This is a day to make your payments to sustain life and good health. It is a day to make an offering for future goodwill, by acting in service to our community.
8 Toj is one of the most important days of ceremony, as the nawal Toj represents the fire ceremony itself. Today, debts of whatever form can be resolved. It’s a perfect day to ceremonially make offerings to the fire on behalf of ourselves and our families.
Life proceeds through energetic interactions. We consume energy in one form or another. Even with the air we breathe or the water we drink, there is some form of exchange going on. To come to a state of harmony within the world in which we live, balance must be achieved. In this modern world, sometimes we defer these debts, whether they are financial or not. We take something, often intending to resolve the imbalance as soon as we can. However, sometimes we then end up forgetting these debts, especially the small ones. Individually this is not always too much of a problem, we can proceed with a small imbalance. But too many small items eventually cause us to fall out of harmony. This in turn may lead to a state of disease.
Toj days remind us to keep our promises and to make our payments in whatever form they take. They might be physical or financial, or they might be words of gratitude. These simple acts help to keep us healthy. It is in our interests to make these exchanges, to return what we have used. If there was ever a day to do a good deed, it is today, without expectation of recognition. The reward will come in its own time.
Worthwhile Recipients of Your Donations
When I mention programs within my videos, it is because I personally know the people involved. I feel that your donations will truly go towards helping the people for which they are intended.
Bringing Water stability to Families
A wonderful, highly active project to bring water stability to families is Water4Life Global. Jenna MacEwan and her team have been making a difference to peoples’ lives since 2018. They provide water filters to local families throughout Guatemala, thereby giving direct access to clean drinking water. Additionally they are directly involved in action which helps to clean up the local sources of water. This is achieved through grey water treatment projects, reforestation and education. To learn more or donate, please visit: https://water4lifeglobal.org/donate/
The Midwife Project
In their words: “Our Mission is to offer safe, dignified and culturally appropriate health care to women in Guatemala by empowering indigenous midwives through education. We focus on revaluing the Mayan ancestral knowledge while integrating modern medical practices. With the creation of Holistic Clinic(s) & Birthing Center(s) as a meeting ground and model project. Our Vision is that every woman has access to humane, respected and safe birth care. The midwives and women are empowered to lead the creation of a thriving community where those who are most vulnerable have their needs met, and men support the women in creating this healthy and vibrant family and community structure.”
You can check out their site and donate here: https://www.midwifeproject.net/donate
Konojel
I mention the Konojel program and their work in San Marcos la Laguna. They have turned from a basic, “let’s make sure bellies are full” program to one of much more social development. You can check out their programs and make a donation here https://konojel.org/donate
Odim
Within the village of San Pablo la Laguna, there is an organisation doing great work. They are called ODIM and are specialising in medical and educational services. During the pandemic restrictions, they helped feed many people. However, this is in addition to their regular, long term work there. You can find out more about them through this link http://www.odimguatemala.org/donate
Popol Jay
Popol Jay is an ancient name to define the House of the Council of Elders, among the Maya of Guatemala. These were places of wisdom where sacred knowledge was kept. Medicine, the calendars, music, spiritual practice and more was passed to future generations. They were all burnt down during the Conquest and subsequent Colonization periods. Today, the Q’eqchi’ Maya Council of Elders Releb’aal Saq’e has joined forces with many supporters to rebuild the Popol Jay of the North. It is in the lowlands of the Petén region, heart of the Maya culture of the Classic Period. The Elders have worked hard to acquire land and co-design this Center of Knowledge to share ancient wisdom with the World. To donate to the Elders of Peten to fund the Popol Jay, please use this link https://www.popoljay.org.gt/donaciones
The Nawal Toj
The nawal Toj represents offerings and payment. It is part of the name Tojil, a Mayan god who gave fire to the people. However, this was not a gift. Tojil asked in return for a sacrifice to be made. This is a day of payment and sacrifice, a day to resolve debts, both in the physical and spiritual realms. Toj is the nawal of the sacred fire where we make offerings to burn away karmic debts. In this way we restore balance, and we bring our accounts back to zero.
It is through selfless acts that we can access the divine protection that Toj carries. Naturally, these acts might involve a sacrifice of our time or energy to strengthen our community. We can choose to act or we can choose to ignore. However, ignoring an opportunity to make a payment on a Toj day might bring the removal of the protection. We should always make our payments with an open heart. However, thanks might not be quickly forthcoming, and may not come at all. Your sacrifice could be something as simple as picking up litter in your neighbourhood. It doesn’t have to be something elaborate.
The Number Eight
The number 8 is considered to be several wholeness. It can be seen as birth (1) and death (7) combined to represent the whole cycle of the soul. It is the point where the four first men who raised the sky from the sea were joined by their wives. Then the world became whole. The eighth day of the trecena is the most common day for ceremonies to be made. Therefore, it is still in the balanced range of numbers and is an even number, which is also considered fortunate. 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 the ceremony.
