Tag Archives: Mayan Astrology

4 Iq’ (3rd August 2020)

2nd August 2020 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The beneficial properties of the number 4 bring stability and a touch of gentleness to the strong and unpredictable energy of the nawal Iq´, so today might prove to be very suitable for implementing inspired changes.

Iq´ days can be difficult. Sudden changes challenge us, and blustery words can cause arguments. When we have high winds here, many people in the village get sick shortly afterwards, usually due to the extra dust in the atmosphere around them, so the wind is blamed as a bringer of sickness too. In general Iq´ days tend to have a bad reputation, although the without the wind there would be no change in seasons and therefore no life.

However, the energy of Iq’ today can really be rather different. When channelled correctly, the energy of the wind can be dynamic and productive, and the energy of the number 4 brings the degree of stability required to tame its erratic nature. Inspiration comes through on the divine breath supported by the qualities of the four directions – vitality, wisdom, spirit and healing.

If you have been waiting for inspiration to voice some ideas, which have been in the back of your mind for some time, today could be the day where you find sufficient energy to express them. The stability of the 4 also gives the ability to bring this inspiration into the physical world, to manifest your words into a solid reality. It is a day to get your ideas across to others, even if the ideas are rather far out, today they can be grounded and expressed easily. It is also a day to make changes, particularly in your physical world. The changing energy of the wind fills your sails and helps you move forward and the calm predictability of the number 4 puts you in control of your direction.

Photo credit: Hana Wolf

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.

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

2 Ajpu (1st August 2020)

31st July 2020 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The energy of the number two is said to represent relationships and lovers, and Ajpu represents the search for divinity, so there is a rather obvious area highlighted by the energy of this day. However, there is another aspect.

The number 2 also represents duality. We judge what is around us, we discern between what we consider to be “right” and what we consider to be “wrong”. However, all of creation came from unity, came from oneness. Sometimes it is very difficult to see the divine plan in all things. The energy of the combination 2 Ajpu helps us to understand the bigger plan, to see that behind our judgement a longer term plan is in motion. For example, certain situations can be so “wrong” in many peoples’ eyes, that they cause people to make a choice. Before that situation occurred, the people could not be bothered to make a choice, they sat idly around complaining. The situation pushed the boundaries and reached the limit of peoples’ tolerance so that they stood up and learned something about themselves. In this way duality helps to evolve our higher aspect, by bringing out the hero within us to confront the shadow.

This can also be seen as a day to find the divine within your relationship, to remember what it is in your partner that you love about them. Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of life we forget to look for this, we lose sight of who we really are, our own divine side, and as a consequence, that of our partner. The energy of the nawal Ajpu sends us on a quest for the divine in the physical world, it helps us to see the love put into the world. Here in the second aspect, it gazes back at us.

The trecena of Kawok is birthing us into our new world, and here we see with the wonder of a newborn, marvelling at the beauty of the world around us. This beauty may be enhanced by the choice of another soul to share that journey with us. We are choosing to see the divinity in duality, to embrace and celebrate our differences as part of the one.

The number two can also represent self sacrifice, putting the needs of your companion ahead of your own. Today, willingly sacrificing your time or needs on behalf of your partner may bring you especially close, it may bring a new radiance into your relationship. Whilst relationships are highlighted, freely giving your time or energy to someone today may help you to embrace your higher aspect.

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 those 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 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 Kawok (31st July 2020)

30th July 2020 Mark Elmy 1 Comment

We have been through the inner alchemy, the transformation of the Kame trecena and now emerge fresh and newborn. The trecena of Kawok acts as the midwife assisting our birth into a new phase of life.

Chak sends the fire serpent (lightning) from the sky, from the Dresden Codex

Today we begin our rebirth process. Kame changed us, with Tijax finally cutting away what was holding us back. Now Kawok is here to sooth us and to wash away any debris. The midwife aspect of the energy of the nawal Kawok gently guides us, helping us move through our rebirth process and into the world. The healing feminine energy of this day brings compassion to our process, and creates a graceful and beautiful experience of rebirth.

Both Kawok and 1 have strong connections with birth and new life. The number 1 representing potential may give rise to us needing a little assistance to realise the potential within our opportunity. We may be ready to grow and walk, but sometimes we need a little help to get on our feet as we take our first tottering steps. Kawok is there for us, ready to hold our hand, gently but firmly guiding us as we emerge into our new world. She is a representative of the healing woman and the wisdom of the grandmothers. Today we may choose to seek out those women who support us through our process of rebirth or re-invention. The compassion and wisdom shown to us by the women around us helps us to move forward into new areas. This day is the very beginning of the new life, or a new direction, which has all the potential to be whatever we choose it to be.

Photo credit: Kalika Shakti

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 within the Maya world 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 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 Tijax (30th July 2020)

29th July 2020 Mark Elmy 1 Comment

The ancestors guide your hands today as you wield the obsidian blade. Trust in them, but go easy with your cuts. The strength of the energy of the day may cut more than you intended or bite off more than you can chew.

Tijax has the goal of the resolution of duality and is tenacious in this quest. Whether it is healing or warfare, Tijax will not give up until it has achieved its goals. When we combine it with the strength of the number 13, we have a very potent combination.

Tijax can be argumentative and it is possible that tempers will fray today. Today more than any, it will be important to really be aware of your words. They may have more power than you imagined and you might find them wounding deeply, even if that was unintended. You might be speaking the truth, but there are ways to get the message over without causing confrontation, which would negate your message. On the other hand, be aware of that people may not have full control of themselves today, 13 Tijax is affecting everybody. Listen for the truth, but don’t take things too seriously, act calmly and think carefully before reacting.

On this, the final day of the Kame trecena, the obsidian blade of Tijax is connected to the spirit world cutting us free from the dense energy, transforming us into our higher aspect, ready for the rebirth of the Kawok trecena.

In this we can see the other aspect of what could also be a memorable day for the right reasons. It is a day to call upon your ancestors or the spirit world to give you the strength and tenacity to cut yourself free of that which holds you back on your life path. Just be aware that should you do this it may bring some very decisive action. It might not be just burning bridges, more so vaporising them.

Tijax is the representative of the healer, bringing unity and divinity into the world by removing that which is out of balance. Today is an excellent day to ask for healing from your ancestors, or from the spirit world. This could particularly apply to conditions which are long term or genetic. If you have the opportunity to make an appointment to receive healing in some form, but particularly energetic healing, today you might find that it has a particularly strong effect.

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 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 No’j (29th July 2020)

28th July 2020 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Intellect without experience does not always solve problems. Today brings an energy which collects past experiences and pairs them with intellect, possibly bringing new relevance to old ideas.

No’j, is the nawal of the brain, the problem solver is a bringer of inspiration and solutions. Everyday we learn something new in general our level of experience rises as we travel our life path. Some of this is of immediate use and some of it seems irrelevant at the time, but it all seems to get filed away somewhere. Sometimes those concepts or ideas become relevant with the perspective we gain as we move further along our life path.

As we come towards the end of our journey through the Kame trecena, the time of our spiritual transformation, we might ask ourselves what we choose to transform into. What is our grand plan and how can we make it happen?

The combination of the energy of the nawal No’j with the energy of the number 12 gathers our past thoughts and ideas together, as our life experience joins them into one unified plan. The intellect and problem solving abilities No’j bestows could give the opportunity to put together parts of our personal jigsaw that we couldn’t recognise as relevant before.

Within the Macewal Q’ij, today marks the beginning of a new month as we travel through the solar year. Today is the first day of Kaqan translated as the season of red clouds. The energy of the fields is diminishing as the crop ceases to grow any higher and starts to move more rapidly into the ripening process. It is during this time that the sun will make its zenith passage here once again (August 13th) and will return to its place in the southern sky.

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.

No’j is also one of the classic year bearers, or year lords. As a year bearer it is thought to be one of the more beneficial and benign energies.

The number 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 Ajmak (28th July 2020)

27th July 2020 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The playful and lovable energy of Ajmak sometimes forgets its responsibilities and finds a need for forgiveness. It is a day about being human and acknowledging our mistakes, and knowing how to mend them.

We are here on Earth to be human, to embrace and enjoy our humanity, both the higher and the lower aspects of life. Of course, we aspire to great things, to be “good” people, but even when we are doing what seems like the right thing, sometimes it ends up causing problems for ourselves or others. Sometimes we also do sneaky things that we know are not in the best interests of ourselves or those around us, hoping that we won’t get found out. We get seduced by the sensual into falling off our path.

This is all a part of our humanity, it is our greatest strength and our greatest weakness. In fact, if we make the journey without ever making a mistake, we miss out on the experiences we started the journey for in the first place. These experiences are what help us to grow, but we also need to know when the experience is done. We need to understand how to keep the lesson and release the attachment, particularly the emotional attachment, to the experience. Guilt, shame and blame can act as signposts, they help us remember the consequences of our actions. They were markers along the way, pointing out the direction of our journey, how we move towards our destination. The signpost is a useful guide, but if we choose to carry on our back, it will burden us and slow us down.

As we move though this trecena of 1 Kame, this period of spiritual transformation, we have to rid ourselves of this excess baggage of guilt or blame. We can do this through the practice of forgiveness.

The number 11 also highlights past, present and future. It gives strong manifestations of the energy of the nawal it is attached to, often in surprising directions. Today we might find ourselves having to face things from our past that we may have wanted to forget rather than forgive. If we want to move on to our future, we have to be at peace our past. Are you ready to really forgive and transform?

I am sorry

Please forgive me

I love you

Thank 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 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 Tz’ikin (27th July 2020)

26th July 2020 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Today we see the prosperous nawal Tz’ikin, paired with the cooperative and community minded energy of the number 10 giving rise to a day of sharing visions for prosperity within your community.

Communities prosper when each member of that community is strong and healthy. Should one member have a problem, a strong community will rally round and ensure that the individual is supported. Each member of the community brings their own wisdom and energy and is valued for their input. The ability to freely give that support, and accept it when it is offered is what truly benefits the community and everyone in it.

Change is not always easy, and as we go further through this trecena of Kame, we may need some assistance to achieve our completed vision of transformation. Tz’ikin is the day of visions and these visions are known to bring prosperity, both to yourself and your community. This prosperity may be financial, but it may also be greater wisdom or understanding. Sometimes these visions may be grand and may require skills or knowledge that you don’t possess in order to achieve them. Today is a day when we can share our visions with our community, and when we can ask for a helping hand to manifest these visions into the physical world. As always, this energy works both ways. A member of your community may be looking for your advice to help them see what they are missing in their plan, or to help them see things from a different perspective. Your willingness to share your vision with them may bring prosperity into both of your lives.

The Resplendent Quetzal, National bird of Guatemala. From http://themixedculture.com/2013/09/30/the-quetzal-bird/

The nawal Tz’ikin is a nawal of good fortune, almost literally. Tz’ikin is another manifestation and abundance day, a day of prosperity which comes through vision. The word Tz’ikin means bird, although many like to relate it to the Quetzal bird or Eagle. Where the nawal Ix is connected with the Heart of the Earth, Tz’ikin is connected with the Heart of the Sky. In the foliated cross representation of Aj, we saw the bird deity sitting atop the cross representing the Heart of the Sky. Whilst all is one in the general overview, we could see Ix as representing the female principle (Earth energy / yin) and Tz’ikin as representing the male principle (Sky energy / yang).

A nawal of prosperity, sometimes seems odd to people seeking “higher knowledge”. It is not quite seen the same here. If your family is starving, you are more likely to fall off the good road, perhaps into dishonesty or criminal activity. By asking nawal Tz’ikin for prosperity in your life, you are more likely to be relaxed, to be able to help others and to be more constructive within your community. That is not to say that your own input of hard work will not be necessary, just that it is hard work that will pay off.

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

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

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 Ix (26th July 2020)

25th July 2020 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

A harmonious pairing again occurs today, as the most feminine nawal, Ix, is paired with the number 9 which represents the divine feminine. This could be seen as the day of Mother Earth and feminine altars.

Ix has a very mother-like energy to her, she is nurturing and caring, providing for all she gives birth to. She is our mother, the spirit of the Mother Earth, the source of all the material we and our world are made from. She is the spirit of nature, the beauty that adorns her body. She can also be fierce when she needs to be, keeping her children safe, or keeping them in line. She is wild and strong.

When we need something we ask our mother and she provides for us. We ask her through our words and our prayers, we make offerings to her at her ears, the natural shrines and altars such as caves and springs, she is always listening to attend to our needs. Sometimes we can be so excited and overjoyed with the results that we run off, distracted, and forget to say thank you for what our mother provided for us.

As we travel through the Kame trecena, heading towards our transformation, we give thanks for all the things we were given by our mother which have helped to get us this far. We give thanks for our connection to Mother Earth, and for the feminine spirit of love and compassion which help to assist our transformation.

Ix is a day on which we remember how to engage with our magic and today on, 9 Ix, we engage with the most important of all, the magic of life. Women are the holders of this they are the birth givers, the ones who create new life, surely this is the greatest magic of all.

Therefore, the day 9 Ix is a day to celebrate the feminine essence of life itself. It is a day to thank our mothers, and all women in our lives, for everything they provide for us. It is the perfect day to show our gratitude to our Mother Earth, to thank her for our entire existence. We can do this by giving flowers, both physical and verbal, at the natural shrines and altars. In return she will bring her magic into your life.

A dancing shaman transforms himself into a jaguar. From a late classic era vase found at Altar de Sacrificios. Source http://shortstreet.net/Maya/mayapaintedvases.htm

Ix is possibly the most feminine of the nawales. It represents the spirit of Mother Earth and could easily be seen as a Mayan representation of Gaia. Ix can be seen as a mothering energy, nurturing all things, but this should not be confused with weakness – the animal totem of Ix is the jaguar and it is as the jaguar that Ix is often known. The jaguar is, of course, powerful and stealthy. Ix also embodies these qualities. The jaguar is an animal of the night, slipping magically through the darkness, the spots of her back a representation of the milky way. She carries the sun on it’s nightly journey through the underworld.

The connection Ix has with the Earth gives it the ability to manifest material wealth. In the Mayan cross astrological configuration, Kame evolves to Ix. In the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, the Hero Twins sacrificed themselves in the underworld (Kame) and then were resurrected as a pair of catfish, later to become travelling magicians (Ix.) They cut the heads off animals, then resurrected them, they even cut off each others heads and brought each other back to life. In these scenes they are shown with patches of jaguar skin on their clothing, a symbolism denoting that the wearer is a shaman. Thus through the symbolic death or sacrifice, the shamanic power emerges.

Whilst Ix has the power to engage with the magic of the Earth, it also has a tendency towards illness. This is particularly strong when the vain, ungrateful side of Ix emerges. The magic that runs through this nawal comes so easily, that sometimes it forgets that everything really comes from the Earth and it is to the Earth that we must show our gratitude. Ix is also the nawal of natural shrines and altars, the places where fire ceremonies are made to give thanks. A spirit of gratitude and humility keeps Ix healthy. Ix is of course deeply connected with the natural world and it is here that they find their wisdom, power and wealth. This is a day to give thanks, to remember gratitude, and a day to engage with your magic.

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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

8 Aj (25th July 2020)

24th July 2020 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

A celebration of gratitude for our home and family would be the theme of a ceremony made for today. A solid foundation gives us the strength to stand tall and a harmonious home and loving family give this foundation.

The energy of the nawal Aj is about doing the right thing. It is fair and just, and this is why is represents the true leader. The true leader might not even be recognised at first. They do not need to prove their authority to anyone, but they are the one that is sought, when problems arise, for their wise counsel. The true leader has compassion and love perfectly balanced with authority and strength. They carry a blend of what we would call yin (compassion) and yang (strength) energies which make them complete. Today we are able to draw on both the masculine and feminine aspects of the qualities of the four directions – vitality, wisdom, spirit and healing – creating a balance of energy and bringing it into our homes and communities. This is all in addition to the connection that Aj has to the Heart of the Earth and Heart of the Sky. Allow the wise counsel of the wholeness of the nawal Aj to arbitrate in disputes and seek resolution. This in turn will bring strength and harmony to all who are involved.

A true leader also has experience, and here we see the 8 incorporating the 1 and the 7, the birth and the death, the highs and the lows of life. We draw our wisdom and strength from both aspects, so that we can sustain others through their dark times. It is also a day on which we may ask Aj to bring this strength to us should we be in need of it at the moment.

As we continue to travel through the Kame trecena, this day highlights the physical requirements for a true spiritual transformation. The ability to work with the otherworld through meditation and ceremony is of course important, but transformation cannot take place if this is not grounded into the physical. The experiences in this world give us the backbone to undergo true transformation. Whilst the earlier days of the trecena may have been rather challenging, the latter days bring the reward for passing the challenges.

This is a day to enjoy with your family and your home. We sustain them and they sustain us. It is a day to bring harmony into your home, using your experiences from your past, but also your connection to the Heart of the Sky and Heart of the Earth, the wholeness of existence.

This 8 Aj ceremony was held on 24th April 2011 to introduce ourselves to the spirits of the land here before we started to build. It was a way to start with the energetic level, the unseen world before moving in to the physical. — This 8 Aj ceremony was held on 24th April 2011 to introduce ourselves to the spirits of the land here before we started to build. It was a way to start with the energetic level, the unseen world, before moving in to the physical. Picture credit: Unknown

The very first fire ceremony we made on our land here, 8 Aj in the year 12 E' (24th April 2011). Picture credit — The very first fire ceremony we made on our land here, 8 Aj in the year 12 E’ (24th April 2011). This is the same circle that we use for ceremony to this day. Picture credit: Unknown

The nawal Aj is related to many things which generally revolve around leadership on an earthly level. It is sometimes known as the cornstalk, sometimes the staff of life. It represents the spinal column within the body, that which allows us to stand tall, proud and brave. As the cornstalk, it has its roots in the Earth, and its head in the sky. As we are the people of maize, if we wish to lead in a just manner, we should cultivate our connection with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth.

This is a picture of the carving at the top of one of my favourite Mayan temples, the Temple of the Foliated Cross on the site of Palenque (Bàakʼ) in Chiapas, Mexico. At the top of the tablet you see a bird, which represents the Heart of the Sky, the face with the large rectangular (crossed) eyes at the base of the cross represents the Heart of the Earth. The foliated cross is a stylised maize plant with the heads of humans emerging. This is Aj bringing life to the world. It is the central pillar, that which supports life. It is represented by the staffs carried by the elders of Mayan communities to this day.

Aj is an authority, it is gentle, yet noble. It works quietly for the community it leads. It does not seek the limelight. This is a day that seeks sustenance for its people, that keeps everything in its rightful place. It is a day where we ask for the courage and bravery to stand up straight and tall, to do the right thing.

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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

7 E’ (24th July 2020)

23rd July 2020 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The day 7 E’ gives us the opportunity to cross the finish line, to complete a journey and to see where the next path might take us. It is time to take the final steps, on whatever path we are walking, time to enjoy our accomplishment and to choose out our next journey.

When we have journeyed through life, there is no doubt we have accumulated knowledge, understanding and perhaps even wisdom through our experiences. The path never really ends, one journey will always lead to another. However, we may come to a point where a particular stage comes to a culmination. In the physical journey this is obvious, we reach our destination, possibly the top of the mountain. But when we get to the top of the mountain, what do we see? Possibilities of new journeys as we are able to see all the paths leading to other mountains. We might rest and enjoy the view for a while as we consider our options, but it is essential that that we move on. To do this we need to make a decision on our direction using the experience of the path we just completed to guide us. From the top of the mountain, the end of the (ascending) path, we can see everywhere we went, and everything we experienced, on our journey to get there. Our successes and failures, out defeats and our victories, our tears and our smiles. Today is a day of bringing closure to a part of our life, a journey that has been completed.

The path that led to the top of the pyramid. Visiting La Danta at El Mirador had been a dream of mine for 22 years. Here I celebrate taking the final steps of a very long journey by sounding my conch. As I see all around I now look for a new adventure. — The path that led to the top of the pyramid. Climbing La Danta at El Mirador had been a dream of mine for 22 years. Here I celebrate taking the final steps of a very long journey by sounding my conch. As I can see all around I now look for a new adventure. From the top of La Danta, we could see the pyramids at El Tintal, where we had come from, and Nakbe, where we were going. Picture by Litmus A. Freeman

Nawal E’ represents the journey of discovery, the life path in both its physical and spiritual aspects. E’ is the explorer, it craves novelty. It inspires travel to understand different cultures and ways of life, it is a seeker of experience. It can be a thrill seeker, and sometimes will take risks to understand what it is examining. Whilst it gains experience and understanding through physical travel, E’ also drives us to explore our inner world, helping us to understand our own minds and hearts, and those of others. E’ sometimes creates a restlessness, the desire to find new things within the world means that E’ finds it difficult to sit still.

E’ can sometimes cause us to explore simply for the sake of exploration, we seek the new experience because it is there. This can give rise to a lack of direction, aimless wandering. However, even in its wanderings E’ is discovering. It may not know exactly where it is going, but it will when it gets there. In it’s best aspect, E’ seeks out knowledge and experience in order to form an understanding which brings wisdom. E’ enjoys sharing the wisdom gained with its peers, for the enrichment of the community.

E’ is another of the classic carriers of the year, or year lords. It is said that E’ years tend to be some of the more gentle and favourable years. E’ is seen as a good natured nawal. E’ days are considered to be good days on which to travel and explore, whether that be externally or internally. It is a day to find or remember your path, a day to ask for your path to be cleared of obstructions, and a day to ask for guidance and protection on your path.

If we imagine the numbers 1 through 13 as a pyramid, the number seven would be at the top. Seven is the number of balance, it gives the ability to weigh up situations and see all points of view. While this may be very noble, it may lead to indecision.

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

The number seven is the mid-point of the range of numbers, as we would see them, but it is also known as a number of death and endings. This which would seem strange as it is only half way through the journey. However, another representation of the change of state of the soul, showing half of the journey (1-7) in the mortal world and half (8-13) in the other world. 7 Is the final number that appears in the bottom row before we move to the top row, suggesting the transition between realms. The numbers 1 and 7 embrace all other numbers as they appear in the sequence of nawales, and thus give a suggestion of beginnings and endings.

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