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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

New Calendar Page – August 2025

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

August will be rather an interesting month astronomically. Here in this part of Guatemala, the solar zenith passage happens around the 11th – 13th of August. This is also the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. This year the solar zenith will be closer to 12th August, on the day 6 No’j. The timing of the solar zenith is very important as it signifies a time to plant the second crop of corn. The rains come back soon after, and there will be enough of the rainy season remaining to ensure its full development. Corn planted after the solar zenith may not come to its full potential.

The Perseid meteor shower can be one of the most impressive meteor showers of the year. Unfortunately, this year the moon will rise just after 9pm, illuminating the sky and washing out all but the brightest of meteors. The peak will be around 3.30 am on 13th August but with the moon one would be fortunate to see 10 meteors per hour. They radiate from the constellation of Perseus, which you can find in the northeast sky.

Calendar Workshop

If you would like to dive deeper into the sacred calendar, I will be running a workshop via Zoom from 10 am to 2 pm (Guatemala time, UTC -6) from Monday 1st – Friday 5th September 2025. There are currently spaces available. For more information, please go to https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=1120. 

Readings

If you would like to know what your nawal brings to your lifepath, please follow this link to get a reading with me https://thefourpillars.net/maya-lifepath-reading/

The Trek to El Mirador

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

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

Google Calendar Plugin

For the more technically minded I have also created a plugin for Google Calendar. This enables you to track the days of the sacred calendar on your smartphone. In this way you can ensure that your activities are aligned to the most conducive energies! I have also added a description to every day, just click on the day name. It is available for purchase https://thefourpillars.net/google-calendar-plugin/

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

August 2025.

Gregorian dateDay Name (Clickable)Keywords, ideas, concepts
August
18 KameMarriage day, Ceremony for the ancestors
29 KejEmpowerment of female spiritual leaders, the high priestess
310 Q'anilGarden day, co-operation brings abundance
411 TojSettling many debts
512 Tz'iFaith in life comes through experience, as does justice
613 B'atzSpirit empowers creativity, Weaving ancestral patterns
71 E'The new path begins
82 AjHarmony in the home and relationship
93 IxChallenges to external magic, look inside yourself to find it
104 Tz'ikinStabilises the vision into the physical, brings physical prosperity
115 AjmakWorking towards forgiveness brings sweetness
126 No'jPhysical plans, divinely inspired
137 TijaxThe final cut, completion of the healing
148 KawokCeremony for the newborn and their mothers, rain ceremony
159 AjpuThe divine feminine, seeing the divinity in life
1610 ImoxThe collective dream, community consciousness
1711 Iq'Communication from many directions, unpredictable changes
1812 Aq'ab'alDrawing on life experiences for new concepts
1913 K'atThe harvest empowered by spirit, releasing ancestral burdens
201 KanThe beginnings of wisdom, new empowerment
212 KameSpiritual transformation through self sacrifice
223 KejLook for strength and spiritual leadership within
234 Q'anilBringing the light to the physical, planting day
245 TojWork to repay debts, day of social work
256 Tz'iStability through faith, divine justice in the physical
267 B'atzFinishing the weaving, the final touches
278 E'Celebration of both life path and journeys
289 AjHarmony in the home through the divine feminine
2910 IxCommunal action for Mother Earth
3011 Tz'ikinMany visions may bring prosperity
3112 AjmakForgiveness through experience of human nature
Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 No’j (23rd July 2025)

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12 N'ojLife experience combines with knowledge today to solve problems. This in turn may bring new relevance to old information.

 

No’j, is the nawal of the brain, the problem solver is a bringer of inspiration and solutions. Every day we learn something new in general our level of experience rises as we travel our life path. Some of this is of immediate use and some of it seems irrelevant at the time, but it all seems to get filed away somewhere. Sometimes those concepts or ideas become relevant with the perspective we gain as we move further along our life path.

As we come towards the end of our journey through the Kame trecena, the time of our spiritual transformation, we might ask ourselves what we choose to transform into. What is our grand plan and how can we make it happen?

The combination of the energy of the nawal No’j with the energy of the number 12 gathers our past thoughts and ideas together, as our life experience joins them into one unified plan. The intellect and problem solving abilities No’j bestows could give the opportunity to put together parts of our personal jigsaw that we couldn’t recognise as relevant before.

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, and No’j is 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 of understanding 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 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 Ajmak (22nd July 2025)

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11 AjmakAre you ready to face your fears and forgive? Today, we may find ourselves facing things from our past that we may have wanted to forget rather than forgive. If we want to move on to our future, we have to be at peace with our past.

We are here on Earth to embrace and enjoy our humanity, all aspects of life. Of course, we aspire to great things and to be “good” people. However, even when we try to do the right thing, sometimes it ends up causing problems for ourselves or others. Sometimes we also do sneaky things. They are not in our best interests or those of the people around us. We hope that we won’t get found out. We get seduced by the sensual and fall off our path.

This is all a part of our humanity. It is our greatest strength and our greatest weakness. If we make the journey without ever making a mistake, we miss out on the experiences for which we started the journey. These experiences help us to grow, but we also need to know when the experience is done. We need to understand how to keep the lesson and release the emotional attachment to the experience. Guilt, shame, and blame can act as signposts, reminding us of the consequences of our actions. They were markers along the way, pointing out the direction of our journey and how we move towards our destination. The signpost is a useful guide, but if we choose to carry it on our back, it will burden us and slow us down.

As we move through this trecena of Kame, this period of spiritual transformation, we have to rid ourselves of the excess baggage of guilt or blame. We can do this through the practice of forgiveness.

Nawal Ajmak

Raw honey, fresh from San Juan la Laguna by Mark Elmy

Ajmak is the nawal of pardon and forgiveness, the nawal of redemption. It is the energy of being human, of falling 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 its 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 fail to fulfil its true potential, although due to its lovable nature it is easy to forgive. One of the lessons with regard to the Ajmak energy is learning to forgive oneself.

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 Tz’ikin (21st July 2025)

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10 Tz'ikinWhen we create a shared vision we can bring prosperity to our community. Today is the day to do just that, and ask for help to make it a reality.

 

A community prospers when each member is strong and healthy, and when they support each other during times of need. Every member brings their own wisdom and energy to the community, and they are valued for their contribution. When support is freely given and accepted, it benefits everyone in the community.

Change can be difficult. However, during this trecena of Kame, we may need some help to achieve our vision of transformation. Tz’ikin is the day of visions, and these visions can bring prosperity to yourself and your community. Prosperity can come in many forms, such as financial gain, greater wisdom, or understanding. Sometimes, our visions may be grand and require skills or knowledge that we don’t possess.

Your community may be looking for your advice to help them see things from a different perspective. Perhaps to help identify what they are missing in their plan. The willingness to share your vision and support each other can bring prosperity to both you and your community.

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”. However, this is not the same as the greed of capitalist consumerism. 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.

Similarly, 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.” Thus, this energy gives an ability to create great social networks, but sometimes spends too much time trying to maintain them.

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 Ix (20 July 2025)

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9 Ix9 Ix is a day to express gratitude to our mothers and all women in our lives for everything they provide for us. It is a perfect day to show our appreciation to the Earth by giving flowers, both physical and verbal, at natural shrines and altars. In return, she will bring her magic into our lives.

This most feminine day of all can be seen as a day to honour our mothers and the Earth. Ix has a motherly energy to her, nurturing and caring for all of her offspring. She is the spirit of Mother Earth, the source of all the matter in our world. She is the beauty of nature, but can also be fierce when needed to keep her children safe. The most feminine nawal, Ix, is paired with the number 9 representing the divine feminine.

We ask our mother for what we need, through our words and prayers, making offerings at natural shrines and altars such as caves and springs. She always listens and provides, but sometimes we forget to say thank you for what she has given us.

During the Kame trecena, as we approach transformation, we give thanks for all the things our mother has given us. We thank Mother Earth for our connection to her and for the feminine spirit of love and compassion which assist our transformation.

Ix is a day to remember the magic within ourselves and to celebrate the feminine essence of life itself. Women are the birth givers, the ones who create new life, which is the greatest magic of all.

 

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 considered to be the most feminine of the nawales because it embodies the spirit of the Heart of the Earth. It can be seen as a representation of Mother Earth or the Maya version of Gaia. Ix is known for its nurturing energy, as it takes care of all things. However, this nurturing should not be mistaken for weakness, as Ix also embodies the power and stealth of the jaguar, which is its animal totem. The jaguar is a powerful jungle cat that moves stealthily through the darkness of the night with spots on its back representing the milky way. Ix carries the sun on its nightly journey through the underworld.

In industrialized societies, the Earth is often seen as an inanimate source of material wealth. However, non-industrialized societies view her as a living entity that we can interact with, and she carries the nawal Ix. Therefore, on Ix days, people offer prayers at her shrines and altars to ask for what they need in the world. To keep Ix healthy, it is important to approach her with a spirit of gratitude and humility. Ix is deeply connected with the natural world, where it finds its wisdom, power, and wealth. Therefore, it is a day to give thanks, remember gratitude, and engage with your magic.

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 Aj (19th July 2025)

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8 AjA ceremony for harmony within our community, home and family would be appropriate today. A solid foundation gives us the strength to stand tall and a harmonious home and loving family give this foundation. We sustain them and they sustain us.

The energy of the nawal Aj is about doing the right thing. It is fair and just, which is why it represents the true leader. The true leader might not even be recognised at first. They do not need to prove their authority to anyone. However, they are the ones that are sought when problems arise, for their wise counsel. The true leader has compassion and love perfectly balanced with authority and strength.

Today we can draw on both the masculine and feminine aspects of the qualities of the four directions – vitality, wisdom, spirit and healing. This creates a balance of energy and brings it into our homes and communities. Additionally, the nawal Aj has a connection to the Heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Sky. Allow the wise counsel of the wholeness of the nawal Aj to arbitrate in disputes and seek resolution. This in turn will bring strength and harmony to all who are involved.

A true leader also has experience, and here we see the 8 incorporating the 1 and the 7, the birth and the death, the highs and the lows of life. We draw our wisdom and strength from both aspects so that we can sustain others through their dark times. It is also a day on which we may ask Aj to bring this strength to us should we need it at the moment.

The Nawal Aj

The Temple of the Foliated Cross, Palenque
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, 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.

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

The Number Eight

The number 8 is considered to be several wholeness. It can be seen as birth (1) and death (7) combined to represent the whole cycle of the soul. Also, it can 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 became whole. The eighth day of the trecena is the most common day for ceremonies to be made. Therefore, it is still in the balanced range of numbers and is an even number, which is also considered fortunate. 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 the ceremony.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

7 E’ (18th July 2025)

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7 E'

Today we cross the finish line. It is time to take the final steps on the road, on whatever path we are walking.  We complete the journey and choose where the next path might take us. Enjoy your accomplishments and choose your next journey.

When we have journeyed through life, we have accumulated knowledge, understanding and wisdom through our experiences. The path never really ends, one journey will always lead to another. However, we may come to a point where a particular stage comes to a culmination. In the physical journey this is obvious, we reach our destination, possibly the top of the mountain. But when we get to the top of the mountain, what do we see?

Possibilities of new journeys as we are able to see all the paths leading to other mountains. We might rest and enjoy the view for a while as we consider our options. However, it is essential that that we move on. To do this we need to make a decision on our direction using the experience of the path we just completed to guide us. From the top of the mountain, the end of the (ascending) path, we can see everywhere we went, and everything we experienced, on our journey to get there. Our successes and failures, out defeats and our victories, our tears and our smiles. Today is a day of bringing closure to a part of our life, a journey that has been completed.

The Nawal E’

Footprints on the road
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 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.

7 the final step

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 B’atz (17th July 2025)

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6 B'atzToday is a powerful day to bring inspired stability to your creation. The B’atz energy is conducive to weaving your ideas into existence, and today especially bringing them into the physical.

The energy of the combination of the nawal B’atz with the number 6 could give rise to a very auspicious day. It is a day to bring your creation together in the physical while drawing on the forces of Earth and Sky.

B’atz days are often considered to be fortunate. It is one of the most revered days within the sacred calendar. Therefore, it should be no surprise that when this is combined with the stable number 6, a great opportunity arises. The four directions, Hearts of the Earth and the Sky join forces to empower the creativity of B’atz today. This could be seen as the day on which masterpieces are created, with some divine assistance.

What kind of masterpiece you create will be up to you. B’atz gives the ability to turn your hand to anything from weaving or writing to singing and dancing. B’atz loves to entertain. It also loves to joke around and play the fool. This includes the role of the fool who could tell the truth to the king. Thus, it is important not to confuse the fun-loving nature of B’atz with a lack of intelligence. B’atz is extremely clever in its ways.

It is not just the arts that B’atz assists with, it is the creation of reality itself.  So, go out and engage with your creative potential, play and have fun making your masterpiece.

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 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 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. Thus, ceremonies are often made on six days 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 masculine and feminine principles. If the number four represents the physical world and the number 6 represents the physical world animated by the life force energy.

Thus, 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

5 Tz’i (16th July 2025)

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5 Tz'iJustice through hard work may be highlighted today. Tz’i days are normally good days for legal matters. However, today it might take extra effort to get the result you are looking for.

This might prove to be a testing day, working on unconditional love. The nawal which represents faith, loyalty and unconditional love is combined with the number which represents hard work. Yet again we see a day with a challenging energy appear in the trecena of Kame.

The energy of the number 5 can cause a drive to rush into things without thinking and the energy of the nawal Tz’i can be impulsive and hormonally driven. This can lead to the possibility of challenging situations arising, particularly within relationships. Sometimes those we love the dearest, those we would do anything for, do things that we just can’t understand. Sometimes they betray our trust and our faith in them. Tz’i gives us the understanding of how to continue to love unconditionally, no matter what. Today Tz’i is asking you, “Can you really love unconditionally?”

This does not just apply to relationships, of course. Today may throw up some “development opportunities” within the areas of faith and loyalty in general. Remember, this trecena of Kame is all about a transformation of our spirit. It is only through testing of our faith that we can determine our readiness to transform. Tz’i is here to guide us through the darkness, provided we are willing to put the work in. This is a day where we have to work on trusting our guidance.

Nawal Tz’i is also the nawal of the law and justice. This is not just the federal or district law, these are the laws of society. It is true justice.

The Nawal Tz’i

The dog sits by the cauldron, from the Madrid Codex

Tz’i is possibly the nawal with the most colourful reputation. Some describe it as the nawal of “sex, drugs and rock and roll” and it has the possibility to live up to that label. One of the functions an Aj Q’ij (Mayan spiritual guide) performs is divination, usually using red seeds called Tz’ite. If a question is asked about a relationship and Tz’i comes up in the reading, it is seen as a sign of  infidelity. Tz’i acts on instinct, disregarding reason when hormonally driven. This aspect of Tz’i is particularly bad, and when it fails, it does so dramatically, which is why it tends to be remembered for those events.

However, what is sometimes forgotten is the other side of Tz’i, which is the side more frequently displayed. Just as Tz’i can represent infidelity, it also represents faith and loyalty. Just as it can be the trouble maker, it also represents law. It is the nawal of police, lawyers and judges. Tz’i is unwavering faith, unconditional loyalty. The totem animal of Tz’i is the dog, and we can understand both loyalty and instinct through their actions. Tz’i is also the guide and protector on life’s path, ensuring that it’s charge travels safely. It is a day when your faith or loyalty may be tested,  where your instincts are stimulated. The positive traits of this day give rise to to some of the greatest displays of friendship. However, be aware that your loyalty may be tested by temptation.

The Number Five

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

4 Toj (15th July 2025)

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4 TojRepayment of physical debts and allowing others to pay theirs could be a theme of the day. The nawal Toj provides the appropriate time to make a payment. Today this is something which should apply to the physical reality.

Our debts weigh heavily on our energy, whether they are big karmic debts or that £10 you forgot to return. It doesn’t matter if it is only a tiny debt. Those you forget are the ones which mount up. They connect both the debtor and the lender, nibbling away at their energy and causing both an imbalance and an unnecessary attachment. The theme of the Kame trecena is spiritual transformation, and this is difficult to undergo when such physical attachments are present. Toj helps to bring health and well-being when payments are made, and so making physical payments today can help to heal divides within your community and bring transformation.

Big debts can be very detrimental to health, but may also be difficult to clear. Small ones might be more manageable. Sometimes just an acknowledgement may go a long way to creating harmony, just by showing you haven’t forgotten. Likewise, it is important to remind others of their debt towards you, even if you feel awkward doing this. The energy goes both ways and it is better to clear it. Of course, it doesn’t have to be about money. It may be that you owe the most precious of commodities, time.

Today is a day to repay favours. If nothing is asked for then why not just do something nice for someone who has helped you out in the past? If you haven’t got anyone to repay, then this would be an excellent day for a random act of kindness towards a stranger.

Where Can I Make an Offering That Makes A Physical Difference?

When I mention programs within my videos, it is because I personally know the people involved. I feel that your donations will truly go towards helping the people for which they are intended.

Bringing Water Stability to Families

A wonderful, highly active project to bring water stability to families is Water4Life Global. Jenna MacEwan and her team have been making a difference to peoples’ lives since 2018. They provide water filters to local families throughout Guatemala, thereby giving direct access to clean drinking water. Additionally, they are directly  involved in action which helps to clean up the local sources of water. This is achieved through grey water treatment projects, reforestation and education. To learn more or donate, please visit: https://water4lifeglobal.org/donate/

The Midwife Project

In their words: “Our Mission is to offer safe, dignified and culturally appropriate health care to women in Guatemala by empowering indigenous midwives through education. We focus on revaluing the Mayan ancestral knowledge while integrating modern medical practices. With the creation of Holistic Clinic(s) & Birthing Center(s) as a meeting ground and model project. Our Vision is that every woman  has access to humane, respected and safe birth care. The midwives and women are empowered to lead the creation of a thriving community where those who are most vulnerable have their needs met, and men support the women in creating this healthy and vibrant family and community structure.”

You can check out their site and donate here: https://www.midwifeproject.net/donate 

Odim

Within the villages of San Pablo and San Juan la Laguna, there is an organisation doing great work. They have special programs for the education of new mothers which significantly reduce the incidence of infant malnutrition. They are called ODIM and are specialising in medical and educational services. During the pandemic restrictions, they helped feed many people, but this is in addition to their regular, long term work there. You can find out more about them through this link http://www.odimguatemala.org/donate

Konojel

I would like to mention the Konojel program and their work in San Marcos la Laguna. They have turned from a basic, “let’s make sure bellies are full” program to one of much more social development. You can check out their programs and make a donation here https://konojel.org/

The Nawal Toj

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

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

The Number 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. It was said to be they 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.