Essays by Michelle
4 Ajpu: The Light of Truth
Today is 4 Ajpu, the day of the hero, the sun, and the peaceful warrior. Ajpu calls us to live with faith and integrity—to embody our light through daily acts of courage, kindness, and devotion. The number 4 grounds this solar energy in structure and stability, reminding us to build our lives upon a strong spiritual foundation.
3 Kawoq: Rain, Community, and Renewal
3 Kawoq is the day of the sacred rainstorm that cleanses, heals, and renews us. This reflection honors the energy of family, community, and patience, reminding us that every storm has the potential to bring greater clarity, connection, and insight.
2 Tijax: The Blade of Clarity + Healing
2 Tijax is the day of the obsidian blade—the energy of healing through cutting, clarity, and letting go. It reminds us that transformation often happens through subtle shifts and sacred pruning. In this reflection, I honor the medicine of Tijax: discernment, renewal, and the courage to release what no longer serves so that truth and vitality can thrive.
1 No’j: Mind, Earth, and the Sacred Art of Knowing
1 No’j opens a new cycle of wisdom, learning, and grounded understanding. This is the energy of the mind in motion—the bridge between inspiration and implementation, between the universal mind and the human heart. In this piece, I reflect on the power and playfulness of thought, the lessons of recent mental upheaval, and the sacred balance between knowing and being.
Finding My Way Back to the Light
On my 45th birthday, I thought I’d be in England—celebrating with ritual, beauty, and connection. Instead, I found myself in Texas, deep in depression, barely able to eat takeout at my parents’ table. Within days, I checked myself into a psych ward. It wasn’t the milestone I envisioned, but it became a turning point. This is the story of unraveling—and slowly, imperfectly, finding my way back.
Year of the Hummingbird
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.
We Are How We Eat.
“The yoga of eating itself is a kind of relaxation encompassing both physical and mental elements. Not manipulating, controlling, imposing upon, or dismissing the body’s messages, it trusts the body to move towards its natural rest state: beauty and wholeness. Everything you need to know about eating is already within you.” -Charles Eisenstein
3 Illuminating Intentions for 2025
Mid-afternoon on the last day of 2024, there was a downpour here at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala, which is exceedingly unusual for December.
At that time, I happened to be sitting outside with a group of 19 people on a yoga retreat and a Mayan spiritual guide. I was interpreting a fire ceremony that had just gotten underway when the raindrops fell.
The Sacred Count of Days
The sacred calendar translates the elements of the Mayan creation story into 260 days, a cycle of roughly nine months, which is equal to both the gestation period of human life and the growth cycle of corn. Each nawal and number is connected to a part of the human body. The 20 nawales are said to represent the 10 fingers and 10 toes of the human body, and the 13 numbers represent our 13 major joints.
Where is Home: Aj Trecena Journal Prompts
Aj inspires us to stand tall and draw on the energies of the Heart of the Sky and the Heart of the Earth, to bring peace and prosperity to our own heart, our home and the wider community around us.
Aj is the pillar that facilitates the connection between the cosmos and the earth. It reminds us to keep our backs straight and to stand strong in ourselves. Aj helps us to feel connected with our inner home, our heart.