Tag Archives: Wilderness

13 Kej (19th June 2022)

18th June 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The combination of the nawal Kej representing strength with the number 13 can bring about an extremely powerful day. This is a day of strengthening from the spirit of the natural world.

Kej can have the tendency to ride roughshod over anything or anyone that stands in its way, and today it has the power of the spirit world behind it. It can be a great day for achieving your goals, although remember to exercise temperance when dealing with those who you may perceive as obstructing your path. A little force goes a long way today.

That said the other aspect of this day can be truly enlightening. The connection of Kej to the wilderness and the strength of spirit in 13 could give rise to an epiphany should you choose to connect with nature today. It is a day to find your answers during a walk in the woods, to energise yourself in the life force of the natural world, as the otherworld provides a bridge through the wilderness.

This day, 13 Kej, represents the beginning of a new month within the solar calendar, the month of Rukab’ Pach, translated as 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.

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

Kej 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 13 is the final number on the pyramid. It represents the spirit world. It is said that on Halloween, 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, where both the positive and negative aspects of the nawal it is attached to come through strongly. It is a very good day for activities such as divination, however, ceremonies on 13 days are generally only carried out by the most experienced Aj Q’ij who understand how to work with that strength of energy.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

6 Kej (30th May 2022)

29th May 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Today, 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.

As we move through the solar year, today we begin a new month, that of Nabey Pach. This is translated as the first season of the hatching of hens. We can see the energy of the year building up to the crescendo, the strength of the Mam 10 Kej is building towards its peak around the solstice.

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.

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.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

11 Kej (31st March 2022)

30th March 2022 Mark Elmy 1 Comment

The strength of the nawal Kej combines with the strong and directionless energy of the number 11. This is a day to be aware of the strength of actions and which direction they are heading towards.

The energy of the number 11 can give rise to strong and highly unpredictable days. These are days where you might not know why you are doing something, but you do it with absolute certainty that it is the right thing to do. Today it is combined with the determination from the nawal Kej, which may lead to an even higher degree of certainty that you are going in the correct direction even if you do not know why. This will also have the force of the nawal Kej behind it, the nawal of strength itself, so any actions will be empowered and it may be all too easy to apply too much.

From the idea of Kej representing either a deer or a horse (as it is translated in modern day K’iche) this could be seen as a stampede, all that force and energy in no particular direction. This is a day where you may need to be more aware than usual of what is going on around you and prepare to take evasive action if necessary. Trying to stop the stampede will not work, there is too much determination involved, but you can get out of its way. Of course, it is not only the actions of others which carry this energy. It is a day to be aware of your own determination towards making something happen, awareness of the strength you may be working with. Are you really aware of the direction in which it is taking you?

This is certainly not a day to attempt to tame the wild within or in others, but a wandering in the forest may provide strong experiences which you incorporate at a later time. If you do choose to walk in the wilderness today, follow your instincts rather than a set path. You may find new strength in your discoveries.

Kej 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 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 Kej (11th March 2022)

10th March 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Strength that brings stability is especially highlighted today as both the nawal Kej and the number 4 combine their properties. Each can be seen as representations of the Four Pillars, keeping everything in its rightful place.

The nawal Kej is known for its strength, which sometimes can become a little domineering. It is not necessarily meant that way, after all it is a nawal of spiritual leadership and truly has the interests of its followers at heart.

Kej brings the strength to make the difference, but the number 4 tempers it to bring this strength in a carefully measured, balanced way. It is strength empowered by the qualities of the four directions – vitality, wisdom, spirit and healing – which brings the material world into being. This can very much be seen as the day which represents the four first men, the four first leaders, the Bacab’ob – Balam Kitze, Balam Acab, Majutujaj and Balam Ikim. These were the four first humans created and were seen as the spiritual leaders of the patrilineages, as well as the forefathers. As such they formed the base for all who followed on from them, and their stability allowed the human race to flourish.

Today the strength of Kej should be particularly useful. There could be no more significant day to represent a strong foundation, or an energy of bringing strength and stability to a situation. It is a day to step forward and take charge of matters if they need resolving.

Equally, the nawal Kej is the representative of the natural world and Kej days are excellent days to spend in the wilderness. If you are feeling a little weakened or out of balance, today is a powerful day to take a walk in the woods in order to re-energise yourself and bring yourself back into stability.

We have now completed the first 20 days of the new year 10 Kej. As the Year Bearer settles and we move into the second period of the solar, Rukub’ Mam, we can start to see its influences more clearly, urging a stronger communion with the natural world.

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 beneficial number.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

9 Kej (10th January 2022)

9th January 2022 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The combination of the the number of the divine feminine with Kej, the nawal of spiritual leadership, should give rise to an excellent day for the empowerment of women in particular.

There are some combinations where the properties of the nawal and the number reinforce each other, such as 4 Kej, 5 Toj or 12 K’at, where the meanings of the nawales and numbers are very much the same. The day 9 Kej is extremely interesting for the reason of the nawal and number carrying the energy of opposites. Kej can be seen as being one of the most masculine of the nawales, representing strength, vitality and determination, which are “traditionally” seen as masculine traits. Today this is combined with the number 9, the most feminine of numbers, creating a situation whereby those “masculine” traits may be especially prevalent in women. It can result in a perfect balance of masculine and feminine energies.

Today there is a possibly more familiar archetype which so accurately fits the energy of the day, it may give a further understanding of the feel of the energy, that of the Greek goddess Artemis. She is the strong, empowered, independent woman, the huntress deeply connected with the forest and, of course, divinely connected. Whilst she could be seen in general as the archetype aptly describing the energy of the number 9, today more than any other truly fits the bill, with the connection to the wilderness of Kej. This can also be seen as the day of the High Priestess, the female spiritual leader. With that in mind, it would be an excellent day to seek spiritual counsel from women in your life.

Today is a day to allow women to take the lead as this should be one of the most empowered days of the calendar for them. Be aware that the strength of Kej does sometimes create rather domineering situations, so you may not have much choice in the matter! This could potentially create some conflict within groups of women.

If you are woman looking for a empowerment, you might find this in the wilderness today. Take a walk in the forest and allow the inspiration of the natural world to remind you of your true strength and divinity. From the masculine side, this is also an empowering day where nature reminds you of the strength which can come through compassion. For everyone involved, the energy of today brings a beautiful balance between the masculine and feminine energies, all can benefit from the union of the polarities.

Kej 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, newborn 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.

The number nine is very special indeed. It 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 and is a day on which women may wish to give thanks for their gifts.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

2 Kej (21st December 2021) – Solstice

20th December 2021 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The energy of the nawal Kej is known for its strength and sometimes its stubbornness. However, its pairing with the number 2 may bring more gentleness to this day.

It is said that one of the qualities of the number 2 is to double the strength of whatever it comes into contact with. It enhances both aspects of the nawal. This may give the energy of Kej a softer edge than we might normally expect of a Kej day, as the energy of nawal Kej can be domineering and certainly determined. It is the nawal known to stand up first against what it perceives as injustice, and here we see it combined with the number which relates to self-sacrifice and relationships.

We could expect that today this energy may give rise to situations where we give our strength to causes dear to our hearts. It is a good day to bring new, fresh and vital energy into relationships through a connection with nature, allowing the raw beauty of the wilderness to inspire and revitalise. It is also a great day to put your energy into projects to protect the wilderness.

The nawal Kej is the representative of leadership, especially where it takes on a spiritual aspect. Perhaps it is an aspiration that may be held by some, to be a leader within the community. There is always a price to pay when in a position of leadership, and today this is exemplified through the energy of the number 2. It reminds us that true leadership begins with self sacrifice, the willingness to give freely of our time and energy on behalf of our communities. Today, this sacrifice may lead to strength and vitality coming to the people we care about.

Today is also the winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere, which includes the Mayalands. This is the changing point of the year, where the light begins to come back, and further north, life will begin to come back to the Earth. This can be seen astronomically as the beginning of the solar year and certainly a rebirth of the sun. A day to celebrate the turning of the wheel and the transformation it brings, something which may be especially powerful in this Kame Trecena.

The number 2 is representative of duality, of polarity. Although it is a low number it has surprising strength as 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 Kej (1st December 2021)

30th November 2021 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

There are several days within the sacred count of days that we could term auspicious, then there are a few which represent very special themes. 8 Kej is one of them, perhaps second only to 8 B’atz.

During this trecena we have seen two days representing very specific characters within the Popol Vuh, Jun Ajpu and Wucub Kame. They play very special parts within the story, Jun Ajpu being one of the hero twins and representing “the birth of the sun”, “resurrection of the divine”, and could generally be assigned a title of Lord of Light. Wukub Kame is his polar opposite, “the ultimate death”, and we could see this character as the lord of darkness. In the last week we have experienced the energies of both of these archetypes and here in 8 Kej, it is as if they come together to bring wholeness to the strength. It is essential to be connected with the light, but in order to truly serve, the leader needs to have confronted and overcome the darkness within. Where Aj may represent the civic type of leader, the “Mayor”, Kej represents the spiritual leader or priest, making these experiences all the more important.

On the day 8 Kej the names of soon to be Aj Q’ijab, Maya spiritual guides, are presented to the patrilineage altars. It is also a day when high ranking Maya priests are initiated as Chuchq’ajawib, the so called mother-fathers. This role combines the strength of the father and the compassion of the mother. The masculine and feminine principles coming together to give the wholeness required of a true leader of their community. One of the key strengths of the nawal Kej is its grounded nature. It is related to the four pillars which bring stability to the world, and draws its strength from the natural world which exists in the space between Earth and Sky.

This is a day to embrace the strengths you draw from your existence in the natural world, particularly from the male and female essences of the properties of the four directions; vitality, spirit, wisdom and healing. It is an excellent day to be in nature, a day to make ceremonies to give thanks for, and receive, the strength and vital energy from the natural world.

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. It 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

1 Kej (11th November 2021)

10th November 2021 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

This day brings a new beginning, a new thirteen day cycle, one which is empowered through nature, one full of vitality. It is a time to be be guided and inspired by the power of the wilderness.

With the potential represented by the number 1 and the power of the natural world represented by Kej, this should prove to be a very interesting day. Nature does not have polarities, it just is. Our judgement creates these polarities. We may judge nature as harsh and unforgiving, or inspiring and beautiful. Much will depend on our experience and the depth of our connection with nature. The wilderness can tell us many things, but we have to connect with it to understand them. Here we have the potential to draw strength from the natural world should we choose to. If you have the opportunity, take a walk in the wild woods, embrace the elements and feel the power of nature. Always remember this is a two way street. Just as the wilderness can empower you, it needs your love and protection too. 1 Kej may be an excellent day to start a conservation or protection program for your local environment. Look after her and she will look after you.

Whilst Kej is known for its strength and vitality, the 1 suggests that we need to nurture this. It is a day where encouragement from others can bring great strength and determination. This applies to your actions too, it is a great day to share a few words to empower others.

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 just needs the correct nutrients and conditions to germinate and develop, just as sometimes we need encouragement to develop our ideas.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

13 Kame (10th November 2021)

9th November 2021 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

Whilst the number 13 already has a representation of the spirit world, its combination with the nawal Kame brings the spirits of the ancestors extremely close. This is a day to commune with your ancestors.

Today could almost be seen as the equivalent of Halloween within the Chol Q’ij as both Kame days and days carrying the number 13 are when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. This is an extremely strong day for divination and particularly for mediumship, although this should be approached through trained practitioners.

With this closeness of the other world, it is also possible to draw upon the strengths and wisdom of our ancestors. Kame encourages us to face our fears, and today we have some extra force or guidance working with us to overcome them. As the number is so high these may be some of our deepest fears, they could also be fears passed on through generations.

This may be a day of extremely strong changes, possible revelations. The power of the spirit world is driving your transformations today. You might find that events of today have a massive impact on your own life path and development. Be careful not to judge them too quickly. You may need to be flexible as these changes have a great deal of power behind them, resistance is futile, and acceptance of the changes should lead you towards your higher aspect.

Kame relates to death, which often makes people nervous. However, this nawal is seen as an extremely positive day. Birth is the gateway into the mortal life, death the gateway into the eternal. In many shamanistic traditions, the initiate goes through several death experiences during training. This can be through the use of particular herbs, or sometimes through accident or illness. In these experiences the density of the mortal realm falls away and the greater understanding emerges. It can often be described as a spiritual transformation. In the Popul Vuh, the Mayan book of creation, the Hero Twins descend to the underworld, Xibalba, to confront the Lords of Death. They pass the many challenges set for them, but eventually end up being tricked by the Lord of Death. Instead of giving in, the Hero Twins choose to sacrifice themselves. They give instructions to a pair of seers to convince the Lords of Death to grind the Twins’ bones to dust and throw the dust in the river. Everything went according to plan and five days later the twins appeared as catfish in the river, then transformed into vagabond “magicians”. In this way we see a literal transformation from the crusader (Tijax) through death (Kame) to the higher self (Ix). This is the potential of the Kame day, to face ones fears and attain a higher perspective, to advance the journey of your soul. This is also a day to remember your ancestors and friends that have passed into the other realm, to remember what they taught you, and to thank them for their wisdom that helped you to grow.

The number 13 is the final number. It represents the spirit world. It is said that on Halloween, 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, where both the positive and negative aspects of the nawal it is attached to come through strongly. It is a very good day for activities such as divinations, however, ceremonies on 13 days are generally only carried out by experienced Aj Q’ij who understand how to work with that strength of energy.

Chol Q'ij - The Energies of the Days

13 Kej (2nd October 2021)

1st October 2021 Mark Elmy Leave a comment

The combination of the nawal Kej representing strength with the number 13 can bring about an extremely powerful day. This is a day of strengthening from the spirit of the natural world.

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