chikchan – the breath of the plumed serpent

Laura LaBrie
Sep 9
3 min read

Series: Glyphs of the Maya – Drawing the Day Signs into Your Life

Key Words: Truth • Justice • Writing • God Descends to be with Humankind

Chikchan is Kukulkan, the Great Plumed Serpent — the framer and shaper of the universe. In the Popol Vuh, the Plumed Serpent was one of the three beings who created the world, descending to be among humankind.

This day sign carries the force of truth, justice, wisdom, and peace. Chikchan is the serpent’s breath — potent, transformative, and able to diagnose, heal, and awaken. It is a day to speak the truth, to write and record wisdom, to stand for justice, and to remember the deep, intuitive knowing that moves through all women.

Chikchan days are ideal for:

Seeking justice.
Using or seeking wisdom.
Speaking the truth.
Diagnosing and curing illness.
Remembering the power of female intuition.
Writing and reading.

drawing the chikchan glyph

The Chikchan glyph embodies the serpent’s coiled body and divine breath — a living channel between earth and sky.

How to draw it:

Draw the inner square and the core or heart of the glyph.
Draw the outer square around it.
Draw the breath scrolls flowing outward — these are the life-force of the glyph. In Maya tradition, the breath scrolls show that the glyph is alive and breathing. Without them, it is only a static image; with them, it becomes a living, breathing presence that can work with you.

A note about these glyph images: The drawings you see here are from my personal grimoire. They are on lined paper because they were created during my own magical practice — each line a record of connection. These glyphs are not copied from printed sources; they were drawn by hand, holding the intention and energy of the day sign itself. Some are simplified slightly so you can draw them more easily, even if you’ve never worked with Maya glyphs before. The simplification does not take away their power — the act of drawing them with intention is what awakens their energy.

As you draw, imagine the Great Plumed Serpent rising from the earth, breathing wisdom into your life.

using the glyph’s energy

in your home

Place it where decisions are made to ensure truth and justice guide your choices.
Keep it near your desk or writing space to invite inspiration and clarity.
Hang it in healing areas to support diagnosis and recovery.

on your body

Mark it on your throat when you must speak a difficult truth.
Wear it on a pendant to call in wisdom and courage.
Draw it on your hands before writing or reading important works.

other ways

Carve it into a candle for a justice or truth-working ritual.
Draw it on paper and place it under your pillow to receive wisdom in dreams.
Write down a question, then draw the glyph over it and meditate — allowing the serpent to bring clarity.

awakening the glyph

To call forth Chikchan’s energy:

Sit with the glyph before you.
Inhale deeply, feeling the serpent coil within your body.
Exhale with the words Ahaw Chikchan — “Lord Chikchan” — addressing the day god with respect and inviting the Plumed Serpent to descend.
- In Yucatec Maya, Ahaw means “Lord” and is the proper form of address when speaking directly to the Day Gods.
Repeat three times.
Whisper: “Ahaw Chikchan — breathe truth and justice into the world, awaken wisdom in me.”