Tag Archives: Mayan Spirituality

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

5 Imox (28th January 2025)

Leave a comment

5 Imox Embrace your individuality and put your energy into your dreams. Spending some time by water may enhance this process, today is an ideal day for introspection.

The combination of the number of hard work and Imox, the nawal of the collective consciousness, may give rise to more difficulty than usual in connecting with the collective consciousness of society today.

Sometimes the dreamworld may be difficult to navigate. Illusions turn our perception upside down, time seems to run differently and events occur very differently to our expectations. For these reasons, Imox is sometimes seen as the nawal of craziness. This world is the one which joins us all together, the collective, where all inspiration and nurture comes from. It is the unseen feeling between all of us, the unspoken words that we hear. It is the pool to which we are all connected.

The number 5 can represent obstructions and blockages. When this is applied to our connection to the group consciousness, it could result in isolation. More effort than usual may be required to understand what is going on around you, where events may seem more alien than usual. You may have a feeling that you have moved into a alternate reality, where events in society do not seem to make sense.

The Nawal Imox

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

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

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

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

The Number Five

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

4 Ajpu (27th January 2025)

Leave a comment

4 AjpuThe world may have been turning for many millions of years, but our cycles of creation and destruction happen repeatedly throughout time. Yesterday one era was swept away, today a new era is stabilised.

The Maya calendars work in cycles which range from short to very long. The short cycles may be 1, 13 or 20 days. The longer ones are 260 days, 52 years or much longer. Each small cycle is a fractal of the larger ones. Over the 20 days of the sacred calendar, we can see the whole story of creation and the evolution of human consciousness.

new era is stabilised
Stela C at Quirigua which shows a creation date of 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ajpu 8 Kumku. Photo by Mark Elmy

One of the longer cycles is the 13 Baktun era. The start of one of these is recorded at Quirigua on Stella C, as 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ajpu 8 Cumku. This is thought to equate to August 12th 3114 BCE. It is said to be a creation day for our era. Each 4 Ajpu day marks a day when we re-create.

new era is stabilised
This is how a stela carved for today’s date would look. It shows the date 0.0.12.5.0 4 Ajpu 3 Pax Created using Bob Makransky’s Mayan Astrology program

Today leadership may be stabilised into the physical world after a period of destruction or loss. It is what was conceived through the ancestors on the day 13 Aq’ab’al. We may start to see the beginning of a new era. Perhaps we need to look with new eyes and look for the signs of goodness within it. When we can see it around us, we become able to see it within us.

The Nawal Ajpu

journey to your highest potential

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 variously translated as lord, hunter, blow gunner, flower and sun. Each one of the translations has its 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 Hearts of the Earth and the Sky. This wisdom enriched both the ruling dynasty and their people, as they would be working in harmony with the gods. The ruler of the city was also the physical embodiment of the divine, and Ajpu is closely related to this. 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 the search for underlying meaning, 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.

Every action of ourselves and others gives an opportunity to explore ourselves and our reaction. Sometimes we are attracted, sometimes repelled by the action of others. Occasionally 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 Earth as we reach to the Sky.

The Number Four

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

3 Kawok (26th January 2025)

Leave a comment

3 KawokWithin the Maya calendars we see a microcosm reflection of life and creation cycles. The day 3 Kawok can represent the birth of a new era, which may involve both pain and joy.

Within the Maya cross, the day 3 Kawok represents the future of the day Wajxakib (8) B’atz. Kawok represents the midwife’s energy and the birth process. Today is particularly strong as what it is birthing is the day 4 Ajpu. This is the day of the creation of a new world, and 3 Kawok is the midwife who brings it forth.

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 seen in many Maya homes supporting the tortilla griddle. The stones are the stars Alnitak, Saiph and Rigel in the constellation we call Orion. The Smoky Fireplace is the Great Orion Nebula (M42)

M42, The Orion Nebula. Photo by Mark Elmy

Another creation story is that the goddess Ixchel tipped over the water jar and caused a great flood which washed away the old world. If the new era comes into being on 4 Ajpu, 3 Kawok represents that great flood, washing away the old society. Here we see the storm aspect of the day Kawok strongly highlighted. This may not be the easiest of days to negotiate, especially if you are trying to hold on to what is being washed away. Perhaps it is time to let go and ride the wave instead.

The energy of the number 3 also represents the internal process. This is a day to call on the energy of the nawal Kawok to wash away your internal obstacles to the emergence of new growth in your life.

The Nawal Kawok

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

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. It 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 Three

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 Tijax (25th January 2024)

Leave a comment

2 TijaxToday would seem to be an ideal day to seek peace through mediation. The energy of today brings an interesting combination of the number which represents duality with the nawal which resolves it.

However, Tijax does have its warlike reputation. It can be argumentative, although this is usually with good reason. In its quest for truth,  the obsidian blade skillfully cuts away the dishonest, illegitimate and deceitful. It is preparing the way for the arrival of Ajpu, clearing the unholy to bring the divine into the world. Although the outcome of this brings about a more harmonious world, the process may be harsh.

Tijax can be seen as a precision instrument. It cuts with the skill of a surgeon, seeing precisely what to remove. When coupled with the number 2, this can make things very clear. The day 2 Tijax may bring things into stark contrast. There is a clarity of what is to be kept and what is to be cut away. It is a day when we may have to choose our side, to draw our line in the sand. There is no middle ground on a 2 day.

The number 2 can also represent self-sacrifice and relationships. Today we might ask ourselves what we can cut away from ourselves in order to strengthen our relationships. Tijax can represent the purification that comes through sacrifice. Today would be a good day to cut yourself free of something which may be causing an imbalance in your relationship. It could also suggest that the resolution of conflict, that Tijax drives towards, comes through seeing both viewpoints. Whilst this may be rather obvious, today it is something to really keep in mind as it is strongly empowered. This is a day to bring decisive healing through love and understanding.

The Nawal Tijax

Sacrificial Death God 1

The nawal Tijax represents an obsidian (or flint) blade. How the blade is used depends on the intention of the person wielding it, a warrior or a surgeon. These would seem like opposite ends of the spectrum. However, where Tijax is concerned the aim is the same – healing and purification.

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. 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, 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. This is a day of alchemy, both internal and external, turning the ordinary into the divine.

The Number Two

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

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

1 No’j (24th January 2025)

1 Comment

1 N'ojNew worlds need new solutions. This is very much the essence of both today and the thirteen-day period (trecena) that we move into today. It is a time of inspiration, which may come from sudden events.

Today we are starting a new trecena. However, we are still within the influential period of the Maya cross of 8 B’atz. In two days, we move into its future sign of 3 Kawok, and the next day of 4 Ajpu can represent the beginning of a new world. It was seen as the creation day, noted on Stela C at Quirigua. This re-creation brings great opportunity for reinvention and resetting, it can also bring challenges to our accepted worldview. Sometimes this may be precipitated by an event, and here No’j acts in both its aspects.

No’j is sometimes associated with earthquakes, also sometimes with lightning. Both of these are energetic events which arrive without warning. They are sudden and sometimes decisive. They might call for quick action, a swift resolution to the effects of the event. This also comes through No’j, the nawal of the brain and the problem solver, bringing us the inspiration to solve problems and think on our feet.

We see it here connected with the number 1, representing birth, the seed of something new. The energy of this combination may bring the new solutions to the issues we face in the world. It may also bring about a whole new way of thinking. A new and sudden revelation may bring clarity to begin seeing a situation from a different perspective. This is just the first formation of an idea. Although it is possibly more than a concept, it will need time and careful nurturing to develop. We begin to see a clear solution to the problem through new inspiration.

Veintena Uchum

In February 2024 we started the Mayan solar year on the day 12 No’j. It has been 340 days since the start of the year 12 No’j. We are entering the eighteenth, and final, full 20 day period of the solar year, or Macewal Q’ij, on the day 1 No’j. Today is the first day of Uchum known as the season of second sowing. The seeds which are planted receive the final blessings of the old Mam 12 No’j in his last breath before his final appearance as 8 No’j, the herald of the Tz’ipin Q’ij, the five directionless days at the end of the solar year.

The Nawal No’j

A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (N'oj). <yoastmark class= The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, and No’j is the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. As the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way of understanding 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 One

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 needs the correct nutrients and conditions to germinate and develop its potential. We also may need encouragement to develop our ideas.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

13 Ajmak (23rd January 2025)

Leave a comment

13 AjmakThis is a very powerful day of ancestral redemption. Not only can this relate to the living ancestors, but also to those in the spirit world.

Sometimes the burdens we carry are not only our own. They are those of our society.  Energies persist through generations, patterns are passed through families long after the initial event. Something was created that we are so far removed from, we may not even realise we are carrying it. The day 13 Ajmak gives us an opportunity for absolution, not only for ourselves but for our ancestral past.

As the nawal of “being human”, sometimes the energy of Ajmak teaches us how to get back up on our feet after we have “fallen.” However, to learn this we have to make a mistake. The energy of today may bring some strong lessons in this regard. This day has the potential for some of the greatest acts of forgiveness, but it also has the potential for some almighty mistakes to be made. It is certainly a day to exercise caution in your decision making process.

Ajmak brings us the opportunity to “bring the sweetness into life” and we do this through true forgiveness. This is the day to make peace, particularly with those who are now in the other world. If there is an unresolved issue, a broken promise or apology to make, today is a day to resolve it, even if that is at a graveside. It is a day to exonerate guilt, blame, shame and remorse, and to release the associated burden so that we can move freely into the creation of the new world.

I’m sorry

Please forgive me

Thank you

I love you

Nawal Ajmak

Raw honey, fresh from San Juan la Laguna by Mark Elmy

Ajmak is the nawal of pardon and forgiveness, the nawal of redemption. It is the energy of being human, of falling and getting back up again and giving those chances to others. 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 fail to fulfil its true potential, although due to its lovable nature it is easy to forgive. One of the lessons with regard to the Ajmak energy is learning to forgive oneself.

The Number Thirteen

The number 13 is the final number. It represents the spirit world. It is said that on Samhain, 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. Both the positive and negative aspects of the day come through strongly. It is a very good day for activities such as divinations. Ceremonies on 13 days are best left to experienced Aj Q’ijab who understand how to work with that energy.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

12 Tz’ikin (22nd January 2025)

Leave a comment

12 Tz'ikinThis can be a day when your life vision comes together. The nawal Tz’ikin is said to aspire towards perfection. Today it is combined with the number which gathers all of life’s experience.

Tz’ikin is the nawal related to prosperity. It brings this through both giving the vision to create opportunity and its vocal manifestation abilities. Tz’ikin days are generally seen as fortunate, as long as they don’t become too distracting.

The energy of the nawal Tz’ikin should always be seen from the understanding of long-term perspective. The further we can see the more we can understand how to bring true prosperity. Tz’ikin gives us that ability. The energy of Tz’ikin is not about short-term gain at the expense of the future. It is more about a vision of a sustainable future for our families, our children and the environment we all exist in. It helps us to understand how we can all thrive together.

The number 12 gathers together previous experiences, it bundles them together into one collective. When combined with the nawal Tz’ikin, we can see many positive possibilities for this day.

The energy of this day brings into focus past prosperity, and suggests that it can be collected and brought into the now. This could bring an unexpected windfall from a forgotten bank account, or savings box. This is a day where a look through the attic may prove to be a highly profitable experience, although this is also where distractions may arise as objects bring back vivid memories.

It also suggests that previous visions may be combined into a new and highly prosperous idea. This is a day to collect together entrepreneurial flashes into a bundle to see how they might be able to help our family, our community and our environment thrive.

Nawal Tz’ikin

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

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

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

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

The Number 12

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

11 Ix (21st January 2025)

Leave a comment

11 Ix“Be careful what you wish for” on this day. Ix, the energy of manifestation from the Earth, meets the strong and directionless number 11.

As I have been considering what to write today, one strong image has come into my head repeatedly. It is the scene from the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, where the apprentice uses his abilities to animate the brushes, mops and sponges, then loses control. This image sums up one possibility of the energy today, unintentional manifestation.

It is important today to stay focused, and have clarity about what you are creating. The power of the number 11 is strong, and if harnessed can be very useful. However, truly working with it will require discipline and attention to detail. The Earth is listening, ready to provide us with what we ask of her, and today what we ask for may come a little quicker than expected. This is also a day to remember to thank her for all that she has provided to us, the things which seem disconnected from each other.

Nawal Ix

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
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 considered to be the most feminine of the nawales because it embodies the spirit of the Heart of the Earth. It can be seen as a representation of Mother Earth or the Maya version of Gaia. Ix is known for its nurturing energy, as it takes care of all things. However, this nurturing should not be mistaken for weakness, as Ix also embodies the power and stealth of the jaguar, which is its animal totem. The jaguar is a powerful jungle cat that moves stealthily through the darkness of the night with spots on its back representing the milky way. Ix carries the sun on its nightly journey through the underworld.

In industrialized societies, the Earth is often seen as an inanimate source of material wealth. However, non-industrialized societies view her as a living entity that we can interact with, and she carries the nawal Ix. Therefore, on Ix days, people offer prayers at her shrines and altars to ask for what they need in the world. To keep Ix healthy, it is important to approach her with a spirit of gratitude and humility. Ix is deeply connected with the natural world, where it finds its wisdom, power, and wealth. Therefore, it is a day to give thanks, remember gratitude, and engage with your magic.

The Number 11

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

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

10 Aj (20th January 2025)

Leave a comment

10 AjThis is a day to bring harmony into your community through cooperation and making agreements. The strong and social energy of the number 10 combines with Aj, the nawal of authority and social leadership.

The nawal Aj is seen as a beneficial nawal. Whilst it is a leader, it has passed the stages of control and manipulation. Aj is wise and noble, it is gentle and respected, primarily for the benefits it brings to the community. It represents the harmony within the home. This comes through Aj’s connections with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. It brings integrity, and the courage to do the right thing. Accordingly, is for the good of all, even when that may be a difficult decision.

Today we see the energy of nawal Aj combined with the energy of the number 10, representing society and community. It can be seen as the fingers of two sets of hands joining together. This can be seen in many ways. These include the shaking of hands representing agreement and friendship and one hand guiding and helping the other forward. It could also be seen as one hand extending to help the bearer of the other up. It shows the benefit gained by all through co-operation and friendliness.

The day 10 Aj is a day to remember that your actions shape the community that you live within. Today is about actively being a member of the community you wish to create, to offer your hand or your assistance where it is required. As a result, this will bring benefits all around, to everyone involved. It brings harmony into your home and community. However, it is also a great day to petition for help from those around you.

The Nawal Aj

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

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

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

The Number Ten

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

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

9 E’ (19th January 2025)

Leave a comment

9 E'The nawal E’ represents the journey of discovery in all senses. Whilst these are generally good days for physical journeys, today may have more emphasis on your life path.

The sacred calendar is used in many ways to integrate our actions with the energies of our world and solar system. It assists us with understanding how to employ natural timing in our everyday lives. It makes our lives easier by using favourable energies to propel our journey. The calendar is circular, it is cyclic. There is no end and there is no beginning. However, there are cycles which use the calendar for their timing. These may be personal cycles, such as a cycle of gestation of your child, or they may be more societal.

Yesterday, a new cycle began, a new ceremonial cycle. Today is the day when the energy of E’ helps us to see and understand our life path. If you are lost, stranded or just plain stuck, this is the day to ask of nawal E’ “show me where I am supposed to be going.”  Being as the number 9 also represents the feminine, this may be the day to consult women for the answers to questions about your life path. E’ may answer, through conversations with others, through “little signs”. It is the day to see where life wants to take you.

The Nawal E’

Footprints on the road
Footprints mark the road, from the Dresden Codex

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. A 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.

The Number Nine

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