ancient wisdom – Cara Carozza

Living Maya Time – The Trecena of No’j

Welcome to the New Era!

Today begins the first full Trecena of the new calendar cycle. One could think of the beginning, 8 B’atz, as the conception day. The new life or creation has been gestating for the past six days and is about to be born. No’j is the nawal of the mind and logical thought. Our reality is created by the pattern of the thoughts that our mind creates. No’j is the intellectual energy of the mind that finds the solutions and innovations necessary to bring ideas into form. I have come to know the archetypal energy of this nawal as the Engineer, but it also embodies the traits of its animal totem, the woodpecker. Woodpeckers are considered highly intelligent birds because of their ability to plan for the future (acorn woodpeckers have been known to store as many as 50,000 acorns in a single tree!), use tools and recognize social relationships. As we enter the energy of today, our new creation gains consciousness. It will emerge into form in three days time on 4 Ajpu.

My Fire Ceremony on 8 B’atz. Planting seeds for my new Creation.

The Maya long count calendar begins on the 4 Ajpu day of 13.0.0.0.0 4 Ajpu 8 Cumku. This date corresponds to August 11, 3114 BCE and is said to be the creation day for our era. It is recorded at Quirigua, Izabel, Guatemala on Stella C along with the account of how the “First Three Stone Place” was created. As above, so below. The three stones are representative of the stars Alnitak, Saiph, and Rigel in the Orion constellation, the “three hearth stars”. The great Orion Nebula (M42) in the center of them is the “smokey fire”. Not surprisingly, typical Maya kitchens have three hearthstones arranged in a triangle around the fire or on the fire supporting the tortilla griddle. This is done intentionally to establish the cooking fire as the center of the home.

As many know, the long count calendar most recently began a new cycle on December 21, 2012 which was also a 4 Ajpu day. Ajpu can be seen as the divinity in the physical world and the number 4 is very important within Mayan mythology. It represents the stability of the four cardinal points, the two equinoxes and two solstices and the four pillars that support the sky from the Earth. An ideal day for the theme of this new era to reveal itself to you in the physical world and for your ideas to stabilize.

In lovely synchronistic fashion, we also have the Chinese new year during this Trecena on January 29^th. It will mark the beginning of the Year of the Wood Snake. It will also be a new moon and in the Chol Q’ij it will be the day of 6 Iq’. A day of stable communication possibly from divine sources. Another good day to receive communication and insight for your new creation. I’m planning on beginning the Year of the Wood Snake with a Womb Steam. More on that to come.

Happy Creating!

Cara

Living Maya Time

The world had just entered lockdown when I was first introduced to the Maya ceremonial calendar. Seeking connection and community while I sheltered in place, I joined an online Telegram group for women called Align Your Life with Magic. Each morning a story would be waiting for me. A story that described the energy of the upcoming day through the lens of the Maya sacred calendar. The Maya sacred calendar is Chol Q’ij in K’iche’ Mayan. It’s a 260 day calendar comprised of twenty thirteen day cycles called Trecenas. Each of the twenty Trecenas begins with a different Nawal and has a different theme. The numbers each carry their own vibration and influence how the Nawal that they are paired with expresses in the energy of the day.

Listening to the stories each day, I came to understand each Nawal as an archetype of sorts. Each archetype had a personality and an energy that influenced the day. That energy could make it more or less conducive for engaging in certain activities. I quickly found it to be immensely useful. I also really liked the pace of the calendar. A new cycle every thirteen days. I felt a rhythm within it that resonated with my own internal rhythm.

The Chol Q’ij is a cyclical calendar. One could say that it could begin on any of the 260 days, but among the Maya people still living in the Guatemalan highlands, the new year begins on Wajxaquib B’atz. Wajxaquib is eight in K’ichean. An unusual number to begin a calendar on. But when you understand that eight embodies wholeness and that B’atz is the weaver, the creative genius and represents the thread of time you start to see the wisdom of the choice. The sacred calendar is a representation of how that thread is woven to create reality. It is a tool for living and creating a reality that is in harmony with the energies.

On 8 B’atz large fire ceremonies are made to welcome another cycle and to initiate new calendar daykeepers. Fire has always been a part of my spiritual practice, lighting candles, ceremonial burnings and smudging being my favorties. Still, the Mayan fire ceremony was unknown to me before I started learning about the calendar. I had the opportunity to experience one virtually and it was quite powerful. It also inspired me to start making my own micro fire ceremonies as part of my practice. It offers me a container in which to create, play and pray. Tomorrow a new cycle begins and I’ve been called to make a traditional Mayan fire ceremony in celebration of the new year. I have gathered almost all of my supplies. I can’t wait to share my experience with you next time.

Wishing you a Blessed New Year!

Cara xoxo

Happy Mayan Solar New Year!

Hey Everyone

Yeah you read that correctly! I’m wishing you Happy New Year again. The Solar New Year happened yesterday and is a very important date.

In Mayan culture, there is not just one calendar. The Macewal Q’ij or Ordinary Days calendar is a SOLAR CALENDAR consisting of 18 months that are each 20 days, totaling 360 days in the year. There is a closing cycle at the end of each solar year. This period is only 5 days long and is called Wayeb’ or Tz’ipin Q’ij.

I’ve just observed the period of Wayeb’. I followed the prescribed guidance for each day and wanted to share this with you as I have found it so beneficial. I’m thinking that if you feel guided, you could use the information below to do a 5-day Wayeb inspired “retreat” at any time of the year. The process is just lovely.

Day 1 : Introspection. Light white candles and invoke the Creator and all Higher Energies into your space. Review the previous year and set an intention to purge and detox for the next 5 days.

Day 2 : Recognition of Self. Light purple or white candles and invoke all the Great energies again. This is the day to forgive and also to ask for forgiveness for things we have said and done & also for the things we have left undone. Remember to also forgive yourself! Ho’oponopono mediations are a great way to do this.

Day 3: Acceptance. After the days of Introspection and Recognition of Self, it’s time to accept all that the previous year has brought and release anything that no longer serves us. I wrote down my thoughts and feelings and then burned them in a small fire ceremony.

Day 4: Definition. The past three days have allowed us to identify who and where we are. Now it is time to plan for the new year. You know how therapeutic I find cleaning and decluttering. I spent the day cleaning my home, throwing out old items and doing a space cleansing with a great big home-made smudge stick.

Day 5 : Emergence. This is the day we reflect on the last couple of days of retreat (yes to my journal!) to slowly emerge from the “cave” as Mark Elmy of The Four Pillars puts it with new reserves.

Generally speaking, it is thought that our fate for the next solar year is decided and sealed during this 5 day Wayeb’ period. The end of this period is known as The Seating of the New Mam.

11 E’ will be the dominant energy for the coming year, with WILDCAT as the energy carrier. I hope to share more with you.

May your Solar year unfold with grace, my friends. I’m sensing wide open paths inviting us to explore that which our hearts need most.

Take it easy,

Cara

Tarot & New Earth

It was wonderful synchronicity when one of my clients told me he does Tarot.

I immediately knew what our energy exchange would be. I did his taxes and he did a Horoscope Spread Tarot card reading for me in return. Talk about New Earth principles in action.

According to Wikipedia, The New Earth is an expression used in the Book of Isaiah and the Book of Revelation in the Bible to describe the final state of redeemed humanity. It is one of the central doctrines of Christianity and I remember that one of the prayers I used to hear/say in church always referenced “the world to come” (The Nicene Creed). In alternate circles, New Earth is thought to refer to The Age of Aquarius which we are currently in. There’s a lot of debate about when this period started but I think that December 21, 2020 at the time of the Great Conjunction is a safe bet. You will remember that this is when Jupiter and Saturn met up. These two celestial bodies align every 20 years but what made this ‘great conjunction’ special is that it marked the beginning of a new 200-year cycle. New Earth to me! Since the 1800s, Jupiter and Saturn have been uniting in earth signs and, before that, in fire and water signs. It’s been about 800 years since the last ‘age of air’. It was predicted that the Age of Aquarius would bring a shift beyond technological and medical obsession and that spirituality would boom again! We would crave a better way of working with each other and a greater sense of community. Growing food, sharing and bartering would become more normalized as we looked for our “tribes” again.

I was excited on the day of my Tarot reading as I’ve never had a Horoscope Spread before! If you have ever thought of tarot as some dark art reserved for voodoo sessions, you’re wrong. Perhaps that’s got a lot to do with the notoriety of the Death card in movies etc? My lovely reader explained that unlike my Oracle Cards, Tarot has a set number of cards in the deck. Each of the 78 cards has its own meaning. Once the cards are split and spread, they are open to interpretation by the person who is handling them who then passes that message on to the client for them to interpret further. The same principles would apply if you were doing a reading for yourself. The card would give a message. You would tap into your intuition/Higher Mind/third eye energy to receive and decode and then pass the information back through your more physically seated self to receive the guidance.

When it came to my business, the card that showed up had a big focus on fruitful partnerships! Oh wow, I thought as I stared at the cards in front of me (which all talk to each other to form a complete picture), that’s exactly what I’ve been dreaming-in. Attracting the right clients and being the right vibrational match to those who service me = Abundance and growth for all!

For your own reading visit http://www.janakasartandbooks.com

I’d like to teach people about this way of working and living. That’s another thing that showed up in the Tarot for me: A call to action to share my knowledge on the mixed-bag of financial and spiritual tools I’ve gathered over my 50-ish years on Old Earth:-)

As I feel-in to what exactly that means, Happy June my friends! I wish you all things Gemini this month including magnetism, clarity of communication, and the ability to adapt to whatever comes your way. There is a super full moon on June 14th. Make it count.

Love

Cara – Seeker of Magic, Spreader of Light

HAPPY YEAR OF THE TIGER 2022

February 1st is the Chinese New Year also known as Lunar New Year/Spring Festival.

Over 2 billion people celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year and their collective hopes for good health, love, and prosperity reverberate throughout the planet. There is not a place in this world that can claim not to be impacted by this rich culture. I’ve always loved watching the dragon parades and other special cultural activities.

The date of the Lunar New Year is never the same. This is because of my old friend the moon. It usually falls between January 20 and February 21 depending on the cycles of the moon.

Each year has a corresponding animal from the Chinese Zodiac and this year is the TIGER’s turn. The Tiger is the third sign of the Chinese Zodiac and is considered ruler of the beasts on earth. I am sure you have noticed that many Chinese kids wear hats or shoes with a tiger image for good luck.

A person born in the year of the TIGER is considered to be courageous, optimistic, tolerant, and generous. They can expect a long life and were born to command, not to obey. Famous people born in the year of the TIGER include Lady Gaga, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Queen Elizabeth II.

I just love the color of my new journal. It reminds me of the red envelopes traditionally given at this time. What a lovely synchronicity!

So what will the year of the TIGER bring for the collective? Well, it will definitely be better than the hardworking, exhausting year of 2021 which carried the energy of the OX. The energy of the Tiger is always about:

strength

overcoming darkness

bravery

In the days leading up to Chinese Lunar New Year, people go big on cleaning their homes! I’ve decided to join them. Not that I needed a reason. You do know that I find cleaning very therapeutic!?

It is customary that windows are scrubbed, bedding changed, doors are left wide open and lights are left on (often overnight). People literally wipe away all the old to make way for the fresh new energy to enter their lives and bring with it all the good luck, prosperity and good fortune for the new year.

If you are thinking of jumping on the bandwagon and joining this wonderful tradition, I must warn you: like Cinderella 12 midnight is your curfew! You must finish all cleaning by midnight as cleaning on the first day of the new year is strictly forbidden in case you wash away the new good luck.

I found a list of some other things that you should absolutely NOT do on Chinese new year if you want to avoid bad luck. I giggled at some of them:

https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/festivals/chinese-new-year-taboos.htm

Have fun, friends! I wish you good fortune and prosperity. I hope you find the courage to channel your inner Tiger in 2022. You are braver than you think.

xoxo

Cara – Seeker of Magic, Spreader of Light

Mayan Wisdom, Cacao & Venus – Blessings all around

Hi Everyone

As you know I am obsessed with ancient astrological traditions. The Mayan wisdom is my favorite at the moment. I’ve been learning about this with a great Teacher for the past year. His name is Mark Elmy and he has a great website called www.thefourpillars.net

I feel very connected to the knowledge on a deep, personal level.

“Maya” is really an umbrella term for many different indigenous ethnic groupings who may speak different Mayan languages such as Yucatec, K’ichean, Kekchi, or Mopan. The descendants of the Maya are still around today, many of them living in their ancestral homelands, like Guatemala. I’ve never traveled to the ancient sites but when called, I will jump.

As far as astronomy goes, the Mayans were light years ahead of us “civilized” folk. They built observatories that were aligned with the movement of the planets. There is a group of three temples at Uaxactún which aligns perfectly to : *The Sun’s rising at Summer Solstice; *The two equinoxes; *Winter Solstice

El Caracol (at Chichen Itza, Mexico) is another fascinating site. I love the name because it has CARA in it:-). This ancient monument is also an observatory but this one was strategically aligned to track the path of VENUS throughout the year! Venus was very special to the Maya because they considered this bright planet to be the twin of the Sun. They used the information about where Venus was in the sky to plan their raids and battles. I am totally planning to do the same.

My Western astrology tells me that Venus will be in retrograde from December 19, 2021 all the way through to January 29, 2022. As you know, Venus is the planet related to all things LOVE and relationships. When a planet is in retrograde we can expect some ups and downs in that area. Venus retrograde is not a good time to meet a new love and old relationships from our past often come back into our fields. Any good astrologer would say: Keep Calm and guard your heart.

I wonder what the Mayans would have said about the time of retrograde? Probably something about staying home and drinking Cacao — their heart elixir of choice.

I love learning more about these things and hope to share some more with you. As the tag line for my website says: I am indeed a Seeker of Magic and Spreader of Light.

Love & Blessings,

Cara

P.S. Here is a great article and some ideas about how to use Cacao to open up your heart. Enjoy: https://medium.com/cacao-ceremonies/morning-cacao-recipes-rituals-a00ab12fbfa9

Powerful Chord Cutting Exercise for Toxic People

Hi All

Sometimes I wish I wasn’t so generous. I’m not really talking about generosity in monetary terms – that I don’t regret at all. The more I have to share the more Source gives me to share. I’m referring to my emotional generosity with people who I need to let go of because they are not good for my mental and/or emotional wellbeing.

I’ve found myself in a couple of situations lately that were sucking my energy. This imbalance caused an environment for opportunistic lower vibration emotions to arise (anger, fear, resentment, disappointment), ultimately manifesting physical pain in my body.

My gut said Cara you need to cut X off! This is toxic, but I defaulted to my childhood response: One more chance. Maybe she has/will change. The problem with that response is that it places the responsibility in the other person’s court. It was time to take my power back!

A friend reminded me that I had all the tools, resources and experience to purge the things (and people) that I did not want in my space. She was right. Sometimes all we need is that little reminder to get back on track. So, I whipped up some AURA-CLEARING magic and cut those toxic chords. Ahhh, the relief was so good!

Now that I am feeling light and generous (in a good way) again, I thought I would share two of my favourite tools with you:

Smudging: Smudging is a great way to energetically cleanse your aura and physical spaces. Traditionally a shell is used to hold the smudge stick made from either white sage/Palo Santo and a feather is used to spread the smoke around. Visualise your space filling up with white light as the old energy lifts away with the clouds of smoke. You should feel relief immediately. I also find it useful to declutter and clear out any physical remnants of the person in the space I am smudging.
Hoʻoponopono: Hoʻoponopono is a Hawaiian practice of reconciliation and forgiveness. The prayer goes like this: “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you. I love you.” Now I know this may seem counter-intuitive to be saying a prayer of love and thanks to someone who has caused you pain but trust me, it works. When we are able to release the negative emotions that come up every time we think of the person, we free ourselves of any guilt or shame too. That is a powerful exercise! I also find it soothing to say these words out loud. It fills me with so much love. You can be grateful for the lesson and wave goodbye at the same time, right?

Well friends, I hope this helps you. Do remember that as we clear out the negative, we raise our vibration. Things that are drawn to our new vibrational frequency will naturally come into our field and that is when we can manifest with ease.

I wish you peace and high vibes,

Cara

Equinox and DNA Upgrade Loading….

Absorbing positive ions from my favorite tree!

Hey Friends

On September 22, 2021 (can you see my eyes lighting up with those numbers) is when the sun will be exactly above the Earth’s equator. We know this as an EQUINOX. It is the Fall Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the Spring Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.

Ancients knew that the veil between worlds is super thin at the time of Equinox and they took full advantage. You can do that too. The surge in the earth’s energy makes this a potent time for individual + collective upgrades/ascension/illumination and the portal to higher dimensions is more open. So, if you’ve been dreaming of some deeper meditation, “Astral Travel” and communication with energy forms from different planes, the Equinox is the perfect time!

Then another thing that I thought I should share with you is that The Schumann Resonance (also called the “earth’s heartbeat”) is currently at record highs. For those of you who are not familiar with this phenomenon, there are lots of resources online, but basically the earth’s electro-magnetic field is affected by lightning strikes to its surface and the Schumann Resonance measures that. Depression, anxiety and PTSD levels are all negatively affected by the high Schumann Resonance numbers and I can definitely see this around me (also Uranus energy). Disruptions to the production of melatonin is thought to be another side effect, so if you are not sleeping, this may be why.

But here’s the good news, we can find the antidote to the negative lightning charges in…wait for it… trees! I kid you not. Again, those ancients were right when they went out into nature barefoot and literally hugged some trees to absorb the positive ions and restore balance.

So there you have it friends. Come next week, Mother Nature will offer us yet another opportunity to reset, recharge and UPGRADE!

I wish you a Happy Equinox people, trees and UFOs alike:-)

Love,

Cara – Seeker of Magic, Spreader of Light

ABRACADABRA – I CREATE WHAT I SPEAK

Hey Friends!

Have you ever wished you could just say, “Abracadabra” and have whatever it is you desire magically appear before your eyes? I know I have. Abracadabra is actually an Aramaic phrase meaning I create what I speak.

Speaking our desires out loud is one of the most powerful ways to manifest and doing it with others can multiply what we receive.

Last 4^th of July I participated in a money manifestation exercise with a group of other women. We were invited to hold some currency in our hands and to speak our requests for more money out loud.

Nine days later the Divine let me know my request had been heard loud and clear. I pulled up to the first stop sign on my morning commute and was stunned to see that the road was littered with cash.

The sun was still hiding behind the hills and I was completely alone. I turned off my engine, gathered up the cash like a giddy little child and said thank you to the Universe for my gift.

The Maya sacred calendar teaches that certain days are more auspicious to make requests of Spirit than others. It works in cycles. Some are short and some are long. A Trecena is just 13 days while a Baktun is 13,000 years.

The date 13.0.0.0.0. 4 Ajpu 8 Cumku is inscribed throughout the ancient Maya area. This date is said to be the beginning of the creation era we currently live in. Each 4 Ajpu day is considered a powerful day when we can create. Ajpu represents the divinity in our physical world. Combined with the stability of the number 4 it is an ideal creation day.

July 4^th begins a No’j Trecena and July 7^th is a 4 Ajpu day. The current Baktun began on December 21, 2012 which was also a 4 Ajpu day during a No’j Trecena. A powerful time for co-creating with the Divine and bringing the new into our world.

Set your intentions, make your prayers and say, write or draw them. You may be amazed by what you can create. Last Summer my daughter and her boyfriend were dreaming of moving in together and having a high rise view. She put her vision onto canvas. Just a few short months later she got exactly what she asked for.

HAPPY MANIFESTING!

xoxo

Full Moon Ritual Ideas

Hey Friends

There is a full moon on Thursday 24 June and I am already dreaming of basking in its beautiful light. (It might also have something to do with the wonderful happy hormones still in my veins from all the Summer Solstice celebrations!)

If you do not already have a full moon ritual, here are a couple of tips to help you make it special:

Set the scene: Go outside, open up the curtains, invite the light in.
Have an intention: The full moon is a great time to let go of burdens and any negative emotions. Sometimes I write my intention. Sometimes I say it out loud. It can be something as simple as “I release everything that is weighing me down.” And so it shall be!
Use water: Our bodies comprise mostly water, the moon regulates the ocean tides and our menstrual cycles, so it makes sense to flow with the good stuff. I like to take a long bath by a window and sip on some warm tea. If you are near the ocean/lake/river, spend some time feeling into that energy. It is a powerful way to release negative energy and reset the nervous system.
Crystals: The energy from the full moon will charge up your crystals and make them super potent again. Lie them out where they will have maximum exposure to the moon’s light and leave the rest up to Mother Nature.

Beautiful crystal, soaking up all the energy from Mother Nature

! The energy from the full moon usually lasts for about 3 days afterward, and you can feel a little “crazy” or drained. People often call it a hangover. I’ve experienced that many times. If you feel this way, take time to rest. Sip on your favorite tea (or something stronger), journal, and take things slow.

Before you know it, we will be on to another moon phase and welcoming all things wonderful and new.

With Love,

Cara – Seeker of Magic, Spreader of Light