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the second k'anche
kawak the storm
"Kawak drapes the sky in silver rain and whispered thunder, her winds opening hidden paths, her waters blessing the earth, until the soul glows quietly renewed in the hush that follows the storm."
kawak: the cleansing storm
what you will find in this k'anche space
May this next spiral feel like stepping barefoot into a rain-washed cenote.
meet kawak.
sacred Maya Tzolk'in calendar day
the sacred tzolk'in
In the sacred Tzolk’in calendar, Kawak (also written Cauac in older colonial transcriptions) is one of the 20 sacred glyphs that, combined with the numbers 1–13, create the 260-day calendar. This calendar is not aligned with the cycles on the sun nor the moon, nor any of the planets. It is created according to the life cycle of the human. It is designed to help us focus on every area of life and bring us into a state of balance where we can find our center, and thereby fond our place in the Universe.
If you are curious to find out more about how this calendar can shape and balance your life, there is a LOT of free information on this website to help you do just that. Also, reading a little about the calendar will help you to more deeply understand the heart of Kawak, the Storm.
the essence of kawak in the tzolk'in
to better understand the depths of Kawak
element & direction:
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water, storm/rain
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direction: west
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color: black or blue
core energy:
Kawak is often called storm, but its meaning goes deeper than just weather. It’s the purifying, awakening, and revealing force of the storm—the lightning that suddenly illuminates the landscape, the rain that cleanses and nourishes, and the winds that strip away what is weak or no longer needed. In the Tzolk’in cycle, Kawak is a transformational day sign—it breaks stagnation, calls in renewal, and often brings the kind of emotional or spiritual storms that lead to clarity.
feminine and ancestral ties:
Kawak is associated with grandmother energies, midwives, and healers—those who guide others through life’s storms. It’s deeply connected to Ixchel in her crone form, pouring the waters from her jar. It also resonates with the idea of the home as sanctuary—the safe place to shelter until the storm has passed.
lessons of kawak:
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accept cleansing – storms clear old energies, even if it feels uncomfortable
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trust revelation – lightning shows what was hidden
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find refuge – honor your inner sanctuary and those who protect it
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emotional release – Kawak often brings deep feelings to the surface to be healed
kawak in practice:
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good days for:
cleansing rituals, rain ceremonies, midwifery work, emotional healing, sheltering in community, water blessings, confronting fears with honesty. -
challenging days when:
resistance to change or fear of truth makes the storm feel chaotic rather than cleansing.
kawak and your journey into the sacred feminine
Kawak is so closely tied to the crone face of the goddess Ixchel, that sometimes I think they are one and the same. As we move into the energies of Kawak, open your heart for the deep cleansing of the storm and for the revelation of the lightning. For the divine feminine is not just here for you, but she lives within you.
hugs and butterflies,
laura
"Grandmother Kawak, storm-bringer and rain-mother, wrap us in your flowing skirts of cloud.Let your silver rains wash our hearts, your gentle winds lift the veils from our eyes,until we stand bathed in your wisdom, blooming anew in the tender light after your passing."
kawak storm tea
a herbal infusion to accompany storm work and ritual
This tea will be the herbal mirror of Kawak—a blend that honors the storm's wildness and its sacred gift of cleansing. Savoring it while sitting at this altar will help your body release, the spirit soften, and the breath flow like rain.
tea blend ingredients
Choose as many or as few as you like from the list of storm herbs below.
lemongrass – clears stagnant energy, brightens the spirit, rainlike clarity
mint – opens the lungs and breath (great for “thunder breath”), deeply cleansing
blue cornflower or butterfly pea – sky and rain color, visual magic, calm nervous system
basil or tulsi – sacred purification, grounding, ancient storm herb
dash of cacao nibs or cinnamon stick (optional) – a warm echo of the heart-opening cacao ritual
a pinch of sea salt – element of water, tears, sweat, release
OPTIONAL: a flower or herb from your own stormy season
ritual preparation
Choose as many or as few as you like from the list of storm herbs below.
As you steep the tea, speak over it:
“May this be the rain inside me.
May it stir, soften, and cleanse.
May Kawak’s waters run clear through my breath and bones.”
Drink it warm as you journey through the altars offered here.
Let it support you.
The storm is not chaos.
It is ceremony.
It is the sky’s way of remembering what must be released.
opening sacred space
we welcome you into the passage of the storm
You can feel it before it comes.
in the thickness of the air,
in the quiet of the trees,
in your own breath—held without knowing why.
The storm is not chaos.
It is ceremony.
It is the sky’s way of remembering what must be released.
In Maya tradition, Kawak is not just rain—
She is the bringer of rain.
Thunder being. Cloud walker.
The sacred voice that cracks open what no longer serves
and pours life into what is ready to grow.
You are invited now into the heart of the storm.
not to be afraid—
but to listen.
To weep.
To be washed clean.
Beneath the storm,
the earth opens.
A doorway in the stone.
A cenote.
And beneath that—
your own hidden waters, waiting.
Welcome to kawak.
Welcome to the cleansing.
Welcome to the sacred spiral of release and renewal.
“Kawak is the storm that remembers your name—
She comes not to break you,
but to wash you clean,
to show you the sky after the rain.”
invoking kawak
storm of remembrance
Now that we’ve opened the storm path and softened the heart with cacao, it is time to speak the invocation to Kawak—calling in the sacred force of thunder, not with fear… but with reverence.
Read these words aloud.
“Kawak, sacred storm, we call you.
Voice of sky. Crack of knowing. Breath of spirit.You who tear open the silence,
you who cleanse what clings,
you who bring the blessing of rain—
come now.Strike the stone.
Awaken the waters.
Shake loose the grief we hide beneath our ribs.May your thunder break open the truths we’ve buried.
May your rain bless the soil of our becoming.
May we rise, washed and ready.”
Pause here. . . Be silent for a moment
Then take three breaths.
Feel the air shift.
the story of Kawak
Ixchel as crone—keeper of lightning, wind, and home
Kawak
Before the first storm, there was a woman.
Her hair was braided with serpents and rain.
Her eyes flashed like obsidian under water.
They called her many names,
but the wind knows her as Kawak.
She is ixchel grown wise—
not soft, not cruel, but necessary.
She comes when we’ve clung too tightly
to what must be let go.
She brings thunder, yes—
but not to punish.
to reveal.
When she lifts her arm,
lightning cracks the sky
like truth breaking open a lie.
When she walks,
the wind follows her,
sweeping through the soul’s corners,
clearing cobwebs of fear, regret, and forgetting.
She is the cleanser,
the seer,
the ancient voice that howls through the palm trees
and whispers: "You are ready."
She wears no crown—only storm clouds.
Her skirt is stitched from broken promises and rebirths.
She doesn’t knock before entering.
She is the storm that opens the door from the inside.And yet—
She is also the one who builds the hearth.
Who lights the candle in the window
as the winds rise.
She is shelter and surge.
She is the hut and the hurricane.
She is the crone who says:
"Tear it down, and come sit by my fire."
And when the storm passes,
you will find her
sweeping the steps,
humming to the stones,
making tea with rainwater and herbs you didn’t know you needed.
And you will be new.
guided meditation
kawak - the cleansing storm
Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and place your hands on your heart.
Breathe deeply— in through your nose, out through your mouth.
With each breath, feel yourself arriving,
grounded in your body, open in your spirit.
Imagine yourself standing on a quiet beach.
The sand is warm beneath your feet.
The horizon stretches wide and endless before you.
The air shifts—
a soft breeze at first,
carrying the scent of salt and seaweed.
Clouds gather, dark and heavy.
The ocean begins to stir.
This is Kawak,
the great storm grandmother,
arriving.
The wind rises,
whipping your hair, tugging at your clothes.
The first drops of rain fall—cool, sharp, electric.
Lightning flashes across the sky,
illuminating the sea in silver fire.
Thunder follows, deep and rolling,
like the heartbeat of the earth herself.
Stand in her presence.
Feel her power.
Feel her cleansing.
The rain pours now,
washing over your skin,
soaking your hair,
running down your face.
Each drop carries away heaviness—
old fears, tired stories,
burdens you no longer need to hold.
Breathe deeply.
Open your arms to the sky.
Let Kawak sweep through you—
her winds clearing your mind,
her waters purifying your heart.
As the storm rages,
listen.
Kawak speaks in thunder and lightning,
not with words, but with truth.
What does she reveal to you?
What flashes of insight break open in her light?
What must be released?
What must be reclaimed?
Trust what arises.
Receive her gift.
Slowly, the winds begin to quiet.
The rain softens to a mist.
The clouds part,
and a shaft of sunlight touches the sea.
The beach is changed.
The air is fresh,
the sand renewed,
the world cleansed.
And so are you.
Take a deep breath.
Thank Kawak, Grandmother of Storms,
for her fierce love,
her revelation,
her renewal.
When you are ready,
open your eyes,
carrying the clarity of lightning
and the cleansing of rain within you.
journal prompts
descent into the cenote: where the storm waters dream
here you will discover journal prompts to help you process your experience during the guided meditation. Choose the ones that resonate with you. There is no need to use them all..Dont judge your writing. When you write in a free flow style, not worrying about spelling, punctuation, or even the words you are choosing, it is easier to get into a flow state and access your emotions and inner thoughts. Enjoy!
Sensing the Storm
What did the storm feel like in your body?
Which sensations (wind, rain, thunder, lightning) spoke to you most strongly, and why?
Cleansing and Release
What burdens, fears, or old stories did you feel washed away in Kawak’s rain?
How does your heart feel lighter or freer after the storm?
Lightning’s Revelation
What flashes of insight, truth, or clarity came to you in the storm?
Did you sense a message from your ancestors, spirit, or inner self?
Transformation
How are you changed now, standing on the cleansed beach?
What feels fresh, new, or possible after the storm’s passing?
Integration
How can you carry Kawak’s cleansing energy into your daily life?
What new practices, boundaries, or intentions can you put in place to honor the clarity she brought you?
breath of the storm
a Kawak practice for release, courage, and sacred stillness
This breath practice honors the cyclical nature of the storm: The inhale as gathering winds, the hold as lightning’s pause, the exhale as cleansing rain, and the stillness as the sacred calm that follows. Do this seated or standing, feet on the earth if possible. Imagine yourself at the edge of a cenote, thunder in the distance, the air electric with change.
calling in the wind
Inhale slowly through the nose.
Feel the breath rise from your belly to your chest. Let it feel like a wind gathering in the jungle canopy.
As you breathe out repeat this in your mind.
“I call the wind to stir what has grown still.”
Repeat 3–5 times.
exhaling the rain
Breath in. Then exhale through the mouth with sound. Imagine the rain pouring down, grief releasing, anything heavy being washed away.
Repeat in your mind.
“I let go. I release. I make space.”
Repeat until you feel lighter.
holding the lightning
Place a hand on your heart or third eye.
Inhale slowly and gently hold the breath at the top. Feel the pause—the charged silence before revelation.
Say in your mind,
“I hold the truth I am ready to see.”
Pause for 3–5 seconds, then exhale.
repeat 3–5 times.
stillness after the storm
Close your eyes.
Breathe naturally now.
Feel the calm after the cleansing.
Whisper in your mind,
“I am held. I am home.”
Sit here for a few moments before returning.
ritual bath
to be held after the storm
Let’s draw the waters.
This ritual bath/shower will be a rebirth in the arms of Kawak, a moment to soften the body, cleanse the energy, and honor the storm that has passed. This is where tears meet waters, and the spirit is wrapped in warmth, not wind.
you will need
A bathtub or basin for a foot bath. If you will do this in the shower, then a bucket you can fill with warm water, flowers and herbs
A cup to pour the water over your body.
Warm water (like the cenote after a summer rain)
Sea salt – for purification and grounding
Herbs or flowers:
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lemongrass (clarity, cleansing)
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basil or ruda (protection)
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white rose petals (softening the grief)
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chaya or local rain herb (connection to Yucatán spirit)
A candle (blue, silver, or white)
A bowl of rainwater or spring water (This can be bottled water) to bless your heart.
A soft towel
Music of rain or thunder
Cacao or tea to sip afterwards (Feel free to use the recipes included in this altar space)
prepare the space
Prepare your tea or cacao for drinking after your ritual bath.
Fill your bath, footbath, or rain bucket with warm water. Remember to have your cup for pouring your flower and herbed water close by.
Dim the lights. Light your candle.
If you feel led, put on some soft music with rain ambience.
Get your towel ready for when you are finished.
Have your bowl of rain or spring water for the rain blessing close by.
Whisper a few lines from the Kawak invocation:
“I am ready to be washed clean.
not erased, but remembered.
not broken, but opened.”
bless the water
Drop your herbs and salt into the bath.
Stir them with your hand three times clockwise.
Speak this blessing into the water
“These are the tears I have not wept.
These are the waters that will carry them.”
step into the water
Immerse your body or your feet.
Feel the heat rise to your skin, your bones, your heart.
Imagine crone Ixchel sitting nearby, humming softly.
Use the cup to pour the water over your body. Imagine Ixchel is pouring the water over you.
You are safe.
You are seen.
You are home.
rain blessing
When you are ready, pour the small bowl of rain or spring water over your heart.
Say this blessing:
“May the storm leave me softer.
may my heart remain open.
may I rise clear.”
Breathe. Listen. Receive.
gentle closing
Step out slowly.
Wrap yourself in warmth.
Get dressed in something comfy and find a comfy place to sit.
Sip cacao or tea.
Journal if you wish.
Whisper:
“I have walked through Kawak’s waters.
I am not the same.”
kawak altar symbols
for honoring Ixchel in her storm aspect
Here you will be adding storm symbols to your Ixchel altar. This expands her from weaver and healer into revealer and cleanser, completing the cycle of the feminine. These altar additions represent Kawak in her crone form: lightning-bearing, wind-sweeping, and womb-deep as the cenotes of the Yucatán. These symbols can be placed around your existing altar from altar one, adding depth, story, and elemental movement. Remember, there are 2 more K'anches in which you will be gathering more symbols for your Ixchel altar. So only choose the ones here that speak most deeply to you.
Remember to continue feeding your Ixchel altar.
obsidian or black stone
Represents: lightning, truth, ancestral clarity
Place it: near the heart of the altar or on a small woven cloth
Meaning: the flash of truth through darkness. obsidian was used in Mayan tools and scrying mirrors—perfect for kawak’s role as revealer.
“What is ready to be seen will show itself.”
spiral symbol
Represents: Movement through release, feminine power, thunder’s path,
Place it: Drawn on paper, clay, or carved into a candle
Meaning: The spiral reminds us that the feminine path is cyclical, not linear—storms turn and return, and so do we.
“I walk the path of spiral as my intuition reveals it.”
storm candle: blue or black
Represents: Light within the storm
Place it: in the center as a beacon or on the crone (west) side of your altar
Meaning: This is the flame that stays lit even when the winds howl—the part of you that endures and rises renewed.
“I am the fire at the center of the storm.”
bowl of water
Represents: The sacred waters of the cenote
Place it: Below your altar or to the west side (water direction in Yucatán tradition)
Meaning: The descent into healing, the womb of the earth, and the place where Kawak stores the tears that has been released.
“This water remembers what I have let go.”
feather
Represents: Wind, breath, cleansing, change
Place it: On the edge of your altar where it can catch the wind.
Meaning: Kawak sweeps clean with her breath—this symbol carries the idea of sweeping, clearing, and sending away what no longer serves.
“With every breath, I clear space.”
hearth stone
Represents: This humble piece of stone can be anything you find near your home. It represents the hearth, or center of the home, safety, and a haven in the storm.
Place it: In the center of your altar or beneath your altar.
Meaning: In Maya homes three stones are placed in the kitchen for cooking on. This is the center of the home. Kawak is not only the storm but the home that holds you during it.
“Within me is the house the storm cannot shake.”