Tag Archives: Mayan Astrology

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

5 Kan (2nd February 2021)

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5 KanThe day 5 Kan may see an opportunity to gain wisdom, but this may not come without some hard work. It may take some use of power, or the challenges that come from it, to bring out the true wisdom.

As we continue to move through the trecena of Imox, we now see the first sign of sentient life. Kan, representing the lightning in the blood, the life force energy, appears and brings this life force to the new embryo. This can be thought of as a spark of life being received by the vessel, the cluster of cells. This is not to say that it was not part of life before, but now that it has implanted in the womb, it is fully ready to be empowered. This process happens time and time again throughout our lives, empowering us, enlivening us and ultimately bringing us wisdom.

Today, the combination with the energy of the number 5 suggests that the ability to capture that spark of life may require a little work. Perhaps this work can be thought of as the effort put into spinning a dynamo, charging the capacitor to create the spark which in turn empowers us and those around us. The energy of the number 5 often focuses our attention on those around us more than ourselves, which when it comes to the energy of Kan may actually be rather a blessing. This could be seen as using your power for the good of all around you, one of the ultimate benevolent faces of Kan. However, despite the power to do so, it may be important to remember to keep some of this life force energy for yourself. Perhaps, setting the boundaries on how much of your energy you can safely give away to others is part of the wisdom brought by the energy of this day. Allow the energy to flow through you, rather than from you, by connecting to the Heart of the Sky, Junrakan, at the beginning of the day.

The other aspect of the number five represents blockages, and that what it is attached to becomes hard work. It may represent some challenge to your energy today, a power struggle where you lose sight of your wisdom. This may lead to you possibly being manipulated or seduced. If a challenge to your power arises, remain calm and avoid excessive use of force. Overt displays of power rarely achieve the desired effect and often demonstrate a lack of wisdom. Remember that the ultimate example of this nawal is that of the wise protector.

An ancestor brings wisdom through the vision serpent. Feathered Serpent Diety, detail of Classic Maya lintel at Yaxchilan, from ''A Study of Maya Art'' by Herbert Spinden, 1913 {{PD-US}}
An ancestor brings wisdom through the vision serpent. Feathered Serpent Diety, detail of Classic Maya lintel at Yaxchilan, from ”A Study of Maya Art” by Herbert Spinden, 1913 {{PD-US}}

Kan is one of the more powerful nawales and it represents just that – power. It is connected to serpents, and serpent symbology is very strong in Maya mythology. In the past, lightning was referred to as sky serpents, and what is seen in the outer world is reflected by the inner world. The power of Kan comes from something which is referred to as itz or coyopa, the lightning in the blood. This is the power which may also be known as Ki, Chi, Prana, kundalini or “the force”. It is life force energy. Kundalini is a sanskrit word actually meaning coiled, like a snake. When working with any of these energies, training must be undertaken in order to understand how to use them. In its most positive aspect, the energy of Kan brings great wisdom; in its negative aspect, great destruction. A lack of understanding or control of this power can lead to undesirable consequences. The dark side of Kan can seduce with its power, and a very sexy power it is too, holding its prey in an almost hypnotic grip with its allure. It can become the ultimate ego trap.

However, it is also said that the feathered serpent Q’uq’umatz (also known as Kulkulkan or Quetzalcoatl) brought wisdom, through the sciences of astronomy and agriculture, to the ancient Maya. Here we see the positive aspect of Kan, where the ability to work with the body lightning brings great wisdom. People born on a Kan day can become some of the greatest healers or psychics, or they can become the darkest sorcerers and manipulators.

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

4 K’at (1st February 2021)

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4 K'atThe grounded, physical stability of the number four combines with the nawal K’at to gather together your physical abundance today. It is a day of collection, but also a day to release physical burdens and attachments.

One meaning which is occasionally attributed to K’at is that of the planting of the seed. It is possibly the planting aspect that differentiates the energy of K’at from the ripening seed energy of Q’anil, although there seems to be quite an overlap between them. Here, in association with the physical energy of the number 4 highly signifying the earthly plane, we could see another good planting day. Once the crops are planted, they will then need tending, which is perhaps the burden that is implied. However, there can be no multiplication of the seed, no harvest and no abundance, without this physical preparation and attachment. If we see Aq’ab’al as the conception point, perhaps we can see K’at as the point of implantation of the blastocyst into the uterine wall, the beginning of the development of a new life, the physical planting of a new human being.

After the possible confusion and disruption of the past couple of days, today things start to settle down again. In fact things may come together very well today. The dreams, potential and energy start to be held together by a binding force, that of the nawal K’at. The brief images and ideas that may have appeared to you are gathered together within the net, and what is more, they are grounded into this reality by the association with the number 4. Yesterday I suggested waiting for a more conducive day if you wish to start a project. Today is the day when the jumbled pieces you were looking at start to fit together to form a coherent picture. Now that you have things straight, you can proceed.

In the Mayan Cross form of astrology, the day 4 K’at transitions to the day 12 E’. E’ is seen as the path of life, the journey of discovery, and the 12 represents all of life’s experiences. If we take this from an almost literal standpoint, 4 K’at is the day that we make our preparations and pack our bags for the journey. These preparations are what sustain our journey, and in this way the day 4 K’at provides a stable foundation. Just make sure that your attachment to this solid foundation does not hold you back from setting out on your journey.

Blood Moon, mother of the Hero Twins being sent away from Xibalba after becoming pregnant. She goes to see Ixmucane, Mother of Jun Junajpu and Wucub Junajpu and is set a challenge to fill a net with corn. which she achieves and is taken in as family. She is seen here holding the K'at glyph in her hands. From The Dresden Codex.
Blood Moon, mother of the Hero Twins being sent away from Xibalba after becoming pregnant. She goes to see Ixmucane, Mother of Jun Junajpu and Wucub Junajpu and is set a challenge to fill a net with corn. which she achieves and is taken in as family. She is seen here holding the K’at glyph in her hands. From The Dresden Codex.

K’at signifies a net and represents gathering together or bundling. Here, in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, to this day many crops are harvested and carried in nets – oranges, lemons, avocados to name but a few. Through this we see one of the positive meanings of this nawal, that of abundance and harvest. K’at is a great day to draw things together, whether this means gathering in your crops, collecting ideas and opinions for your projects, or inviting people to a social event. It is a day of prosperity and the bounty which comes from the Earth, a day of gardeners, but also of merchants.

However, K’at also has its more challenging side. An abundant crop will fill the net, but it will also slow you down. K’at is also the nawal of prisons and burdens, as the net which gathers, can also ensnare us. When candles are purchased for the fire ceremonies, they come in bundles held together by little strings. When the nawal K’at is addressed during the fire ceremony, these strings are put in to the fire,  with offerings, to ask K’at to help us release ourselves from our burdens, from the ties which bind us.  These ties can also be seen as excessive attachment to material things.

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

3 Aq’ab’al (31st January 2021)

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

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

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

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

In the  K’iche language, the word aq’ab means night. The suffix -al changes the meaning slightly, to hint at change and alludes to the dawning of the day, the time between darkness and light, night and day. Just as birth is the beginning of the mortal journey, Aq’ab’al is the beginning of the day, although the detail of the day may still be obscured. Aq’ab’al is representative of new things, things which are not yet fully formed. While in Santiago Atitlan one day, a friend explained to me the different parts of a weaving in process on a backstrap loom. Aq’ab’al is the warp (the vertical threads), B’atz is the weft (the horizontal threads) which creates the whole cloth, and the newly woven cloth is Kawok. In order for the weaver to create, first she has an idea in her head or a dream. She sets out the dream on her loom by setting up the warp. Thus, the design has passed from being just an idea, to the beginnings of a woven reality, although it still requires creative input before it becomes whole. Aq’ab’al can also represent conception, the fertilised egg is far from ready to be born, but has passed from the dream or spirit world into the physical.

Aq’ab’al days are great days for the start of new things, particularly new relationships – Aq’ab’al has a strong affinity with marriage. It is also a perfect day for starting new projects, or at least bringing them into the world of light from the world of dreams and ideas.

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

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

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 Iq’ (30th January 2021)

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2 Iq'The day 2 Iq’ could give rise to some unexpectedly powerful communication. As the number 2 is connected with duality and Iq’ is an unpredictable nawal, this has both light and dark potentials.

In its lightest aspect, Iq’ can represent the breath of life itself, the divine inspiration which flows through you, creating beautiful words. It may represent the charming words with which you empower your lover, another interpretation of the number 2. It could represent the words of strength that come at the right moment to inspire selfless acts of kindness amongst those around you.

The other side of Iq’ can be dark and vengeful, destroying and cutting down those in its path with barbed words. Whilst the number 2 is relatively gentle, and may take the sting out of some of these words, it is still possible that unintentional damage may be caused.

This could be seen as a day of diplomacy, where the energy of the number 2 combined with the nawal Iq’ brings the words to bridge the differences between opposing views.

Today it may be especially necessary to take a breath, step back from the situation and think before you speak. Are your words encouraging, do they inspire or do they cut? You have the power of both aspects in your voice today. How will you choose to use it?

The Wind God, depicted in the Dresden Codex
The Wind God, depicted in the Dresden Codex

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, but 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.

Iq’ is the fourth of the classic Year Bearers, or Year Lords. It gives rise to unpredictable, strong years.

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

1 Imox (29th January 2021)

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1 ImoxToday we begin a new a new trecena, and some would say a whole new cycle of the calendar. This is a point of novelty, which could almost be called the “dream seed”, a new inspiration to develop over the coming 260 days.

For me, the day 1 Imox has the words “in the beginning” very firmly attached to it. It is the moment before the first sound, before the first movement, a fleeting idea, glimpses of a dream. Whilst the “beginning” of the sacred calendar is often debated, I feel the best analogy is that of an analogue clock. As we look at it we see a circle of numbers. Depending on how we look at it we can see our day beginning at midnight, at sunrise or at the time when we start our work. Each viewpoint is as valid as the others, and has a reason for being so. Barbara Tedlock assigns 1 Aq’ab’al as the first day in “Time and the Highland Maya” , whilst many Aj Q’ijab here assign 1 or 8 B’atz as the first day. The idea of Imox being the first day is supported in ancient architecture, but far less common now. In reality, the circle has no beginning or end.

Imox is pure potential, limitless and directionless. Likewise, the number 1 also represents potential. Today is a day to dream, and dream big. It may be confusing, the initial images might not make sense to begin with, as so often with dreams. It might be best not to attempt to fit them together just yet, just allow the ideas to come and grasp their energy for use later on. It is a day where you may be delving deep into the collective consciousness, to see what dreams are possible. It is the seed hidden deep in the dark moistness, with the ability to become whatever you wish it to. It is yours to grow, yours to guide, but today a little encouragement from others, to start to grow this dream seed , may prove very helpful. They may also help you to pull yourself out of the depths and come up for air once in a while.

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.

As the water lily, Imox is probably a representative of  Nymphaea ampla, the white water lily. It has been suggested that the white water lily was smoked by the ancient Maya in a similar way to the blue lotus was used by the Egyptians. It was a plant which allowed access to the otherworld, a plant from which visions came if used correctly.

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. When faced with the entirety of creation, the line between sanity and madness may become blurred.

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

The number 1 is representative of the seed, of unity. It represents birth and beginnings. It is a low and odd number, which usually represents something challenging. However, the seed can grow into a mighty tree, it is full of potential. It just needs the correct nutrients and conditions to germinate and develop, just as sometimes we need encouragement to develop our ideas.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

13 Ajpu (28th January 2021)

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13 AjpuThe day 13 Ajpu is a very special day. It is the flower finally opening, the creation of the divine manifesting into the physical world, direct from the spirit world.

This can be seen as what we have been waiting for appearing, nine months of gestation leading to this day. It is the rebirth of the Maize Lord, the resurrection and ascension to the spirit world all in one. It can be seen as the ascension point to the next level or the point where the holiness of the spirit world is revealed on Earth. Personally, it is a day when we see ourselves and the true selves of those around us, a day which allows us to resonate with who we truly are. We may judge those around us based on our values, but what we may see in them today is the truth of who they are.

It may be a day when the feeling of divinity in the world is intoxicating, when you notice the extraordinary around you. It is essential, then, to stay well grounded. Ajpu has a penchant for spiritual intrigue. It draws people towards the overly mystical, they become lost in its charms, bewitched by its words, and with the otherworld power of the 13 attached, this may result in an intense experience.

Make your art today, bring the essence of the divine into the physical world.  If you look for inspiration in the natural world, the spirit world will guide you to create exceptional beauty.

The flower ripens to open on 13 Ajpu
The flower ripens to open on 13 Ajpu

Nawal Ajpu is once again a nawal with a multitude of meanings and translations. In the Yucatec language it is known as Ahau, in Kiche is is also known as Junajpu. These are in turn variously translated into English as lord, hunter, blow gunner, flower and sun. Each one of the translations has it’s merits, and represents an aspect of this auspicious nawal.

Within the ancient Mayan society, the royals were not just political leaders of their particular city-states, they were priest-kings and priest-queens. They served as the conduit to the divine, deriving their wisdom for guiding their people through their connection with the Heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Sky. This wisdom enriched both the ruling dynasty and their people, as they would be working in harmony with the gods. Thus the ruler of the city was also the physical embodiment of the divine, and it is to this that Ajpu is so closely related. Likewise it represents our potential, the state of divinity to which we may aspire.

Ajpu represents the holiness in life, the divinity in the physical world, and our search for it. It is that moment when you look closely at a flower to see the beautiful detail, the moment when you see the magnificence of the landscape you live within, the beauty in your child’s eyes or in the face of your partner. It is the random act of kindness that restores our faith in humanity. It is the search for the underlying meaning in all situations, understanding that each person is a part of the whole. Whether we like it or not, and however we judge it, we are all a part of creation. Our every action, and every action of others gives us the opportunity to explore ourselves and our reaction, whether we are attracted or repelled by the action of others. However, sometimes Ajpu can lead us to become immersed in the other world, to lose sight of reality, it is important to remember to stay in touch with the Heart of the Earth as we reach to the Heart of the Sky.

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 Kawok (27th January 2021)

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12 KawokThe day 12 Kawok may again prove to be a rather intense day. Whilst Kawok can represent the midwife, it can also represent the birth process. This birth process can be easy, if we allow it to be, or painful if we resist.

I have an image of the nawal Kawok as a wise and loving, but firm, midwife. She has seen many new children brought into this world and knows what she is talking about. She is here to assist with the birth process. At this point there is no going back, there is only one way and that is to move past the pain to allow the new life to emerge. She is here to comfort and encourage, and occasionally to push you forwards when the process feels too hard. The flow that she brings cannot be stopped, if resistance is encountered the storm intensifies until her waters wash away the obstruction. It is, therefore, better to heed her advice, grit your teeth, and move through the process before the full power of the storm is unleashed.

This is the penultimate day of the trecena of ripening, and some would say the penultimate day of a cycle of 260 days. Tomorrow, 13 Ajpu, can be seen as the rebirth of the Sun from the spirit world, a day that the final ripening has been preparing us for. It is today, 12 Kawok, that assists this day to come forward. As it is such an important day that is being birthed, it is one of the most experienced of midwives which is called upon. Here the analogy is that of bringing together all of your life experience in order to birth into being your own true ripeness.

This birth process is about bringing the new into the world, including a “new you.” It can be seen as a re-birthing process, and this time around it is hugely powerful. The number 12, carrying all of the energy of your life experience, combined with Kawok, gives the opportunity to finally wash away “stubborn stains” from the past, should you allow the process to happen. You have the power to confront and overcome that which stands between you and your new life today. The energy of the day is conducive to clear the obstructions and allow your blossoming, your new growth to occur.

Ixchel empties the water jar, washing away the old world in order to bring in the new. From the Dresden Codex
Ixchel empties the water jar, washing away the old world in order to bring in the new. From the Dresden Codex

Nawal Kawok is in some ways a counterpart to the nawal Tijax. Where Tijax has masculine aspects of healing, Kawok has the feminine aspect. Kawok is sometimes referred to as rain or storm. It is this rain that washes away that which has been cut out by Tijax.

While most healing roles do not seem to be gender specific, one is. Both women and men may be healers, prayer makers, herbalists and diviners, only women will become midwives. Kawok is the energy of the midwife. Kawok helps to clear the obstructions from the birth process, in some ways it actually represents the birth process. Kawok brings the new into the world. In the Mayan cross, Kawok, the birth process finishes the sequence which starts with Aq’ab’al (conception) and moves through B’atz (gestation.) In the sequence of the calendar, Kawok precedes Ajpu. Ajpu represents the resurrection of the maize lord, also the creation of the world. Kawok creates the conditions for that to happen, the rain which brings forth the sprouting of the maize.

In its storm aspect, Kawok can be destructive, although it is a destruction which allows a new creation to happen. Kawok energy can give rise to some tempestuous situations, it can be a day which can give people a rough ride, although this may be for the eventual good. It is a day to ask for the gentle rain to bless your crops, and for the harsh rain to stop. It is a day which washes away the old and outworn in life, so that the new growth, life and divinity may emerge.

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

11 Tijax (26th January 2021)

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11 TijaxWhen working with a sharp object, it is always best to have an idea about how to use it and what you plan to use it for. This is especially the case today.

Tijax is a sharp energy, which can be used to heal, create great beauty and rid the world of the mundane or unholy. However, in order to be used effectively it needs to be directed, and here we begin to understand a potential issue on this day 11 Tijax. The number 11 gives rise to an unpredictability, mainly as it is not sure where it is or where it is going. When this is factored into a combination with a nawal with the type of properties Tijax bestows, this can become a problem. In its most dramatic expression, the energy of 11 Tijax may give rise to lashing out at those around you.

Even in the healing expression of Tijax, the strength and lack of predictability of the number 11 may create unintended consequences. Tijax is tenacious and 11 can be directionless, it may lead to a situation where you don’t know why you are taking a course of action, but you will not be dissuaded from the idea. Of course, you may be correct, but the energy of Tijax can be so cutting that you may end up causing injury where it was not intended.

Today is a day to take a breath before acting, to avoid making big decisions. You might find that you unintentionally burn some important bridges if you act too rashly. Sacrificial Death God 1

The nawal Tijax is often thought of as an obsidian blade or knife. How the blade is used depends on the intention of the person wielding it. It can be wielded by a warrior or by a surgeon. These would seem like opposite ends of the spectrum, but where Tijax is concerned the aim is the same – healing.

Tijax is the nawal of the holy warrior. In the Mayan book of creation , the Popol Vuh, the first act of the hero twins was a mission given to them by the Heart of the Sky to rid the world of the false gods Seven Macaw, Zipacna and Earthquake. This is their quest, their crusade, and is represented by Tijax. They then sacrifice themselves in the underworld (Kame) and are resurrected with magical abilities (Ix). By destroying the false gods, the twins brought balance to the world, and helped mankind, they brought healing to the world. They cut out that which caused disease, exactly as a surgeon would do.

Tijax is celebrated as a day of healers, particularly what could be seen as the masculine aspect of healing. It is a day of crusading, of standing up for what is right. It has a tenacity to it, it is sometimes belligerent, it will not be stopped in its quest. It is the healer who refuses to give up on finding a cure. Tijax gives powers of discernment and refinement. Just as the surgeons scalpel cuts away disease and the warriors blade dispatches the evil, the sculptors chisel creates beauty by remodelling the base material. It is a day of alchemy, both internal and external, turning the ordinary into the divine.

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

10 No’j (25th January 2021)

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10 N'ojSome 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.

Today 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. Join minds with your friends, colleagues and neighbours to come up with unique and novel solutions to problems that may have been perplexing you for some time.

One slight drawback could be that the energy of the nawal No’j sometimes brings many ideas but not so much 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.

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N’oj). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

 

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. No’j is 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.

The number 10 is another number which demonstrates the connection between the sacred calendar and the human body. As five represents one hand, ten represents two hands coming together. This can be seen as the shaking of hands creating agreement between people. Ten is seen as a good number, a number of community and the laws of society, of people acting in harmony with each other.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

9 Ajmak (24th January 2021)

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9 AjmakThe day 9 Ajmak combines the spirit of forgiveness, pardon and redemption with the number of the divine feminine and life. This is, therefore, a day to ask for forgiveness from the women in your life where it is necessary.

On some days we work and on some days we play. Sometimes we play a little bit too much and need to make up for it. Sometimes we feel guilty about things we would not have done had we known their consequences. We can not always know the consequences of, what we often intended to be, well meaning actions. All we can do is to ask forgiveness and move on. This forgiveness includes the act of forgiving ourselves, which can be one of the hardest acts of forgiveness.

If you have been holding guilt over, or blame towards, any particular woman, today is the day to forgive and move on. After all, the energy of your lack of forgiveness is probably having a greater effect on you rather than her, holding you back from progressing. This applies not just to the women in your life, but the feminine aspect of life in general. This is the day to ask forgiveness and forgive yourself, for the times when you could have embraced more feminine qualities such as compassion and nurture. Sometimes we have forgotten the feminine nature of where we all came from, whether it is the body of our mother or of Mother Earth herself. This is often caused by imbalance within the generally male dominated society. This is a day to recognise the times when we allowed ourselves to become part of that imbalance, and ask forgiveness for them. After all, as we progress through this trecena of ripening, the trecena Q’anil, how can we reach full and abundant ripeness if we are carrying these imbalances?

It is a day to forgive yourself for the things in life you would rather leave in the past. Light a candle and allow the flame to burn away any guilt surrounding any past actions. As the candle burns and cleans your “karma”, feel the other aspect of Ajmak arriving – allow Ajmak to bring the sweetness into your life.

I’m sorry

Please forgive me

Thank you

I love you

When the creators fashioned the four first men, the Bacab’ob, they created them as equals. These four first humans had superhuman abilities, including the ability to see through space and time. As equals were not desired, the gods smoked the mirror of perception, giving us our human set of senses. When we lost the ability to see through time, we lost the ability to see the true consequences of our actions and thus we needed to start asking for forgiveness. Sometimes even well meaning actions can cause problems at a later date. Ajmak represents this ability to forgive others, the ability to forgive ourselves and the ability to accept forgiveness.

Ajmak is a sensual energy, which creates some of the reasons for its needing to be forgiven. It is kind and very lovable, but irresponsible. It can be a very talented energy, with great ideas. However it can also be very easily distracted, especially by anything that makes it feel nice. This often leads Ajmak to failing to fulfil its true potential, although due to its lovable nature it is easy to forgive. One of the lessons with regards to the Ajmak energy is learning to forgive oneself.

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.