Tzolkin Trecena Notes – 1 Earth (Caban)

Day 157 of the 260 Day Tzolkin
Gregorian Date: April 2, 2012
Year Bearer: 13 Caban (Earth)

Trecenas are thirteen-day periods in the Tzolkin. Each Trecena starts with the Number 1, but with
a different Day Glyph. As a wave of the Thirteen Heavens, the underlying energy is governed by
the First Day Glyph of the Trecena and influences all thirteen successive Day Glyphs. Being aware
of the predominant energy of the First Day of the Trecena, we can align our intentions with that
energy and allow our goals to manifest.


This Trecena starts with 1 Caban (Earth/Movement) – Inspiration, Intelligent Thoughts, Natural
Manner and Habits, Synchronizing Our Hearts with Earth’s Rhythm.


To the ancient Maya, the day sign Caban literally meant “earth” and represented the vital force
within the earth itself (earth’s rhythm) and also within the human body (heart rhythm). According
to Kenneth Johnson in Jaguar Wisdom, “its ideogram depicts a lock of hair, the hair of the young
moon goddess, who is also corn mother, earth goddess, and creative spirit. Again we meet First
Mother, that universal goddess of beginnings. Caban represents the creative spirit (the moon
goddess or First Mother) that lies inherent in the earth itself; the vital force that manifests in
the human body as teyolia, a soul substance centered in the heart, is believed to reside in
the earth.”

© 2006 Judith Ann Griffith

Caban also represented the movement or motion of the earth as in the form of an earthquake
or the surge of heart blood or chi as in the human body. Some Mayan daykeepers refer to
Caban as Incense, as it rises to heaven so should intelligent human thoughts.


To Carlos Barrios in The Book of Destiny, “this glyph symbolizes learning. The drawing in the middle represents the brain, and the circles are degrees of increasing human spiritual betterment…. It is the energy that governs the mind, knowledge and memory…. It is the interaction between expansion and the infinite, on the one hand, and on the other, the rigid concept of reality, the limitations imposed on humans. It symbolizes the movement of earth and sky. It is the power of thoughts and ideas, the brain, development and earthquakes.”


Another representation of the Trecena is that of a creative wave beginning at 1 and ending at 13,
with the numbers 6, 7 and 8 representing the crest of the wave. The crest could be interpreted as
a strong influential energy, although the underlying influence on the Trecena would still rest in
the beginning. In this Trecena, the crest falls on 6 Ik (Wind), 7 Akbal (Night) and 8 Kan
(Lizard/Seed) which might suggest changing our patterns and planting new seeds of abundance.
With Caban as the underlying energy, the change could come by balancing our heart’s rhythm
with earth’s rhythm, performing ritual and meditation in order to harmonize with the natural
flow of the universe.


As we journey through each day of this Trecena:

Utilize the energy of Caban to change our patterns and habits, our mode of living, our way of thinking. Live from the heart and let your thoughts rise to heaven. Become stewards of this beautiful Earth and all the life she holds – balance is the key – maintaining a balance between technology and nature can only be accomplished if we evolve to replace feelings of greed, hate, and righteousness with compassion, love and humility in our daily patterns and habits.

In Lak’ech (I am another you), William and Viola www.tzolkincalendar.com ©2007 William and Viola Welsch