Tag Archives: Tzolkin

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

4 Kawok (20th June 2024) – Solstice 20:50 UTC

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4 KawokThis is a perfect day to birth something into the material world. If there is something that you have been gestating or working on it is a great day for its physical delivery.

The energy of 4 Kawok helps to stabilise the newborn into the world. This is a very practical day on which to get things moving, perhaps even with some tough love.

The energy of Kawok certainly has power to it, as the hard rain or the wild storm. However, sometimes this energy is needed to break through tough obstacles. Kawok energy helps us to do just that. It brings forth the energy of the flood, washing away the things that impede our progress. Of course, the degree to which we engage with the energy will determine its destructive power. It is certainly not something for a high-numbered day. This could lead to undesired and avoidable situations where the power of the storm is more destructive than healing.

However, today is different. The number 4 brings stability to this stormy energy, directing it towards the Earthly realm. This is a day to breakthrough physical obstructions in order to bring new growth into your life. This can be achieved with compassion, coming from the energy of the female healer, bringing stability to your new ideas, projects or direction.

Solstice

Today marks the June solstice. In the northern hemisphere this is the longest day. However, it is also the day on which the day on which the Sun’s energy is strongest. For many people this is the day when the sun is at its highest in the sky. As the Chol Q’ij is particularly concerned with the Sun, the energy of the solstice may also enhance the qualities of todays nawal. If you plan to make ceremony, a great focus might be to ask for the energy of the Sun to help you birth something into this world. Particularly in the north, this could truly be a day for something to see the first light of day.

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 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 Tijax (19th June 2024)

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3 TijaxOn some days it is better to concentrate on creating beauty, peace and healing within your own home, and this is one of them. This is the day to polish your inner diamond.

In some respects, the day 3 Tijax can represent blockages and obstructions in the crusade. Trying to push forward towards external goals may be more trouble than it is worth today.

It is a day where finding resolution or healing may be fraught with difficulties, possibly leading to confrontation. Tijax brings an energy of discernment. As such it can result in truly seeing the place to cut away that which is out of balance. However, today discernment may be clouded, and if the sharp, cutting energy of Tijax is employed, an error may occur. This is not the day for snap judgments regarding the outer world.

As we move through this trecena of Ajmak, working on forgiveness, we can see how this day might fit. It is very difficult to forgive and accept others if we can’t do that for ourselves. I sometimes think of Tijax days as days of surgery. In fact they are usually good days to choose for procedures. When combined with the inner focussed number 3 it suggests that we direct that finely honed discernment within.

It is a day where we might use our discernment to find where we don’t match up to our own high standards, otherwise we might become hypocritical. This is the day for inner healing, resolving internal conflicts and concentrating on what needs attention within you too. You must bring yourself into balance before working on others. Perhaps working on inner peace would be a more conducive focus. Once self acceptance is achieved, the acceptance of others will follow.

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 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 No’j (18th June 2024)

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The energy of the nawal No’j often brings practical solutions to problems, and today the number 2 highlights polarities. This brings the ability to solve problems by understanding both sides of the issue.

How can we begin to resolve an issue if we only have information from one source? The number 2 can highlight duality. It is binary, a one or a zero. There is no fraction or space in between, it is one or the other. This can bring conflicting information, but how can an impasse be breached if both sources can be verified as true? Naturally, balance is always required for a true and long-lasting solution and today that information might come from polar opposites.

The second day of the trecena of forgiveness, the day 2 No’j, enables us to understand different points of view. No’j helps us to think things through. Its intellect and intelligence empowers our thought processes to come up with the most appropriate solution. However, if we approach problem solving from a unilateral standpoint, we may miss important issues. 2 No’j brings us the ability to encompass both. Days carrying the energy of the number 2 are always good for mediation. Here we see it particularly linked with intelligent solutions.

With the number 2 highlighting relationships, this could also be a day to resolve any friction within partnerships. One of the challenges for No’j is not to overthink situations. However, with the lower number 2 this is unlikely. If the thoughtfulness of No’j can be applied to relationships today it is likely to come up with a genius answer. This solution is likely to satisfy the needs of both parties.

Veintena Rukub Pach

This day, 2 No’j, represents the beginning of a new month within the solar calendar. The month of Rukab’ Pach is associated with the second season of hen hatching. It marks the time of the year in the northern hemisphere, where the sun is present for the longest period, the growing season is at its greatest potential. Sometimes we can look as cycles as learning and then implementation, often the first or upwards part can be the learning part. If we apply this to the idea of the year lords, perhaps it is the first 140 days that we are learning to adjust to the energy of the new Mam, and here we have reached the pinnacle. It is time to “hatch out” the lesson and use the fullness of the solar energy to propel us forward in our new work.

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 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 Ajmak (17th June 2024)

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1 AjmakToday begins a period of forgiveness, redemption and reconciliation. It brings the possibility to bring out our humanity through forgiveness.

Ajmak is said to be the nawal of the human and as such it also represents human nature. Therein lies both the beauty and the problem. As humans, we don’t always see, or want to see, the consequences of our actions. We are often encouraged to “live in the moment” which can bring some of the best experiences as a human. However, the spontaneity to live in the moment is not always compatible with responsibility, at least in our modern world. We may be distracted from our responsibilities by the things that remind us how good it is to be human.

The day 1 Ajmak can represent a day of turning over a new leaf. It is a day to start a process of peace by making the first move in resolving any issues with others, particularly long-standing ones. However, this process may require some encouragement from others before it becomes realised.

With Ajmak accompanied by the number 1, we also see the internal process highlighted. We carry a seed within us, the first spark of pardon for both others and, perhaps more importantly, ourselves. Ajmak days give us the opportunity to resolve issues through forgiveness. Here there is also a suggestion to dig deep within yourself to see if there is anything you are holding onto which can now be released. It may be easier to forgive others once you have brought the sweetness into your life, by first forgiving yourself and your own actions. Today is an excellent day to start that process.

I am 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 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 Tz’ikin (16th June 2024)

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13 Tz'ikinToday is a day to ask for a vision from the ancestors to help all to thrive. Keep your eyes open and be aware of visual pointers, signs and signals marking your most fortunate direction.

This is not a day to necessarily expect abundance to just drop out of thin air in front of you, although the strength of this day does not rule that out either. This type of assistance may be a gift, but may also not lead to a long-term solution. It is more a day to receive the vision of how to bring prosperity to you, your family and your community. Whilst it might be a better day than usual to buy a lottery ticket, a more sustainable plan may be to seek guidance regarding your future vision for prosperity. True prosperity is, of course, not financial.

The energy of the number 13 represents the spirit world, including our deceased ancestors. Today it brings an energy where the nawal of the visionary combines with the number representing the spirit world. On these days, it is easier to seek their counsel through some form of divination or mediumship. However, the nawal Tz’ikin may bring you directly a vision of how to prosper, acting as the messenger between the unseen world and you.

As the trecena of Aq’ab’al comes to an end, this is the day to ask for help, verbally, and particularly from your ancestors. Use your eyes to see what they show you with regards to how to develop your concepts into a vision. You may be surprised how easily the answers come to you when you look for them today.

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 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 Ix (15th June 2024)

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12 IxThis is a day to show gratitude to the Earth for all you have received in life. The day 12 Ix can be seen as gathering your life’s wisdom, wealth and experience together.

As we travel through our lives, we have a continuous and ongoing experience with the energy of the Earth. Many do not realise it, and many choose to ignore it. However, it is from the Earth that all material emerges.

Industrialised societies tend to see the Earth as an inanimate source of material wealth. Non-industrialised societies see her as a living entity with whom we can interact, and she carries the nawal Ix. So, on Ix days, prayers are offered at her places, the shrines and altars, and her ears, to ask for what we need in our world.

When we understand our relationship with Mother Earth, we enhance our abilities to interact with this world. This can be seen as wisdom, at least with regard to thriving in our Earthly world rather than just surviving. The further we move through life, the more we gather with regards to our experience. Today we celebrate what we have gathered through life about our understanding of the way the world works.

This is a day when we can draw on our life experience of how to make things work, how to draw upon our “magic” or our knowing of how to ask the Earth for what we need. We also draw on our experience of gratitude, our understanding that this is the lubricant to keep the energy moving. Our life experience helps us understand how to make the appropriate ceremonies to give thanks. It is a day to use our life experience to protect and honour mother Earth.

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 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 Aj (14th June 2024)

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11 AjThe steadfast moved by the spontaneous could be a theme for this day. The supportive energy of Aj may bring greater harmony to the community by inspiration outside its usual boundaries.

The nawal Aj could be seen as a “safe pair of hands”. Aj days bring a focus on our homes and communities and the harmony within them. For this harmony to exist a certain amount of control is required. This may be through rules and regulations which can sometimes bring out the authoritarian side of Aj. However, Aj would argue that these rules are for the good of all, even if we feel a little restricted. Sometimes it can be difficult to get Aj to move especially when it might result in a change to the status quo. Just as Aj can represent the strength and support of the spinal column, cane or cornstalk, it can also become inflexible.

However, today might bring a surprise in these areas as the energy of the number 11 influences Aj. The 11 brings with it a changeability. It listens to its intuition and acts accordingly, sometimes moving off the logical path. Although this may seem chaotic to the external observer, innovation follows.

Bringing these two rather opposing energies together can create a very interesting situation. The energy of the 11 might persuade Aj to move from its position. Things which may normally be considered inflexible or dependable may act unpredictably. It may certainly be a day on which the “old guard” is challenged by new ideas. In order to bring harmony to the community, the phrase “because that’s how we’ve always done it” needs to be challenged. This is certainly the day on which that might happen, and it might even come from leaders themselves.

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 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 E’ (13th June 2024)

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10 E' This could be the day of the joint venture, the communal exploration of new places and concepts. The nawal of discovery joins with the number of cooperation and community.

The day 10 E’ can be seen as a day to explore your role within your chosen community. In turn, this can bring clarity and understanding to your life purpose. It can also be a day on which your community may wish to look at its direction. It should be a great day for an adventure with friends, where you can all expect to learn something profound.

Another way in which I see this day is as the exploration of society itself. In this time of new concepts during the Aq’ab’al trecena, we can help our society to change by incorporating concepts from others. I sometimes think of 10 E’ as the day of the anthropologist. It could be a great day to explore how community and society function. It could also be a good day to be guided by the understanding of community.

When I call the day E’ in ceremony, I often talk about how our paths have woven themselves together. They bring each person in the ceremony to this point in space and time, to have this experience. The energy of the ceremony is created by the people who participate in it. It is a cooperative collaboration through which we discover something new. Of course, this applies to far more than just ceremony. Our paths connect and weave with the people around us in this present moment. It is a day to celebrate our path together, and how we all cooperate to enrich each other’s lives through the experiences we provide for each other.

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 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 B’atz (12th June 2024)

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9 B'atzThe day 9 B’atz is a day of celebration of feminine creativity. It could be seen as the weaving of life and the ability to bring beauty into the world.

The nawal B’atz is the nawal of creativity and is seen very much as a representative of all the arts. This would include painting, sculpture, music, writing, and weaving in the Maya world. Weaving is a predominantly female pastime, it is also seen as one of the most important. It is a physical representation of the world’s creation by bringing together the male warp and the female weft to create the fabric of reality. Women may choose to weave in the external world physically, yet they are also the weavers of life itself. The gestation process within them could be seen as the weaving of a new human life.

Here we see the specific reference to the number 9, the number of life and the lunations of gestation. B’atz also represents the process of gestation. This is, of course, the most sacred and essential of all of our activities. It furthers our existence and this is exclusively the realm of the women in our world.

This is a day for women to honour who they are, to embrace their femininity and creativity. It is a day of celebration of female Aj Q’ij, Maya day keepers. It is a day when men have the opportunity to honour the women, particularly their wives, mothers and daughters. Whilst this day may be a day of the women, it is also a day to embrace the feminine creativity. Allow the women in our lives to inspire our art.

The Nawal B’atz

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

There are two nawales which bestow genius talents, one of which is B’atz, the other being No’j. B’atz is the nawal of artisans and of weavers. This is not just creation and weaving on the Earthly level. It weaves the threads of time together to create reality. B’atz is the nawal of the sacred calendar. The calendar 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, 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.

B’atz 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.

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

8 Tz’i (11th June 2024)

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8 Tz'iTrust your guidance may be a useful theme for today. To be a true guide requires an understanding of the whole, both the light and the dark.

The loyalty and trust towards ourselves and others should be celebrated today. Sometimes both may be tested. We lose our faith in something or are tempted by something out of alignment with our values. Perhaps we need to lose those things to celebrate finding them again.

It is also a day which highlights legal matters, this would be a good day to wrap up any legal proceedings, the energy of nawal Tz’i applying the wholeness of justice to the situation. It is a day to give thanks for the application of natural justice. The laws of nature must be adhered to or applied, it’s a good day to ask that the unjust are brought to account for their deeds.

While we were making a ceremony, Nana Ingrid Arevalo explained the nawal Tz’i exactly through the dog analogy. To paraphrase her words, “We go out and we leave our dog at home. We leave it for hours while we are out having fun. When we come home it greets us with its tail wagging, it is so excited to see us. We are the most important beings in its life, and it shows us its unconditional love”

To love unconditionally requires us to embrace all aspects of those we attach ourselves to. We also might not always be at our best, yet our family and true friends stand with us. This is what gives us faith in each other. Today is the day of ceremony for the nawal Tz’i. It is a day on which we can ask to be forgiven for succumbing to our vices.

The Nawal Tz’i

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 acts on instinct, disregarding reason when hormonally driven. This aspect of Tz’i is particularly bad, and when it fails, it does so dramatically, 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. 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 we can understand both loyalty and instinct through their actions. Tz’i is also the guide and protector on life’s path, ensuring that it’s 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. However, be aware that your loyalty may be tested by temptation.

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. Also, it can 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 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.