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

9 Ajpu (28th November 2024)

27th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Seeking the divine in life is a key ability, and objective, for the nawal Ajpu. Today that is compounded further by its combination with the number 9, the number of life and the divine feminine.

The energy of the nawal Ajpu may have an effect on us seeing life through “rose-tinted glasses.” Some things are illusions, they are not all that they seem. It is equally important not to be blind to them. However, in general, society could benefit from remembering that we are all part of one source, we all carry part of the divine with us. When we choose to engage with that part within us, it comes out in others. All Ajpu days carry the energy to inspire us to seek out divinity. However, the energy of 9 Ajpu highlights the holiness of life, and the divinity of women, the givers of life.

In this trecena of E’, we are on a new path. The energy of 9 Ajpu shows us the wonders that life’s journey can bring to us. It is the excitement of seeing all that is good about a new place, or your journey. Equally, seeing the old place with new eyes. It is a day to find the joy in everyday life and allowing that enthusiasm to radiate from you. Engage your highest state and inspire others to do the same.

The Nawal Ajpu

Nawal Ajpu is once again a nawal with a multitude of meanings and translations. In the Yucatec language it is known as Ahau, in Kiche is is also known as Junajpu. These are variously translated as lord, hunter, blow gunner, flower and sun. Each one of the translations has its merits, and represents an aspect of this auspicious nawal.

Within the ancient Mayan society, the royals were not just political leaders of their particular city-states, they were priest-kings and priest-queens. They served as the conduit to the divine, deriving their wisdom for guiding their people through their connection with the Hearts of the Earth and the Sky. This wisdom enriched both the ruling dynasty and their people, as they would be working in harmony with the gods. The ruler of the city was also the physical embodiment of the divine, and Ajpu is closely related to this. Likewise it represents our potential, the state of divinity to which we may aspire.

Ajpu represents the holiness in life, the divinity in the physical world, and our search for it. It is the search for underlying meaning, understanding that each person is a part of the whole. Whether we like it or not, and however we judge it, we are all a part of creation.

Every action of ourselves and others gives an opportunity to explore ourselves and our reaction. Sometimes we are attracted, sometimes repelled by the action of others. Occasionally Ajpu can lead us to become immersed in the other world, to lose sight of reality. It is important to remember to stay in touch with the Earth as we reach to the Sky.

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 Kawok (27th November 2024)

26th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Honour the rain and the female healers in life today. The eighth day of the trecena is traditionally the day most celebrated through ceremony and today we see it in conjunction with the nawal of the midwife and the birth process.

Chak sends the fire serpent (lightning) from the sky, from the Dresden Codex

Kawok days are sometimes given a difficult reputation for their storm aspect. We can think of this as very much like the midwife and the birth process. It is not the midwife who is experiencing the turmoil, but she is overseeing and assisting with it. Kawok is very much like this, helpful energy that clears the way for the new birth. However, once in a while more action is called for and Kawok washes away obstacles to new birth. This can involve a degree of destruction to clear the way for the advancement.

8 Kawok embraces both of these aspects. It gives a balanced energy which brings the new into the world using a combination of the two. Today is the day to ask for the compassion and understanding of Kawok and the force required to birth our new projects. It is the day to make thanksgiving ceremonies for the work of the midwives and female healers. Also for the safe arrival of the newborn children and the protection of their mothers during birth. As we are also reminded here on a daily basis, to ask for sufficient rain to nourish the crops, yet not too much to wash them away.

The Nawal Kawok

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 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 Tijax (26th November 2024)

25th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

I can’t resist using the words “the final cut” when it comes to this combination. With the number seven representing endings and Tijax as the obsidian blade, what could be more fitting? However, this may be a very final choice.

If there is a situation which needs your attention or a decision which needs making, the energy of Tijax brings a degree of discernment to help you make the right choice and the energy of the 7 finalises it.

Tijax has the main intent of purifying the world around it, creating “holiness” through the removal of “evil”. It gives a keen eye for this, skilfully cutting away at that which creates imbalance. This is seen as its holy quest, and if it approaches the task in this manner, it can become fanatical. Here we see it having the perspective from the number 7. We can imagine the sculptor looking around the sculpture before making the finishing touches, bringing out its full beauty. In its role as a healer we can also imagine the healing being brought to a conclusion. Today is that day that the healing is completed.

Therefore, today we would expect that 7 Tijax helps us to see every aspect of what we are applying our energy to. We can make the defining cuts where they are necessary. The balance provided by the 7 should ensure that the sharpness of Tijax is employed with just the right strength and direction to bring out the pinnacle of the perfection.

The Nawal Tijax

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. However, 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 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.

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 No’j (25th November 2024)

24th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The energy of the day 6 No’j can bring divinely inspired ideas of how to move through obstructions on the path. These ideas may be practical and relevant in the physical world, yet simultaneously fulfil a greater purpose.

No’j, the nawal of the brain and thought is embellished by the number 6 which brings a higher essence into the physical ideas. Today, answers may come from the unseen world.

As the trecena of E’ unfolds, today we are entering the balanced period, the sixth, seventh and eighth days which are considered to be some of the easier days to negotiate. The energies of these days are generally conducive in combination with the nawales they are paired with. The E’ trecena can be a time not just of a new direction or new path, but also of discoveries.

The day 6 No’j would suggest a little help comes from the other realms to help piece together the new ideas and information you may be discovering in this journey. The path is not always straight and even, sometimes there are blockages and obstructions to overcome.

Veintena Nabe Tumuxux

We are now heading into the darkest time of the year, here in the Northern Hemisphere and in our second step towards that time we move into a month known as Nab’e Tumuxux, which is associated with the first season of flying ants.

The Nawal No’j

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 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 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.

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 Ajmak (24th November 2024)

23rd November 2024 Mark Elmy 2 Comments

Working on being a better human might seem like a good theme for any day, but today this is strongly highlighted. Today this work is about embracing everything that makes us human, our joy, our mistakes and our ability to forgive.

Our modern world rewards success, punctuality, perfection and correctness. Sometimes it drives us outside the boundaries of human reality. It is as if the perfection sought after, particularly by the corporate world which cascades into society in general, seeks to dehumanise us. Ajmak is here to restore our balance, to bring us back to being human.

Ajmak is us, it is our humanity. It represents our frailties, our errors, our failures and our imperfections. Today as I pasted the glyph for Ajmak into this post I saw that it was crooked. At first, I thought to correct it, but it seemed so appropriate that Ajmak was imperfectly aligned. In fact it brought a smile to my face and that is what Ajmak is all about, relaxing, being human and bringing the sweetness into life.

If we choose to look at the 5 representing the internal work, 5 Ajmak would suggest that we work with our inner humanity. Bring out that joyful human, that one that dances through life making the odd mistake. Embrace and work with your “imperfection”, it is what makes you human, and the ability to forgive is perhaps one of the most essential traits for all humans. So, allow your humanity to forgive yourself for making mistakes, for the imperfections in your life, and allow that forgiveness to extend to those around you who are asking for it.

I’m Sorry

Please forgive me

Thank you

I love you

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 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

New Calendar Page – December 2024

23rd November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

This quick link takes you to the December 2024 calendar page. As usual, you can see the days of the Chol Q’ij plotted onto the Gregorian month and the major astronomical events of December 2024! Click here to navigate to the page.

13 Iq’ / 2025 Calendar

My 13 Iq’ (2025) calendar is now available. The calendar shows the days of the Chol Q’ij, formatted onto the Gregorian calendar. At this moment it is only available in electronic (pdf) format in both English and Spanish. It will soon be available physically too, locally to Lake Atitlan in Guatemala and through Soul Lift Cacao in the USA. See this link for details on how to get your pdf.

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 here.

Calendar Workshop

Would you like a more profound exploration of the sacred calendar? I will be running a workshop via Zoom from 10 am – 2 pm (Guatemala time, UTC -6) from 2nd – 6th December 2024. There are currently spaces available. For more information, please go to https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=1120

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

4 Tz’ikin (23rd November 2024)

22nd November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Stabilise your vision today and manifest your inspiration into a physical reality. The nawal of prosperity and vision combined with the number of stability should give some interesting properties to this day.

The prosperity of the nawal Tz’ikin may come from its foresight. Tz’ikin is an energy which connects the sky to the surface of the Earth. When flying high, the bird can see the way ahead. It can perceive this new path stretching out ahead of us. We are only on the fourth day of this trecena of E’, the new path that we are taking.

Today allows us to envision the path ahead. When we have foresight of both the challenges and the benefits of the path, we can take appropriate action. Appropriate action then leads to prosperity. We can walk our path happily, supported on our journey. Combining these properties with the physical stability of the number 4, it becomes obvious that manifesting your vision into the physical today is likely to bring success.

In the ancient Mayan reliefs, the Principle Bird Deity is an aspect of Itzamna, the ancient creator sky god. Having such a connection to a creator, gives Tz’ikin a great ability to rise above those around it, seeking perfection as it reaches towards the Heart of the Sky. It also gives it the ability to create through its voice.

Tz’ikin days are days to ask for what you would like to bring into your life, what you would manifest into your world. You might use your words in prayer or in everyday life, to your peers, your boss or your bank manager! Today is a day when those words should carry an essence of order, and should lead to a physical result. It should also be noted that the power of creativity through words is highlighted on Tz’ikin days, these are days to watch your speech and be aware of what you are asking 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”. 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 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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

3 Ix (22nd November 2024)

21st November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Today is an appropriate day to find your connection to the Earth within yourself. It is a day to find the sacred site inside yourself.

The Earth gives us everything. We live on her skin, build our houses from her body, and consume what emerges from her. She is responsible for our ability to live, our entire existence. Industrialised people tend to see the Earth as an inanimate source of material wealth. Non-industrialised people 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 are her ears, where we ask for what we need in our world. It is very much like asking any of our family for what we need to sustain us. Mostly, our families are delighted to help where they can. Likewise, Mother Earth will help if we realise that we can ask her. All she asks in return is a little care and attention, a little show of gratitude.

As the number 3 represents the hearthstones, the home would be the favourable place to focus your energies. It is a day to work on your internal connections. Tend to the spirit of the Mother within your own home, and within your heart. Showing gratitude to her for all that she gives, and giving back are a better exercise for today. This is a day to connect your pulse to the heart of the Earth and find the magic within.

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

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 Three

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

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 Aj (21st November 2024)

20th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Embrace both points of view to bring harmony. The wise leader finds understanding it and uses it to strengthen the community as a whole.

Today the nawal Aj brings harmony to our home, our relationships and our community. However, the number 2 highlights duality suggesting we may need to make a choice about something which challenges this.

The nawal Aj represents the cornstalk which joins the Heart of the Sky to the Heart of the Earth. It is this connection which helps Aj to sustain the home and community through its masculine aspect of authority and feminine aspect of compassion. Today it is combined with the number 2, enhancing this ability to draw on both sides of the polarity and strengthening this connection. It connects the mother with the father to bring harmony into the home.

Aj is also known for its fairness. Traditional leaders of the community are valued for their ability to make wise decisions. Before politics, village elders would be sought after to sort out disputes, their experience, authority and compassion guiding them. In this they would have to make a choice, a judgement between two sides. This is also something we can see in the energy of today. It is a good day for decision making as both aspects of a situation may be highlighted.

The fairness and honesty of Aj may help you to make a decision which will help to bring harmony into your life, and the life of those around you. With the nawal Aj representing physical (rather than spiritual) leadership, this may be a good day to assess the pros and cons of leaders.

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 Two

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

New Video – The Trecena of E’ (20th November – 2nd December 2024)

19th November 2024 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The Trecena of E’ brings us the opportunity to take a new path, a new journey of discovery to colour and enrich our existence. Whether is is a physical, mental, emotional or spiritual journey that we undertake, this is the time to seek the novelty that keeps life fresh.