Tag Archives: Community

5 Aj (16th May 2022)

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”.

10 Kan (8th May 2022)

10 KanAlthough the nawal Kan may have a rather chequered reputation, today may see some of its more positive aspects, as the community comes together to share wisdom and power.

Whilst the energy of the nawal Kan can have a dark side, the outcome of the Kan energy really depends on how the energy is wielded. It is a strong energy, a power which can be very seductive to the untrained. When misused, this energy can be used to create illusions and delusions, it can be used to manipulate. These type of uses, however, are usually unsustainable. Eventually the illusion dissolves and the manipulator is revealed.

However, the energy of Kan can be used to empower and to bring wisdom. Here we see it connected with the number representing community and cooperation. This would suggest a day where cooperating with the people around you may bring a greater and more profound effect than usual. Through interaction with your community, you may all gain a greater insight, and your community may become empowered for the good of all. This is a day to honour the teachers within our communities.

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 Deity, detail of Classic Maya lintel at Yaxchilan, from ”A Study of Maya Art” by Herbert Spinden, 1913 {{PD-US}}

Kan is one of the more powerful nawales and it represents just that – power. It is connected to serpents, and serpent symbology 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 it’s most positive aspect, the energy of Kan brings great wisdom; in it’s 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 it’s power, and a very sexy power it is too, holding it’s prey in an almost hypnotic grip with it’s 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 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.

10 E’ (25th April 2022)

10 E'The nawal of discovery joins with the number of co-operation and community. This is the day of the joint venture, the communal exploration to new places and new concepts.

The day 10 E’ can be seen as a day to explore your role within your chosen community, to bring clarity and understanding to your life purpose. It can also be a day on which your community may wish to look at the direction it is heading. It should be a great day for an adventure with friends, where you can all expect to learn something profound.

When I call the day E’ in ceremony, I often talk about how our paths have woven themselves together, to bring each person in the ceremony to this point in space, at this point in time, in order to have this experience. The energy of the ceremony is created by the people who participate in it, it is a co-operative collaboration through which we discover something new. Of course this applies to far more than just ceremony, our paths connect and weave with the people around us in this present moment. It is a day to celebrate our path together, how we all cooperate to enrich each others lives through the experiences we provide for each other.

Footprints

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, the 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 it’s 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 it’s peers, for the enrichment of the community.

E’ is another of the classic  carriers of the year, or year lords. It is said that E’ years tend to be some of the more gentle and favourable years. E’  is seen as a good natured nawal. E’ days are considered to be good days on which to travel and explore, whether that be externally or internally. It is a day to find or remember your path, a day to ask for your path to be cleared of obstructions, and a day to ask for guidance and protection on your path.

The number 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.

10 Kawok (12th April 2022)

10 KawokThe energy of the number 10 highlights cooperation, and today it is combined with nawal Kawok which brings a caring, feminine energy. This can be seen as a particular day of caring and healing within our communities.

The nawal Kawok is the nawal of the female healer. Yesterday, we saw the masculine aspect of healing , Tijax, combined with a feminine energy. Today, the female aspect of healing combined with the number of community and cooperation.

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.

Today we see this energy combined with the energy of the number 10, that of two hands coming together in friendship and cooperation. It represents community and, as much as agreement through shaking of hands, the offer a hand to those in need. It is a friendly and helpful energy. We see this within the Tz’i trecena, and once again this shows us an essence of unconditional love for those around us, holding their hand as they pass through their storms, providing emotional support.

This is a day of both giving and accepting help, once again particularly from women. This is a day to both offer and ask for a helping hand to steady the passage through the storms of life, bringing new life and growth both personally and to your community. Compassion and understanding bring healing to our communities and allow the new born, or our own rebirth, to emerge and flourish.


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 number 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.

10 Kame (30th March 2022)

10 KameThe nawal Kame represents transformation, particularly spiritual transformation, and today it is coupled with the number representing community. This could give a day of profound changes in society.

The energy of Kame assists transformation from one state of being to another. If these changes are embraced they can be moved through at a determined rate. However, one way or another they will happen. If they are constantly resisted, they may become enforced changes, transformations which happen suddenly and at a rate we have no control over. The end result may be the same, but the process may seem harsher.

The number 10 is seen as representing community and the laws of society. Today could be a day of profound, possibly spiritual, change within society in general. This could also represent the support of your community to help you through your own transformation and growth. It is representative of our ability to work together to assist each other through our changes, whether they are enforced or voluntary.

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 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.

10 Aj (17th March 2022)

10 AjThe strong and social energy of the number 10 combines with Aj, the nawal of authority and social leadership. This is a day to join hands with your community and bring harmony into your environment.

The nawal Aj is seen as a beneficial nawal, and whilst it is a leader, it is past the stages of control and manipulation. Aj is wise and noble, it is gentle and respected, primarily for the benefits it brings to the community. It represents the harmony within the home. This comes through the strength that Aj has, through its connections with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. It brings courage to do the right thing for the good of all, even when that may be a difficult decision.

Today we see the energy of nawal Aj combined with the energy of the number 10, representing society and community. It can be seen as the fingers of two sets of hands joining together. This can be seen in many ways – the shaking of hands representing agreement and friendship, one hand guiding and helping the other forward, one hand extending to help the bearer of the other up. It shows the benefit gained by all through co-operation and friendliness.

The day 10 Aj is a day to remember that your actions shape the community that you live within, and that community reflects the energy you put into it. Today is about actively being a member of the community you wish to create, to offer your hand or your assistance where it is required. This will bring benefits all around, to everyone involved, it brings harmony into your home. It is also a great day to petition for help from those around you.

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 its 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 its people, that keeps everything in its 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 number 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.

10 Ajpu (4th March 2022)

10 AjpuThe nawal Ajpu encourages us to search for the holy and the number 10 represents society. Whilst we may see problems within our communities, the energy of Ajpu helps us look for the good side today.

Isolation may have its beneficial moments, for reflection and introspection, but for humans to flourish, being part of a bigger community usually benefits all within it. It often not a perfect solution for all within the community, nothing is one size fits all, and so there will always be a certain amount of discontent. It is easy to focus on problems, they tend to be the things which cause the immediate discomfort and so attract the most attention. They sometimes draw our focus so much that we lose sight of the original reasons for joining a community, the original dreams of being at peace with our neighbours, acting in unity and creating a more prosperous environment for our future generations.

The nawal Ajpu does represent the search for divinity, the highest form of good, however this search can begin just by remembering to see the everyday good in what is around us. With the number 10 bringing this focus onto community, today is a day which strongly suggests that we look at the positive elements of the community to which we belong. By extending our love and friendship into our communities, we have the possibility to create something greater than the sum of its parts and more divine than we can create alone.

 


Nawal Ajpu is once again a nawal with a multitude of meanings and translations. In the Yucatec language it is known as Ahau, in K’iche 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. 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 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.

10 Kej (19th February 2022)

10 KejToday, the strength and determination afforded by the nawal Kej are combined with the number representing the joining of hands. It is a day to play an active role in strengthening your community.

Kej is known as the strongest of the nawales, this is part of what gives it the energy to lead. Whilst the energy of Kej can be quite domineering, leaders can only retain their position if people follow them, and people will only follow them if there are some benefits to it. So whilst Kej gives a very driven energy, it does tend to be moving in a beneficial direction.

With regards to the wilderness aspect of Kej, today would be an excellent day for a journey into nature with members of your community. Any kind of communal work (or play) in nature would be likely to bring strength to the group. It would be a very favourable day to organise an environmental project within your village, which would benefit both the local wildlife, and the community.

The number 10 represents community and cooperation, two hands coming together. In true community this should give rise to both giving and receiving equally amongst members of the community. Sometimes we have excess and sometimes we are deficient, our abilities and actions depend on which state we are in. The energy of 10 Kej brings a day where the assistance we provide through stretching out our hands to offer our strength to our community will be greatly enhanced. Equally, if you are in need of assistance, this is a great day to seek that from your community.

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 number 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.

10 Kej 0 Nabe Mam – The Seating of the New Mam

The Seating of the New Mam is the moment that the Wayeb has ended, when the period of retreat has finished and we can emerge from our “cave” back into the real world. In some communities, this would be celebrated with feasting and drinking, welcoming in the new grandfather who will guide us through the next revolution of the sun.

This year is governed by the Mam 10 Kej. In addition to 10 Kej carrying the energy of the day, it is also carrying the energy of this new year. The properties and benefits brought by the nawal 10 Kej are discussed in my post for the day of 10 Kej here. The energy of this day is a representative of the energy which we will be living with for the whole year. The general feeling of this year should be about reconnection with natural world and our community.

The new Mam may take a little while to settle in. This is usually the first 20 days. Whilst it is obvious that the “administration” has changed, it takes a little time for all the promises made in the campaign to be adhered to. Nothing in nature moves in a square wave, it is always a gentle transition more akin to a sine wave. This is the first light of dawn, the day is just beginning, but we are still experiencing a little of the cold of the night. It will not be until midday, the height of the cycle that we will experience the fullest expression of the energy of this year lord. We can expect that in around 140 days or so, 13 Kej (19th June 2022).

The last time we experienced a Kej year was 2018, which was the year 6 Kej. That time around, other powerful influences meant a very strong year for many people. Kej years are known to be powerful, sometimes headstrong, as the deer or the horse show their strength and leadership. Kej is also associated with spiritual leadership and sometimes Kej will push us into situations where we have to take on that role. In order to do so, we ourselves need to be strong and connected with nature and Kej will make sure this happens. It is a year about connecting with the wilderness, the natural world. The number 10 brings about our connection with our community, the bringing together of hands, of agreements and that which binds society together. We may find that in this year it is the time for the spiritual leader to emerge from each one of us, in order to weave a better society, to be there for those around us. It will also be an important year to create agreements with the natural world.

On a grander scheme of things, the cycle of the year bearers repeats every 52 years. Of course, we do not relive exactly the same experiences, but we may see similarities with the last time this year bearer was in office. That was the year 1970, when Mam 10 Kej would have taken his seat on the Gregorian day 4th March. This gives us the opportunity to understand how to engage with the benefits of, and avoid the errors committed during, the previous incarnation of the Mam 10 Kej.  For some ideas on major events of 1970 (and there were some very interesting ones for the 10 Kej year – the first “Earth day” and the beginning of the operation of the EPA to name just two), please click here.

10 Ix (6th February 2022)

10 IxToday sees the nawal representing the Mother Earth combining with the number representing community and cooperation, this is a day to join hands with those around you and show your gratitude to her.

Our environment suffers a great deal just through our existence. While many of us care about the planet we live on, we also have to deal with the issues created by those who don’t. However, we are not powerless, especially when we join together.

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.

When we consider the spirit of Mother Earth, we realise that she just keeps on giving, keeping us alive. We throw trash, we live unsustainably, we keep taking. Ix days give us the opportunity to give back by showing that we care about her. Today in particular is a day to join forces with those close to you to make this happen, it’s a great day for a environmental community project. Perhaps you could show your gratitude by clearing up your village, by repairing some of the imbalances caused by humans.

The nawal Ix also helps us understand our potential – the “magic” that flows through us, our ability to engage with that higher side of existence. Showing gratitude to Mother Earth engages us with our true potential, and working with your community today may help remind you of the magical experiences that come through that channel. She will repay your efforts tenfold.

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.

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 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.