Tag Archives: Stability

4 Tz’i (27th February 2021)

4 Tz'iThe day 4 Tz’i may come as a welcome relief after the challenges faced yesterday. If those challenges caused you to lose faith in yourself or your world, here is the nawal Tz’i to restore it.

This is again rather a wonderful combination, the unconditional love and loyalty of Tz’i being grounded into the real world by the number 4.  The 4 leans very much to the practical world and gives us the solid foundation on which all physical existence is based. Its combination with Tz’i  gives a feeling of dependability, a solid and honest energy, bringing justice to the physical world. It is the unswayable loyalty that brings absolute trust to life.

It is a day when you might encounter some unusual examples of the lengths your friends will go to to help you. It is a day where you may find your faith in your journey restored and strengthened by your experiences. This of course also gives you the opportunity to act in the same manner, to go the extra mile for someone today. The “other” side of Tz’i should be calmed today, and is unlikely to raise it’s head. It is a day where the instinct serves to bring stable guidance in your journey. It is a day when the natural laws of the world are balanced, and true justice may be seen.

The dog sits by the cauldron, from the Madrid Codex

Tz’i is possibly the nawal with the most colourful reputation. Some describe it as the nawal of “sex, drugs and rock and roll” and it has the possibility to live up to that label. One of the functions an Aj Q’ij (Mayan spiritual guide) performs is divination, usually using red seeds called Tz’ite. If a question is asked about a relationship and Tz’i comes up in the reading, it is seen as a sign of  infidelity. Tz’i is instinctual, and closes its ears to reason when it gets an idea, particularly when it is hormonally driven. This is the worst possible aspect of Tz’i and when it falls down, it does so spectacularly, which is why it tends to be remembered for those events.

However, what is sometimes forgotten is the other side of Tz’i, which is the side more frequently displayed. Just as Tz’i can represent infidelity, it also represents faith and loyalty, and just as it can be the trouble maker, it also represents law. It is the nawal of police, lawyers and judges. Tz’i is unwavering faith, unconditional loyalty. The totem animal of Tz’i is the dog, and through the actions of dogs we can understand both the loyalty aspect, and the instinctual. Tz’i is also the guide and protector on life’s path, ensuring that its charge travels safely. It is a day when your faith or loyalty may be tested,  where your instincts are stimulated. The positive traits of this day give rise to to some of the greatest displays of friendship, but be aware that your loyalty may be tested by temptation.

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.

5 Tijax 1 Wayeb – The Second Day of Wayeb

The second day of the Wayeb is said to represent recognition of yourself, during your introspective period. This is combined with the day representing discernment, purification and healing work. This is a day to identify the things within you that can be cut away in the year 8 No’j as we move into the year 9 Iq’.

5 Tijax presents us with the opportunity to put our energy into our healing. As we move out of what has been a very challenging year for many, if not all, we are certainly in a healing phase. We may wish to go out and heal the division we may be observing in our world, but it is important that we first heal ourselves. This day of introspection gives us the opportunity to do just that. The number 5 implies that we have to put our own energy into it – no one else can do it for us – so this is an excellent day to retreat and do just that. It is through that kind of work that we can also recognise our true potential. Tijax gives us the eye of discernment, the ability to cut through and cut away the mundane which prevents us from seeing the divine. As you work on your inner healing, you may well recognise that perfection within you.

Pawahtuun, also known as Mam and god N. Known as the god of the Wayeb and the number five. An old man that carries a conch shell, who was both a beloved creator and a trickster. From the Dresden Codex

4 No’j 0 Wayeb – The First Day of Wayeb

The posts that I am writing every day concern the days of the Chol Q’ij, the Mayan sacred or ritual calendar, which consists of 260 days. However, this is, of course, not the only calendar used by the Mayan people. One of the other calendars used is known as the Macewal Q’ij or Ordinary Days. This has been termed a civic or agricultural calendar, which may seem less grand than the sacred days, but without agriculture, the people would starve. There are ceremonies associated with certain days of the Macewal Q’ij, not least the arrival of the first day, the new Year Bearer. Kenneth Johnson wrote an excellent first hand account of his experience in Momostenango of the arrival of the new year bearer or Mam here

However, the new year is not here just yet, first we have to get through the Wayeb. These are the five days at the end of the 365 day count. They are thought of as a dangerous time, when the energy is confused to say the least. It is interesting to note that the final five days of the solar year are overseen by the previous incarnation of the same nawal. 4 No’j was the year bearer for 2016. If we imagine reality as a ship and the year bearer as the captain, it is as if the captain has died and been replaced by the ghost of the previous captain. Maybe this is why this time is thought of as being so unpredictable.

Wayeb is seen as a time of introspection, a time when we take stock of what has happened over the previous year. It is seen as a time when public ceremony is avoided, some people do not wash or comb their hair, they may not leave the house. It is a time when the days are unsupported and misfortune may occur.

The introspection of the  first day of Wayeb is used to review the previous year. Its combination here with the day 4 No’j suggests a review of the way you were able to draw on your knowledge in order to come up with solutions to physical problems during the previous 360 days of the year 8 No’j.  I see 4 No’j as the energy of putting our plans into action, and maybe during this 8 No’j year we were able to enact some plans, but also many fell through. On this first day of Wayeb, we can reflect on what we plans have chosen to let go of during the year 8 No’j.

Pawahtuun, also known as Mam and god N. Known as the god of the Wayeb and the number five. An old man that carries a conch shell, who was both a beloved creator and a trickster. From the Dresden Codex
Pawahtuun, also known as Mam and god N. Known as the god of the Wayeb and the number five. An old man that carries a conch shell, who was both a beloved creator and a trickster. From the Dresden Codex

 

4 No’j (14th February 2021)

4 NojThe energy of thought and ideas comes down to four corners of the Earth today.  This is a day to solidify plans, and to bring ideas into the physical plane.

The 4 is representative of physical stability, or rather the materialisation into physical form. No’j is the flash of brilliance, the inspiration we receive. When we combine the two, we get a rather beneficial day. Today is a day when we are able to materialise our ideas into the physical world. We may have been sitting on them for some time, waiting for the right moment, and now is the time to ground them. These ideas may bring you sustenance, they have the fertile mind of the Earth Lord behind them, and the Earth Lord presides over all that comes from the Earth – crops, jade, silver. The four suggests that the ideas are not quite complete yet, this will happen on 8 No’j, but they are robust enough to be brought into the world and stand on their own two feet. It is a day to get your plans out into the open and allow them to start to bring their benefits into your life.

Earth Lord
A depiction of the Earth Lord, the patron of the day Caban (No’j). He makes a sacrifice of his own blood so that the maize, sustenance of the people, will sprout. Representative of fertility and abundance through the cycle of life, death and resurrection. From the Dresden Codex.

 


The nawal No’j is the nawal of thought, of intelligence and intellect. Within the count of days, there are two geniuses. B’atz is the creative genius, No’j the intellectual one. No’j is an energy of masculine, logical thought. No’j is the problem solver, it gives ideas and solutions which work in the real world. No’j gives a different way to understand situations, and through this ability comes innovation. It is thought, but also understanding and, indeed, knowing. As such, No’j is also a day associated with divination.

This energy is not necessarily social, it can lead to becoming absorbed into one’s work, lost in one’s thoughts. The influence of No’j can create ideas which may be very much ahead of their time. Do not be surprised if ideas you have on this day take a little time to catch on, the people you express the ideas to may need a little time to process, to see the genius within the idea.

The number 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.

4 K’at (1st February 2021)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6 Aj (21st January 2021)

6 AjToday, the stability of the number 6 combines with the benevolent energy of the nawal Aj. This is a day to create harmony and stability in our homes, families and communities.

At the top of the sacred hill Paclom, in the centre of Momostenango, is a cross. Unlike many of the crosses you might see here, it has two cross pieces. I was told that reason for the  second bar was that it creates a two dimensional representation of the four directions. As such this cross represents the number 6, which is the other name for Paclom, the six place. For me this especially represents the power of the number six. It has the horizontal Earthly stability of the four cardinal points, yet is also vertically connected with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. Today on the day 6 Aj, we see that stability amplified. It is as if the vertical post, or spinal column, that would normally be found with any six day, is energised by the connection of Aj between the Sky and the Earth, the divine masculine and divine feminine essences.

So, what is the point of this energisation? To bring this stability and blessing from the Celestial and Earthly realms into our world, our community and our homes. This is a day on which to ask for, and give thanks for, stability in our homes and communities. It is a particular day on which we can call upon the “greater powers” to energise us, to give us strength, so that we may sustain those around us. If there was a day for a global meditation to bring peace and stability to the world, 6 Aj would make a prime candidate.

May the Heart of the Sky be in My Heart

May My Heart be in the Heart of the Earth

May the Heart of the Earth be in My Heart

May My Heart be in the Heart of the Sky

Paclom Cross by Mark Elmy
The double armed cross at the top of Paclom. By Mark Elmy

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.

Foliated crossThis 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 six is said to be the number of ultimate stability. It is the first of the three middle numbers of the cycle, the balance point neither too strong nor too weak. It is a day frequently used for ceremony thanks to its conducive energy. It represents the four directions with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. It also represents family, relating to the six qualities that nourish and hold families together – health, understanding, property, employment, friendship and actions.

4 B’atz (19th January 2021)

4 B'atzThe day 4 B’atz is a wonderful day with an energy conducive to weaving your ideas into the physical world. It can be a light-hearted fun day, a day to embrace the creative joy in life and ground it into the world around you.

As the creative genius of nawales, the energy of B’atz certainly brings the ability to bring that extra sparkle top whatever it touches. As both entertainer and performer, it has the ability to hold attention and create something impressive for all around. Today, we see it connected with the very down-to-Earth, practical energy of the number 4. However, far from this practicality taking the shine off the energy of the nawal B’atz, it is more about the nawal B’atz bringing its shine to the mundane world. This is the day to bring out the beauty within the everyday world, to weave true creative beauty in the most physical of worlds.

It is a day that brings stability to your creations and your art forms. If there is an idea that you have been sitting on for a little while, waiting for the right time to bring it out in the open, today is the day to bring it into physical reality. This is the day to decorate the world, to weave your beauty into your physical surroundings.

Images of weaving using a backstrap loom, from the Madrid Codex

There are two nawales which bestow incredible talents, one of which is B’atz. B’atz is the nawal of artisans and of weavers, but this is not just creation and weaving on the Earthly level. B’atz weaves the threads of time together to create reality. B’atz is the nawal of the sacred calendar, which could be considered to be the fabric created from these individual threads of time. If B’atz is clever enough to weave time into order, then of course it is clever enough to create more down to Earth trinkets. B’atz is the master artisan, creating whatever it chooses, at will. It is just as comfortable painting, as it is playing music or writing. The arts come naturally to this nawal. However, this can lead to issues when B’atz has to deal with those less talented than itself. This can lead to a certain arrogance around those who fail to achieve their standard of excellence.

Their talent draws attention, which is something B’atz craves. It is the nawal of the born entertainer, who can sing, dance and play all at once. This nawal is the life and soul of the party, it also makes excellent teachers, who hold the attention of students through entertaining them. It is a particularly fun loving nawal that feeds on the adoration of the crowd that it pleases.

It is a day to create, especially within the fields of the arts. It is also a day to weave your reality the way you see fit. Where Aq’ab’al was the conception, B’atz is the gestation. Now is the time to incorporate what you wish into the pattern before it is birthed.

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.

6 Ajpu (8th January 2021)

6 AjpuToday the nawal of the divine combines with the number representing stability and family values. It is a day of recognising the holiness in what is directly around you.

Both the number four and the number six are said to represent stability, but there is a different quality to each of them. The number four represents the four directions, as well as many other phenomenon such as the cycles of the Sun both in the daily (midnight, sunrise, midday and sunset) and annual (solstices and equinoxes). These things are what bring balance to our world, they keep the harmonious rhythm in the physical realm, and can be seen very much as representing physical stability. The number 6 carries those qualities, but has the addition of an extra axis. If we think of the number four representing the cardinal points, the number six adds a polar axis to these, bringing in up and down, the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. The number six has the stability of the number four embellished by an energetic connection to the masculine and feminine principals. It could almost be seen as the number four represents the physical world and the number 6 represents the physical world animated by the life force energy.

Today we see the number 6 connected with the nawal Ajpu, representing divinity and holiness. Ajpu reminds us of the beauty in our world, it shows us the hand of the divine in all things. Perhaps this might sound a little flaky, after all Ajpu energy can sometimes become too mystical for its own good and lose sight of the real world. However, the Ajpu energy gives us the ability to perceive things that cannot always be rationalised, it reminds us of what we are all part of, but cannot be defined. The energy of the number 6 would suggest that today the Ajpu energy might reveal to us the way that the energy flows from heaven and Earth into our physical reality. This may be experienced in a very practical and physical way without losing its divinity.

Thus, the day 6 Ajpu can bring stability to the divinity we experience in life. In particular it can be a day on which to appreciate the blessing of family. It is a day when you may experience the holiness of life in very stable and down to Earth ways, which remind you that there is  a little divinity everywhere. The stability and balance of the six should allow you to appreciate this without being overwhelmed by mysticality.

Kinich Ahau, the solar deity, lord of space and time. From the Dresden Codex.
Kinich Ahau, the solar deity, lord of space and time. From the Dresden Codex.

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

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

Ajpu represents the holiness in life, the divinity in the physical world, and our search for it. It is that moment when you look closely at a flower to see the beautiful detail, the moment when you see the magnificence of the landscape you live within, the beauty in your child’s eyes or in the 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 six is said to be the number of ultimate stability. It is the first of the three middle numbers of the cycle, the balance point neither too strong nor too weak. It is a day frequently used for ceremony thanks to its conducive energy. It represents the four directions with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. It also represents family, relating to the six qualities that nourish and hold families together – health, understanding, property, employment, friendship and actions.

The cross at the top of the central hill, Paclom, in Momostenango. Paclom is known as "the six place" and the two armed cross represents the four directions combining with the Heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Sky. This picture was taken on Wajxakib B'atz, February 2010.
The cross at the top of the central hill, Paclom, in Momostenango. Paclom is known as “the six place” and the two armed cross represents the four directions combining with the Heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Sky. This picture was taken on Wajxakib B’atz, February 2010.

4 Tijax (6th January 2021)

4 TijaxThe combination of the number 4 with the the energy of the nawal Tijax brings about a steadiness to the tenacity that Tijax has. It can bring powerful, decisive healing into the physical realm.

The energy of Tijax can accentuate the drive on a quest. This may be the usual kind of Tijax quest, searching out the truth in matters, cutting away at falsehoods and perceived injustice or a pure drive for healing. It brings an essence of tenacity, cutting through that which stands between you and your goal, sometimes almost literally. Tijax can sometimes have a rather belligerent reputation, even if its desired achievement is noble. It can be seen as cutting away the “fluff” around words and conversations in order to get to the point, and in doing this may be rather short.

Today this energy is tempered by the stability afforded by the energy of the number 4. The energy of the 4 brings out the solid, grounded, physical aspects of what it is connected to. It is a day on which forms of healing should have  exactly the desired effect, with recipient put firmly on the road to recovery. It can also be a good day to sever any unnecessary ties gently, but with firmness and certainty. It is a day to apply your powers of discernment very much into the physical world, to understand where improvements, or cuts, may be made, with a steady hand on the knife. It could also be a great day for de-cluttering!

Sacrificial Death God 1

 

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

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

Tijax is celebrated as a day of healers, particularly what could be seen as the masculine aspect of healing. It is a day of crusading, of standing up for what is right. It has a tenacity to it, it is sometimes belligerent, it will not be stopped in it’s 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 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.

6 Kej (26th December 2020)

6 KejToday, the energy of the nawal of strength and determination combines with the energy of balance and stability. This can provide an excellent opportunity to harness this lively and vital energy of the wilderness.

It is an interesting experience to observe the qualities of each trecena through its individual components. The trecena of Iq’ proves to live up to its unpredictable nature once again today. Whilst we might have just been through the potentially challenging days of 3 K’at and 5 Kame, favourable days with challenging numbers, the high energy nawales of Kan and Kej combine with very favourable numbers to bring them under control. Just as 4 Kan brings the wisdom down to Earth, 6 Kej stabilises strength.

Kej may often be referred to as “deer”, but in the K’ichean dictionary I have it is translated as horse. The energy of Kej certainly has similarities with that of the horse, both through its capacity to carry or work and its stubbornness should the situation dictate. It has a noble freedom about it and may be difficult to control, giving those who try to do so a wild ride. However, today is different. Today it is possible to bring that strength and determination into clear focus, using that energy to lead if necessary, especially in matters of family. Of course, the place where this is felt the most is in the wilderness, where this energy is the greatest.

The day 6 Kej is a day to draw on the power of the natural world to bring stability to your life and vitality to your family. As such it could be a great day to take a walk in the woods with your loved ones, you should all feel the benefit. 

Xbalamkiej, patron of the day Kej one of the hero twins from the Popol Vuh. From the Dresden Codex

Xbalamkiej, patron of the day Kej one of the hero twins from the Popol Vuh. From the Dresden CodexKej is possibly the strongest of the nawales, it is powerful, but in a different way to Kan. Kej is energetic, lively and determined. It is the nawal of nature, of the wilderness and it is this power that it draws on. The animal totem of Kej is the deer, but if you have fragile, new-born Bambi in mind, think again. This is the majestic stag, standing on the mountain surveying his domain. Whilst most nawales are not necessarily engendered, Kej is most definitely masculine. Both men and women that carry Kej as their nawal have great strength, although the men tend to hide their strength more. Kej women are particularly driven, resourceful and brave, sometimes to the point of being rather dominant. All radiate an aura of nobility, people tend to look to them to lead.

Kej is the nawal of the Mayan “religion”, a day of spiritual leaders, of shaman and of priests. It is these leaders who understand how to read the messages from the natural world, who help to keep our existence in balance with nature. It is a day to connect with the wilderness and draw the power of the natural world into you, to harmonise and replenish.

The number six is said to be the number of ultimate stability. It is the first of the three middle numbers of the cycle, the balance point neither too strong nor too weak. It is a day frequently used for ceremony thanks to it’s conducive energy. It represents the four directions with the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth. It also represents family, relating to the six qualities that nourish and hold families together – health, understanding, property, employment, friendship and actions.

The cross at the top of the central hill, Paclom, in Momostenango. Paclom is known as "the six place" and the two armed cross represents the four directions combining with the Heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Sky. This picture was taken on Wajxakib B'atz, February 2010.
The cross at the top of the central hill, Paclom, in Momostenango. Paclom is known as “the six place” and the two armed cross represents the four directions combining with the Heart of the Earth and the Heart of the Sky. This picture was taken on Wajxakib B’atz, February 2010.