Tag Archives: Aq’ab’al

1 Aq’ab’al (16th April 2022)

15th April 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The energy of the number 1, of novelty and birth, combines with the nawal of the new conception today, providing an excellent day to start a new project or phase of life.

When we consider the nawal Aq’ab’al as the dawning of the new day, the energy of 1 Aq’ab’al can be seen as the very first moment of realisation that a new day is coming. It is far from light, in fact it is only just distinguishable. Somewhere in the darkness, light begins to make its presence known. This is the beginning of beginnings, it is the first spark of the fire. The first spark needs tending, gentle use of breath and material in order to grow it into the fire it will become.

The spark may represent a new idea that you have, but this is the first thought of this idea. It is something that comes in the waking moment, fresh from the dream world. It has started to emerge into this world, but is still uncertain, hidden and yet to take much form. This is the moment where it needs support and tending, just as the spark, or the newborn needs care and attention. This is where the input and encouragement of family, friends and community can help that spark to become the fire, or that newborn to grow.

Aq’ab’al can also represent relationships, so this day may be the first glimmer of something new, or the rekindling of an existing relationship in order to start a new “day.” Either way, this should be a rather joyful day of new possibilities.

The day 1 Aq’ab’al is an excellent day for starting new ventures, for getting your ideas out into the world and for receiving the encouragement we need for new projects.

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 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 just needs the correct nutrients and conditions to germinate and develop, just as sometimes we need encouragement to develop our ideas.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

New Video – The Trecena of Aq’ab’al (16th – 28th April 2022)

15th April 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Somewhere in the darkness, light begins to make its presence known. This is the beginning of beginnings, it is the first spark of the fire. The first spark needs tending, gentle use of breath and material in order to grow it into the fire it will become. The spark may represent a new idea that you have, but this is the first thought of this idea. It is something that comes in the waking moment, fresh from the dream world. It has started to emerge into this world, but is still uncertain, hidden and yet to take much form. This is the moment where it needs support and tending, just as the spark, or the new born needs care and attention. This is where the input and encouragement of family, friends and community can help that spark to become the fire, or that new born to grow.

Within the village of San Pablo la Laguna, there is an organisation doing great work. 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 https://tinyurl.com/yb4l3rux

My 2022 calendar is now available. The calendar shows the days of the Chol Q’ij, formatted onto the Gregorian calendar. This year it is available electronically as a pdf in both English and Spanish. Printed versions, in English, are beginning to run low, but are still available locally here in Guatemala, from Nectar, Palo Santo and Lava Love Cacao in San Marcos. See this link for more detail https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=6093

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

7 Aq’ab’al (27th March 2022)

26th March 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Aq’ab’al, the nawal of the new conception is joined by the number representing completion to suggest that the dawning of the new day has been completed, the Sun has risen.

The sacred calendar can be seen as a representation of life, the development of the world and of both small and large periods of time. It can represent points within a day, or points within the growth period of a human being. The nawal Aq’ab’al is linked to both the dawn and conception, it is a representation of the new things that come into this world. As the dawn, it is representative of the new day, the basic unit of time used in the sacred calendar. As conception it is the representative of the new human life, the start of another period of gestation.

Today, Aq’ab’al, is combined with the number 7, representing endings. This is quite a strange combination, seeing the new beginning and the end in the same place. However, perhaps it needs to be observed over a longer period of time. 240 days ago was the day 1 Aq’ab’al, the day of the beginning of the new concepts, the new projects. Today we see the final 20 days of the count before the next day 1 Aq’ab’al arrives. 7 Aq’ab’al can be seen as finishing off the the new project, particularly over the next 20 days. Where 1 Aq’ab’al was the first idea that a new day was dawning, 7 Aq’ab’al sees the sun clearing the horizon, the day is still new, but the dawning has finished.

Hence, today can be seen as the completion of the foundation, the beginning of the last 20 day period before the next level is started. If you have been laying the ground work for a plan, today is the day to finish it off so that you can proceed further. It can also be seen as a testing day, proving your concept can take root before you take it further. There may be some hesitance over where you are going and what you are creating, but today is a day to make decisions, finish what you have started or move on to something new.

The Sun has broken the horizon, the dawning of the day is done. Picture 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.

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.

The number seven is the mid-point of the range of numbers. It is 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.

The numbers of the days set out as a pyramid. — The numbers of the days as they appear through the trecena. Here they can also be set out as a pyramid, reaching the peak is also the end of a journey.

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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

13 Aq’ab’al (7th March 2022)

6th March 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

We are already in the 20 day countdown towards the day 8 B’atz, one of the most important days in the sacred calendar. 13 Aq’ab’al features very strongly in this period.

In the “Maya Cross” form of astrology, one of the positions represents conception. This is a day 8 days (or 268 days) before the birth date. Today, the day 13 Aq’ab’al represents the conception day of 8 B’atz, the reweaving of the world through the joining of the old fabric with the new.

Aq’ab’al represents conception in itself. It is a joyful day when new concepts are proposed for creation into the physical world. In this way, Aq’ab’al acts as a bridge between the dreaming potential of all that is, which we see in the nawal Imox, and the physical world. It has moved into our physical reality, but it is hidden within the mother. In some senses it is between the worlds, we cannot see it in its own right but we know it is there, we know the new life is on its way.

The number 13, of course, represents the world of the ancestors, the spirit world. When we combine this with the nawal Aq’ab’al we can begin to understand just how auspicious this day could be.

13 Aq’ab’al is the new conception into this world from the spirit world. It can be seen as the passing of concepts from the ancestors into our new world. It gives us the pattern for the joining of the old world with the new. This is a potent day to revisit ancestral teachings and understandings, to bring their concepts into modern life.

The number 13 is the final number on the pyramid. It represents the spirit world. It is said that on Halloween, the veil between the worlds is the thinnest. However within the sacred calendar, this thinning happens every 13 days. This connection with the spirit world creates a powerful day, where both the positive and negative aspects of the nawal it is attached to come through strongly. It is a very good day for activities such as divination, however, ceremonies on 13 days are generally only carried out by the most experienced Aj Q’ij who understand how to work with that strength of energy.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

6 Aq’ab’al 1 Wayeb – The Second Day of Wayeb

14th February 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The second day of the Wayeb is said to represent recognition of yourself, during your introspective period. This is combined with the day representing new concepts and the illumination of what has been in darkness. This is a day to identify the things within you that have been brought to light in the year 9 Iq’.

6 Aq’ab’al represents the stabilisation of new concepts, particularly those pertaining to family. As 9 Iq’ filled our lungs with the breath of life, what part of you was illuminated this year? The concepts that you have had, the dreams you have begun to turn into physical, stable reality, how did you breath life into them, and how did they change your life? Were you able to use them to bring greater stability to your family?

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 Aq’ab’al (26th January 2022)

25th January 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Today 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.

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 (6th January 2022)

5th January 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

A 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.

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 (17th December 2021)

16th December 2021 Mark Elmy 1 Comment

Today 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.

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 (27th November 2021)

26th November 2021 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

After 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.

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 (7th November 2021)

6th November 2021 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The combination of the energy of the nawal of new concepts with the number of community brings about the possibility of bringing our communal dream, the new light, to the world through cooperation.

Whilst our individuality certainly serves a purpose, we can usually achieve bigger and more complicated tasks when we work as a group. The energy of today, 10 Aq’ab’al, brings a great opportunity to do just that. There may be something that you have been dreaming, something that you are trying to bring into the physical world. Today is the day to seek the assistance of the people within your community to make it happen. Both Aq’ab’al and the energy of the number 10 are seen as rather positive energies, as one would expect from the number of cooperation and the nawal of conception. It is the day to join with your community and bring your communal idea into physical reality.

If there were any cautions to go with the energy of 10 Aq’ab’al, it would only be that Aq’ab’al can sometimes become a little stuck in its ways. One meaning of Aq’ab’al is house (from the house of darkness in the Popol Vuh) and one of the essences of Aq’ab’al can be the stability given by fixed shelter. Additionally, the energy of the number 10 can also be seen as representing the laws of society.

Today, you may need to look past your set views within society, or perhaps beyond socially accepted norms, in order to bring your new concepts into the world. Novelty can not be achieved by repeating the same patterns over and over again, and sometimes to change the pattern, you have to push the boundaries. Today is a day when this might be required, and it is possible that you may need the help of others to achieve it.

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

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.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: