“The hummingbird may be tiny, but its energy is powerful and impressive.” ~ Kenneth Johnson
{Read the full post on elephant journal}
The Mayan Solar New Year begins today. It’s the Year of the Hummingbird, as the year bearer is 13 Iq’.
Each day in the sacred Mayan calendar consists of a number between 1 and 13 combined with one of the 20 nawales, adding up to 260 unique days. In the sacred calendar, the 20 day signs (nawales) always cycle in the same order, and each carries certain themes and meanings. Each day sign is paired with a number from 1 to 13, and the numbers also have unique significance.
The nawal Iq’ represents the winds of change, imagination, and communication. It brings renewal and purification through the element of air. Iq’ takes numerous forms, from a raging tornado to the gentlest breeze, reminding us of the constant presence of Spirit.
When embodied, Iq’ is breath and therefore life itself. By paying attention to it, we thrive and become fully present in the moment.
Iq’s spirit animal is the hummingbird, which also relates to the path of beauty and imagination. Iq’ invites us to let go of the concepts and beliefs that no longer serve or benefit. Iq’ beckons us to the creation of art in all forms.
The Maya also have a 365-day solar calendar that they use to assign a “year bearer” or “year lord” each February. The year bearer affects us as a macro, big-picture influence on collective consciousness. It helps determine the ethos, zeitgeist, trend, or sign of the times. It is a subtle energy underlying our main nawal.
According to Kenneth Johnson’s book, Mayan Calendar Astrology: Mapping Your Inner Cosmos, Iq’ “is one of the four Year Lords; and, according to the Maya, it is the most potentially dangerous of the four. During an Iq’ year, one may expect events that batter the world with the force of a tropical storm. This is a year the Maya associate with revolutions, insurrections, and political disturbances of all kinds.” (Sounds about right.)
Thirteen is the number of spirit, ancestors, channeling, and divine connection. As the highest number in the sacred Mayan calendar system, 13 represents our cosmic connection with life and other dimensions beyond the veil. The high charge of this energy brings a strong push of guidance from the spirit world and the ancestors, giving us messages, signs, and directions on our path if we are open to it.
Thirteen days (and years!) invite us to surrender to the higher purpose of life. They may bring strong changes that catalyze us into evolution. The year 13 Iq’ gives us a powerful ability to bridge the spirit world into the physical world and to cultivate beauty, clear communication, and meaningful change.
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