The Sacred Calendar

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The Sacred Calendar is out. It is a book of twenty poems, one for each day of the Chol Q'ij. The Spanish conquered MesoAmerica in the 1500s, what is now Mexico, Belize, Honduras, and Guatemala. Much of the culture of the K'iche' and other Mayan peoples was lost, but deep in the rain-forests of the Lacandon and el Peten the secrets of the calendar are still very much alive. Often the Mayan Calendar is known only as predictor of apocalypse, but the calendar is much more. This book explores the meaning of each of the twenty daysigns.

Road (E)

This is the day of the road, the sac be (K'iche'). This would be something like saying "the right path" in English. This day represents the ladder, the road, the path -- the successful path. To the native of this sign, the road is the strength, power and energy that cause a person to begin a trip, a job, a

commission and all things concerning the realization of being human. Therefore, Road natives are often quite successful in business. Road indicates the middle, the form, and the condition of the course of your life. It indicates the lines that should be followed, the sacred road, the “white road” of purity. On another level the “white road” goes from one temple to another, or from one city or ceremonial center to another. In this way, those born on the day Road possess a clean spirituality and lots of vitality.

This sign is the energy of the action, the energy that acquires experience while opening roads. The intermediation, the search of new things and the conciliation among different visions. Road people bring in an innovative strength that at times provokes confrontation. They know which way is the right way and are not shy to tell other people.

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The Wind (iq')

Iq' is considered the sacred breath to the K'iche' Maya. If you visit the ruins at Palenque you will find that the Classic Mayan architects built the windows of the pyramid hallways in the shape of Ts. That is because T is the shape of the glyph for iq'. It looks like a T or like a person sticking out her tongue. In English, the word is translated as wind. However, Wind is symbolic of the vital spirit that gives life and animates us all (think of the force in Star Wars). Wind people have large quantities of this power flowing through them. This is a good thing in small doses, but often Wind natives get so filled with this sacred breath flowing through them that they believe it all to be their ego, that they are the source of all power and inspiration. Perceiving all this power as ego often causes a misuse of it (think Anakin Skywalker), so many daykeepers associate this sign with dictators and military despots.

Those born on the day of the Wind must realize that the power fueling them is not their ego but the sacred breath. If they don't they are like an unmanned steamroller smashing everything in its course. Their past sign is Jaguar which can keep them aware of their debt to the spiritual world. These natives of the wind will have to learn to control their outbursts or they will blow like human hurricanes. Think of Elizabeth Taylor's (9 Wind) notorious fits. Another wind native, Hillary Clinton (9 Wind) seems to have herself under more control.

Traditional daykeepers often tell parents to punish their Wind children with the leaves of the xibirib plant (bashful ones, similar to this)-- a plant that contracts when stimulated by a touch. The soft essence of the leaves will tame the fiery nature of the Wind child. The right and left hand signs of Wind are Rabbit and Vulture, which are both calm and quiet signs. Vulture is good natured although lazy, while Rabbit is sensual and in love with the good things of the world. Wind people should draw on these characteristics to balance out the anger and ego. Their future sign is Dog, which is a mixed blessing. On one hand the Dog can enjoy simple daily activities. On the other hand, the Dog can embody sexual over-gratification and quarreling.

If Wind people can learn to control their passions their inner hurricane will transform into a gentle breeze on a bright sunny day.

Notable Wind Natives:
Derek Jeter (12)
Roger Federer (12)

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The Eagle

This is called tzik'in in K'iche' which means literally authority of the sun or bird. It is often represented in the glyphs as an eagle or a face, thereby the English translation. This sign is endowed with body lightening -- what the Mayab call coyopa. Daykeepers say the Eagle is one of the most powerful of all day-signs. It is ofen depicted as a face which has been associated with the moon; in this way it is both yin and yang -- sun and moon -- and it is an archetype of wholeness. The Yucatec word for Eagle is men which literally means "the wise one". Among the Aztecs are there were two kinds of elite soldiers: Marines and Seals, if you will. They were the Eagle Knights and the Jaguar Knights. The Eagle is said to "cry out" for whatever it desires. In that way it is the sign of the directed warrior energy and the sacred purpose. The Eagle is powerful in both the material and spiritual realms. John F. Kennedy (4 Eagle) was a symbol of strong spirit and focused motivation.

The Eagle is a sign of passion and desire. These people expect to sore above the crowd and be able to swoop down for what it wants with lightening-quick reflexes. For this reason, they are likely to become wealthy. Because of Eagle's connection with the Sun, Eagle natives are said to shine as religious professionals.

It's important for the Eagle people to remain balanced in the very center of their beings. The past and future signs are deer and night, which both possess large quantities of body lightening. Water and Crocodile are the right and left hand powers, respectively. This means if they lose balance they will suffer from the wild pull of the crocodile or the dangerous pull of water, which has a penchant for illness. Eagles must navigate their turbulent emotions and be guided by the light of the sun into conscious awareness.

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The Sacred Calendar | The Cholq'ij | Mystic Mayan Energy | Wisdom | The Tzolkin | Daysigns | Aj Q'ij

About my Interest in the Cholq'ij Sacred Calendar

Many of you know that I spent a lot of time in Mexico & Guatemala when I was younger. During that time I had a chance to learn to speak Spanish. What many of you probably do not know is that I also learned a bit of some other languages like Triqui, Chinanteco (which has one of the most beautiful words I've ever heard in any language to date -- "la" with a rising and falling pitch -- it means Earth), and most importantly K'iche'.

Why is K'iche' so important and what is it? 

The K'iche' Maya have, in my opinion, the greatest cultural heritage of the Maya. See more about K'iche' here. While I lived in Xelaju Noj (aka Quetzaltenango) I studied with a Mayan Daykeeper named Roberto Poz. Recently, three of my students in Hankook University of Foreign Studies in Seoul asked me about it -- I don't even know how they heard that I'd studied to be a daykeeper. They wanted to know their signs (there are twenty of them, and they offer insight into the personality and tendencies of a person). I gave them a write up about their sign (all of them came out to be Serpent). It occurred to me that other people might be interested in knowing their sign and the meaning behind it. I searched online and found a Mayan date calculator which will tell you your mayan daysign if you type in your birthday. Then you can follow the daysign links below to know more about each sign. I am completing the list slowly. If I don't have your sign, send me an email or leave a comment and I'll get to it.

My Book about the Cholq'ij Sacred Calendar

Also, all the twenty daysigns are defined and have poems written about them and in honor to them in my book The Sacred Calendar (available at Amazon: Cholq'ij Sacred Calendar and Smashwords: Cholq'ij Sacred Calendar). Check out all the free information on this site and if you like what you see, have a look at my book. It's available in paperback and eBook forms (with eBooks available in just about every format).

How this site works:

Below are the twenty signs of the Sacred Mayan Calendar. Click on any (or all of them) to get detailed information about each one. If you don't know your sign, please try the Mayan date calculator to find what you are and learn more about yourself and your sign. Enjoy!

The Daysigns:

Crocodile
Wind
Night
Lizard
Serpent
Death
Deer
Rabbit
Water
Dog
Monkey
Road
Corn
Jaguar
Eagle
Vulture
Incense
Flint
Storm
Ancestors



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If you need anything else, please ask. Leave a comment or email me at the link above. If you want to know someone's daysign just ask. I was recently asked about Steve Jobs and added him in (he was born Ancestors, if you're curious). Thanks for your interest.

Discover more about the Cholq'ij with Twenty Poems for the Twenty Sacred Calendar Days. Much of this information is secret knowledge reserved for daykeepers and shaman in Mexico--Yucatan, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Oaxaca--Guatemala, Belize, and Honduras. Discover some of these secrets revealed in poetry.

External Links and some photos:

Check out some photos of the Maya.

What is Magic? (a site devoted to Mayan ceremonies)

Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatl on the Calendar Round

Mayan girl with baby

Palenque (in the heart of the Lacandon Forest)