Tag Archives: Kame

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

6 Kame (26th August 2024)

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6 KameThe nawal Kame may make us face the things that frighten us, to evolve our souls. Its combination with the energy of the number 6 today suggests empowerment to face physical challenges comes from the hearts of the Sky and Earth.

Whilst the energy of the nawal Kame may bring forth our challenges, it also gives us the strength to face them. These challenges may take many forms, but the energy of today would suggest that they are physical and possibly connected with family.

It is a day to bring stability to any transformations you may wish to go through. It is a day when you may wish to call upon your ancestors, embrace their wisdom, and allow their spirit to support your change. Whilst the challenge you face may be great, today is a very positive day to tackle that challenge. You have the support of your family in both this world and the spirit world, should you ask for it.

Nawal Kame

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, and death is the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences, the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves.

They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river, then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way, we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face one’s fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends who have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

The Number Six

The number six is said to be the number of ultimate stability. It is the first of the three middle numbers of the cycle, the balance point. Six days are frequently used for ceremonies thanks to their conducive energy.

The number 6 carries the qualities of the number 4 but has an extra axis. If we think of the number four representing the cardinal points, the number six adds a vertical axis to these. It brings in the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. The number six has the stability of the number four embellished by masculine and feminine principles. If the number four represents the physical world and the number 6 represents the physical world animated by the life force energy.

It also represents family, relating to the six qualities which hold families together – health, understanding, property, employment, friendship and actions.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 Kame (6th August 2024)

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12 KameToday may bring the opportunity of a great transformation through life experience. It is possible the reason for challenging life experiences may be understood today.

The energy of the Kame provokes us to face the greatest challenges on our lives. Facing these trials promotes our development. We have two options, we either tackle the issue or we avoid it. If choose avoidance we are just postponing the inevitable. It will come around again, perhaps next time we will have the strength or understanding to deal with it.

Of course, the other option is to take a breath, summon our courage and face the adversity head on. Embrace that which frightens us and overcome it. Doing so helps us to progress on more than just the physical level, it can provoke profound change.

Facing our challenges will always be a noble exploit, but doing so without preparation would be foolhardy. Today’s energy allows us to collect our life experience and all we have learned. This allows us to understand how these experiences have transformed ourselves. This way we can enter the trials with confidence and understanding. We know how to overcome each obstacle in our path. This mirrors the story of the hero twins in the Popol Vuh. Their father and uncle descended into Xibalba having been summoned by the Lords of Death. They were unprepared and failed the challenges set for them. The twins used their experience and understanding to overcome each challenge set for them. Eventually through their own sacrifice they evolved into a higher state of being.

Therefore, use today to gather the experience and understanding from your life and apply them to the challenges in your path. It is a day to go fearlessly, but wisely, into your challenges and transform yourself towards your higher state.

Nawal Kame

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves.

They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river, then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

The Number 12

The number 12 is the penultimate number. In some ways it can be seen as the last Earthly number, the number 13 representing the spirit world. We travelled through the mortal world with 1 through 6, then the other world with 7 through 12. In this way 12 can be seen as a point of bringing all of the experiences into one bundle for presentation to the spirit world as we step into 13. As such, the number 12 brings a wealth of experience into one place, it is rather like writing an autobiography. It is totality, all that is, brought together.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

5 Kame (17th July 2024)

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5 KameThis could be an excellent day to engage with, or carry on, the work of the ancestors. The nawal of transformation blends with the number of work. This can give a good impression of the sort of things today may hold in store.

Kame days can be days on which we face challenges, with an opportunity to overcome them and grow. These may be the things that we fear the most, the things that really frighten us. Kame brings us the strength to overcome our greatest fears should we choose to.  However, for this to happen, they have to present themselves to us. When they do, we are faced with a decision – do we tackle the issue or turn away from it? If we turn away, we just stay where we are, waiting for the next opportunity to grow. After all, the number 5 bringing the energy of hard work may mean that the next occurrence of Kame may be a more conducive day for it.

However, hard work does bring benefits, and putting work into stepping up to your challenges should bring results. The energy of the number 5 is also connected to rushing into things. This is possibly because in the Maya cross configuration for the number 5, we see 13 in the future, drawing it strongly forward. It gives an energy that is so focused on the future that it doesn’t always see what is around it. In the case of today it may lead you into your challenges not quite fully prepared. Take a breath rather than rushing headlong into things. Some changes are more beneficial when they are clearly thought through.

Nawal Kame

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves.

They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river. They then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

The Number Five

The Sacred Mayan calendar is said to be a calendar of human life. It can be seen as a microcosm of the human body. The number five is one of these parts. It is representative of the hand with its five digits. It is with our hands that we work, and with what we earn we pay our debts. Five is also a number that relates to the sacred fire where we pay our debts with offerings and prayers. Five might be so busy working that it fails to remember what it is working for. It can also signify that what it is attached to becomes work, or is “hard work”.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

11 Kame (27th June 2024)

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11 KameThis could be a day of powerful spiritual transformations which may come through confronting great challenges. They may seem unrelated, but the eventual outcome may become clear after time.

The highly unpredictable energy of the number 11 combines with the nawal Kame today to throw some challenges into life. There are some things which are difficult to face They may be lifelong challenges, phobias or frights. These are things which follow us through life, confronting us from time to time, to give us the opportunity to clear them from our lives. In doing so, we move into a higher aspect of ourselves as we let the old fear die and fall away.

Today these challenges may come from many directions, and they may come in quickly and with force. The ability to adapt and respond to these situations as they arrive can be gleaned from the nawal Kame. It brings us the bravery to undergo these challenges and grow from them. Today is the day to “feel the fear and do it anyway”, although you might find more than the usual number of challenges coming your way. It might feel like the moment you have dealt with one challenge another pops up to take its place.

Of course, the day of Kame is also strongly connected with the ancestors. It is to the ancestors we can look to help us to overcome our fears. The energy of the number 11 suggests that the path for this might not be logical or obvious. Moreso that it is a day to rely on our intuition. It may take us into some areas we would not normally consider, but it might be there that we find our strength.

Nawal Kame

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves.

They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river. They then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

The Number 11

The number 11 is a high and odd number. This gives it some rather challenging properties, although it can come good in the end. Imagine you visit Ireland and are transfixed by the green of the hills. Then you go to Morocco and are awed by the red of the buildings. Then you go to the Caribbean and are moved by the turquoise sea. You return home and paint a beautiful picture using those colours. When you were in Ireland you didn’t know you were going to paint that masterpiece. You may not have even known why you were there.  This is how 11 works. You are sure you need to be doing something, but unsure why. You are collecting experience through many wanderings.

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

4 Kame (7th June 2024)

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4 KameAfter the possibly turbulent energy of the previous two days, the day 4 Kame brings an opportunity to use the experiences you have been through to fuel a physical transformation.

The power of the transformations afforded by the nawal Kame comes through facing up to experiences that often would rather be avoided. We learn through all experiences. However, the most important turning points often come about as a result of confronting the most “unpleasant” situations. These are the ones which can cause great fear or fright. But they are the ones which polish the soul when we choose to face them. This energy brings us the strength to do this by understanding the value they bring to our journey. In addition to increasing our wisdom and understanding of life, they may also lead to the inspiration of great art. Artistic talent is highly connected with the nawal Kame, and perhaps these transformative experiences are the reason why.

The energy of the number 4 brings these transformations into the physical and material realm. This can be seen as strong physical challenges to face, what we might euphemistically call learning experiences. It is only possible to learn how to come back to balance by being knocked off balance in first. It may also be a day in which our true physical challenges arise. Eventually we must meet and overcome our demons and today this challenge may be very much in the earthly plane. Thankfully we can call on our ancestors for assitance.

However, with the stability afforded by the energy of the number 4, the end result looks rather positive. Spiritual transformation may seem like an impractical ideal, but the energy of the 4 helps to bring this ideal into practical, everyday use.

Nawal Kame

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves.

They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river. They then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

The Number Four

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

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Kame (18th May 2024)

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10 KameThe nawal Kame represents transformation, particularly spiritual transformation, and today it is coupled with the number representing community. This could give a day of profound changes in society.

The energy of Kame assists transformation from one state of being to another. If these changes are embraced they can be moved through at a determined rate. However, one way or another they will happen. If they are constantly resisted, they may become enforced changes. They become transformations which happen suddenly and at a rate we have no control over. The end result may be the same, but the process may seem harsher.

The number 10 is seen as representing community and the laws of society. Today could be a day of profound, possibly spiritual, change within society in general. This could also represent the support of your community to help you through your own transformation and growth. It is representative of our ability to work together to assist each other through our changes, whether they are enforced or voluntary.

Nawal Kame

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves.

They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river. They then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

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

3 Kame (28th April 2024)

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3 KameProfound changes may be happening all around you, but the only way to truly embrace them is to allow he change to happen within you. This is a day to face your inner fears.

That is not to say that it will be all sweetness and light. The number 3 can bring challenges, at least where the external world is concerned. Some transformations may be very difficult to go through. Even when you summon all the courage you have, you may still fear the consequences of defeat. Trying to avoid the inevitable does nothing but prolong the process. This in itself can bring more difficulties and raise the bar even higher.

As we progress through the K’at trecena, the new planting has been energised by 2 Kan, the infusion energies of the masculine and feminine causing mitosis, and now on 3 Kame an internal transformation of spiritual significance occurs.

This is a day to listen within for the whispers of your ancestors to guide you through the challenges to your transformation. Do not allow fear or grief to hold you back. This could be seen as a day of creation through overcoming that which causes fright.

Nawal Kame

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves.

They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river. They then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

The Number Three

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

The Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula 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 lacks stability and can represent challenges and obstructions. The number three brings up internal/external dilemmas. The lack of stability in the physical, external world that it brings suggests that the more appropriate action is to look to the internal world, both of the home and yourself.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

9 Kame (8th April 2024) – Solar Eclipse

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9 KameToday can be seen as a day when the essences of both life and death are present. It could show us death and rebirth in the same moment.

We have a choice about the way we confront challenges. The energy of the day would suggest that compassion and acceptance will give the required result. An important transformation may occur through the integration of the feminine aspect.

Often in life, we like to preserve the status quo. We have crafted our life in a certain way and that gives us security. However, life is never still, and even in death, there is movement and transformation. To grow in all ways, we need change in our lives. New experiences and challenges are what help us to mature and develop, they help our souls to ripen. The energy of Kame brings us those opportunities to face our fears and develop through the process of overcoming them.

We see in this day with the nawal of death combined with the number of life. They are both part of the whole. Equal and opposite forces, combining as one and showing us the way of nature. They are the ebb and flow of the life force energy. Through our observation and experience of this, we are able to connect with the wisdom of our ancestors. It is said that by speaking the names of our ancestors we keep them alive. Perhaps today could be seen very much as breathing life into them. If you need to tap into their discernment and courage, today might be a good day to call on them.

Today also highlights life and the feminine aspect in particular. The women in our lives may help us transform towards a higher aspect of ourselves.

Solar Eclipse

The maximum point of eclipse will occur at 18.17 UTC. Eclipses were very significant to the Maya. The picture below is from the eclipse tables of the Dresden codex, where calculations show when eclipses (both lunar and solar) will take place. In general, most references to eclipses, either lunar or solar, tend to be rather negative in nature. They are seen as a war in the heavens. There is some evidence that wars between different classic era city states occurred directly after solar eclipses.

During solar eclipses, the moon is so angry with the sun that she bites him. It is also seen as  either an ant or a jaguar who is said to have bitten the eclipsed celestial object. This can be particularly apparent with partial eclipses, the bite mark on the sun being very much how leaf-cutter ants make circular holes on leaves. The people sometimes make  agreat deal of noise (usually by banging on pots and pans) to drive away the animals attacking the sun or moon.

Of course, the covering of the face of the sun, darkness occurring in the middle of the day is a hugely dramatic experience both then and now. The cutting off of the energy source for our planet would have very serious consequences if it went on for longer.

Today on the day 9 Kame, this might be very apparent. This is a day on which the properties of both life and death are both present. We see the life which comes from the energy of the sun. We experience how the world turns, how the chill comes in when the sun’s energy is cut off. It makes us realise how little it takes to change from life to death. It can be certainly seen as a day to celebrate life.

Nawal Kame

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves.

They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river. They then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

The Number Nine

The number nine is the number of lunations in the human gestation period and in the sacred calendar. The sacred calendar is known as a calendar of life, and it is women that give life. As such the number nine is seen as the number of life and the number of the divine feminine. It gives all that it is attached to a strong feminine presence. It is a day on which women may wish to give thanks for their gifts.

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

3 Kej (20th March 2024) – Equinox 03:06 UTC

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3 KejToday is a day to connect with your inner wilderness, your inner nature, to find your strength and determination there. The power of today lies in the internal process, within the home, both of your body and soul.

There are two leadership nawales, one is Aj and the other is Kej. I tend to see Aj as the “mayor” in his role as the head of the community making sure the community flourishes. Kej, on the other hand, functions more as the “priest,” attending to the spiritual needs of its community. Both have their strengths, although Aj is more passive than Kej. Aj is a representative of the home and Kej the wilderness. Both are equally important opposites to create balance within society.

The strength and determination of Kej can give rise to situations where Kej may try to use force to make things happen. Even if the door is marked pull, Kej will keep pushing if it believes that is the way it should happen. This is an example of where determination might get you nowhere today. It is important to look around and read the signs before applying the action in the physical.

The number three brings up internal/external dilemmas. The lack of stability in the physical, external world that it brings suggests that the more appropriate action is to look to the internal world, both of the home and yourself. It is a day to bring that essence into your home, through connection with the spiritual leader, the teacher, inside of you.

Equinox 

Additionally, today is the day of the equinox, a day of equal light and darkness. We are moving out of one cycle and into the next within the Earth’s cycle. This gives an extra sense of equilibrium. This is the time of the year that changes are happening the most rapidly. In the Northern hemisphere, the dead world is coming back to life rapidly as the days lengthen with the greatest rate of change. In the Southern hemisphere the reverse is true, yet the rate of change is just as great. Of course the counting of time relies very heavily on the movement of the sun. This can be both through the sky and along the horizon.

This could bring even greater meaning to a sense of retreating to your inner wilderness. Today, as the dark and light are balanced, could be a good time for reflection. A day to truly engage with the cycles of nature and draw them into yourself.

The Nawal Kej

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

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

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

The Number Three

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

The Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula 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 lacks stability and can represent challenges and obstructions. The number three brings up internal/external dilemmas. The lack of stability in the physical, external world that it brings suggests that the more appropriate action is to look to the internal world, both of the home and yourself.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 Kame (19th March 2024)

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2 KameToday’s energy may bring an evaluation of choices, a decision on facing a fear. As we are moving in the Kan trecena, embracing the change may result in the growth of both wisdom and power.

The combination of the nawal of death and the number which represents self-sacrifice sounds rather ominous. However, today could give rise to a fortuitous breakthrough.

The nawal Kame may mean death, but it pertains to the changes we go through in our mortal bodies. Those transformations bring out our better selves. It relates to the moments when we go through an experience that helps us evolve. Sometimes this can be very strong. For example, a near-death experience makes us re-evaluate our place in the world and how we conduct ourselves.

It could be that a choice today is an opportunity to advance on your life path. This may seem like something as fearsome as death, a great challenge to overcome. It is your choice as to whether to accept the challenge or not. This is also a day to recognise the self-sacrifice made by our ancestors, and the wisdom which has come to us as a result.

This choice my seem rather binary in its nature. There is no maybe today, it is yes or no. Do it or do not. Will you face the challenge or avoid it (again?) This could be a very important day to grasp the nettle.

Nawal Kame

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves.

They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river. They then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

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.