Tag Archives: Q’anil

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

5 Q’anil (30th April 2024) – Solar Zenith Transit (15° N)

1 Comment

5 Q'anilQ’anil represents the bright shining light within the world. This is something often demonstrated by the people who carry this nawal. The day 5 Q’anil suggests that it may be a little challenging to be the light in the darkness today. It is a day to work on brightening the world around you. Whilst your effort may not be immediately rewarded, it will be multiplied as time progresses.

The energy of the day 5 Q’anil combines the number of work with the nawal of ripening and abundance. This combination gives an excellent day to put extra effort into your project, it will be rewarded.

There are some days where using additional energy results in exhaustion as the energy of the day is not conducive. It might feel like you are pushing against a brick wall. Maybe you feel you are wasting your time or energy on something of no benefit. Today has the exact opposite energy. Today the energy put into your work or your project will be magnified by the fruitful and productive nawal Q’anil. This brings the possibility of a great harvest in the future.

However, some reserve is required. Sometimes we become impatient with our process, impatient with our crops. This can lead us to take our harvest before it is ready. We might lose out on our future abundance for want of immediate gratification. Be aware that the effort you put in to your work may not bring immediate results. You are setting a larger ripening process in motion. This is a day to enjoy the process. Look to the future abundance and allow nature to take its course. After all, the next appearance of the nawal Q’anil will be 12 Q’anil suggesting the gathering of the ripened crop.

Solar Zenith

Here in Guatemala, at 15 degrees north of the equator, we experience this phenomenon two time per year. The Solar Zenith is when the Sun crosses the hypothetical North – South line (the Meridian) at 90 degrees. If you live outside of the tropics, you will be accustomed to the Sun being at its greatest height in the sky on the solstice. That will be June in the Northern hemisphere or December in the Southern Hemisphere.

Here at 15 degrees North, we can add the Zenith into the mix. Between August 11th – 13th and April 29th – May 1st, the Sun will be directly overhead at solar noon. We will experience what seems to be no shadow! Why is this so interesting? Between 13th August and 30th April is 260 days, and between 30th April and 13th August is 105 days.  Some people have theorised the the sacred calendar may have been developed at this latitude due to this phenomenon. This was possibly at the site of Izapa, near modern-day Tapachula in southwest Mexico. This video theorises how the the 260-day calendar may have been distributed along ancient trade routes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iGCxZOSV5o 

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

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. Q’anil also represents human beings coming to their greatest point of perfection, their ripeness.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly. It is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with. People carrying Q’anil energy can light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

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

11 Q’anil (10th April 2024)

Leave a comment

11 Q'anilThis may be a day where many ways to maturity may exist. In harmony with the recent 7 K’at day, 11 Q’anil may also bring visions of the ripe harvest all around.

There are some nawales where their combination with the number 11 would cause rather a few issues. The strength and lack of direction applied to forceful energies may be challenging. However, the energy of Q’anil is known for its soft and jovial nature, after all, its association with the perfection of ripeness should be cause for celebration. The main confusion of the day may come from deciding which path to follow to lead to this abundance when all around seems golden. The key will be to pick a path and follow it.

The energy of 11 Q’anil should lead to an extremely potent day for garden work. It is rather like today being gifted with “the golden touch” when working with plants. The challenge will be channelling that energy into a cohesive direction, as the 11 may cause it to wander.  This is a day when Q’anil‘s light might shine so brightly that it distracts from the original course of action towards maturity.

At the end of this highly constructive day you may feel a sense of completion, a gratitude and joy as you look over the abundance you have harvested. Whilst a celebration of sorts may be in order, be aware of Q’anil‘s attachment to intoxication. With the strength of the 11 behind it, things might get a little out of hand!

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. Q’anil also represents human beings coming to their greatest point of perfection, their ripeness.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly. It is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with. People carrying Q’anil energy can light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

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

4 Q’anil (21st March 2024)

Leave a comment

4 Q'anilA combination of elements today leads to an auspicious day to be working in your garden. The ripening talent of Q’anil is augmented by the number 4, bringing physical stability to what you plant.

Q’anil days are always good days to be working with the plant kingdom. Different numbers will give rise to different aspects of how to work. Some days might be better for harvesting, some for planting. Whatever you “plant” today is infused with the energy to come to a stable fruition. It should ripen beautifully into a stable source of abundance.

This day could be seen as a day of material wealth, of material abundance. Of course, this would mean that something is missing. The stability of the four creates a good, solid foundation. If we look at the glyph for Q’anil, we can see that the number four is represented within it. But there is another aspect to Q’anil which would suggest waiting a little before full maturity. Perhaps what we harvest today might be enough to bring stability, but not the full potential that could be achieved.

The position of the number four within the cycle of the trecena shows that the energy is still growing. As we journey through the Kan trecena, the day 4 Q’anil shines its light on developing wisdom, on knowing through experience when to wait in order to reap a more abundant harvest. This could be seen as a good day to plan the future harvest. Create a framework within which the abundance can be gathered, and possibly have a trial run.

If the needs really cannot wait, harvest what will sustain you for now. However, waiting a little longer will bring a greater abundance from a more mature crop.

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. Q’anil also represents human beings coming to their greatest point of perfection, their ripeness.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly. It is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with. People carrying Q’anil energy can light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

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

10 Q’anil (1st March 2024)

Leave a comment

10 Q'anilWhen a community comes together to work, this also helps to ripen the community. It brings out the best in people and shows us what we are capable of when we cooperate. We are reminded of how much we all benefit from each other’s light.

Getting some help from the people around you today may bring your plans to fruition. Q’anil, the nawal of ripening combines with the number 10 representing cooperation and community.

The energy of 10 Q’anil is a beautifully powerful combination. Q’anil is strongly associated with abundance. It bestows a talent with the plant kingdom whether it is associated with food crops or with medicinal herbs. A way with plants is not the only benefit though, Q’anil has much more to offer. Outside of an agrarian society, our abundance comes from our ideas and plans and Q’anil brings these to maturity too.

Abundance brings lightness to our lives, it helps us to relax as our day-to-day needs are satisfied. When we are relaxed our mood and spirit are lifted and this is certainly something we see with Q’anil. It is a day of abundance and pleasure. Today that could be particularly enhanced through interaction with your community. It is possible that working together not only increases the speed your project comes to readiness, it may also enhance the yield you receive.

With so much abundance available, and the community gathered around, you may find the desire to celebrate equally strong. Whilst celebrating achievements and bonding with your community is always a great idea, be aware of Q’anil‘s love of intoxication. It might be all to easy to get really carried away if alcohol is involved, the energy of the following day 11 Toj might see you paying for the consequences.

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. Q’anil also represents human beings coming to their greatest point of perfection, their ripeness.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly. It is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with. People carrying Q’anil energy can light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

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

3 Q’anil (10th February 2024)

Leave a comment

3 Q'anilThe light of Q’anil turns inwards bringing maturity to hidden depths of our creativity. Although this may not be easily expressed in the outer world, the brightness of Q’anil may illuminate something in ourselves which is normally unseen, a hidden talent.

We are passing further into the trecena of Kame, and once again we see a potential for challenges in the energy of today, although what we learn from these challenges may truly help our souls to ripen. The inner alchemical process we undergo during the trecena of Kame is highlighted.

Q’anil days, much like the people who carry nawal Q’anil, rarely fail to shine. They often feel like bright, happy days, and with the properties of Q’anil, this is exactly what we would expect. However, today might not have quite the same lustre. Growth and the passage towards ripeness may be a little obstructed. Therefore, Q’anil may not be quite as prosperous as usual.

As we age, Q’anil helps us to mature, we ripen from children into elders. Today might bring some setbacks with that process. It might give rise to a less-than-mature response from yourself or those around you. This may lead to some frustration; it could lead to some lapses in responsibility. Q’anil may then even lead you into intoxication.

However, it could also add some lightness to the day – Q’anil is a fun-loving nawal after all. If we take into account the other aspect of the number 3, that of the home, this could be where the light of Q’anil truly comes out today. By bringing this lightness into your home, it could be an excellent day for a play day with your children. Just don’t expect anyone to act too much like an adult!

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. Q’anil also represents human beings coming to their greatest point of perfection, their ripeness.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly. It is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with. People carrying Q’anil energy can light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

The Number Three

There are various myths about the creation which link with the number 3. One is that at the time of creation, three stones 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)

The Orion Nebula
The Orion Nebula 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 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

9 Q’anil (21st January 2024)

Leave a comment

9 Q'anilToday should be a celebration of life’s abundance and a celebration of the women in our lives. 9 Q’anil should bring a happy and prosperous day and a great day for working with plants.

With both the fertile nature of Q’anil and the good fortune seen in the number 9 we can expect this day to be really rather pleasant. This is possibly a welcome relief after the strength of the last few days.

There are many phrases that we could associate with this day. “The light of life”, “seed of life” and “the light of the feminine” are just a few. It feels like a delicious golden energy we would all love to bask in, the reward after the hard work we have been carrying out recently. It is a day to enjoy the bounty that the fruition of your projects has brought to you.

However, 9 Q’anil is also a great day for working with plants, planting the seeds for your next harvest. Both 9 and Q’anil are linked to fertility. Q’anil is also strongly linked with the herbalist’s art and creates a very powerful day to plant or harvest medicinal herbs.

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. Q’anil also represents human beings coming to their greatest point of perfection, their ripeness.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly. It is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with. People carrying Q’anil energy can light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 Q’anil (1st January 2024)

Leave a comment

2 Q'anilThis day may bring up the duality of the process of growth. Coming to ripeness requires an input of energy, and this involves a degree of self-sacrifice.

Q’anil days are generally known for their pleasant energy, and this should certainly be one of them. It is a day of abundance, a day of illumination and the associated number 2 highlights relationships.

Q’anil is also known for its love of intoxication. This is perhaps the only downside of the energy of today. This could be a day where sensuality can carry you away, you might get lost with your lover. Whilst this might not be a bad thing, it may be a distraction from a more pressing issue.

In general, today is a day when it is possible for you to gain  abundance through your self sacrifice. Spend some time tending your seeds, whether they are physical or metaphorical, and you will reap the benefits. Equally spending time and energy tending your relationship may lead to you and your partner having the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful golden energy of Q’anil.

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. Q’anil also represents human beings coming to their greatest point of perfection, their ripeness.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly, it is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with, Q’anil people light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

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

8 Q’anil (12th December 2023)

Leave a comment

8 Q'anilThis is a day of celebration of the harvest, both from our fields and our projects. The nawal of ripening combines with the number of wholeness today to bring the possibility of a day of true brilliance.

Today is a balanced day, a great day to work with plants. The energy is neither too strong, nor too weak and it is particularly conducive for most horticultural and agricultural activities. If you have the opportunity to get your hands into the Earth today, take it. You should find that your effort will be abundantly rewarded.

On 7 Q’anil, the ripening process of last season’s crop completed, on 1 Q’anil, the new crop was sown. Today brings both of these together in wholeness, the cycle of life and death together in one place. It is a day of celebration, a day to give thanks for the ripening of our harvests, and make our offerings to invite blessings of abundance from the seeds we have planted. Of course we don’t all grow our abundance in fields anymore, we gain our abundance from our projects and from our work. Today is a day to pour your brilliance into that which sustains you, and to give thanks for the abundance you receive.

Q’anil days are also rather renowned for their carefree and fun feeling, after all, such blessings of abundance should give rise to feelings of contentment and happiness. However, sometimes this urge for merriment  might get taken too far and may lead to intoxication. Possibly the energy of the 8 brings balance to this, suggesting a celebration which should be thoroughly enjoyable, whilst staying within reasonable limits.

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. Q’anil also represents human beings coming to their greatest point of perfection, their ripeness.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly, it is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with, Q’anil people light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

The Number Eight

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. The eighth day of the trecena 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

New Video – The Trecena of Q’anil (22nd November – 4th December 2023)

Video Leave a comment

The trecena of Q’anil can be seen as the final trecena of our current evolutionary cycle. It gives us the opportunity to plant the seeds we wish to mature as we move into the new dream of the coming cycle, and begin the final ripening which takes us up to the next level.

Nebra Sky Disk

I will be making a post and video about the Nebra Sky Disk seperately. In the meantime, I would highly recommend watching Howard Crowhurst’s presentation at Megalithomania. You can see it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqBCx9nuzGY&t=2399s For a shorter summary, you can see a UNESCO film here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEwuwroennk

12 No’j / 2024 Calendar

My 2024 calendar is now available. The calendar shows the days of the Chol Q’ij, formatted onto the Gregorian calendar. This year it is available electronically as a pdf in both English and Spanish. Printed versions, in English, are available locally here in Guatemala, from Palo Santo and Lava Love Cacao in San Marcos. It is also available at the candle shop of Nana Maria Feliciana, opposite Banrural in San Juan la Laguna. See this link for details on how to get your pdf.

Konojel

When I mention programs within my videos, it is because I personally know the people involved and can vouch that your donations will actually go towards helping the people for which they are intended. During the video 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/

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, but 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 about medicine, the calendars, music, spiritual practice and more was kept and 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, in the lowlands of the Petén region, heart of the Maya culture of the Classic Period. The Elders have worked hard to acquire land and co-design this Center of Knowledge to share ancient wisdom with the World. To donate to the Elders of Peten to fund the Popol Jay, please use this link https://tinyurl.com/8s7vkvr

Calendar Workshop

If you would like to dive deeper into the sacred calendar, I will be running a workshop via Zoom from 10am – 2pm (Central European Time, UTC +1) from 11th – 15th December 2023. There are currently some spaces available. For more information, please go to https://thefourpillars.net/?page_id=1120 

Trecena Video

You can see the Q’anil Trecena video here:
https://youtu.be/sjrblUFL6Ys

 

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

1 Q’anil (22nd November 2023)

Leave a comment

1 Q'anilToday brings a new opportunity to ripen your crops and projects, to bring them to abundant brilliance. The nawal of ripening combines with the number of novelty as we begin a new trecena.

It could be said that both the number 1 and the nawal Q’anil have some very strong links to seeds. The glyph of Q’anil is often drawn in sugar on the ceremonial fireplace as the foundation for the sacred fire. The seed represents both the beginning and the end. It is from which the plant grows, and what the plant ultimately leaves behind. It represents the whole cycle, from birth to death, and what happens in between, is maturing.

The seed is the ultimate goal of the ripening process, passing on the spark of life. Days carrying the number 1 mark the beginning of a process. Here that is the maturing process bringing the abundance of the harvest. One planted seed becomes many offspring.
This is the day to begin to bring things to finalisation. If there are projects that need a little more input to finish, this is certainly a day to for it. It can also be seen as planting the new seed for the future, or even preparing the ground for a future project.

Therefore, the day 1 Q’anil can be seen as the beginning of the finalisation of our projects, a time when that which we have been patiently tending is getting close to the point where we can reap our abundance from it. It can also be seen as the day on which we plant the new seeds that we wish to bring to maturity, as a time when you may introduce a new brilliance into your life, the seed of an idea that allows you to truly shine.

Ripening ceremony

Another way to look at this cycle is through the cycle of ceremonies. Ceremonies are often performed on the “1” day, the first day of the trecena. They are also often performed 20 days later on the “8” day of the same nawal. The day 1 Q’anil sets up a 20 day path to the day 8 Q’anil, the day where we give thanks for our ripening, for our crops and our abundant harvest. During ceremonies, I am often calling on the energy of each of the other 19 nawales to bring its properties to the process which is associated with the nawal of the “1” day. For example, the 20 day period which begins 1 Q’anil will end on the day 7 Kej.

So I might ask that nawal Toj blesses the maturing crop with good health in return for an offering, or that the nawal B’atz brings its creative genius to the ripening process, and so on until I have invoked all 19 of the other nawales, and reached the nawal Kej. This is like energetically weaving a path, and asking for the support of each of the nawales along that path.

During this time another path will start, the trecena of 1 Imox will start during the 20 day period between 1 Q’anil and 8 Q’anil. There is always more than one path occurring at any time. The 20 days from 8 Q’anil (celebration of ripening) will take us to 1 Kej (new connection to the natural world), again laying an energetic path to take us to next line of the weaving we are creating.

The Nawal Q’anil

Nawal Q’anil represents the ripening of the seed, the crop coming to maturity. The K’iché word Q’an means yellow, and the -il suffix is rather like the English -ing. Q’anil represents the golden head of maize at its perfection of ripeness, ready to be picked. In the Mayan creation story, humans were fashioned from maize dough, we are Ixim Achi, the people of the corn. The maize in this part of the world has a 260 day growth season between planting (conception) and harvest (birth.) This connects maize with both the sacred calendar and with the period of human gestation.

It is in the fields and gardens that Q’anil’s light shines particularly brightly, it is the nawal of farmers, gardeners and herbalists. But just as it is at home around plants, Q’anil has the possibility to shine anywhere. Q’anil has talent, its beautiful golden light illuminates that which it comes into contact with, Q’anil people light up the room with their presence. Q’anil is about achieving full potential, and this relates to all of our activities. It does have an affinity to the arts, but in general is a day of bounty for all life projects.

However, when an energy is so fertile and prosperous, life can become too easy. Q’anil also appreciates the rewards of its talent – sometimes a little too much. Q’anil is prone to overindulge in the sensual, in particular with regards to intoxication.

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.