Nawal

Nawal (Spanish nahual; Nahuatl: nahualli; K'iche': nawal) is one of the 20 signs of the ritual Tzolk'in calendar (T074).

Not a zodiac sign or a totem. A Nawal is not a zodiac sign and not a totem: it is a living archetypal principle defining the gifts, tasks and energetic quality of the day of birth.

The 20 Nawals in the K'iche' Tradition

B'atz', E, Aj, I'x, Tz'ikin, Ajmaq, No'j, Tijax, Kawoq, Junajpu, Imox, Iq', Aq'ab'al, K'at, Kan, Kame, Kej, Q'anil, Toj, Tz'i'.

The 260 Kins

Unique combination. Each Nawal combines with one of the 13 tonals (T024), forming a unique combination: 20 × 13 = 260 kins. This is the unit of the 260-day Tzolk'in calendar.

The Day Keepers

Unbroken count. The Day Keepers (Ajq'ij) in the K'iche' and Mam communities of Guatemala still maintain the unbroken count of the Tzolk'in — a tradition that has not been interrupted since the time of the Classic Maya.

Dreamspell — A Modern Adaptation

Argüelles's renaming. In Dreamspell (#48), José Argüelles renamed the nawals as "Solar Seals" with a changed order and symbolism. This is a modern authorial adaptation, differing from the traditional Mayan count.