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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

1 Aj (12th October 2024)

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1 AjThis day, 1 Aj, could be seen as the beginning of the leadership journey. This is not out of a desire for elevation of status, but the desire for a more cohesive world.

Today can be seen as a time to use wise counsel to bring harmony to home and community. It is a new trecena, a new 13-day period, beginning with the highly fortunate and noble Nawal Aj.

After the potentially dizzying roller-coaster ride of the Ajpu trecena, we are entering into a time of grounded organisation. Starting today is a period of putting what we have learnt from the last trecena into practice on the physical level. The conquering of the fears on 7 Kame and initiation into leadership on 8 Kej has led us to this day.

Today we have the potential to engage with our newfound bravery, our renewed strength and courage. Also, we can combine these with the wisdom that facing these challenges has brought us. We can begin to lead by example, to recount our path to harmony to inspire others. However, it might take a few words of encouragement from those around us to help us to realise those abilities.

Therefore, it is time to begin to stand up and be counted. Allow your wisdom and experience to be heard and put to use. Stand tall, with a straight spine. Draw on the energies of the Sky and the Earth, to bring peace and prosperity to your home and community.

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, that which allows us to stand tall, proud and brave. As the cornstalk, it has it’s roots in the Earth, and its head in the sky.

If we wish to lead in a just manner, we should cultivate our connection with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth.Aj is an authority, it is gentle, yet noble. It works quietly for the community it leads. It does not seek the limelight. This is a day that seeks sustenance for it’s people, that keeps everything in it’s rightful place. It is a day where we ask for the courage and bravery to stand up straight and tall, to do the right thing.

The Number One

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

13 E’ (11th October 2024)

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 13 E'Today is THE day to ask for and receive guidance on your journey. If you wonder where your spiritual path leads, today you may get some insight

“Where am I?”

“Where am I going?”

“What is my purpose?”

These are three of the most important questions we can ever ask of ourselves. With divination highlighted by the number 13, today is a day to ask these questions about your path. They may be asked in meditation. Divination devices such as Tz’ite seeds or cards, or guides both physical or etheric may answer. The next question would of course be “Are you ready to hear the answer?”  If you are prepared to listen, this could truly be a day of illumination.

The strength of this day also lends itself to asking for divine guidance on your physical journeys. If you are guided by a higher force, you will never be let down. If you stay on the path you should not encounter problems.

Even if you do not question your path today, keep your eyes and ears open. Be aware of what is going on around you. You may get some pointers as to which direction to take, and which journey will benefit you the most.

The Nawal E’

Footprints
Footprints mark the road, from the Dresden Codex

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

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

The Number Thirteen

The number 13 is the final number. It represents the spirit world. It is said that on Samhain, 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. Both the positive and negative aspects of the day come through strongly. It is a very good day for activities such as divinations. Ceremonies on 13 days are best left to experienced Aj Q’ijab who understand how to work with that energy.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 B’atz (10th October 2024)

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12 B'atzToday is an excellent day to create with threads of experience. It would be the perfect day to work on an autobiographical project.

Everything we do can be seen as weaving. Our art, our reproduction, it all comes down to the same thing – combining threads, strands and essences to create. Today these threads come from our life experiences.

The energy of the nawal B’atz brings a highly creative day, the day of the arts and performances. The number twelve carried by this day is significant for wrapping things up, bringing things together and creating a bundle. Usually, these are life’s experiences, and here we can see them as the flavours and colours you may have experienced in your life. However, this time around, instead of just creating a bundle, we are weaving these things together. You can bring inspiration from your past into your new pattern and create something truly beautiful from it.

It is a day to use your life experience to create an exquisite tapestry, whether it is of words, colours, threads or other materials. Allow your creative expression to flow, empowered by the inspiration of your experiences.

The Nawal B’atz

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

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

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

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

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

The Number 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 Tz’i (9th October 2024)

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11 Tz'iToday may very well be THE day of temptations. It will be important to find a direction to focus your instincts before you engage them. Once you find that direction, keep with it.

Today, the nawal of loyalty combines with the uncertainty and strength of the number 11, today may prove to be a rather confusing day regarding loyalties.

The nawal Tz’i can be your best friend. The love it gives is unconditional, guiding and protecting you through thick and thin. It represents devotion, whether to a person or a cause. Although it is strong the number 11 can also lack direction, or try to go in all directions at once. Today that could lead to divided loyalty. It is a day when you may find yourself trying to be all things to all people. Of course, this is a very noble ideal, but not only may you find it difficult to accomplish. Instead, you may find that you end up with some conflicts of interest. As a result, your loyalty may end up spread too thin. You may then fail to achieve your intended goal in any of the intended areas.

The energy of the nawal Tz’i is also known for its impulsive nature, particularly when it comes to sensual matters. When this energy is combined with the impulsive energy of the number 11, desires and urges may be difficult to control. The nawal Tz’i is also the nawal which represents our guidance. So, its combination with the number 11 may suggest that there is a strong and undeniable feeling of being guided by something. It will be important to apply some perspective to this guidance. The strength of the drive may be irresistible, however, is it really in your long-term interests?

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 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 Toj (8th October 2024)

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10 TojThis is a day of service to your community. Making offerings keeps your community in harmony, which in turn keeps you nourished and healthy.

Today is a day when gathering people together may help to get things done. This could be through making ceremonies with your community or through physical work within the community. If you can co-ordinate a community spring clean, litter pick, or general tidy up of your neighbourhood, you could not find a better day for it. Many hands will certainly make light work today, in both the physical and the more esoteric sense. Hand in hand it is possible to make a huge difference to the world. When we care for our community and surroundings, we can bring peace and healing to it. This in turn enriches our own lives.

Today is a day to show that we care for those around us and to give freely of our time and energy in gratitude to the community that sustains us. In turn this burns away any debts we have in this realm or another.

To Which Community Projects Can I Make an Offering?

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 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. Thus, it can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Therefore, 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 Q’anil (7th October 2025)

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9 Q'anilToday should be a day for the celebration of life’s abundance and a celebration of the women in our lives. 9 Q’anil should bring a happy and prosperous day and a great day for working with plants.

With both the fertile nature of Q’anil and the good fortune seen in the number 9 we can expect this day to be really rather pleasant. This is possibly a welcome relief after the strength of the last few days.

There are many phrases that we could associate with this day. “The light of life”, “seed of life” and “the light of the feminine” are just a few. It feels like a delicious golden energy we would all love to bask in, the reward after the hard work we have been carrying out recently. It is a day to enjoy the bounty that the fruition of your projects has brought to you.

However, 9 Q’anil is also a great day for working with plants, planting the seeds for your next harvest. Both 9 and Q’anil are linked to fertility. Q’anil is also strongly linked with the herbalist’s art and creates a very powerful day to plant or harvest medicinal herbs.

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. Q’anil also represents human beings coming to their greatest point of perfection, their ripeness.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly. It is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with. People carrying Q’anil energy can light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

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 Kej (6th October 2024)

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8 KejToday is an excellent day to make ceremony in the wilderness to receive and give thanks for your strength and vital energy. Embrace the strengths you draw from your existence in the natural world.

There are several days within the sacred count of days that we could term auspicious, then there are a few which represent exceptional themes. 8 Kej is one of them, perhaps second only to 8 B’atz.

During this trecena, we have seen two days representing characters within the Popol Vuh, Jun Ajpu and Wucub Kame. Jun Ajpu is one of the hero twins and represents “the birth of the sun”, and the light. Wukub Kame is his polar opposite, “the ultimate death”, and we can see this character as the lord of darkness. We have recently experienced both of these energies. It is essential to be connected to the light but to truly serve, the leader needs to have confronted and overcome the darkness within. Where Aj may represent the civic type of leader, the “Mayor”, Kej represents the spiritual leader or priest. Thus, overcoming these experiences is all the more important.

On 8 Kej the names of soon-to-be Aj Q’ijab, Maya spiritual guides, are presented to the patrilineage altars. It is also a day when high-ranking Maya priests are initiated as Chuchq’ajawib, the mother-fathers. This role combines the strength of the father and the compassion of the mother. The masculine and feminine principles come together to give the wholeness required of a true community leader.

One of the key strengths of the nawal Kej is its grounded nature. It brings stability to the world and draws strength from nature. Take some time today to connect with the masculine and feminine properties of the four directions; vitality, spirit, wisdom and healing.

The Nawal Kej

Xbalamkiej, patron of the day Kej one of the hero twins from the Popol Vuh. From the Dresden Codex
Xbalamkiej, patron of the day Kej one of the hero twins from the Popol Vuh. From the Dresden Codex

Kej is possibly the strongest of the nawales, it is powerful, but in a different way to Kan. Kej is energetic, lively and determined. It is the nawal of nature, of the wilderness and it is this power that it draws on. The animal totem of Kej is the deer, but if you have fragile, new-born Bambi in mind, think again. This is the majestic stag, standing on the mountain surveying his domain. Whilst most nawales are not necessarily engendered, Kej is most definitely masculine. Both men and women that carry Kej as their nawal have great strength, although the men tend to hide their strength more. Kej women are particularly driven, resourceful and brave, sometimes to the point of being rather dominant. All radiate an aura of nobility, people tend to look to them to lead.

Kej is the nawal of the Mayan “religion”, a day of spiritual leaders, of shaman and of priests. It is these leaders who understand how to read the messages from the natural world, who help to keep our existence in balance with nature. It is a day to connect with the wilderness and draw the power of the natural world into you, to harmonise and replenish.

The Number Eight

The number 8 is considered to be a number of wholeness. It can be seen as birth (1) and death (7) combined to represent the whole cycle of the soul. 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 become 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. As this wholeness represents every aspect of the energy of the day with which it is coupled. It is the wholeness of the nawal that is addressed in ceremony.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

7 Kame (5th October 2024)

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7 Kame7 Kame can be seen as an important day to finalise a transformative period. Facing up to challenges, particularly the most frightening ones, moves your evolution forward.

The Day 7 Kame can be seen as a prominent day, it is the name of one of the Lords of the underworld. In the Popol Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, 1 Kame and 7 Kame are the main villains in the story of the descent to the underworld of both sets of heroes, one Junajpu and seven Junajpu and the hero twins Junajpu and Xbalamkiej.

In the story, Junajpu and Xbalamkiej venture to the underworld to avenge their father Jun Junajpu and bring back his head from Xibalba. They do this through self-sacrifice and transformation, which allows them to become their magical selves. In this guise, they trick 1 Kame and 7 Kame into being sacrificed and therefore overcome death itself. Wucub (7) Kame was the second to be sacrificed and after this Xibalba falls. The remaining Xibalbans are subjugated and denied their previous gifts. From this point on they would only receive “the guilty, the violent and the wretched”

“Such was the defeat of the rulers of Xibalba. The boys accomplished it only through wonders, only through self transformation.” – From Popol Vuh translated by Dennis Tedlock

Why is 7 an ending?

When we look at the sequence of numbers, as they are applied to the appearance of one particular day, we see a different pattern to how they appear within a trecena. If we begin at 1 Kame, the next to appear is 8 Kame, then 2 Kame. The day 7 Kame is the last of the sequence. Often the appearance of pairs (such as 1 and 7 Ajpu or 1 and 7 Kame) relate the totality of a concept, as all other numbers of that day fall between the 1 day and the 7 day. Thus, the death of lord 7 Kame represents the final victory over Xibalba, the victory over death itself.

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

Today is, therefore, a day to finally lay to rest anything which has been tormenting you. It is a day to release grief and a day to let go of your sadness. Your past sacrifices and transformation have strengthened you in order to make the final blow. In words more familiar to our mindset, it is the day to confront and overcome your demons. Sometimes you can only do this by going to that place where they dwell.  Once complete you can re-emerge into the world, shining in your full brightness, ready for the initiation day 8 Kej.

Nawal Kame

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. They 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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

6 Kan (4th October 2024)

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6 KanToday is a day to address the balance of power in our world and to bring stability to it. It could be a good day to call on the power of heaven and Earth to share wisdom with the physical world.

Kan is a very strong nawal, it is the raw energy of the lightning and the power associated with that. It is the lightning in our blood, our life force energy. However, raw energy without direction can be destructive, and its strength may be too much for us to handle. It has the potential to be exactly the absolute power which corrupts absolutely.

However, today we see it combined with the number of ultimate stability, the number 6. This gives us a chance to understand and harness the energy. Thus, we can truly use it to bring wisdom to our families and communities. With the 6 connecting the four directions with the Hearts of the Earth and Sky, we have the potential to draw both power and wisdom from each of these points. We can do so in a balanced way, using it to bring harmony to the world around us.

Therefore, the on day 6 Kan we can draw on the energy from all directions to gain the wisdom to see through illusions of power, our own or those of others.

The Nawal Kan

Lady Xoc demonstrates the correct direction of energy
Lady Xoc pierces her tongue and receives wisdom for her people from her ancestor emerging from the mouth of the vision serpent. From http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/maya-lintels.htm

Kan is one of the more powerful nawales and it represents just that – power. It is connected to serpents, and serpent symbolism 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.

Training must be undertaken when working with any of these energies, 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  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. However, they can also become the darkest sorcerers and manipulators.

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 K’at (3rd October 2024)

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5 K'atWorking to release burdens and bring in the harvest would be good points of focus today. However, the task might turn out to be more challenging than it seemed.

 

That does not mean that the outcome will be negative. There is a suggestion here that your hard work will be paid off. Nevertheless, on another day the abundance you receive might come to you more easily. This is a day to work on bringing together all the threads, ideas and plans into one place.

K’at also allows us to assess what will be useful to keep in our net for our journey, and what is no longer required. It may be that an emotional attachment to something that you once held dear may be preventing you from progressing. K’at may highlight what you are ready to release. It helps you sort through what you carry, ensuring that you pack correctly for your journey.

Sometimes we can cut our ties in one go and release ourselves, other times it needs more effort. Today might not release all of your burdens simultaneously. However, putting your energy in to the process of releasing yourself from attachments will certainly help your progress.

The Nawal K’at

Blood Moon, mother of the Hero Twins being sent away from Xibalba after becoming pregnant. <yoastmark class=

K’at signifies a net and represents gathering together or bundling. 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. This could mean gathering your harvest, collecting ideas 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 and 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 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”.