Tag Archives: Community

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Imox (14th March 2024)

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10 ImoxIn its best aspect, we can see this as a community creating and dreaming together. The energy of Imox understands, on a level beyond words, the drives which motivate those around you.

Being connected with the psyche of your community sounds like a good thing. The nawal Imox is already well connected with the collective consciousness and its combination with the number 10 today only serves to make that connection stronger.

However, the other side to this is that Imox is unable to filter the connection. Today the connection to the group consciousness is wide open. It may not only be connected to the community you choose to be part of. Be aware of what you connect with. This is a day when you might particularly distance yourself from the media or social media networks.  The power of the herd mentality may drive you crazy today. It is a day to fully engage your discernment filters.

The strength of the energy of the day also suggests that anything which helps to access the unseen realms would be unnecessary today. It is possible to dive into your dream world and, without too much effort, get lost there for a while.

In its most positive aspect, it can be a great day to organise an event with close friends with a similar mindset. If you have the opportunity to spend time together by a large body of water, so much the better. The day 10 Imox may also be an excellent day for community water projects, for care of natural water sources, the lakes and oceans. Together you have a possibility to create and nurture collective dreams into this world.

The Nawal Imox

Nawal Imox represents the collective consciousness, the great ocean. It is the moment before the “big bang”, when all that existed was the dream of the creator. It is everything and nothing in one place, the ovum from which reality was conceived. Imox is still very much in the other world, requiring another component to physically manifest the dream into reality.

Imox is considered to be a feminine nawal. Sometimes called water lily, sometimes crocodile, it is an embodiment of the primordial. It was from the great ocean that the four first men raised sky to create the world which we inhabit. Imox can also be seen as the Darwinian swamp from which all life emerged. It is fertile and creative, the mother that gave birth to our entire reality.

Imox is our common origin, and as such links us all together. It is the place of dreams, the collective conscious we delve into on our nightly voyages. It may also relate to the place that certain plant medicines take us to in order to bring us wisdom. However, as the font of all of creation, Imox harbours the dark as well as the light.

Imox is a day to celebrate the spirit of the times, to understand the collective mind. It is a day to dream your creations, your art, your music. Imox helps us all feel connected, when the psychic field between us may be particularly strong. Discernment may be called for, to understand when to dissociate from the collective. It is important to remember your individuality.

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. 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 acting in harmony.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 Aj (6th March 2024)

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2 AjIs there a way to bring harmony by embracing both sides or points of view? The wise leader would find it and use it to strengthen the community as a whole.

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

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

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

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

The Nawal Aj

The Temple of the Foliated Cross, Palenque
The Temple of the Foliated Cross. This small temple houses one of the most remarkable and beautiful friezes, the Foliated Cross. Together with those of the Temple of the Sun and the Temple of the Cross, this forms an architectural version of a codex. It shows both mythic and historical accounts of the ruling dynasty. The three temples together form the cross group, the sacred heart of Palenque. Picture by Mark Elmy

The nawal Aj is related to many things which generally revolve around leadership on an earthly level. It is also known as the cornstalk, sometimes the staff of life. It represents the spinal column within the body, which allows us to stand tall, proud and brave. As the cornstalk, it has its roots in the Earth, and its head in the sky.

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

The Number Two

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Q’anil (1st March 2024)

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10 Q'anilWhen a community comes together to work, this also helps to ripen the community. It brings out the best in people and shows us what we are capable of when we cooperate. We are reminded of how much we all benefit from each other’s light.

Getting some help from the people around you today may bring your plans to fruition. Q’anil, the nawal of ripening combines with the number 10 representing cooperation and community.

The energy of 10 Q’anil is a beautifully powerful combination. Q’anil is strongly associated with abundance. It bestows a talent with the plant kingdom whether it is associated with food crops or with medicinal herbs. A way with plants is not the only benefit though, Q’anil has much more to offer. Outside of an agrarian society, our abundance comes from our ideas and plans and Q’anil brings these to maturity too.

Abundance brings lightness to our lives, it helps us to relax as our day-to-day needs are satisfied. When we are relaxed our mood and spirit are lifted and this is certainly something we see with Q’anil. It is a day of abundance and pleasure. Today that could be particularly enhanced through interaction with your community. It is possible that working together not only increases the speed your project comes to readiness, it may also enhance the yield you receive.

With so much abundance available, and the community gathered around, you may find the desire to celebrate equally strong. Whilst celebrating achievements and bonding with your community is always a great idea, be aware of Q’anil‘s love of intoxication. It might be all to easy to get really carried away if alcohol is involved, the energy of the following day 11 Toj might see you paying for the consequences.

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 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. 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 acting in harmony.

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Tz’ikin (17th February 2024)

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10 Tz'ikinToday is a day to share your vision with your community and ask for help to make it a reality.

 

A community prospers when each member is strong and healthy, and when they support each other during times of need. Every member brings their own wisdom and energy to the community, and they are valued for their contribution. When support is freely given and accepted, it benefits everyone in the community.

Change can be difficult. However, during this trecena of Kame, we may need some help to achieve our vision of transformation. Tz’ikin is the day of visions, and these visions can bring prosperity to yourself and your community. Prosperity can come in many forms, such as financial gain, greater wisdom, or understanding. Sometimes, our visions may be grand and require skills or knowledge that we don’t possess.

Your community may be looking for your advice to help them see things from a different perspective. Perhaps to help identify what they are missing in their plan. The willingness to share your vision and support each other can bring prosperity to both you and your community.

Nawal Tz’ikin

Bat Falcon sitting on top of Temple 216 at Yaxha. Photo by Mark Elmy

Nawal Tz’ikin is the nawal of prosperity, which sometimes seems odd to people seeking “higher knowledge”. However, this is not the same as the greed of capitalist consumerism. If your family is starving, you are more likely to fall off the road, perhaps into dishonesty or criminal activity. By asking nawal Tz’ikin for prosperity in your life, you are more likely to be able to help others. You can be more constructive within your community. That is not to say that your own input will not be necessary, just that your hard work will pay off.

Tz’ikin has the ability to give visions, it helps people to see the bigger picture within life. It also helps people to focus on details. It has grand aspirations and helps people to rise to the top of their abilities.

Similarly, just as Tz’ikin can focus, its broad vision can occasionally cause distraction. Sometimes, just when it is heading towards its goal it can be distracted by something “shiny.” Thus, this energy gives an ability to create great social networks, but sometimes spends too much time trying to maintain them.

The Number 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. 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 acting in harmony.

 

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Tz’ikin 3 Tz’apin Q’ij – The Fourth Closing Day

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The Fourth Closing DayThe fourth closing day during the period of Tz’apin Q’ij is associated with definition. In this solar cycle, it is combined with the energy of a day which has some very profound meanings.

We have passed through the three previous days and identified where we are. This time has you helped to identify your strengths and your weaknesses, and asked you to accept this as a part of your connection to the Earth?  Now with the experience, knowledge and understanding of yourself, it is time to start charting your course for the coming year of 12 No’j.

The energy of the day 10 Tz’ikin brings a spirit of community vision. The nawal Tz’ikin helps us to see the way forward. It brings us the visions which help us to thrive. Today this is combined with the number 10, which focuses on community and cooperation. Bringing these together we can understand just why it might be such an interesting day. It brings the essence of a shared community vision, one of prosperity for all. Within the energy, there is a sense of cooperation and bonding, if one thrives all thrive.

Today we combine that with the energy of the fourth closing day, that of definition. It brings a drive not to just have a vision as some kind of fantasy, but asks us to define it. In our time of introspection and retreat we have space to do this.

This is, therefore, a day to really define our vision for our community for the coming year of 12 No’j.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Iq’ (4th February 2024) – Imbolc

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10 Iq' The day 10 Iq’ can be seen as a very sociable day with an emphasis on communication within your community. With the strength of both the number and the nawal Iq’ this could lead to some inspired words and changes.

Whilst Iq’ is known for its blustery nature, there are some combinations which really can bring out the best in it. Its combination with the number 10 is one of these. If you were ever looking for a day to hold a community meeting this would be the prime candidate. The inspiring words conveyed through the divine breath come into contact with the number which represents community and cooperation. We could expect our oratory skills to be enhanced today, especially when we are surrounded by our family and friends. It is a great day to make speeches and to listen to them. Communication goes both ways, so make sure you listen to what your community tells you today, there may be something divinely inspired in its words.

Despite all the positive connotations of this day, bear in mind that the wind may change and Iq’ is also a nawal that governs the angry word. With the power of the number 10 behind it, be aware of the effect your words might have. If you feel anger rising within you, pause and take a breath before you allow your words to fly.

If you are seeking to make changes, ask for the support of your community today to make them. This may be emotional or physical support. Today is the day to rally around friends and share words to support them through their processes.

Imbolc (4th February 2024, 08:28 UTC)

It is now 45 days since the December solstice and we are at the exact midpoint between solstice and equinox. This is a archaeoastronomical cross quarter day, known as Imbolc in the Celtic lands. At this time in north-western europe the Earth shows signs of life returning. The first lambs are born and the snowdrops begin to show their flowers. After the period of darkness, it becomes obvious the light is returning. The winter season which began on Samhain finishes and spring begins on Imbolc.

Observing this first hand, it is very noticable that the days begin to draw out. This happens rather rapidly as we move towards the spring equinox. Since solstice, the position of sunrise here in Guatemala has only shifted by 7 degrees. At solstice the sun rose at 114 degress, today it rises at 107 degrees. In 45 days’ time at equinox, it will rise at 90 degrees, covering 17 degrees. Its procession along the eastern horizon almost 2.5 times quicker and will continue to do so through to Beltaine on the 4th May.

Imbolc is very special to me as it was the first ceremony I ever participated in. It is a symbolic birthing and was certainly my birthing into a new world. It is a time of the essence of life bursting forth into the world. In association with 10 Iq’ today, perhaps it could be a good day to use your words to birth something new into your community.

The Nawal Iq’

Wind God 1

Nawal Iq’ is another strong nawal. It represents communication and particularly divine inspiration. It is the wind, the breath of life, that which brings the change in seasons.

The communication brought by Iq’ can be enlightening and inspiring. It is the breath of the divine which flows through us all, in fact the word for soul is Saq Iq’ – white breath. When our breath stops, our divine essence leaves our physical body. When we engage ourselves with the divine breath we are able to create, to manifest with our words, to inspire those around us. However, Iq’ also has a destructive side. It has the ability to blow like a hurricane and may level everything before it. It is the angry words which cut down everything in their path.

Hurricane is one of the few English words which is actually derived from a Mayan word- Junrakan, meaning “one footed”. Junrakan is another name for the Heart of the Sky, one of the creator deities. Once again it seems that certain patterns follow through the sequence of the nawales which are interrelated. Imox, the female creative principle, or egg, is fertilised be Iq’, the male principle. Their combination results in Aq’ab’al, the conception and a change in the state, bringing the dream into reality.

Iq’ is a day of communication, a day of inspiration. It can be a great day to express yourself through written or particularly verbal means. It is also a day on which changes happen. You can either embrace those changes or resist them. However, be aware that the wind blows forcefully and resistance of change requires a great deal of energy. Embracing change helps you to learn to dance like a leaf in the wind.

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. 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 acting in harmony.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Toj (22nd January 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.

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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Aq’ab’al (27th December 2023)

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10-aqabalYou may need to look past set views of society to bring new concepts to your community. Novelty cannot be achieved by repeating the same patterns. Sometimes to change the pattern, you have to push the boundaries. Today this might be required, and the help of others may be needed to achieve it.

The combination of the nawal of new concepts with the number of community brings about the possibility of bringing 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 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. This would be expected 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. Perhaps by coming together with others this resistance to change can be overcome through a new concept.

The Nawal Aq’ab’al

The word aq’ab is translated as dark. The suffix -al changes the meaning slightly, alluding transtition and the dawning of the day. It is the time between darkness and light, night and day. Probably our best way to translate it would be as twilight. Birth is the beginning of the mortal journey. Aq’ab’al is just the beginning of the day and of things which are not yet fully formed.

In Santiago Atitlan one day, a friend explained to me the different parts of a weaving 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. 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. The design has passed from being just an idea, to the beginnings of a woven reality. Thus, concept 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. Also it is a perfect day for starting new projects. It is the time to bring them into the world of light from the world of dreams and ideas.

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. 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 acting in harmony.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Tz’i (14th December 2023)

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10 Tz'i Today is a day to restore and strengthen faith in the community, to look out for each other. It is a day to give of yourself unconditionally, to bring harmony to the community you live in.

There are some combinations of nawal and number which are meant to go together, where both reflect each other beautifully. 10 Tz’i is one of these combinations. Whilst much is said about the wild side of Tz’i, it is also about unconditional love and unquestioning faith. Tz’i is the most loyal companion, at your side through thick and thin. It brings justice to the world, and is heavily invested in keeping the world in order through upholding the laws of society.

It is here that we see its reflection in the number 10, the two hands coming together. This represents the co-operation we see in society in order to bring justice, the bringing together of peoples in order to ensure that the fabric of true society is held together. It is friendship and loyalty, particularly towards your community, and the unconditional love which sustains the community spirit.

 

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 is instinctual, and closes its ears to reason when it gets an idea, particularly when it is hormonally driven. This is the worst possible aspect of Tz’i and when it falls down, it does so spectacularly, 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 through the actions of dogs we can understand both the loyalty aspect, and the instinctual. 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 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. 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 acting in harmony.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 No’j (1st December 2023)

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10 N'ojToday is a day to get things sorted out, a day to find solutions within your community. It is a day when the saying “a problem shared is a problem halved” is extremely applicable.

Some days should really work out well, with a strong and positive effect coming from both the nawal and the number. Today, the clear thinking, analytical energy of No’j is combined with the socially helpful 10. Join minds with your friends, colleagues and neighbours to come up with unique and novel solutions to problems. New communal ideas may solve issues that have been perplexing you for some time.

One slight drawback could be that the energy of the nawal No’j sometimes brings thought without action. It may be a day where the mind drifts through many ideas of how to resolve situations within the community, without actually initiating those ideas. This could even result in the ideas themselves becoming muddled, lines of thought being expressed and followed without actual realisation into the physical world. Whilst the energy of No’j does have a practical edge to it, it can on occasion end up lost in its thoughts.

A logical solution to this may come through cooperation. However, despite your combined solution being obvious to you and your group, be aware that you may still be ahead of your time. Be patient with those you explain your new big idea to, they might need a little time to catch up.

The Nawal No’j

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). <yoastmark class=

 

The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. As the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea. No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies.

The Number 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. 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 acting in harmony.