Find Your Mayan Nahual (Cholq’ij Day Sign)
Enter a date to calculate its sacred day energy in the 260-day Mayan Cholq’ij cycle.
What is a Mayan nahual?
In many Mayan traditions, a nahual (also written nawal) is a spiritual day-sign energy associated with the sacred 260-day calendar known as the Cholq’ij (or Tzolk’in). Each day combines:
- One of 20 day signs (nahuales), and
- One of 13 numbers (tones).
These two cycles interlock, creating 260 unique combinations. Many people use this calendar for spiritual reflection, ceremonies, naming practices, and understanding personal life themes.
How this calculator works
This tool converts your selected Gregorian date into a Julian Day Number, then maps that number into the 13-tone and 20-nahual cycles. The result is your day energy in the Cholq’ij count.
What you get in the result
- Your tone (1–13) and its core energy.
- Your nahual day sign and a short interpretation.
- Kin position in the 260-day cycle.
- Optional Long Count snapshot for context.
The 20 nahuales at a glance
Different communities preserve naming and symbolism with local variations. A common modern list includes:
- Imox – water, intuition, imagination
- Iq’ – wind, breath, communication
- Aq’ab’al – dawn, transition, renewal
- K’at – networks, abundance, interconnection
- Kan – seed, growth, life force
- Kame – ancestors, death/rebirth, transformation
- Kej – nature, balance, the four directions
- Q’anil – fertility, ripening, creativity
- Toj – offering, reciprocity, sacred fire
- Tz’i’ – law, loyalty, justice
- B’atz’ – thread of time, art, beginnings
- E – path, journey, destiny
- Aj – home, family, community structure
- Ix – earth energy, mystery, spirit guardianship
- Tz’ikin – vision, prosperity, perspective
- Ajmaq – forgiveness, reconciliation, wisdom through error
- No’j – intellect, ideas, knowledge
- Tijax – discernment, healing, clear boundaries
- Kawoq – community, rain, support networks
- Ajpu (Ajaw) – light, leadership, completion
The 13 tones
The number beside your nahual describes how the energy expresses itself. For example, 1 often symbolizes initiation, 7 reflection and balance, and 13 completion and transcendence.
Quick interpretation approach
Read your result as a pair: tone + nahual. The tone is the rhythm, while the nahual is the quality. Together, they create the day’s spiritual signature.
Respectful use and cultural context
A calculator is a useful educational starting point, but it is not a replacement for traditional guidance from Mayan daykeepers and elders. If you want deeper interpretation, seek qualified teachers rooted in living Mayan communities.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as astrology?
Not exactly. While both systems connect time and meaning, the Cholq’ij is a sacred day-count with its own cosmology, ritual use, and community traditions.
Why might I see different results on other websites?
Differences usually come from alternate correlation constants, timezone assumptions, or regional naming conventions. This page uses the widely used GMT correlation.
Can I calculate future or past dates?
Yes. Enter any valid date and the calculator will map it into the 260-day cycle.