Tag Archives: Aq’ab’al

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

6 Aq’ab’al (2nd November 2022)

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After the rather wavering energy of the last few days, today is a day where we might expect to see the emergence of a new and stable concept.

Aq’ab’al days are generally seen as being fortunate days, days on which the new dawn occurs. They are a bridge between the dream world and the physical, calling the fleeting images from our dreams into our conscious minds so that we can begin to create concepts from them. It is our bridge to the collective consciousness (seen in Imox), connecting the dreaming world and the waking world. It is the fertilised egg, newly implanted in the mother’s womb; it has passed from being the dream of a child in the parents’ mind into a physical presence, but is yet to emerge into the light of the physical world.

Through these images we understand the energy of Aq’ab’al days. They are days of new beginnings, where new concepts are brought into existence. They still need work to complete them, they need to be gestate, to be nurtured, before they can stand alone.

However, today we see the energy of Aq’ab’al combined with the number 6, the number of ultimate stability.  The new conception is not some vague idea, shrouded in the early light of dawn. The light of the sun is fully on its way, we know for certain that the new day, the new life, is coming. The inspiration of the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth are infused into this concept, bringing something to the physical plane which has a touch of the divine about it.

Whilst new concepts may cause some dissent from the people they are introduced to, this is unlikely today. This is an excellent day to unveil your new project to the world, even if it is not fully finished yet. Time and nurture will help to complete the process, but even as a concept it is entirely possible to see its potential.

Dawn over Lake Atitlan. Photo by Mark Elmy

 

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 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 neither too strong nor too weak. It is a day frequently used for ceremony thanks to its conducive energy. It represents the four directions with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. It also represents family, relating to the six qualities that nourish and hold families together – health, understanding, property, employment, friendship and actions.

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 Aq’ab’al (13th October 2022)

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12 Aq'ab'alToday can be seen as a day of revitalisation. On the day 12 Aq’ab’al we have an ability to breathe new life into old ideas in order to conceive something novel.

The number 12 represents the principle of gathering, bringing things together into a bundle. This is usually applied to life experience, things from the past, or that already exist. The nawal Aq’ab’al is related to the very new, the first light of day, the conception point. So today we have two energies which represent almost opposite ends of the spectrum of possibilities. Despite 12 being a powerful number, it does not necessarily have a difficult influence, and Aq’ab’al is thought of as a very favourable day, after all, it represents the beginnings of the new day and of new life.

Many Mayan temples were altered over time, with new layers built on top of old. Sometimes this was because of a change of ruler, other times it was an astronomical change over time that caused this remodelling. The old structure was given a facelift.  Metaphorically, today can be seen as a day to start building a new layer on your pyramid.

It can be seen as injecting your life experience into a new concept. Sometimes the dream doesn’t quite make it into reality, it gets stopped short, like those unfinished projects in your workroom/shed/office. You will often know why you stopped, for example you realised the dimensions were wrong half way through, or you ran out of material. This is the life experience drawn on to ensure that projects started today can be seen through to completion. You may even be able to rework one of those old projects.

As Aq’ab’al is also linked to romance, this might also be a wonderful day to introduce new vitality into your relationship. It is a day to renovate, with all the strength of the foundation being embellished with new vigour.

Dawn over Lake Atitlan. Photo by Mark Elmy

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 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

5 Aq’ab’al (23rd September 2022) – Equinox 01.03 UTC

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5 Aq'ab'alA little hard work can really get things moving today. The energy of today suggests that putting some extra effort into a new project will pay off, but it might be a little more work than you expected.

When you dream of a new idea or a solution to a problem, you might dream of the final result or outcome rather than all the detailed steps. You wake with the idea in your head as to the direction to move in, but then you have to work out the preliminary moves. This is where Aq´ab´al comes in helping to turn the dream into a concept you can begin to ground into reality. Aq´ab´al gives you the light at the end of the tunnel, without all the steps in the tunnel. You know now that the dawn, the new light is definitely coming, you just have to figure out your way to get to it. Today, the light is not coming to you, if you want to experience it you have to put in the energy or work to get to it.

The energy of this day is the energy of the project initiator, pulling together all the essential elements into the right place, at the right time, to move towards the goal. It provides drive and determination to achieve the dream, although sometimes the work put in may be at the detriment of other relationships. Sometimes the concept looks straightforward, but when you start work you realise it will take more effort than you originally planned. You might find yourself so absorbed into a new project that you forget what else is going on around you, or end up working later than usual. That is not to say that the work will not be rewarding, just that imbalance may occur.

In the process of moving into the new life, your rebirth through the Kawok trecena, things are really moving now. Your passage towards the light is continuing, your emergence into your new world. Today we have the energy to push hard into the new concept of ourselves we wish to become.

Equally, with regards to relationships, which are also highlighted by Aq´ab´al, today might well be a day where some extra effort put into your relationship may really prove beneficial. If you are looking to initiate a relationship, today may prove conducive, although it might require more energy than you anticipated.

Additionally, today is the day of the equinox, a day of equal light and darkness. It sometimes proves a little difficult when the equinox bridges time zones, but in UTC it falls on the 23rd rather than the 22nd. We are moving out of one cycle and into the next within the Earth’s cycle. This gives an extra sense of equilibrium, very much in synchronicity with the Chol Q’ij. This is the time of the year that changes are happening the most rapidly. In the Northern hemisphere, the length of the days is shortening at its most rapid rate as we go into the darker half of the year. In the Southern hemisphere the reverse is true, yet the rate of change is just as great. It is this change that completes the cycle of life and today we celebrate this balance which puts everything in its rightful place. It seems very fitting that this should happen during the darkness on an Aq’ab’al day, a day which in itself tends to walk between the worlds and find a balance to polarities.

Dawn over Lake Atitlan. Photo by Mark Elmy

In the Kiche 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 Sacred Mayan calendar is often said to be a calendar of human life, and parts of 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 it’s five digits. It is with our hands that we work, and with what we earn for that work that 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

11 Aq’ab’al (3rd September 2022)

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11 Aq'ab'alToday could bring a deluge of ideas, new concepts and new possibilities. This sounds wonderful, but could lead to confusion over which possibility to start with.

Imagine how you might feel if the dreams you have had in the last 260 days begin to unfold into your physical world. On one level it can be the most amazing experience, so much novelty and so much joy. On the other hand it could be overwhelming, and certainly difficult to work out which idea you want to follow first. Perhaps the biggest issue is that these new concepts are still partially hidden, they are yet to move into the full light of day. They are concepts, not yet fully formed, or fully revealed, they still need to gestate. We are waiting for the rising sun to illuminate them so we can see them in their true form, their full glory.

If you don’t know the exact details of each new concept, how would you know which one to focus your energy on? Perhaps today is a day to ask for illumination of your new ideas, to call upon your experience within both the dream world and the physical world to help you navigate in the half dark. Allow your intuition, your heart and your mind to work together to choose which idea to follow, and try to stay focused on the one you choose. With so much creative energy flowing today, that might be easier said than done.

Dawn over Lake Atitlan, January 2021. By Mark Elmy

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 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

4 Aq’ab’al (14th August 2022)

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4 Aq'ab'alAfter the possible turbulence of the day 3 Iq’, comes a day where is is really possible to bring things together. 4 Aq’ab’al is a wonderful day to start a new project, to ground a dream into physical reality.

Whilst the full light of the new day is still shrouded in darkness, the clarity of dawn has arrived. Of course, we don’t know yet exactly how the day will pan out, but we can see a clear sky and we have the potential for a beautiful day.

If there is something you have been dreaming of for a while, or something you are inspired to do, today is the day to start to create a concept from the dream. It may not necessarily be the emergence of the concept into the real world just yet, it still needs to gestate. It could be that you were dreaming about making a journey, if so, today is the day to book the tickets. In one sense, you have begun the journey, you have moved it into the physical, yet you have not taken a first step yet. Booking the tickets for the journey is one metaphor we can use to describe the essence of this day, but we can apply this idea in many ways. It is a day to make the preliminary sketches for your masterpiece, or to write up your business plan. Romantically, it is also a great day pluck up the courage to make that first date! It is a day where you can begin to bring stability to the new light you can bring to your life and to the world.

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 4 is very important within Mayan mythology. Four represents the cardinal points, the four colours of maize, the four carriers of the year, the two equinoxes and two solstices, as well as midnight, sunrise, midday and sunset. The number four is representative of the four first men, who raised the sky from the sea to create the world we live on. In Mayan myth it is four pillars that support the sky from the Earth. As you can imagine, four is a number which represents stability, a solar number. Even though it is still low, it is thought of as a good number.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Aq’ab’al (25th July 2022)

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10-aqabalThe 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.

Harmony in the community. Tata Isaias, Tata Michel and I lighting a ceremonial fire together for the closing ceremony of the Festival of Consciousness, San Marcos La Laguna, March 21st 2016. Picture by ‎Tuolovme Levenstein
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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

3 Aq’ab’al (5th July 2022)

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3 Aq'ab'alWhilst Aq’ab’al days are often great days to start new projects, the energy of the 3 may make this one rather more challenging. Today, the dawning may be more of an internal realisation than external process.

When a newborn enters the world, the first few days must be rather confusing. As I have mentioned before, it could be said that we have just entered a new cycle of the Mayan Sacred Calendar, the Chol Q’ij. Whether we take this to be the full new 260 day count, or solely the new 13 day count (trecena) is unimportant, the outcome is more or less the same. With 1 Imox, we had the jumbled fragments of the big dream, full of potential, but uncertain due to its novelty. 2 Iq’ brought us an as yet uncertain message that could go either way, the wind that breathes life into the potential. In 3 Aq’ab’al, we see the first results of the energies of the previous two days. This could be a new conception, or something that fails to take root. There are too many uncertainties to be sure of the outcome.

Whilst Aq’ab’al is usually considered a “good” day, a day of new starts, of conception, the number 3 rather mutes these qualities. A possible phrase to associate with this day could be “false dawn”. You may think you can see the first light of the sun, but it may turn out to be a mirage, or just the light of Venus. This is a day when things might not quite be what they seem. If you are waiting to start something, it is not quite the time. You might be all ready and raring to go, only to be confronted by an unexpected challenge. Proceed with caution, or wait for a more conducive day.

On a more positive note, the 3 could represent the home. In order to direct your energy in the most constructive way, planning a new project around your home may be a beneficial way to spend the day. Look for the new light inside of yourself. This is, after all, what could be considered to be the dawn of creation.

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.

There are various myths about the creation which link with the number 3. One is that at the time of creation, three stone 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)

A (slightly crude) montage showing a proposed correlation between the constellation of Orion and the triadic structure of Maya pyramids. This one is "El Tigre" at the El Mirador site. Photo and montage by Mark Elmy
A (slightly crude) montage showing a proposed correlation between the constellation of Orion and the triadic structure of Maya pyramids. This one is “El Tigre” at the El Mirador site. Photo and montage by Mark Elmy

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 is possibly the most troublesome of the numbers to deal with, it lacks stability and represents challenges and obstructions. The number three brings up internal/external dilemma. 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 of yourself.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

9 Aq’ab’al (15th June 2022)

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9 Aq'ab'alThe day 9 Aq’ab’al can be seen as a very special day indeed. It can be seen as bringing dreams to life, creating a new concept which becomes an important part of your life.

Today we see an interesting progression, all within the trecena of Tz’ikin, the trecena of the new vision. Two days ago, 7 Imox brought us the multitude of possibilities, of dreams, to choose from. Yesterday, on 8 Iq’, we breathed life into those dreams and today the dream begins to make a transition into the physical world. This day of conception can be seen as the planting of the seed of new life. This might not be the day on which you start a new life, or make a massive change regarding your life path, but it is a very strong day to start the ball rolling towards a change which will take effect in the future. It is still hidden in the darkness, but it’s passage towards the light of reality has begun.

 

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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 Aq’ab’al (26th May 2022)

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2 Aq'ab'alThe day 2 Aq’ab’al can show you the positive and negative aspects of a potential new endeavour, its strengths and weaknesses. It is a day to bring your dreams closer to reality, particularly if they relate to a relationship. 

Aq’ab’al days are said to be representative of relationships and marriage. Perhaps this is because they are the bridge between the polarities, night and the day, the dream world and the physical world. They are the conception days, days of new life when new ideas are conceived, and these ideas, like children from our marriages, become our legacy, our immortality. Aq’ab’al acts as a bridge between polarities, including the logical and artistic, which can give rise to great creativity. As we see in the Maya cross, Aq’ab’al evolves to B’atz, the creative genius.

Today this natural tendency is amplified by the energy of the number 2, which also relates to polarities. This could give rise to a day when polarities are emphasised, where the differences are particularly highlighted and become as clear as night or day. This may lead to some rather stark truths becoming very obvious, yet possibly the Aq’ab’al energy is the one which helps us to understand how to join two polarities, how to marry them together to create a bright future. Another quality of the number 2 is that of self sacrifice, which suggests that in order to create this union, a little sacrifice may be required on each side.

In the Kiche 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 2 is representative of duality, of polarity. Although it is a low number it has surprising strength as 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

8 Aq’ab’al (6th May 2022)

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8 Aq'ab'alNew beginnings and old concepts combine to strengthen each other and bring their fullest expression. This is a day to celebrate a new dawn, new life coming to the world.

The day Aq’ab’al is a day to celebrate our ability to conceive our dreams into reality. It is a day on which we can embrace novelty for everything it brings to us.

Today it is associated with the energy of the number 8, representing totality. It represents the new birth of the 1 and the finality of the 7 in one place, together. We can see it as representing the very new and the very old, the first hint of the new day, and the fully risen sun together.

Our new concepts and ideas are what keep the new life coming to our world. We are here to progress, to advance, and to evolve. However, in order to truly do this, we advance ancient concepts by revitalising them rather than forgetting them. We can incorporate old concepts into our brand new ideas, bringing out the best of both worlds.

This is a day to really flesh out our ideas, to see them in totality so that we can understand how to further nourish them in order to bring them into this world. We might find that nourishment in ancient concepts.

Dawn over Lake Atitlan, January 2021. By Mark Elmy

In the Kiche 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 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.