Research and Promotion Center
of the Ancestral Culture
Qapool qachahimal - Our nahuales
B'atz'
It is the symbol of man and humanity, of the realization of man.
B'atz': (thread). Symbol of continuity with the past, as it has been included in the ritual. "One fine day, of the perpetuation of the ceremonies and customs of our ancestors.
It symbolizes time. Our ancestors, the Maya, represented time by imagining it as a thread wrapped around a reed beneath the earth. This thread unwinds as time passes. History is woven over time, just as thread weaves clothing. The New Maya cycle, Wajxaqib' B'atz', is accompanied by a marimba and dancing around the fire during the ceremony.
B'e (E)
He symbolizes the path and the destination. He is the guide. He leads us to a fixed point. One of the Bearers of Time. He protects travelers and wayfarers. He guides spiritual and material life.
It's a good day for traveling anywhere. In case of danger, Ajaw E is the one who gives protection. It's also a good day to give thanks for physical well-being, for people's lives, and for their work. It's a very sacred day. For this reason, one can ask for his protection, as the Popol Wuj says, "May they not fall on the way down or up. May they not encounter obstacles behind or in front of them, nor anything that will strike them. Grant them good paths, beautiful, flat roads..."
Aj
It symbolizes sugarcane fields and cornfields, everything related to home and family. It is the symbol that Jun Ajpu Ixb'alamkej left behind in his life when he planted sugarcane in the middle of the courtyard of Grandmother Ixmukane's house.
It is a symbol of the resurrection of Jun Ajpu and Ixb'alamkej, who did not die at the hands of the lords of Xib'alb'a. It represents the triumph of good over evil.
I'x
It is the symbol and energy of Mother Earth. It represents the places or ceremonial centers where ceremonies are held. These are the hills, mountains, and plains. It means Jaguar.
It is a special day to pray for the life of both domestic and wild animals. Ajaw is asked for a good harvest of any crop, especially vegetables. On this day, green candles are lit, as they symbolize the color of Mother Earth.
It means guardian of the mountain. It is the nawal of the hills. It is also the nawal of spiritual strength.
Tz'ikin
It is a symbol of luck, fortune, and material goods. It is also a symbol of freedom and is the nawal of birds.
This day is an auspicious day to pray for the abundance of goods, such as money. Tz'ikin means bird and symbolizes the intermediation between human beings and Ajaw, represented by everything in space: the air, the clouds, the cold, and the heat. These are invisible forces, but the Heart of Heaven and the Heart of Earth have placed them at our service and protection.
It is also a day of spiritual development and, therefore, of full human fulfillment. It is a day to give thanks for material goods, especially those related to money. However, failing to give thanks for these favors can also bring misery.
Ajmaq
This day is dedicated to asking for forgiveness for sins and for sinners. It is the day dedicated to the dead.
It's the day of those we cannot see, the day of the dead. The day of strength that the history of our past gives us. It's also the day of punishment when we don't act in accordance with the teachings they bequeathed to us.
Ajmaq: Death at home, natural death due to illness, peaceful death. On this day, people speak with the deceased and ask for forgiveness in the case of sinners.
Noj
It is wisdom and knowledge. It is the nawal of intelligence.
It's good advice, according to grandparents. It's the wisdom that comes from the Former and Creator. It's also one of the Bearers of Time. An auspicious day to give thanks for knowledge and ask for good thoughts.
It's the day of wisdom. It's the day for making decisions, whether private or in consultation. It's a day that encourages planning projects and the guidelines to follow in managing the community and society in general. It's also the day when our thinking can be more fluid.
Tijax
It means stone and obsidian. It is the symbol of flint.
It is the energy of the healer in Mayan culture. It represents the power of thunder and lightning. A person born under the influence of this day can be a great healer or doctor with a wealth of energy in their hands. It is ajq'íj, which heals physical and psychological illnesses. It can repair bone fractures.
It's a day that can prevent humiliation and ruin caused by something or someone. It's a day of protection. Those born on this day can become angry and can destroy someone spiritually or emotionally. Sometimes, no one can stand them, and it's difficult to understand them.
Kawoq
It is the nawal of women as midwives. It is the day of the Spiritual Wand. It represents the duality of the sacred fire in Mayan spirituality. It is the day of the community, of the family, of the group, and of society. It is the energy that facilitates the rains to give us good harvests, especially corn.
It provides the capacity and ability to heal and guide. It is the energy that strengthens Spirit Guides. It maintains energy and fertility. It is a day of deep connection with Mother Earth and the elements, providing wisdom for the management of medicinal plants. It facilitates unity and family care. It is the day of women as wives and mothers who warm the hearth of the home. It is also a special day for the full realization of women in the community and society.
Ajpu
It is light and represents Grandfather Sun. It signifies blowgunner, hunter, shooter, and wayfarer. It is the day of physical strength and the triumph of good over obstacles. It represents the triumph of Jun Ajpu and Ixbalamke over the lords of Xib'alb'a. This sign was given to Grandmother Ixmukane when the sugarcane field the two boys planted in the courtyard of the house sprouted.
It is the day of the great Ajaw, the father and his solar representation, the day of greatness, of the strength of life. He is the one who brings light and clarity to human beings and to all humanity.
It is the regenerative force, the cycle of life. The ability to control the entire galaxy. It governs lunar and solar eclipses. It is the time to serve others.
Imox
Symbol of the hidden forces of the universe manifested in dementia. "Imox" is the name for all things secret. In general, it is a day of negative influences. It is a dangerous day. It is a symbol of the left hemisphere, the subtle part of human beings; it is sensitivity. It is the essence of our consciousness and our mind.
It's the nawal, or spirit of water. It generates movement, but also emotional disorder. It's a day with negative influences, and those born on this day can become troublemakers. Therefore, the day is auspicious for emotional cleansing ceremonies.
Iq'
It is the wind and life. It is the nawal of rain. It is the day of the Heart of Heaven and the Heart of Earth. It is the air and the sacred breath that gives strength and life. On this day, the wind is asked to take away a person's suffering or illness.
It is also the breath of the person. It is the sacred, gentle, and peaceful breath that purifies the body, mind, spirit, and emotions. It is the invisible space between matter. It is one of the elements that produces natural phenomena.
Aq'ab'al
It is the symbol of the hand and the dawn formed by the first rays of the sun that appear over the mountains to dispel the darkness and gloom of the night.
It means dawn, aurora, light, clarity, a new day. It is the renewal of energy. It is the arrival of light, of twilight, the light that peeks out from behind the hills and mountains.
It is the day of dawn, of the promising future we await every day, the best days for our people and for each individual.
K'at
It is related to the word (k'atk) k'atik, which means to burn. It is a symbol of fire and the net. In the ritual, the day is mentioned as a time for entangling and untangling. It is what entangles and untangles life.
It's the net used to store the corncob. The net used to fish. The net used to kill fish. It signifies captivity and lack of freedom. A sign of oppression exerted on a community.
Kan
It means movement. It is the symbol of the Great Energy that created the Universe. It is the Feathered Serpent or Q'uq'umatz. It represents human evaluation and spiritual development. It represents Wisdom and the cycle of time. It is the guardian of the forest. It is the day of transformation.
It signifies justice and balance. It's a very strong and "angry" day. It can bring negative influences such as anger and quarrels. However, it's a symbol of truth and is swift and relentless when justice points someone in the losing position. The day's energy lends itself to problem-solving.
Kamk-Kame
It's the symbol of death. It's a symbol of the final dissolution of all things, good and bad. It signifies owl and death. It represents rebirth. It's an auspicious day to pray for the health of the sick and to make offerings for the prosperity of business.
It is the energy of people who die naturally. It can weaken or strengthen a person. It predicts good and bad. It is the communication with grandparents through the baobab candles offered in ceremonies. It provides prudence and protection to avoid accidents. It is the Supreme Judge of all things. It is the Nawal of illness and death.
Kej
It symbolizes the deer, the four pillars, the four cardinal points. It is a strong and good day. It is a day that crushes. It is a day that demonstrates its strength and power.
They are the four cardinal points that sustain the world; they sustain the life of man.
It's the day to pray for strength, strengthening, and hardening, so that one can be tough, resilient in the face of illness, blows, and criticism, and endure the hardships of life. Those born on Kej could make good Mayan spiritual guides.
Q'anil
This is an auspicious day for prayers related to corn and for giving thanks to the divinity of the earth for the corn harvest.
It's the nawal of harvests. Anyone born on this day is a good farmer. This one should be sought for both the planting and harvesting of corn.
It symbolizes the four colors of corn found in Mesoamerica: red, black, white, and yellow. The four colors of human skin. The four cardinal points of the universe. On this day, a good harvest is prayed for. It is the day of the farmer.
It is the day of fertilization and germination.
Toj
It means payment, offering, and gratitude. Gifts are given to pay for a sin or to right a wrong.
It's a special day of offerings. We give thanks for the sun, the water, the air, the food, and everything that surrounds us and what we have received from Mother Earth. Those born on Toj are sometimes the ones who pay the family debt, which is why they may suffer health problems.
Tz'i'
The law of men and the spiritual law. It represents the rulers of the state or community, the spiritual authorities, and the right path. Tz'i is the sign of law, of authority, both terrestrial and cosmic; it is justice and the day that brings truth to light.
It is symbolized by the cosmic authorities that have their energy placed on the planet, either through energetic people or places.
