The 20 Mayan Signs: Complete Guide to Sacred Day Signs and Their Meanings
Understanding the 20 Mayan Signs
- The Sacred 20 in Mayan TraditionThe 20 mayan signs (also called day signs, nahuales, or nawales) form the foundation of the Tzolk'in sacred calendar. These mayan day signs represent 20 distinct cosmic archetypes that the ancient Maya believed were living energies—not just symbols. Each of the mayan signs embodies specific spiritual medicine, personality traits, and life purposes.
- How Mayan Signs WorkUnlike Western astrology's 12 monthly signs, the 20 mayan signs rotate daily in the 260-day Tzolk'in cycle. Each day carries one of these mayan day signs combined with a galactic tone (1-13). Your mayan sign is determined by the exact day you were born, creating a more precise astrological profile than month-based systems.
- Animals, Elements, and ForcesOf the 20 mayan signs, ten represent animals (Crocodile, Dog, Monkey, Jaguar, Eagle, Serpent, Deer, Rabbit), while the others represent natural forces and elements (Wind, Night, Water, Earth, Storm, Sun) or spiritual concepts (Death, Road, Wisdom, Mirror). Each mayan day sign connects you to these primal energies and their associated spiritual teachings.
The Complete List of 20 Mayan Signs
The first of all mayan signs, Imix represents primordial creation, birth, nurturing, and the divine mother. Imix mayan day sign people are natural nurturers, deeply intuitive, emotionally sensitive, and connected to ancestral waters. Keywords: Birth, nurturing, primal energy, trust, sensitivity. Element: Water. Direction: East.
The Four Directions in Mayan Signs
How to Work with Mayan Signs
- Discover Your Personal Mayan SignThe first step in working with mayan signs is finding your birth day sign. Use our free calculator at the top of this page—enter your birth date to discover which of the 20 mayan day signs you were born under. Your mayan sign reveals your core personality, spiritual gifts, life purpose, and soul medicine.
- Study Your Mayan Day Sign DeeplyOnce you know your mayan sign, explore its meanings thoroughly. Read about your sign's archetype, associated animal or element, directional energy, personality traits, spiritual gifts, career paths, and relationship dynamics. Understanding your mayan day sign helps you align with your authentic nature and life purpose.
- Track the Daily Mayan SignsAdvanced work with mayan signs involves tracking which day sign is active each day in the Tzolk'in calendar. Each day one of the 20 mayan day signs dominates. You can align your activities with the current mayan sign energy—communicate on Ik days, transform on Cimi days, create on Chuen days, etc.
- Honor Your Mayan Sign DayYour personal mayan day sign returns every 20 days in the calendar. When your mayan sign day arrives, it's especially powerful for ceremony, intention-setting, and spiritual work. Track these days and honor your mayan sign with offerings, meditation, or ritual on your power days.
- Explore Mayan Sign CompatibilityDifferent mayan signs interact in specific ways based on their directional energies, elements, and archetypal natures. Use our compatibility calculator to explore how your mayan day sign relates to partners, friends, family, and colleagues. Understanding mayan sign dynamics enhances all relationships.
Benefits of Understanding Mayan Signs
Learning your mayan sign provides deep self-knowledge that often resonates more powerfully than Western astrology. Many people discover that their mayan day sign explains aspects of their personality, gifts, and challenges that other systems didn't capture. The 20 mayan signs offer nuanced, specific wisdom about who you are.
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What are mayan signs?
Mayan signs (also called day signs or nahuales) are the 20 sacred energy archetypes in the Mayan Tzolk'in calendar. These mayan day signs represent cosmic forces, personality types, and spiritual medicines. Each of the 20 mayan signs corresponds to animals, natural forces, or spiritual concepts. Your mayan sign is determined by which of these 20 day signs governed the day you were born.
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How many mayan signs are there?
There are 20 mayan signs in the sacred Tzolk'in calendar: Imix, Ik, Akbal, Kan, Chicchan, Cimi, Manik, Lamat, Muluc, Oc, Chuen, Eb, Ben, Ix, Men, Cib, Caban, Etznab, Cauac, and Ahau. These 20 mayan day signs rotate through the 260-day calendar cycle, each appearing 13 times with different galactic tones (numbers 1-13).
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How do I find my mayan sign?
To find your mayan sign, use our free mayan astrology calculator at the top of this page. Enter your birth date (month, day, year) and the calculator will reveal which of the 20 mayan day signs you were born under, along with your galactic tone and Kin number. Your mayan sign is based on the exact day of your birth in the 260-day Tzolk'in cycle.
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What is the difference between mayan signs and Western zodiac?
Unlike Western zodiac's 12 monthly signs, there are 20 mayan day signs that change daily (not monthly). Mayan signs are based on the 260-day Tzolk'in sacred calendar rather than planetary movements. This makes mayan day signs more specific to your exact birth date. Mayan signs also emphasize spiritual purpose and soul medicine alongside personality traits.
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Which mayan sign is the most powerful?
All 20 mayan signs are equally powerful—each carries unique spiritual medicine and gifts. However, Ahau (Sun/Lord) is considered the most spiritually advanced mayan day sign, representing enlightenment and mastery. Ix (Jaguar) is the most magically powerful among mayan signs. Cimi (Death) is powerful for transformation. Each mayan sign has power in its own domain.
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Do mayan signs have elements like Western astrology?
Yes, but differently. Mayan signs are organized by four directional colors (Red East, White North, Blue West, Yellow South) rather than four classical elements. Each direction in the mayan day signs system carries specific energies: Red (initiation), White (refinement), Blue (transformation), Yellow (ripening). Some mayan signs also connect to elements like Water (Muluc, Imix), Air (Ik, Men), Earth (Caban, Ix), and Fire (Kan, Ahau).
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Can my mayan sign change?
No, your birth mayan sign never changes—it's determined by the day you were born and remains constant throughout your life. However, the daily mayan day signs do change, cycling through all 20 mayan signs every 20 days. Advanced Mayan astrology also examines four additional mayan signs in your 'Mayan Cross' that influence different life areas.
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Are mayan signs still used today?
Yes! The 20 mayan day signs are actively used by indigenous Mayan communities in Guatemala, Mexico, and Central America. Mayan daykeepers track the Tzolk'in calendar daily and perform ceremonies on specific mayan sign days. Additionally, people worldwide now use mayan signs for personal growth, spiritual practice, and understanding personality and purpose.