. This is a day to enjoy the process, to look to the future abundance and allow nature to take its course. After all, the next appearance of the nawal Q’anil, in 20 days time, will be 12 Q’anil suggesting the gathering of the ripened crop.

From another point of view, Q’anil represents the bright shining light within the world, something often demonstrated by the people who carry this nawal. The day 5 Q’anil suggests that it may be a little challenging to be that light today, to be the light in the darkness. It is a day to work on brightening the world around you. Whilst your effort may not be immediately rewarded, it will be multiplied as time progresses.

20151108_092006_Richtone(HDR)
As beautiful as it is now, a little patience to allow the natural ripening to occur will bring out its true radiance.

Nawal 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 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”.

5 Tz’ikin (14th November 2022)

5 Tz'ikinThe nawal representing prosperity is combined with the number representing work, so we could imagine that your effort will be well rewarded today. However, you might have difficulty seeing it for what it is.

The nawal Tz’ikin brings the opportunity to prosper through the vision it brings. It endows both the ability to focus, and the ability to see the big picture. Whilst these are both extremely important qualities, their application at the appropriate time is also something that Tz’ikin helps us to learn. Whilst Tz’ikin is generally seen as a very positive nawal, its challenge is to avoid distraction, to learn to truly focus when it is required of us.

When combined with the number five as it is today, the ability to engage with the focus of Tz’ikin may require a little more work than usual. Whilst the visionary aspect that it carries may still lead to a fortunate conclusion, removing yourself from a distracting environment may make this easier.

Therefore, 5 Tz’ikin could be seen as an important day to focus your energy into the vision of what you wish to achieve. Gather your enthusiasm and get to work on whatever this might be, it is likely to bring a prosperous outcome.

Itzamna, the principle bird deity, from the “Hero Twins” frieze on the Tecolote pyramid complex at El Mirador. 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 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”.

5 Aq’ab’al (23rd September 2022) – Equinox 01.03 UTC

5 Aq'ab'alA little hard work can really get things moving today. The energy of today suggests that putting some extra effort into a new project will pay off, but it might be a little more work than you expected.

When you dream of a new idea or a solution to a problem, you might dream of the final result or outcome rather than all the detailed steps. You wake with the idea in your head as to the direction to move in, but then you have to work out the preliminary moves. This is where Aq´ab´al comes in helping to turn the dream into a concept you can begin to ground into reality. Aq´ab´al gives you the light at the end of the tunnel, without all the steps in the tunnel. You know now that the dawn, the new light is definitely coming, you just have to figure out your way to get to it. Today, the light is not coming to you, if you want to experience it you have to put in the energy or work to get to it.

The energy of this day is the energy of the project initiator, pulling together all the essential elements into the right place, at the right time, to move towards the goal. It provides drive and determination to achieve the dream, although sometimes the work put in may be at the detriment of other relationships. Sometimes the concept looks straightforward, but when you start work you realise it will take more effort than you originally planned. You might find yourself so absorbed into a new project that you forget what else is going on around you, or end up working later than usual. That is not to say that the work will not be rewarding, just that imbalance may occur.

In the process of moving into the new life, your rebirth through the Kawok trecena, things are really moving now. Your passage towards the light is continuing, your emergence into your new world. Today we have the energy to push hard into the new concept of ourselves we wish to become.

Equally, with regards to relationships, which are also highlighted by Aq´ab´al, today might well be a day where some extra effort put into your relationship may really prove beneficial. If you are looking to initiate a relationship, today may prove conducive, although it might require more energy than you anticipated.

Additionally, today is the day of the equinox, a day of equal light and darkness. It sometimes proves a little difficult when the equinox bridges time zones, but in UTC it falls on the 23rd rather than the 22nd. We are moving out of one cycle and into the next within the Earth’s cycle. This gives an extra sense of equilibrium, very much in synchronicity with the Chol Q’ij. This is the time of the year that changes are happening the most rapidly. In the Northern hemisphere, the length of the days is shortening at its most rapid rate as we go into the darker half of the year. In the Southern hemisphere the reverse is true, yet the rate of change is just as great. It is this change that completes the cycle of life and today we celebrate this balance which puts everything in its rightful place. It seems very fitting that this should happen during the darkness on an Aq’ab’al day, a day which in itself tends to walk between the worlds and find a balance to polarities.

Dawn over Lake Atitlan. Photo by Mark Elmy

In the Kiche language, the word aq’ab means night. The suffix -al changes the meaning slightly, to hint at change and alludes to the dawning of the day, the time between darkness and light, night and day. Just as birth is the beginning of the mortal journey, Aq’ab’al is the beginning of the day, although the detail of the day may still be obscured. Aq’ab’al is representative of new things, things which are not yet fully formed. While in Santiago Atitlan one day, a friend explained to me the different parts of a weaving in process on a backstrap loom. Aq’ab’al is the warp (the vertical threads), B’atz is the weft (the horizontal threads) which creates the whole cloth, and the newly woven cloth is Kawok. In order for the weaver to create, first she has an idea in her head or a dream. She sets out the dream on her loom by setting up the warp. Thus, the design has passed from being just an idea, to the beginnings of a woven reality, although it still requires creative input before it becomes whole. Aq’ab’al can also represent conception, the fertilised egg is far from ready to be born, but has passed from the dream or spirit world into the physical.

Aq’ab’al days are great days for the start of new things, particularly new relationships – Aq’ab’al has a strong affinity with marriage. It is also a perfect day for starting new projects, or at least bringing them into the world of light from the world of dreams and ideas.

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”.

 

5 No’j (28th August 2022)

5 N'ojThe energy of the nawal No’j brings us ideas, thoughts and solutions to our problems. Today its combination with the number 5 suggests the need to really put some energy behind our ideas to bring them to fruition.

The concept of a straightforward plan evolving without too much input from ourselves is particularly unrealistic today. The energy that the number 5 brings to the day suggests that a real push will be necessary, with some hard work involved, to get your ideas into motion. It is true that the day may bring some solutions that you had not thought of before, but these solutions may not be quick or easy to employ. In fact, the quick answer may actually cause a problem. One of the qualities associated with the energy of the number 5 is rushing into situations without really thinking them through. Today this could signify that something within your plan needs a little more thought. The consequence of trying to rush your work may result in an unexpected obstruction to the application of your idea.

This is certainly a day to work on solving problems, but the long route to the solution may be the most beneficial. Taking shortcuts to save effort may result in challenges.

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 (No’j). 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.

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”.

5 K’at (15th August 2022)

5 K'atWith the nawal K’at representing the gathering of abundance and the number 5 representing work, we could understand that today would be a good day for bringing in your harvest, but the task might turn out to more challenging than it seemed.

However, that does not mean that the final outcome will be negative. There is a suggestion here that your hard work will be paid off, it’s just that on another day the abundance you receive might come to you more easily. This is a day to work on bring together all the threads, the ideas and plans into one place.

K’at also gives us the opportunity to work on what will be useful to keep in our net for our onwards journey, and what no longer is required. It may be that an emotional attachment to something that you once held dear may be actually preventing you from progressing. K’at may highlight what it is time to let go of, to help you sort through what you carry with you, ensuring that you pack correctly for your journey. Sometimes we can cut our ties in one go and release ourselves, other times it needs more effort. You might not release all of your burdens today, but putting your energy in to the process of releasing yourself from attachments will certainly help your progress.

Blood Moon, mother of the Hero Twins being sent away from Xibalba after becoming pregnant. She goes to see Ixmucane, Mother of Jun Junajpu and Wucub Junajpu and is set a challenge to fill a net with corn. which she achieves and is taken in as family. She is seen here holding the K'at glyph in her hands. From The Dresden Codex.
Blood Moon, mother of the Hero Twins being sent away from Xibalba after becoming pregnant. She goes to see Ixmucane, Mother of Jun Junajpu and Wucub Junajpu and is set a challenge to fill a net with corn. which she achieves and is taken in as family. She is seen here holding the K’at glyph in her hands. From The Dresden Codex.

K’at signifies a net and represents gathering together or bundling. Here, in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, to this day many crops are harvested and carried in nets – oranges, lemons, avocados to name but a few. Through this we see one of the positive meanings of this nawal, that of abundance and harvest. K’at is a great day to draw things together, whether this means gathering in your crops, collecting ideas and opinions for your projects, or inviting people to a social event. It is a day of prosperity and the bounty which comes from the Earth, a day of gardeners, but also of merchants.

However, K’at also has its more challenging side. An abundant crop will fill the net, but it will also slow you down. K’at is also the nawal of prisons and burdens, as the net which gathers, can also ensnare us. When candles are purchased for the fire ceremonies, they come in bundles held together by little strings. When the nawal K’at is addressed during the fire ceremony, these strings are put in to the fire,  with offerings, to ask K’at to help us release ourselves from our burdens, from the ties which bind us.  These ties can also be seen as excessive attachment to material things.

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”.