Category Archives: Chol Q’ij – The Energies of the Days

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 Kawok (6th May 2025)

Leave a comment

12 KawokUse your life experience to heal anything standing between you and your renewal today. The energy is conducive to clearing the obstructions and inducing new growth. It can be easy if we allow it to be, or painful if we resist.

The number of life experience, combined with Kawok, gives the opportunity to finally wash away “stubborn stains” from the past. Should you allow the process to happen it can lead to rebirth.

I have an image of the nawal Kawok as a wise and loving, but firm, midwife. She has seen many new children brought into this world and knows what she is talking about. She is here to assist with the birth process. At this point there is no going back, there is only one way and that is to move past the pain to allow the new life to emerge. She is here to comfort and encourage, and occasionally to push you forwards when the process feels too hard. The flow that she brings cannot be stopped, if resistance is encountered the storm intensifies until her waters wash away the obstruction. It is, therefore, better to heed her advice, grit your teeth, and move through the process before the full power of the storm is unleashed.

This is the penultimate day of the trecena of ripening, and some would say the penultimate day of a cycle of 260 days. As 13 Ajpu is such an important day that is being birthed, it is the most experienced of midwives which is called upon in 12 Kawok. Here the analogy is that of bringing together all of your life experience in order to birth into being your own true ripeness.

The Nawal Kawok

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. It 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 12

The number 12 is the penultimate number. In some ways it can be seen as the last Earthly number, the number 13 representing the spirit world. We travelled through the mortal world with 1 through 6, then the other world with 7 through 12. In this way 12 can be seen as a point of bringing all of the experiences into one bundle for presentation to the spirit world as we step into 13. As such, the number 12 brings a wealth of experience into one place, it is rather like writing an autobiography. It is totality, all that is, brought together.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

11 Tijax (5th May 2025) – Bealtaine 05:58 UTC

Leave a comment

11 TijaxMeasure twice and cut once. Take a breath before acting, especially before making the final cut. You might find that you unintentionally burn some important bridges if you act too rashly.

Tijax is a sharp energy, which can be used to heal, create great beauty and rid the world of the mundane or unholy. However, in order to be used effectively it needs to be directed. Here we begin to understand a potential issue on this day 11 Tijax. The number 11 works intuitively and this can give rise to unpredictability. When a message comes, 11 hears it loud and clear and changes direction. When this is factored into a combination with the properties of Tijax, this can become a problem. In its most dramatic expression, the energy of 11 Tijax lash out at those nearby, but with an obsidian blade.

Even in the healing expression of Tijax, the strength and lack of predictability of the number 11 may create unintended consequences. Tijax is tenacious and 11 can be directionless, it may lead to a situation where you don’t know why you are taking a course of action, but you will not be dissuaded from the idea. Of course, you may be correct, but the energy of Tijax can be so cutting that you may end up causing injury where it was not intended.

When working with a sharp object, it is always best to know how and what to use it for. This is especially the case today. Don’t run with the scissors in your hand!

Bealtaine

Additionally, this year 11 Tijax falls on an archaeoastronomical cross quarter day which many would know as Bealtaine. We may be familiar with the four major stations of the sun, the equinoxes and solstices, but there are four more which are celebrated. These mark the midpoints between the solstices and equinoxes.

In the Celtic calendar, they are celebrated as the beginning of each season; Imbolc as the beginning of spring. Bealtaine as the beginning of summer. Lughnasagh as the beginning of autumn. Samhain as the beginning of winter. While convention might assign these days to 1st February, 1st May, 1st August and 1st November, aligning them with the Gregorian calendar, the actual days are really dependent on where the sun is in our sky. This page gives the exact date and time of each of the major stations. It has often been my thought, that if we wish to tap into the true energy of something, we need to be there at the correct time and date.

Bealtaine translates (more or less) as bright fire. It is a time of great growth, when we see the natural world in her abundant radiance. The energy stored by the plant kingdom is fresh and vital, the flowers adorn the trees, the newborn birds and animals are everywhere and life is in full swing. It is a time of handfastings, of marriages, and often marked by fire ceremony in the Celtic lands. The exact point of Bealtaine is at 05:58 UTC on May 5th.

If you would like to know more about the history of Bealtaine and Beltane, particularly with regards to why it was moved to 1st May, check out this link. If we really are trying to live in harmony with the seasons, it is essential we get the timing correct!

The Nawal Tijax

Sacrificial Death God 1

The nawal Tijax represents an obsidian (or flint) blade. How the blade is used depends on the intention of the person wielding it, a warrior or a surgeon. These would seem like opposite ends of the spectrum, but where Tijax is concerned the aim is the same – healing and purification.

Tijax is the nawal of the holy warrior. In the Mayan book of creation , the Popol Vuh, the first act of the hero twins was a mission given to them by the Heart of the Sky to rid the world of the false gods Seven Macaw, Zipacna and Earthquake. By destroying the false gods, the twins brought balance to the world, and helped mankind, they brought healing to the world. They cut out that which caused disease, exactly as a surgeon would do.

Tijax is celebrated as a day of healers, particularly what could be seen as the masculine aspect of healing. It is a day of crusading, of standing up for what is right, the healer who refuses to give up on finding a cure. Tijax gives powers of discernment and refinement. Just as the surgeons scalpel cuts away disease and the warriors blade dispatches the evil, the sculptors chisel creates beauty by remodelling the base material. This is a day of alchemy, both internal and external, turning the ordinary into the divine.

The Number 11

The number 11 is a high and odd number. This gives it some rather challenging properties, although it can come good in the end. Imagine you visit Ireland and are transfixed by the green of the hills. Then you go to Morocco and are awed by the red of the buildings. Then you go to the Caribbean and are moved by the turquoise sea. You return home and paint a beautiful picture using those colours. When you were in Ireland you didn’t know you were going to paint that masterpiece. You may not have even known why you were there.  This is how 11 works. You are sure you need to be doing something, but unsure why. You are collecting experience through many wanderings.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 No’j (4th May 2025)

Leave a comment

10 N'ojToday is a day to resolve community issues. It is a day when the saying “a problem shared is a problem halved” is extremely applicable.

Some days should work out well, with a strong and positive effect coming from both the nawal and the number. Today, the clear thinking, and analytical energy of No’j is combined with the socially helpful 10. Therefore, join minds with your friends, colleagues and neighbours to intuit unique and novel solutions to problems. New communal ideas may solve issues that have perplexed you for some time.

One slight drawback could be that the energy of the nawal No’j sometimes brings thought without 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. However, this could even result in the ideas themselves becoming muddled. Lines of thought may be 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.

The Nawal No’j

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). <yoastmark class=

 

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. As 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 Ten

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 acting in harmony.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

9 Ajmak (3rd May 2025)

Leave a comment

9 AjmakToday is a day to come to terms with your life.  It combines the spirit of forgiveness with the number of the feminine and life. This is a potent day to ask for forgiveness from the women in your life where it is necessary.

If you have been holding guilt over, or blame towards, any particular woman, today is the day to forgive and move on. The energy of resentment is probably having a greater effect on you rather than her, holding you back from progressing. This applies not just to the women in your life, but the feminine aspect of life in general. This is the day to ask forgiveness. Also, to forgive yourself, for the times when you could have embraced more feminine qualities such as compassion and nurture.

Sometimes we have forgotten the feminine nature of where we all came from, whether it is the body of our mother or the Earth herself. This is often caused by an imbalance within the generally male-dominated society. This is a day to recognise the times when we allowed ourselves to become part of that imbalance, and ask forgiveness for them. After all, as we progress through this trecena of ripening, the trecena Q’anil, how can we reach joyful and abundant ripeness if we are carrying this bitterness?

It is a day to forgive yourself for the things in life you would rather leave in the past. Light a candle and allow the flame to burn away any guilt surrounding any past actions. As the candle burns and cleans your life, feel the other aspect of Ajmak arriving. Allow Ajmak to bring sweetness of redemption into your life.

I’m sorry

Please forgive me

Thank you

I love you

Nawal Ajmak

Ajmak is the nawal of pardon and forgiveness, the nawal of redemption. It is the energy of being human, of falling down and getting back up again, and giving those chances to others.

When the creators fashioned the four first men, the Bacab’ob, they created them as equals. These four first humans had superhuman abilities, including the ability to see through space and time. As equals were not desired, the gods smoked the mirror of perception, giving us our human set of senses. When we lost the ability to see through time, we lost the ability to see the true consequences of our actions and thus we needed to start asking for forgiveness. Sometimes even well meaning actions can cause problems at a later date. Ajmak represents this ability to forgive others, the ability to forgive ourselves and the ability to accept forgiveness.

Ajmak is a sensual energy, which creates some of the reasons for it’s needing to be forgiven. It is kind and very lovable, but irresponsible. It can be a very talented energy, with great ideas. However it can also be very easily distracted, especially by anything that makes it feel nice. This often leads Ajmak to failing to fulfil it’s true potential, although due to it’s lovable nature it is easy to forgive. One of the lessons with regards to the Ajmak energy is learning to forgive oneself.

The Number Nine

The number nine 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. It is a day on which women may wish to give thanks for their gifts.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

8 Tz’ikin (2nd May 2025)

Leave a comment

8 Tz'ikinToday the whole picture may be revealed to the world. This is the day when the new vision combines with the old to bring prosperity. Feed the birds to give thanks for the inspiration, a satisfied bird won’t eat your corn.

The energy of the days numbered 8 can be seen as an overlap, where the novelty of the energy of the number 1 combines with the energy of the ending of number 7. It is the seam between the new fabric and the old, that joins the previous weaving to the current. As such it can be seen as a combination of energies, a re-imagining of an old principle or vision, again breathing new life into an existing idea. When combined with the energy of the nawal Tz’ikin, this brings prosperity. This is a day of bringing together existing ideas with new energy to sustain those around us.

If you have a vision for a new venture, particularly a new business venture, this is a great day to seek advice from those who have taken on similar tasks before. The combination of the old and new may bring great success.

The day 8 Tz’ikin is the day on which green candles are offered to the ceremonial fires to give thanks for our prosperity and the prosperity of  our families and our communities. It is a day to give thanks for our ability to focus on fine detail, but also to see the bigger picture when required. As we give thanks for what we have, we also ask for the vision to come to us, to help those around us prosper. This is a day to give thanks for what we are perfecting, and what we cried out for.

Nawal Tz’ikin

Bat Falcon sitting on top of Temple 216 at Yaxha. 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 road, perhaps into dishonesty or criminal activity. By asking nawal Tz’ikin for prosperity in your life, you are more likely to be able to help others. You can be more constructive within your community. That is not to say that your own input will not be necessary, just that your hard work 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.

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 Number Eight

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. The eighth day of the trecena 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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

7 Ix (1st May 2025)

Leave a comment

7 Ix Today can be seen as a day to choose how you engage with Mother Earth. How can the Earth and our community prosper from our choices?

With Ix as the guardian of the altars and the Earth herself, today can represent our decisions as to how we connect with them. The altars and sacred sites can be seen as the ears of the Earth. When we make a ceremony or visit these sacred places to make offerings, we petition the Earth. Today is a good day to choose what we make our petition about.

It is said that both Ix and the number 7 are connected with the seven shames; excessive pride, ambition, envy, lying, criminal activity, ingratitude, and ignorance. This is a day on which it is possible that these shames may be closer to the surface, when they may be more obvious in others, or more tempting to choose.

The shrine at the top of Cerro de Oro, beside Lake Atitlan. This is one of the most sacred natural altars within Guatemala.
The shrine at the top of Cerro de Oro, beside Lake Atitlan. This is one of the most sacred natural altars within Guatemala.

However, if the day is approached from the positive aspect, it can be a day on which we may experience the magic of the spirit of the Earth all around us. Her beauty may be very evident, especially if you are open to it. It is a day when the natural altars – springs, caves, overhangs and mountaintops – are particularly energised and open to our gratitude for all that we have received from Mother Earth. All that is required is to make a decision between the needs of the self and the needs of the world. Mother Earth is receptive to your petition, what are you going to ask for, and how can you help her?

Nawal Ix

A dancing shaman transforms himself into a jaguar. From a late classic era vase found at Altar de Sacrificios. Source http://shortstreet.net/Maya/mayapaintedvases.htm
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 the Heart of the Earth. We could see this as what we might call Mother Earth or a Maya representation of Gaia. Ix can be seen as a mothering energy, nurturing all things. However, 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. This jungle cat is an animal of the night. She slips magically through the darkness, the spots of her back a representation of the milky way. She carries the sun on its nightly journey through the underworld.

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. 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 Seven

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.

However, it is also 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. As such it can be a great number on which to finalise or end something.

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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

6 Aj (30th April 2025)

Leave a comment

6 AjThis is a day to create harmony in our family and stability in our homes. This is a perfect day to focus on what brings peace and harmony to our communities. This might include using our authority to stand up and say what needs to be said.

At the top of the sacred hill Paclom, in the centre of Momostenango, is a cross. Unlike many of the crosses you might see, it has two cross pieces. This is known as the patriarchal cross. As such this cross could be seen to represent the number 6, which is the other name for Paclom, the six place.

For me, this especially represents the power of the number six. It has the horizontal Earthly stability of the four cardinal points, yet is also vertically connected with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. Today on the day 6 Aj, we see that stability amplified. It is as if the vertical post, or spinal column, that would normally be found with any six day, is energised by the connection of Aj between the Sky and the Earth, the divine masculine and divine feminine essences.

So, what is the point of this energisation? To bring this stability and blessing from the Celestial and Earthly realms into our communities and homes. This is a day on which to ask for, and give thanks for, stability in our homes and communities. It is particularly a day on which we can call upon the “greater powers” to energise us, to give us strength, so that we may sustain those around us.

May the Heart of the Sky be in My Heart

May My Heart be in the Heart of the Earth

May the Heart of the Earth be in My Heart

May My Heart be in the Heart of the Sky

The Nawal Aj

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

The nawal Aj is related to many things which generally revolve around leadership on an earthly level. It is also known as the cornstalk, sometimes the staff of life. It represents the spinal column within the body, that which allows us to stand tall, proud and brave. As the cornstalk, it has it’s roots in the Earth, and its head in the sky. If we wish to lead in a just manner, we should cultivate our connection with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth.

Aj is an authority, it is gentle, yet noble. It works quietly for the community it leads. It does not seek the limelight. This is a day that seeks sustenance for 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 Number Six

The number six is said to be the number of ultimate stability. It is the first of the three middle numbers of the cycle, the balance point. Six days are frequently used for ceremony thanks to their conducive energy.

The number 6 carries the qualities of the number 4, but has an extra axis. If we think of the number four representing the cardinal points, the number six adds a vertical axis to these. It brings in the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. The number six has the stability of the number four embellished by the masculine and feminine principals. If the number four represents the physical world and the number 6 represents the physical world animated by the life force energy.

It also represents family, relating to the six qualities which hold families together – health, understanding, property, employment, friendship and actions.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

Observation of the Solar Zenith in Highland Guatemala

2 Comments

Solar Zenith

It may be the latitude of my country of birth that gives me such an interest in the skies of Guatemala. How different the skies can look in the tropics is almost inconceivable. I am originally from 52o North. Having been a skywatcher since I was young, I was used to seeing Orion standing proudly in the winter sky. Now, having lived in Guatemala for 16 years, I am accustomed to seeing him reclining as if in a hammock. It was in Guatemala that I was able to see Mercury clearly for the first time, with the inclination of the ecliptic giving sufficient altitude above the horizon to evade the Sun’s glare.

However, the solar zenith transit is a more unique experience, one that is alien to my birth country. This transit is, of course, what defines the latitude of the tropics. The sun reaches a zenith angle of 90o at solar noon. Solar noon could be defined as the point where the sun is at 90o on the ecliptic, the path that it follows through the sky each day. Whilst this would be thought to be 12:00 pm, the exact location and time of year within a time zone will change this slightly. For instance, in my case, solar noon in San Pablo la Laguna can vary between 12:02 pm and 12:19 pm.

On the equator, the solar zenith angle reaches 90o on the equinoxes, therefore twice per year. On the Tropic of Cancer, the Sun will reach 90o on only one occasion, the June solstice, and on the Tropic of Capricorn on the December solstice. As we travel from the equator to the Tropic of Cancer, the solar zenith dates change, becoming closer together from the equinox dates towards the June solstice.

Calendar Connection

Of course, what intrigued me, living here in the Maya lands, are the dates of the solar zenith transits here at 14°44’N / 91°17’W. The solar zenith tends to fall on April 29th and August 12th. If one is earlier, so is the other, preserving 105 days between the dates where the sun is in the north at midday (something which makes garden planning quite a challenge!) This period will also mean that on the opposite side of the year, for example, from August 12th 2025, to April 29th 2026, will sum to 260 days. Both the dates of August 12th and the 260-day period are of interest as they reflect very closely the 260-day Chol Q’ij, and the date is a very close approximation to the GMT calculation of the beginning of the fourth era, 11th August 3114 BCE.

The April zenith transit occurs 40 days after the spring equinox, therefore carrying the same day name within the sacred calendar. In 2025, this will be E’ (Eb) – 4 E’ on the equinox and 5 E’ on the zenith day. The June solstice will fall 53 days later (2 cycles of the sacred calendar and one trecena or 4 trecenas plus 1 day) on the day 6 Kan. The second solar zenith occurs 52 days (4 trecenas) after the June solstice, which will be the day 6 No’j

Observation of the Solar Zenith

Zenith tubes have been found at Xochicalco and Monte Alban, indicating that Mesoamerican peoples were certainly aware of the solar zenith.

Experimentation

Part of my philosophy of life is “How can we expect to understand something if we don’t experience it ourselves?” I feel that we must sit under the skies as the ancients once did. So, I decided to make my investigation of the solar zenith by setting up a solar zenith tube in my garden to observe the zenith passage of the Sun myself. These stills are taken from a video I made of my solar zenith observation, which can be seen here https://youtu.be/HxlmSN9rwdo

For the experiment, I used a photographic tripod which has a long centre column with a hole running through it. The centre column is around 300mm in length and the hole is around 5mm in diameter. This is the sort of ratio required to ensure that the direct light of the sun will only be projected when the sun is truly at its zenith. To ensure this, I used a digital level to position the centre column exactly vertical, 90o on the east-west axis (ecliptic) and 90o on the north-south axis (meridian).

As the point of zenith approached, a little dot of light began to appear under the tripod. However, at 12:08 pm, I observed a brilliant point of light emerging on the ground, signifying that the Sun was directly overhead. There was a very obvious difference in the quality of light when the Sun was directly at its zenith.

What Does it Mean?

Perhaps one of the questions which could be asked is why the zenith observation would be so important.

Perhaps it could be seen in a way of the energy of the Heart of the Sky entering the Heart of the Earth, bringing fertility? This leads me to the second part of my experiment. Testing the idea of the corn growing season.

For many years, I had heard that the 260 days of the sacred calendar refer to the planting and harvest of corn. I understand from some of my friends here that there are some cultivars which would be planted around the 12th of February to be harvested around the 29th of October. These are rather similar to the dates of the solar nadir and also give the dates of the sunrise azimuth of 104o.

However, many agronomists question this length of corn growth, as it seems far removed from the general length of time from planting to harvest of the corn. Once again, I decided to make my experiment to confirm. In this initial investigation, I used corn from the market. My corn was ripe 80 days after planting. It struck me that the way corn is used in this area is not like that which I would see in my birth country, corn on the cob, but more to be doubled, and dried on the stem. If the solar zenith dates are used as a guideline for planting, they align rather well with the usual weather patterns in highland Guatemala.

The first solar zenith transit date of 29th April coincides with the onset of the rainy season. Usually, May and June are very warm, wet months, ideal for corn growth. This continues through to around 23rd July, 85 days after the solar zenith when another astronomical phenomenon occurs. The heliacal rise of Sirius.

Canicular

While I have not directly heard of the observation of Sirius in Maya astronomy, it does indirectly leave its mark in Guatemalan culture as the basis for the Canicular. Canicular is the dry period in the middle of the rainy season. As it is during the hotter part of the year, it is certainly noticeable. If the corn was ripe at 85 days after a zenith planting, this would be an ideal time to double the stems over and allow the corn to dry for 2 weeks before harvest. That would then take us to 99 days after the first solar zenith, giving us 6 days to prepare the field for the second planting of corn before the second zenith. Once again, the Heart of the Sky impregnates the Heart of the Earth on the second Zenith.

Once we pass the second zenith, the rains begin to come back, with September and October being the wettest months of the year. If we are to look at the timing from the perspective of the solar zenith, we would find that 85 days after August 12th is November 5th. This is usually the time of year when the rains cease and the dry season begins. It again would be an ideal time to be doubling over the corn ready for harvest 2 weeks later.

As the August zenith is 260 days before the April zenith, whatever day of the sacred calendar the second zenith occurred on would be repeated in the following April. For example, in 2025, August 12th will fall on 6 No’j (Caban), as will April 29th 2026.

By following the rhythm of the sacred calendar and the timing of the solar zenith transits, 2 crops of corn can be grown in one season. This maximises the efficiency of the land and enables the people to thrive. It nourishes human hearts through the connection between the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth.

Here’s the video I made of the observation of the solar zenith transit on April 29th 2025
https://youtu.be/S-012ZJfMjY

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

5 E’ (29th April 2025) – Solar Zenith (15N)

1 Comment

This should be a good day to put work on your life path. It could be particularly good if a journey is aligned with your work.

 

I tend to think of E’ days as rather beneficial days. They can represent exploration in its many guises; physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Sometimes they may also represent a combination of a physical journey that may bring knowledge or a spiritual experience. However, every journey requires an input of energy and today this is highlighted. How much do you want to go on that journey? How much energy are you prepared to invest? These questions may come up today.

As the number 5 can also represent rushing into things, there may be an element of frustration with the journey taking longer than expected. This day we might feel that we wish we could just teleport to the destination! It may also come up against some unforeseen obstacles. To overcome these obstacles will once again require our energetic input. The reward will be a great advancement on your path.

Solar Zenith

Here in Guatemala, at 15 degrees north of the equator, we experience this phenomenon two time per year. The Solar Zenith Transit is when the Sun crosses the hypothetical North – South line (the Meridian) at 90 degrees.

Many Maya sites have structures that mark the zenith transit, often zenith tubes. One possible reason that the zenith transit was so important was because of the planting of maize. I go into this in more depth here: https://thefourpillars.net/Observation of the Solar Zenith/

This year the Solar Zenith Transit in April falls on the same day as is indicated on the Nebra Sky disk. The crescent moon is in conjunction with the Pleiades as they follow the sun down into the Earth at sunset. This would seem like an extremely potent planting day! For more information about this, please check out my Trecena Q’anil video which you can find on this page https://thefourpillars.net/the-trecena-of-qanil-2/

The Nawal E’

Footprints
Footprints mark the road, from the Dresden Codex

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

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

The Number Five

The Sacred Mayan calendar is said to be a calendar of human life and can be seen as a microcosm of the human body. The number five is one of these parts. It is representative of the hand with its five digits. It is with our hands that we work, and with what we earn we pay our debts. Five is also a number that relates to the sacred fire where we pay our debts with offerings and prayers. Five might be so busy working that it fails to remember what it is working for. It can also signify that what it is attached to becomes work, or is “hard work”.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

4 B’atz (28th April 2025)

Leave a comment

4 B'atzThe day 4 B’atz is a wonderful day to materialise your creativity. It can be a light-hearted fun day, a day to embrace the creative joy in life and ground it into the world around you.

As the creative genius of nawales, the energy of B’atz certainly brings the ability to bring that extra sparkle to whatever it touches. As both entertainer and performer, it can hold attention and create something impressive for all around. Today, we see it connected with the very down-to-earth, practical energy of the number 4. However, far from this practicality taking the shine off the energy of the nawal B’atz, it is more about the nawal B’atz bringing its shine to the mundane world. This is the day to bring out the beauty within the everyday world, to weave true creative beauty in the most physical of worlds.

It is a day that brings stability to your creations and your art forms. If there is an idea that you have been sitting on for a little while, waiting for the right time to bring it out in the open, today is the day to bring it into physical reality. This is the day to decorate the world, to weave your beauty into your physical surroundings.

The Nawal B’atz

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

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

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

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

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

The Number Four

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 good, down-to-Earth number.