11 Q’anil – Today’s Maya Day Sign (Ch’umil)

Nawal Q'anilQ’anil is the energy of creation; it is the seed of life in all of its manifestations and today it flows with the energy of number 11 which symbolizes learning through experience and represents the cycles of life. The energies of this day help you meditate on the seeds that you are planting in your children, on how you have to support them and teach them with patience how to fly on their own so that they can create their own destiny and fulfill their mission in this life.

9 Kame – Today’s Maya Day Sign (Ch’umil)

Nawal KemeKame represents death and birth; it symbolizes reincarnation, the spiritual and family lineage, and our invisible guardians. Number 9 reflects the energy of love, wisdom and spirituality. The energy of this day is used to ask for protection both for ourselves and for the community. Light a white candle and ask the Great Father for you well being and the well being of those who need to be protected.

Momma, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Tourists!

11855891_10153146815422017_6833434165134493846_nAs Autumn arrives, we have a chance to reflect upon the passing Summer.   Here in the US, warm weather and kids out of school conspire during this season to bring about one of our long-held cultural rituals: Summer Vacation!  Now, before traveling down the path of considering vacation (a period of suspension of work, study, or other activity, usually used for rest, recreation, or travel; recess or holiday) as an indulgence of western culture, we learned on a trip to the Amazon that villagers occasionally travel with their families deeper into the jungle for brief periods to escape the stresses of village life, fish and relax.  Digression aside, this year my family took our annual trip to Pine Ridge, SD, then seized an opportunity to spend some time on the road camping and visiting some of the remarkable lands (and sea) of the western US.  One of these early stops included Yellowstone National Park, considered by some to be the Serengeti of North America due to its diverse array of visible wildlife and impressive geysers and land formations.  The sites did not disappoint – but the tourists…and the culture of tourism.

When I say “culture of tourism”, I am referring to the sense of not belonging, of passing through without feeling responsible for the improved well-being of the land and people that welcome you as a guest.  Extracting experience without exchanging a meaningful contribution, and sometimes not even respecting the hospitality.  So, we found ourselves in the tourist sea, taking in sites and experience without feeling or finding a meaningful connection or contribution.  What led our national parks to be paved with this kind of cultural experience?  Well, a little digging and we find that the history of “pristine” and protected areas is born out of a mindset that believes that humans have little, if anything to contribute to the benefit of the natural world.  We can see it, look at it, but interact with it as little as possible or we will mess it up.

11216569_10153146815407017_2572105533891161142_nIndeed, humans are terraformers, we’ve been shaping our world since as long as we have walked this earth.  We have done it well and we have done it poorly.  One of the key shifts we must make is in returning to see humans as a part of nature, not separate from it, and to learn from the Indigenous populations that have co-evolved upon this earth for millennia so that we may regenerate places around the planet.  In National Parks, a historical look back reveals how our dominant world view evicted those best suited to manage it, then brought them back in for display to tourists.  As the article below points out, this history continues to live today in “conservation” efforts around the world.

In subsequent articles, I’ll bring forward examples that highlight the growing awareness of traditional knowledge and wisdom that places humans within living cosmologies is guiding us to terraform our world in a much better way – led by the lineages that live within Indigenous communities.

The Forgotten History Of ‘Violent Displacement’ That Helped Create The National Parks

6 Aq’ab’al – Today’s Maya Day Sign (Ch’umil)

Nawal Aq'ab'alAq’ab’al represents the sunshine and the sunset, the light and the shadows, it is the opposite, yet harmonious energies that renew us and allow us to head toward new destinations as we experience cyclical changes during our lifetime. Number 6 entails learning and changes; it stands for life’s trials and personal development. Use your inner strength and choose to have a positive attitude when facing life’s problems, this may be a day filled with challenges; keep in mind that these may represent a change of course and a new cycle of your life.

4 Imox – Today’s Maya Day Sign (Ch’umil)

Nawal ImoxImox represents the essence of our consciousness; it puts our mind in a receptive mode, increases our spiritual strength and provides us with the power to understand nature’s messages in order to plan our next steps in life. Number 4 projects stability, firmness and security. Pay attention to the signs that may occur during this day and light a blue, pale-blue and white candles to activate your intuition and visions.

Organization for Mayan and Indigenous Spiritual Studies