Tag Archives: Kame

12 Kame (20th November 2023)

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.

5 Kame (31st October 2023)

5 KameThe nawal of transformation blends with the number of work, which can give a good impression of the sort of things today may hold in store. Just remember that some changes are more beneficial when they are clearly thought through.

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, and in order to do this, 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 for the time being, 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.

Another interpretation may arise through the nawal Kame representing the ancestors. This could be an excellent day to engage with, or carry on, the work once undertaken by your ancestors.

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 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”.

Today is a day to work on your development, your transformation towards your better self. It is a day where you may be faced with decisions where you need to ask yourself “how would the person I would like to be handle this?” It is not necessarily a day when this choice will be easy, but your hard work will gain it’s rewards. It is also a day to thank your ancestors for the work they have put into your development.

11 Kame (11th October 2023)

11 KameThis could turn out to be a day of powerful spiritual transformations which may come through confronting great challenges. They may seem unrelated, but the eventual outcome may come 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.


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 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.

4 Kame (21st September 2023)

4 KameAfter the possibly turbulent energy of the previous two days, the day 4 Kame brings an opportunity to bring the transformations you have been through into a physical reality.

The power of the transformations afforded by the nawal Kame cannot be denied. These come about through facing up to experiences that often would rather be avoided, the moments we would rather dodge in life. We learn through all experiences, but often the most important turning points come about as a result of the most “unpleasant” situations we have to face. 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 works of art, writing or poetry. 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 the first place. However, with the stability afforded by the energy of the number 4, the end result looks rather positive. Spiritual transformation may seem like a rather high minded ideal, but the energy of the 4 helps to bring this ideal into practical, everyday use.


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 shamanic 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 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.

10 Kame (1st September 2023)

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, 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.

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 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.

3 Kame (12th August 2023) – Solar Zenith

3 KameProfound changes may be happening all around you, but the only way to truly embrace them is to allow for the change to happen within you. This is a day to allow the old self to leave peacefully and welcome the new.

That is not to say that it will be all sweetness and light. The number 3 is the number of challenges, at least where the external world is concerned and some of these 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, and the changes it may bring. Trying to avoid the inevitable does nothing but prolong the process, which 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.

Solar Zenith

Here in Guatemala, at 15 degrees north of the equator, we experience this phenomenon two time per year. The Solar Zenith is when the Sun crosses the hypothetical North – South line (the Meridian) at 90 degrees. If you live outside of the tropics, you will be accustomed to the Sun being at its greatest height in the sky on the solstice (whether that’s in June in the Northern hemisphere or December in the Southern Hemisphere.) Here at 15 degrees North, we can add the Zenith into the mix. Between August 11th – 13th and April 29th – May 1st, the Sun will be directly overhead at solar noon, and we will experience what seems to be no shadow! Why is this so interesting? Well, between 13th August and 30th April is 260 days, and  between 30th April and 13th August is 105 days.  Some people have theorised the the sacred calendar may have been developed at this latitude due to this phenomenon.

Many Maya sites have structures that mark the zenith transit, often zenith tubes. One possible reason that the zenith transit was so important was because of the planting of maize. Here in Guatemala, the rain becomes sporadic by the beginning of November and by mid November, we are often fully into dry season. The corn takes 105 days to grow, mature and harvest, and 105 days from 13th August would be around the 26th November. Therefore, it would make a lot of sense to plant the last crop of corn before the second solar zenith transit. Maybe this is why it was deemed so important.

Death God

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.

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

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

The number 3 is still in the low end of the range of numbers. It does not have much energy yet, and it is also an odd number. It can represent the home, relating to the three hearthstones laid by the creators, and this is probably a good focus for a 3 day. However, it is possibly the most troublesome of the numbers to deal with, it lacks stability and represents challenges and obstructions. The number three brings up internal/external dilemma. The lack of stability in the physical, external world that it brings suggests that the more appropriate action is to look to the internal world, both of the home and of yourself.

 

9 Kame (23rd July 2023)

9 KameToday brings a very auspicious combination as Kame, the nawal of spiritual change combines with the number of life. Today is a day where overcoming a life challenge may lead to a profound transformation.

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, transformation. We were not born to experience lack of change. In order to grow in all ways, we need change in our lives. New experiences and challenges, even if they scare us when we think about them, 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 gain a great deal of self development 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, and 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, during this trecena of Tijax, to overcome something which is causing a fright, today might be a good day to call on them.

Today Kame is combined with the number 9 which highlights life and the feminine aspect in particular. This gives an idea that women in our lives may help us transform towards a higher aspect of ourselves. We have a choice with regards to the way we confront challenges and the energy of the day would suggest that compassion and acceptance, the more feminine qualities, will give the required result. An important transformation may occur through integration of the divine feminine aspect.


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 nine is very special indeed. It 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 and is a day on which women may wish to give thanks for their gifts.

2 Kame (3rd July 2023)

2 KameThe combination of the nawal of death and the number which represents self sacrifice sounds rather ominous, but today could actually 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, that bring out our better self. It relates to the moments where we go through an experience that takes us to the next level. Sometimes this can be very strong, an event where we have a near death experience for example makes us re-evaluate our place in the world and how we conduct ourselves. This is an extreme, but obviously it is not always like this.

The number 2 represents duality and can be indecisive. This could represent that an opportunity to go through a great change, one that advances you on your life path, is in front of you. It 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. The energy of 2 Kame may bring a day for evaluating a choice, possibly a decision on whether or not to face something you fear. As we are moving in the Kan trecena, it would suggest that the outcome of embracing the change would be growth in both wisdom and power. 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.

With the number 2 also representing relationships, today can be seen as a day on which you may experience a profound change, something which feels like it reaches you at a soul level, as a result of an interaction with a partner. This can be an understanding of the self sacrifice that someone will make on your behalf, or the sacrifice of your time and energy that you make on behalf of someone dear to you. Either of these may give rise to you moving towards a higher expression of yourself, engaging with your inner hero.


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

8 Kame (13th June 2023)

8 KameThe number 8 can be seen to represent birth (1) and death (7) brought together. Combined here with Kame, the nawal of transformation, this day strongly represents the turning of the wheel of life and the growth it creates.

As the days go, there can hardly be a more representative energy of the cycle of life and possibly the cycle of the soul. Today is a day that ceremonies will be made to honour our ancestors, those who are walking their path in the other world. It is said that after death, the souls pass into the underworld where they pass through the houses of challenges. Upon completion of the challenges, they then climb the world tree to the heavens, from where they again incarnate. Today we remember our ancestors, their love and what they brought to us. We are here because of them, we carry their DNA forwards. They taught us things both through their actions and their words. It is for all of these things that we thank our ancestors, we show our love, we show that they are remembered. We hold them in our hearts, and in our memories they live on. This is a day to embrace joy and allow Kame to burn away our grief.

When we see Kame in combination with the 8, this really brings home the wholeness of the cycle of life. It is not just the physical death of the body, every change we go through is a death or end of something. Even birth is the end of a cycle of gestation, the beginning of parenthood, the beginning of a new life. This is a day to celebrate those changes. It is a day when we embrace the changes which happen through the emergence of the new (1) and the death of the old (7) all together in one place. In this Kawok trecena, as we go through our own rebirth process, today is the changing point where we become that which our process has brought us to, we step through the veil into our new self.

The day 8 Kame is also seen as the perfect day to get married. When a couple are married, their lineages become entwined, woven together. This is obvious as their offspring will carry the DNA of both bloodlines. However, it is also seen as having an effect of bringing together the ancestors. The wishes of the ancestors are considered in a great many things and a marriage on a day which honours them is thought to be highly beneficial. The reason why the 8 Kame is particularly seen as beneficial is that not only is it a day on which the ancestors are honoured, it is a day which takes into consideration the four first couples  – Balam Kitze and Kaja Paluna; Balam Aq’ab and Chomija; Majujkutaj and Tz’unun Ya; Balam Ikim and Kakixaja. According to the creation stories, they are the ancestors of us all, the guardians of each of the cardinal points. They bless the union of the couple with the masculine and feminine aspects of the properties of each of the directions – strength, wisdom, spirit and abundance.

Materials for a wedding ceremony. A corn cob each of red, white, black and yellow, together with a bowl of water for each direction, bring a physical representation of the properties of the four first couples to the bride and groom. Photo by Hana Wolf

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 8 is considered to be a number of wholeness. It can be seen as birth (1) and death (7) combined to represent the whole cycle of the soul. It can also be seen as the point where the four first men who raised the sky from the sea were joined by their wives and the world become whole. It is the most common day for ceremonies to be made, it is still in the balanced range of numbers and is an even number, which is also considered fortunate. As this wholeness represents every aspect of the energy of the day with which it is coupled, it is the wholeness of the nawal that is addressed in ceremony.

New Video – The Trecena of Kame (24th May – 6th June 2023)

The Trecena of Kame brings us opportunities to face our fears and evolve our souls.

My 2023 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 now beginning to run low, but you may be able to still find a copy locally here in Guatemala, in Lava Love Cacao in San Marcos. See this link for details on how to get your pdf https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=9580 If you are the more technically minded I have created a plugin for Google calendar which will enable you to track the days of the sacred calendar on your smartphone. I am currently updating it so that it will also give a summary of the energy of the day. In this way you can ensure that your activities are aligned to the most conducive energies! It is available for purchase here.

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

Popol Jay is an ancient name to define the House of the Council of Elders, among the Maya of Guatemala. These were places of wisdom where sacred knowledge about medicine, the calendars, music, spiritual practice and more was kept and passed to future generations. All were burnt down during the Conquest and subsequent Colonization periods. Today, the Q’eqchi’ Maya Council of Elders Releb’aal Saq’e has joined forces with many supporters to rebuild the Popol Jay of the North, in the lowlands of the Petén region, heart of the Maya culture of the Classic Period. The Elders have worked hard to acquire land and co-design this Center of Knowledge to share ancient wisdom with the World. To donate to the Elders of Peten to fund the Popol Jay, please use this link https://tinyurl.com/8s7vkvr