The Ajmaq Trecena: 13 Days of Freedom through Wisdom and Forgiveness

When I move my body just like this
I don’t know why but I feel like freedom (yeah)
I hear a song that takes me back (I know)
And I let go with so much freedom (hey)
Free to live (how I wanna live)
I’ma get (where I’m gonna get)
‘Cause it’s my freedom
~Jon Batiste, FREEDOM

We’ve been living with my in-laws for the past couple months, but instead of insanity, I choose mindfulness.

I’ve had ample opportunities to notice the discomfort that arises from my resistance to this chosen change in lifestyle and location for 10 weeks. Living in someone else’s home—in a small city with a frigid climate for an extended time—is a major challenge for the freedom-loving, forest-dwelling introvert I’ve become.

My husband and I met in rural Guatemala, where we now make our home, although I’m from Texas and he’s from Colombia. We both opted out of our home cultures, countries, and overbearing Latina Catholic mothers around age 30, over a decade ago.

And yet. Life is short, and it’s important to visit family and spend quality time with the elder generation. Even if they drive us a little crazy.

Every day is an opportunity to cultivate love and practice forgiveness and gratitude.

{I’m sorry, please forgive me, I love you, thank you}

Today is 1 Ajmaq in the Mayan Calendar. According to my friend Mark Elmy, who has written daily about the energies of the Mayan Calendar for years, “Today begins the trecena of Ajmak, which can be seen as a period of redemption and reconciliation. It brings the possibility to bring happiness, the sweetness, into the world through forgiveness.”

My daughter and her best friend are both Ajmak. They’re sensitive, dramatic, joyful and intense little girls. Old souls full of wisdom, at the same time. They’re loving, creative and modest.

The highly recommended book on the Mayan nahuales and cosmovision, The Book of Destiny, by Carlos Barrios has this to say about Ajmak:

“Ajmaq is the most auspicious day to ask for and offer forgiveness, atone for our sins, and avoid confrontation. It is also a good day to cure all types of illnesses, defend the dispossessed, seek justice and achieve harmony with Mother Earth.”

If you’re intrigued by the Mayan calendar and would like to explore it in a deeper way, join me on retreat!

Here are the days of this trecena:

1 Ajmak	Forgiveness, redemption, love and wisdom
2 N’oj	Earth, intelligence, partnership, duality
3 Tijax	Healing within
4 Kawoq	Grounded, rain, storm, turtle energy
5 Ajpu	The Sun, stability
6 Imox	Water, feminine, consciousness, cosmic secretary
7 Iq	Wind, communication, hummingbird, the pinnacle of the pyramid
8 Aq’a’bal	Night has turned to day, infinite, a new dawn, feelin’ good
9 K’at	The web, the net, network, spider, lizard, girl power
10 Kan	Serpent energy, kundalini, sex, power, manifestation, community
11 Kame	Death, transformation, energy, divination, directionless strength
12 Kej	Deer energy, wilderness, nature, spiritual leadership, completion
13 Q’anil	Star seed, touching the heart of the sky, connecting with the ancestors

Photo by Jean van der Meulen on Pexels.com