The tzolk’in or 260-day ritual calendar is made up of two components, endlessly interwoven:
- 13 numbers, a cycle of which constitutes a trecena or symbolic tzolk’in “week”
- 20 day-signs, each of which is a symbolic archetype of deep meaning among the Mayan people
The 13 Numbers
A great deal of silliness has been written regarding the 13 numbers, especially by those who would attempt to impose Western numerological concepts upon this Native American system. The numerology designed by Jose Arguelles, for example, is entirely Western in character and owes nothing to Mayan concepts. The numerological system propounded by Carl Calleman represents his own highly speculative interpretation of poorly understood material from the late Aztec Borgia Codex.
Essentially, one should remember that all the numbers are feminine, and may be regarded as the “wives” of the 20 day-signs (who are male). The Moon Goddess, known as Ix Chel or “Lady of the Rainbow” in the Yucatec language, is the patroness of divination and, some would say, of the tzolk’in itself. The Tzutujil Maya of Santiago Atitlan recognize 13 Moon Goddesses, all of whom are aspects or manifestations of the Great Goddess herself. This is one of the most fundamental meanings of the number 13.
But there are others.
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1 Akbal: As usual with Akbal days, this is a day to focus upon love, romance, marriage, and other intimate relationships, as well as scheduling ceremonies involving newborns. But beyond that, it is also a time to attend to whatever sacred space or altar you may have created in your house, whether for purely Mayan pathworking or for all spiritual matters. Sacred space should always be kept clean. Today is the day to brush away all the incense dust, wipe the table surface, restore fresh water and flowers, and so on.
1 Cauac (November 26): Welcome the new trecena by praying that there may always be harmony in our home lives and among our friends. Although Cauac has a connection with “karmic payback” which may sometimes make its energies difficult to handle, it is also a day upon which Daykeepers work closely with their apprentices because of its mystical qualities. It is auspicious for all matters regarding health and healing. It has a special connection with women and with feminine energy, and many contemporary Maya believe that women born on Cauac make the best midwives.
8 Ben (November 20): Like the day which initiates this trecena (1 Cimi), this is a day which has a special connection with divination of all sorts; whatever your own method may be, this is a good day upon which to practice it. In some Mayan communities, this is also a day when religious associations tend to the icons of the saints. This makes it a good day to clean or decorate your own sacred space, be it a personal shrine, a place in your garden, or whatever.
1 Cimi (November 13): Welcome in the new trecena by praying that we and those dear to us have long life. There is a special connection to the world of the ancestors on this day; communication with other worlds is possible. Many Daykeepers recognize 1 Cimi as a very powerful day for divination. This day is also favorable for healing and for the protection of travelers, as well as for romantic ventures of all kinds.
13 Chicchan (November 12): On high-numbered Chicchan days, Mayan shamans go to the mountains to pray and meditate for the healing of all those near and dear to them who are in need. If you live near the mountains, today is the day to take a hike and focus your healing energies toward those who require them.
8 Ahau (November 7):This is a day to honor the ancestors. In our own society, there is a tendency to blame all one’s problems on the influence of “dysfunctional” family members. In contrast, Mayan society focuses on the positive and benevolent qualities of older family members who have passed – never upon their difficulties. Light a candle for them. If you are thinking of building or taking possession of a new home, this is the day to lay the foundations or to turn the key in the door for the first time.
6 Etznab (November 5): Etznab is a sign which potentially embodies conflict; it can be the fighter or the healer. Even-numbered days manifest their positive side more readily than the odd-numbered ones, and 6 is day of balanced energy. This is the day to transform conflict into healing. Daykeepers pray for an end to all disharmony within the family or the community. It is particularly helpful to practice complete honesty in all financial and sexual matters, thereby to “clear the air” if any conflicts remain in these areas of one’s life.
1 Ben (October 31): Welcome in the new trecena by giving thanks for the home in which we live, for this day is connected with the nourishment and flourishing of all things related to the home, whether human, animal or plant. It symbolizes the energy and vitality of life itself. Many Daykeepers have described it as a sign of “triumph and resurrection,” which is a process that goes on continuously within all of us.
The Maya used the Mesoamerican Sacred Calendar to compute large cosmic and historical cycles. These vast computations were accomplished by the use of a system of reckoning called the Long Count. The Long Count is one of the greatest achievements of Mayan civilization. It endowed the Maya with a sense of cosmic vision that made them unique. Though all Mesoamerican civilizations made use of the Sacred Calendar, only the Classic Period Maya practiced the Long Count. Whether or not they “invented” it, they adapted it as their own and made it one of the foundation stones of their culture. In a way, it is a measure of their unique mathematical and philosophical gifts. Read more
8 Manik (October 25): This is one of the “great days” of the tzolk’in, ranking in importance along with 8 Chuen. It is one of the days upon which Daykeepers are initiated into their spiritual vocation. Upon this day, we pray for harmony among one and all. This extends to the natural world around us as well as to other human beings; one gains great power and energy if one is able to spend this day in nature or in the wilderness. In the ancient system, Manik was associated with the western direction, but modern Daykeepers more often than not regard it as a sign of the East. Much like Navajo and Pueblo peoples in the American Southwest, the highland Maya typically perceive themselves as living between four sacred mountains, which are often visited for spiritual reasons. On 8 Manik, Daykeepers often make a pilgrimage to the sacred mountain of the east, wherever it may be in terms of their own community. The east symbolizes your future (including your children). This is the time and place to affirm your commitment to consciously creating your future, as well as giving thanks for your children.