The Trecena of Kej gives us the opportunity to reconnect to the energy of the natural world, strengthening the spiritual leader within each one of us.
As mentioned in the video, I will be making a Mayan Astrology workshop over Zoom from 1st -5th March, 10am -2pm Guatemala time. For more information, please visit https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=1120
Recorded live in the “Living the Sacred Calendar” event at Ascension in San Marcos La Laguna.
To donate to ODIM and help the people of San Pablo and San Juan la Laguna, please follow this link https://tinyurl.com/yb4l3rux
My 2021 calendar is now available. The calendar shows the days of the Chol Q’ij, formatted onto the Gregorian calendar. This year it is available electronically as a pdf in both English and Spanish. Printed versions are now available locally here in Guatemala, from me and from Nectar, Palo Santo and Lava Love Cacao in San Marcos. See this link for more detail https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=6093
Whilst the number 13 already has a representation of the spirit world, its combination with the nawal Kame brings the spirits of the ancestors extremely close. This is a day to commune with your ancestors.
Today could almost be seen as the equivalent of Halloween within the Chol Q’ij as both Kame days and days carrying the number 13 are when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. This is an extremely strong day for divination and particularly for mediumship, although this should be approached through trained practitioners.
With this closeness of the other world, it is also possible to draw upon the strengths and wisdom of our ancestors. Kame encourages us to face our fears, and today we have some extra force or guidance working with us to overcome them. As the number is so high these may be some of our deepest fears, they could also be fears passed on through generations.
This may be a day of extremely strong changes, possible revelations. The power of the spirit world is driving your transformations today. You might find that events of today have a massive impact on your own life path and development. Be careful not to judge them too quickly. You may need to be flexible as these changes have a great deal of power behind them, resistance is futile, and acceptance of the changes should lead you towards your higher aspect.
Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves. They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river, then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.
The number 13 is the final number. It represents the spirit world. It is said that on Halloween, the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. However within the sacred calendar, this thinning happens every 13 days. This connection with the spirit world creates a powerful day, where both the positive and negative aspects of the nawal it is attached to come through strongly. It is a very good day for activities such as divinations, however, ceremonies on 13 days are generally only carried out by experienced Aj Q’ij who understand how to work with that strength of energy.
The energy of the day 12 Kan gives an opportunity to bring together all the wisdom you have accumulated through your life into one place.
The same could be said about the power you have accumulated. This could be an excellent day which brings out your true wisdom, something with which you can really help those around you to flourish. It is a day on which you may use the wisdom that you have developed through life to see through illusions.
One of the virtues of the nawal Kan is as a teacher and here we see the opportunity for the energy of this day to fulfil its highest aspect. This is the perfect day to empower others through your life experiences.
It is a strong, powerful day where you might feel the lightning you have cultured through your life moving through your body. It is very tempting to use this energy, just be aware of what you are putting your energy into. The strength of this day should mean that a little energy will go a long way, and an uncontrolled release of energy may cause harm. Be aware of the seductive power of the use of energy, ensure that you are the one in control, and use it wisely and for the empowerment of all.
An ancestor brings wisdom through the vision serpent. Feathered Serpent Diety, detail of Classic Maya lintel at Yaxchilan, from ”A Study of Maya Art” by Herbert Spinden, 1913 {{PD-US}}
Kan is one of the more powerful nawales and it represents just that – power. It is connected to serpents, and serpent symbology is very strong in Maya mythology. In the past, lightning was referred to as sky serpents, and what is seen in the outer world is reflected by the inner world. The power of Kan comes from something which is referred to as itz or coyopa, the lightning in the blood. This is the power which may also be known as Ki, Chi, Prana, kundalini or “the force”. It is life force energy. Kundalini is a sanskrit word actually meaning coiled, like a snake. When working with any of these energies, training must be undertaken in order to understand how to use them. In its most positive aspect, the energy of Kan brings great wisdom; in its negative aspect, great destruction. A lack of understanding or control of this power can lead to undesirable consequences. The dark side of Kan can seduce with its power, and a very sexy power it is too, holding its prey in an almost hypnotic grip with its allure. It can become the ultimate ego trap.
However, it is also said that the feathered serpent Q’uq’umatz (also known as Kulkulkan or Quetzalcoatl) brought wisdom, through the sciences of astronomy and agriculture, to the ancient Maya. Here we see the positive aspect of Kan, where the ability to work with the body lightning brings great wisdom. People born on a Kan day can become some of the greatest healers or psychics, or they can become the darkest sorcerers and manipulators.
The number 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.
As the energy of the number 11 has strength without direction, and the nawal K’at seeks to bind, this could prove to be a rather hectic day. You might even end up feeling like you have tied yourself up in a knot.
The animal associated with the nawal K’at is the spider, she who sits within her woven net. If caught in spider’s web, one must consider carefully the course of action. Erratic movement trying to escape the web may lead to becoming even more entangled, or attract the attention of the spider, even if it seems the correct move to make. This could be a representation of today, think carefully about your direction before making your moves, as there may be many possibilities in front of you. Think through the consequences of each possibility, and ensure that you do not become to bound to something which ultimately holds you back.
It may be difficult to work out what you need to carry with you on your journey, there are so many possibilities, and each one may have its own sense of importance. Maybe it is OK to carry these for a while, but make sure you understand when to lighten the load a little. A lack of sense of direction may lead to becoming overburdened, using a little discernment could see you lightening your load.
It is possible that today you can pull together many seemingly different ideas, and that these ideas will lead to an abundant master plan. Be prepared to do some editing at a later date, to cut away the excess before setting out on the journey.
Blood Moon, mother of the Hero Twins being sent away from Xibalba after becoming pregnant. She goes to see Ixmucane, Mother of Jun Junajpu and Wucub Junajpu and is set a challenge to fill a net with corn. which she achieves and is taken in as family. She is seen here holding the K’at glyph in her hands. From The Dresden Codex.
K’at signifies a net and represents gathering together or bundling. Here, in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, to this day many crops are harvested and carried in nets – oranges, lemons, avocados to name but a few. Through this we see one of the positive meanings of this nawal, that of abundance and harvest. K’at is a great day to draw things together, whether this means gathering in your crops, collecting ideas and opinions for your projects, or inviting people to a social event. It is a day of prosperity and the bounty which comes from the Earth, a day of gardeners, but also of merchants.
However, K’at also has its more challenging side. An abundant crop will fill the net, but it will also slow you down. K’at is also the nawal of prisons and burdens, as the net which gathers, can also ensnare us. When candles are purchased for the fire ceremonies, they come in bundles held together by little strings. When the nawal K’at is addressed during the fire ceremony, these strings are put in to the fire, with offerings, to ask K’at to help us release ourselves from our burdens, from the ties which bind us. These ties can also be seen as excessive attachment to material things.
The 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
The combination of the energy of the nawal of new concepts with the number of community brings about the possibility of bringing our communal dream, the new light, to the world through cooperation.
Whilst our individuality certainly serves a purpose, we can usually achieve bigger and more complicated tasks when we work as a group. The energy of today, 10 Aq’ab’al, brings a great opportunity to do just that. There may be something that you have been dreaming, something that you are trying to bring into the physical world. Today is the day to seek the assistance of the people within your community to make it happen. Both Aq’ab’al and the energy of the number 10 are seen as rather positive energies, as one would expect from the number of cooperation and the nawal of conception. It is the day to join with your community and bring your communal idea into physical reality.
If there were any cautions to go with the energy of 10 Aq’ab’al, it would only be that Aq’ab’al can sometimes become a little stuck in its ways. One meaning of Aq’ab’al is house (from the house of darkness in the Popol Vuh) and one of the essences of Aq’ab’al can be the stability given by fixed shelter. Additionally, the energy of the number 10 can also be seen as representing the laws of society.
Today, you may need to look past your set views within society, or perhaps beyond socially accepted norms, in order to bring your new concepts into the world. Novelty can not be achieved by repeating the same patterns over and over again, and sometimes to change the pattern, you have to push the boundaries. Today is a day when this might be required, and it is possible that you may need the help of others to achieve it.
Cooperation in the community bringing the new light . Tata Isaias, Tata Michel and I lighting a ceremonial fire together. Picture by Tuolovme Levenstein
In the K’iche language, the word aq’ab means night. The suffix -al changes the meaning slightly, to hint at change and alludes to the dawning of the day, the time between darkness and light, night and day. Just as birth is the beginning of the mortal journey, Aq’ab’al is the beginning of the day, although the detail of the day may still be obscured. Aq’ab’al is representative of new things, things which are not yet fully formed. While in Santiago Atitlan one day, a friend explained to me the different parts of a weaving in process on a backstrap loom. Aq’ab’al is the warp (the vertical threads), B’atz is the weft (the horizontal threads) which creates the whole cloth, and the newly woven cloth is Kawok. In order for the weaver to create, first she has an idea in her head or a dream. She sets out the dream on her loom by setting up the warp. Thus, the design has passed from being just an idea, to the beginnings of a woven reality, although it still requires creative input before it becomes whole. Aq’ab’al can also represent conception, the fertilised egg is far from ready to be born, but has passed from the dream or spirit world into the physical.
Aq’ab’al days are great days for the start of new things, particularly new relationships – Aq’ab’al has a strong affinity with marriage. It is also a perfect day for starting new projects, or at least bringing them into the world of light from the world of dreams and ideas.
The 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.
The Seating of the New Mam is the moment that the Wayeb has ended, when the period of retreat has finished and we can emerge from our “cave” back into the real world. In some communities, this would be celebrated with feasting and drinking, welcoming in the new grandfather who will guide us through the next revolution of the sun.
This year is governed by the Mam 9 Iq’. In addition to 9 Iq’ carrying the energy of the day, it is also carrying the energy of this new year. The properties and benefits brought by the nawal 9 Iq’ are discussed in my post for the day of 9 Iq’ here. The energy of this day is a representative of the energy which we will be living with for the whole year. The general feeling of this year should be about the life changes and the voices of women.
The new Mam may take a little while to settle in. This is usually the first 20 days. Whilst it is obvious that the “administration” has changed, it takes a little time for all the promises made in the campaign to be adhered to. Nothing in nature moves in a square wave, it is always a gentle transition more akin to a sine wave. This is the first light of dawn, the day is just beginning, but we are still experiencing a little of the cold of the night. It will not be until midday, the height of the cycle that we will experience the fullest expression of the energy of this year lord. We can expect that in around 140 days or so, 12 Iq’ (19th June 2021).
The last time we experienced an Iq’ year was 2017, which was the year 5 Iq’. Iq’ years are known to be turbulent, as the spirit of the wind blows change into the world. This change is what brings life, but of course may also bring in controversy, upset, resistance and challenges, particularly through words. It is a time when we might expect some outspoken behaviour, which may be as inspiring as it is challenging. It is particularly interesting to note that this year we have 9 Iq, the 9 representing life and the feminine. It could certainly lead to the voices of women being powerfully influential in this year. It is also a time to remember the breath of life. Iq’ days are days to give thanks for our ability to breathe, and after the previous year, it is interesting to note that 9 Iq’ should be a year of embracing the life breath, and giving thanks for the health of our lungs and the quality of our air.
On a grander scheme of things, the cycle of the year bearers repeats every 52 years. Of course, we do not relive exactly the same experiences, but we may see similarities with the last time this year bearer was in office. That was the year 1969, when Mam would have taken his seat on the Gregorian day 4th March. This gives us the opportunity to understand how to engage with the benefits of, and avoid the errors committed during, the previous incarnation of the Mam 9 Iq’. For some ideas on major events of 1969 (and there were some very interesting ones – the Moon landing and Woodstock to name just two), please click here.
The breath of life combines with the number of life on this auspicious day. However, this may not necessarily make it the easiest of days to navigate. It has the possibility for big life changes.
With Iq’ representing communication, in particular the inspiring, divine word, or flower word, we can always expect the spoken word to be highlighted on an Iq’ day. Today we see those qualities in association with the number that represents life and the divine feminine. This is a day to ask for the counsel of women, to listen to what the women in your life have to say and to draw inspiration from their words.
Changes in the wind are what bring the change from dry to wet, and wet to dry season, here in Guatemala. The change in the wind brings life and here we see this doubled. When life becomes stagnant, decay sets in. Change is what enlivens us, although many of us may try to resist it. Today is a day to breathe the sacred breath and allow the life change to happen. The wind is bringing novelty into your life, are you ready to embrace the adventure that comes with new discovery?
The wind god, patron of the nawal Iq’, from the Dresden Codex.
Nawal Iq’ is another strong nawal. It represents communication and particularly divine inspiration. It is the wind, the breath of life, that which brings the change in seasons.
The communication brought by Iq’ can be enlightening and inspiring. It is the breath of the divine which flows through us all, in fact the word for soul is Saq Iq’ – white breath. When our breath stops, our divine essence leaves our physical body. When we engage ourselves with the divine breath we are able to create, to manifest with our words, to inspire those around us. However, Iq’ also has a destructive side. It has the ability to blow like a hurricane and may level everything before it. It is the angry words which cut down everything in their path.
Hurricane is one of the few English words which is actually derived from a Mayan word- Junrakan, meaning “one footed”. Junrakan is another name for the Heart of the Sky, one of the creator deities. Once again it seems that certain patterns follow through the sequence of the nawales which are interrelated. Imox, the female creative principle, or egg, is fertilised be Iq’, the male principle. Their combination results in Aq’ab’al, the conception and a change in the state, bringing the dream into reality.
Iq’ is a day of communication, a day of inspiration. It can be a great day to express yourself through written or particularly verbal means. It is also a day on which changes happen. You can either embrace those changes or resist them, but be aware that the wind blows forcefully and resistance of change requires a great deal of energy. Embracing change helps you to learn to dance like a leaf in the wind.
Iq’ is the fourth of the classic Year Bearers, or Year Lords. It gives rise to unpredictable, strong years. The last year to carry Iq’ as a year lord was the year 5 Iq’ in 2017, the next will be the year 9 Iq’ in 2021.
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.
The fifth day of Wayeb completes these days of introspection and retreat. In some ways, whilst this is the day when we can see the dawn of the new year coming, it may also be the most difficult day. It is the day when we start the process to emerge from the chrysalis.
There may be a crystallisation of the process which has been taking place though the days of Wayeb. Here, its combination with the day 8 Imox. Days numbered 8 can be excellent for bringing what they are focussed on to wholeness, and here that is the dream. This, quite simply, is the day to focus on the crystallisation of the dream. Emergence from the cocoon is not without pain, but here we are ready to emerge, with our new dream. We have spent this time of reflection thinking, discerning, healing and choosing and now we are about to move forward, and take this dream into the new solar year of 9 Iq’, possibly also leaving behind some of the nightmares we had in 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
The wholeness of all-that-is can be a very big thing to comprehend, in fact trying to do so could even drive you insane. Perhaps this is where the crazy image of Imox comes from, but this is certainly not what it is all about.
The day 8 Imox is a good day to make ceremonies for the great lakes, the oceans and large bodies of water. This is a day to give thanks for the sustenance we receive from the waters, and to ask for pardon for the pollution we allow to happen. It is a day to recognise the essence of life, and celebrate our connection to the waters of life.
This day 8 Imox is a recognition of the spirit of the times, both the things we embrace and the things we push away. They all came from the same source. It is a celebration of the dream world, the limitless potential that we can draw on to bring our creation into this world. It is a day on which we give thanks for the dreams that we are able to manifest into the physical world, and ask that we are able to continue to successfully navigate the dream world for further inspiration. It is a day when we ask for safety on our nightly journeys into the abyss, so that we can find our way back to reality again.
The energy of 8 Imox brings a day to bring wholeness to your creations or dreams. It is the day to put the final parts into the project, or to tap into the spirit of the times for guidance on how to complete your project. It is time to connect with the part of the collective consciousness with which you resonate strongest to bring wholeness to your dream, and to remember your wholeness as an individual outside of the collective. Discernment may be called for, to understand when to dissociate from the collective, to remember your individuality, and to pull yourself back out of an unhealthy group consciousness.
White water lilies. There is some evidence that the flowers were used by the priest/kings to induce visions of the otherworld. Picture by Mark Elmy
Nawal Imox represents the collective consciousness, the great ocean. It is the moment before the “big bang”, when all that existed was the dream of the creator. It is everything and nothing in one place, the ovum from which reality was conceived. Imox is still very much in the other world, requiring another component to physically manifest the dream into reality.
Imox is considered to be a feminine nawal. Sometimes called water lily, sometimes crocodile, it is an embodiment of the primordial. It was from the great ocean that the four first men raised sky to create the world which we inhabit. Imox can also be seen as the Darwinian swamp from which all life emerged. It is fertile and creative, the mother that gave birth to our entire reality.
As the water lily, Imox is probably a representative of Nymphaea alba, the white water lily. It has been suggested that the white water lily was smoked by the ancient Maya in a similar way to the blue lotus was used by the Egyptians. It was a plant which allowed access to the otherworld, a plant from which visions came if used correctly.
Imox is our common origin, and as such links us all together. It is the place of dreams, the collective conscious we delve into on our nightly voyages. It may also relate to the place that certain plant medicines take us to in order to bring us wisdom. However, as the font of all of creation, Imox harbours the dark as well as the light. When faced with the entirety of creation, the line between sanity and madness may become blurred.
Imox is a day to celebrate the spirit of the times, to understand the collective mind, particularly of humanity. It is a day to dream your creations, your art, your music. It is a day when we may all feel connected, a day when the psychic field between us may be particularly strong. Discernment may be called for, to understand when to dissociate from the collective, to remember your individuality, and to pull yourself back out of the dream world.
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.
The fourth day of introspection during the Wayeb is associated with definition, and in this solar cycle it is combined with the energy of a day which has some very profound meanings.
We have passed through the three previous days and identified where we are. This time has you helped to identify your strengths and your weaknesses, and asked of you to accept all this as a part of who you are. Now with the experience, knowledge and understanding of yourself, it is time to start charting your course for the coming year of 9 Iq’.
In the Popol Vuh, it is Jun (1) Junajpu and Wucub (7) Junajpu who are the first pair of twins to descend into Xibalba, the underworld. As they are beings who are only accustomed to the solar world, the land of light, they are easily tricked and sacrificed by the Lords Kame. The head of Jun Junajpu goes on to impregnate the maiden Ix K’ik, who gives birth to the hero twins. This new set of twins, composed of equal parts darkness and light, defeat the Lords Kame, rescue the head of Jun (1) Junajpu and bring the light back to the world. However, there is a deeper meaning that can be seen in this. The number 1 represents birth, the new and beginnings, novelty. The number 7 represents endings, the old and death. Junajpu is related to the sun, and Maya civilisations were counted in Suns. For example, 13th August 3114 BC was the beginning of the age of the fourth sun (or civilisation), and 21st December 2012 was the beginning of the fifth sun, the new civilisation. However, Wucub (7) Junajpu was not resurrected, he remained in the underworld and was not heard from again.
Thus, 7 Ajpu represents the old sun, old world, the old civilisation, and here we find it in a very auspicious moment. As we combine it with the fourth day of Wayeb, it gives us an opportunity to define what we want to leave behind in the old civilisation and what we want to take forward. As we move into the year of the life breath, 9 Iq’, how can we define what it is that we want to apply that life breath to?
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