Tag Archives: N’oj

4 No’j 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 Mayan 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 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. 4 No’j was the year bearer for 2016. If we imagine reality as a ship and the year bearer as the captain, it is as if the captain has died and been replaced by the ghost of the previous captain.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. 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 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 4 No’j suggests a review of the way you were able to draw on your knowledge in order to come up with solutions to physical problems during the previous 360 days of the year 8 No’j.  I see 4 No’j as the energy of putting our plans into action, and maybe during this 8 No’j year we were able to enact some plans, but also many fell through. On this first day of Wayeb, we can reflect on what we plans have chosen to let go of during the year 8 No’j.

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
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

 

4 No’j (14th February 2021)

4 NojThe energy of thought and ideas comes down to four corners of the Earth today.  This is a day to solidify plans, and to bring ideas into the physical plane.

The 4 is representative of physical stability, or rather the materialisation into physical form. No’j is the flash of brilliance, the inspiration we receive. When we combine the two, we get a rather beneficial day. Today is a day when we are able to materialise our ideas into the physical world. We may have been sitting on them for some time, waiting for the right moment, and now is the time to ground them. These ideas may bring you sustenance, they have the fertile mind of the Earth Lord behind them, and the Earth Lord presides over all that comes from the Earth – crops, jade, silver. The four suggests that the ideas are not quite complete yet, this will happen on 8 No’j, but they are robust enough to be brought into the world and stand on their own two feet. It is a day to get your plans out into the open and allow them to start to bring their benefits into your life.

Earth Lord
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.

The number 4 is very important within Mayan mythology. Four represents the cardinal points, the four colours of maize, the four carriers of the year, the two equinoxes and two solstices, as well as midnight, sunrise, midday and sunset. The number four is representative of the four first men, who raised the sky from the sea to create the world we live on. In Mayan myth it is four pillars that support the sky from the Earth. As you can imagine, four is a number which represents stability, a solar number. Even though it is still low, it is thought of as a good number.

10 No’j (25th January 2021)

10 N'ojSome days should really work out well, with a strong and positive effect coming from both the nawal and the number. Today, the clear thinking, analytical energy of No’j is combined with the socially helpful 10.

Today is a day to get things sorted out, a day to find solutions within your community. It is a day when the saying “a problem shared is a problem halved” is extremely applicable. Join minds with your friends, colleagues and neighbours to come up with unique and novel solutions to problems that may have been perplexing you for some time.

One slight drawback could be that the energy of the nawal No’j sometimes brings many ideas but not so much action. It may be a day where the mind drifts through many ideas of how to resolve situations within the community, without actually initiating those ideas. This could even result in the ideas themselves becoming muddled, lines of thought being expressed and followed without actual realisation into the physical world. Whilst the energy of No’j does have a practical edge to it, it can on occasion end up lost in its thoughts.

A logical solution to this may come through cooperation. However, despite your combined solution being obvious to you and your group, be aware that you may still be ahead of your time. Be patient with those you explain your new big idea to, they might need a little time to catch up.

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 (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.

 


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.

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.

3 No’j (5th January 2021)

3 N'ojThe nawal of the brain, thought and inspiration combines with the number of external challenges. This is a day to focus on solving inner issues rather than looking for solutions outside.

The day 3 No’j can present challenges around the ability to think clearly. This may manifest as some kind of block, but also it might lead to inappropriate action. If a problem needs to be solved logically, it would be better to put it off to another day with a more conducive energy. This may be a day where the ideal tasks will be the more mundane ones which don’t require too much thought.

However, there is a positive side to the energy of the number three and this has to do with creation. It may give rise to a time to go inside, to focus the creative thought process within. Choosing to focus on solutions around your home may be more conducive trying to solve problems in the outer world. Be gentle on those around you who seem to be acting thoughtlessly, you might be just as lost as them today.

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 8 No’j. 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.

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 (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.

 

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.

There are various myths about the creation which link with the number 3. One is that at the time of creation, three stone jumped out of the fireplace and formed the new world. These three stones are called the hearthstones, and are still seen in many Maya homes today, on the fire supporting the tortilla griddle. From an astronomical point of view, the stones are the stars Alnitak, Saiph and Rigel in the constellation we call Orion, and the Smoky Fireplace is the Great Orion Nebula (M42)

The Orion Nebula, M42. Picture by Mark Elmy

The number 3 is still in the low end of the range of numbers. It does not have much energy yet, and it is also an odd number. It can represent the home, relating to the three hearthstones laid by the creators, and this is probably a good focus for a 3 day. However, it is possibly the most troublesome of the numbers to deal with, it lacks stability and represents challenges and obstructions. The number three brings up internal/external dilemma. The lack of stability in the physical, external world that it brings suggests that the more appropriate action is to look to the internal world, both of the home and of yourself.

 

9 No’j (16th December 2020)

9 N'ojThe day 9 No’j can be seen as a day when the polarities come together to solve a problem. It is a marriage of the masculine, square, logical No’j, with the  feminine, rounded, artistic nine.

Today might be a day when feminine problems may be resolved with masculine logic, and masculine problems resolved with feminine intuition. It can be seen as the union of the left and right hemispheres of the brain, a day of particular inspiration, with the possibility for the emergence of true genius. This is enlivened with the energy of the number 9, its connection with the divine feminine and life energy, which would also bring in the energy of the heart. I have heard this referred to as the holy trinity, left brain, right brain and heart working together, creating the best possible solutions, bringing sustainable, compassionate, beautiful ideas into practicality. This is the ideal day for an ideas circle within your community.

It is a day to pay attention to ideas inspired by life, and a day when realistic resolutions of life’s problems may emerge. This may particularly come through a feminine channel, this is most certainly a day to ask for practical solutions from the women around us.

Within the Macewal Q’ij, today again marks the beginning of a new month as we travel through the solar year. Today is the first day of Rukub Tumuxux translated as the second season of flying ants. Within this season is the winter solstice, the darkest day of the northern hemisphere, from this season, the days begin to lighten as we start to move towards the arrival of the new Mam.

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 number nine is very special indeed. It is the number of lunations in the human gestation period and in the sacred calendar. The sacred calendar is known as a calendar of life, and it is women that give life. As such the number nine is seen as the number of life and the number of the divine feminine. It gives all that it is attached to a strong feminine presence and is a day on which women may wish to give thanks for their gifts.

2 No’j (26th November 2020)

2 N'ojThe energy of the nawal No’j often brings practical solutions to problems, and today the number 2 highlights polarities. This brings the ability to solve problems by understanding both sides of the issue.

The second day of the trecena of Ajmak, the day 2 No’j, enables us to move through the trecena of forgiveness by helping us to understand different points of view. No’j helps us to think things through, its intellect and intelligence empowers our thought processes to come up with the most appropriate solution. However, if we approach problem solving from a unilateral standpoint, we may miss important issues. 2 No’j brings us the the ability to encompass both. Days carrying the energy of the number 2 are always good for mediation, but here we see it particularly linked with intelligent solutions.

With the number 2 highlighting relationships, this could also be a day to help soothe any friction within partnerships.

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 number 2 is representative of duality, of polarity. Although it is a low number it has surprising strength as it is said to be able to call upon both aspects or polarities of what it is attached to. It is said to be the number of lovers, it signifies relationships and self-sacrifice. Whilst it can lend itself to mediation, seeing both sides of the story, it also can be indecisive.

8 No’j (6th November 2020) – The Return of the Year Lord

8 N'ojThe nawal No’j representing the brain and logical thought combines with the number of wholeness giving a day to think about all options. This is a day to celebrate our ability to plan and solve problems.

As humans we have been blessed with the amazing gifts of our brain and our mind. We can use them to achieve incredible feats, to advance our lives, and those of our families and communities. We can use them to solve the problems around us to make our world a better place. However, sometimes that intelligence turns against our evolution, as new ways to destroy our planet and ourselves come from the brains of some humans. This of course shows the difference between intelligence and wisdom. Our intellect can also lead us to overthinking situations, it can lead us into such minute details that confusion or inaction occurs.

Today we see these qualities combined with the number which represents wholeness. This can give us the ability to think through every aspect of a situation. It suggests that we are able to use all aspects of our intellect, to resolve what we need to. We are able to use our minds to gain the new inspiration, coming as unexpectedly as an earthquake, combined with understanding of how to bring the idea which forms to completion. This is the day to understand the true scale of problems in our lives and how to overcome them. It is a day on which whole solutions may arrive, complete from inception to execution, a whole package to make the world a better place for all. It is a day to make ceremony to give thanks for our ability to think clearly and develop solutions, and to ask for pardon for the times when we act without fully thinking through the consequences of our actions.

Within the solar calendar, today marks the beginning of a new month as we travel through the solar year. Today is the first day of Takaxepual translated as the season of first sowing. This should mark the point in time where that first sowing of maize, which took place 260 days ago, is ripened and ready, marking the beginning of the maize harvesting season.  It should also mark the point in the year where the rain ceases to fall and we move into the dry months before the new Year Lord takes his seat in 105 days time.

It is particularly interesting that this takes place on the day before astronomical cross quarter day of Samhain (November 7th). This point of the year is exactly midway between the Equinox and the Solstice, and was considered the first day of winter in the Celtic calendar. It is seen as the death of the Sun god, the sun descending into the underworld, where it will remain until Imbolc (Feb 3rd 2021). Regardless of the hemisphere and whether it is seen as the beginning of winter or the beginning of summer, there is a particular alignment which is happening, which is said to be an opening of portals to the otherworld. Perhaps rather than just seeing it as where the sun shines on the Earth, we could think of it as how the sun interacts with our magnetosphere.

This could suggest that the power of the year lord will go through a change at this point of the year, the original strength diminished after being used throughout the growing season. The year lord could be seen as having done his work and now enters a period of retirement, so perhaps the intensity this year lord has been demonstrating may be softened.

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 (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.

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 next No’j year will be the year 8 No’j in 2020.

The number 8 is considered to be a number of wholeness. It can be seen as birth (1) and death (7) combined to represent the whole cycle of the soul. It can also be seen as the point where the four first men who raised the sky from the sea were joined by their wives and the world become whole. It is the most common day for ceremonies to be made, it is still in the balanced range of numbers and is an even number, which is also considered fortunate. As this wholeness represents every aspect of the energy of the day with which it is coupled, it is the wholeness of the nawal that is addressed in ceremony.

New Video – The Trecena of No’j (17th – 29th October 2020)

The Trecena of No’j is a time to bring forward new ideas and new solutions, new ways of putting your knowledge into practice.

I will be running a Mayan astrology workshop (over Zoom) from 4 Aj to 8 No’j (2nd – 6th November 2020) For more information, please follow this link https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=1120 or find the event on Facebook here https://fb.me/e/36NkvbySD

If you wish to help relieve the current crisis in Guatemala, and heard me refer to links to help the people here, I have attached them below.

To help the people of San Pablo la Laguna, please follow this link https://tinyurl.com/yb4l3rux

To help the people of San Marcos la Laguna, please follow this link https://tinyurl.com/yd8ax34q

We named our upcoming retreat The Junajpu (One Hero) Retreat. It is designed to help understand and connect with the hero, the divine essence, that each of us carry. We have decided to plan for a future despite the current restrictions and relaunch the retreat for the next Ajpu trecena beginning March 9th 2021. For more information on the retreat, please visit our new site https://fourpillarsretreats.com/

1 No’j (17th October 2020)

1 N'ojNew worlds need new solutions and this is very much the essence of both today and the the thirteen day period (trecena) that we move into today. It is a time of inspiration, which may come from sudden events.

We are starting the new trecena today, but we are still within the influential period of the Maya cross of 8 B’atz. In two days time, we move into the future sign of 3 Kawok, and the next day of 4 Ajpu can represent the beginning of a new world. Whilst this recreation brings great opportunity for reinvention and resetting, it can also bring challenges to our accepted world view. Sometimes this may be precipitated by an event, and here No’j acts in both its aspects.

No’j is sometimes associated with earthquakes, also sometimes with lightning. Both of these are energetic events which arrive without warning. They are sudden and sometimes decisive. They might call for quick action, a swift resolution to the effects of the event. This also comes through No’j, the nawal of the brain and the problem solver, bringing us the inspiration to solve problems and think on our feet.

We see it here connected with the number 1, representing the new beginnings, the seed of something new. The energy of this combination may bring the new solutions to the issues we face in the new world. It may also bring about a whole new way of thinking, a new and sudden revelation which allows us to begin to see a situation from a different perspective where the answer is clearer. This is just the first formation of an idea, although possibly more than a concept, it will need time and careful nurturing to develop. We begin to see a clear solution to the problem through new inspiration.

Within the Solar calendar, today marks the beginning of a new month as we travel through the solar year. Today is the first day of Pariche translated as the season of blankets. The rainy season is coming to an end and the nights begin to grow colder as the ripened corn begins to die back. The next time that the nawal No’j will appear will be as 8 No’j the second appearance of the bearer of this year, the Mam, in the traditional societies of highland Guatemala. We have been under the influence of the Mam 8 No’j for 240 days (since 20th February 2020). Has this year called on you to use the whole of your knowledge and information to solve problems?

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 (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.

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.

N’oj 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. 2016, was the year 4 No’j and this year is the year 8 No’j.

The number 1 is representative of the seed, of unity. It represents birth and beginnings. It is a low and odd number, which usually represents something challenging. However, the seed can grow into a mighty tree, it is full of potential. It just needs the correct nutrients and conditions to germinate and develop, just as sometimes we need encouragement to develop our ideas.

7 No’j (27th September 2020)

7 N'oj

The energy of the day 7 No’j may see knowledge and theories from different sources coalescing to form one combined idea as the plan is finalised.

Today, the nawal No’j combines with the number 7, the number of endings and finality. This suggests that now is the time to finalise plans. These plans may be coming from many directions, and it may lead to some confusion as to which ones to develop. This is the day to make the decision, from this vantage point you can see them all for what they are. The problem solving intellect of No’j and the balance and finality of the number 7 should give rise to extremely practical solutions for conclusion.

Within the cycle of the year are many sub-cycles. I often mention the cycle of the trecenas, but here is another, the 20 day cycle. The theme of this 20 day cycle, from 7 No’j to 1 No’j, should be finishing off one plan or set of ideas so that the  new ideas can be born in the future. So, not only should the energy of today highlight a drive to get things finished off, this should continue for the next 20 days.

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 year 2016  was the year 4 No’j, the next occurrence is this year 8 No’j.

Number Sequence.jpg
The sequence of numbers as they appear with each appearance of a nawal. Here we see that the sequence begins with 1 and ends with 7, giving 7 as a number of finality.

The number seven is the mid-point of the range of numbers. It is known as a number of death and endings, which would seem strange as it is only half way through. It is another representation of the change of state of the soul, showing half of the journey (1-6) in the mortal world and half (8-13) in the otherworld.

The numbers of the days set out as a pyramid.
The numbers of the days as they appear through the trecena. Here they can also be set out as a pyramid, reaching the peak is also the end of a journey.

If we imagine the numbers 1 through 13 as a pyramid, the number seven would be at the top. Seven is the number of balance, it gives the ability to weigh up situations and see all points of view. While this may be very noble, it may lead to indecision.