Embracing Healing: A Forgiveness Ritual Inspired by the Mayan Tzolkin Sacred Calendar

Truly forgiving is a process. The trauma from wrongs suffered can become so embedded in our subconsciousness that it feels almost impossible to cleanse our memories, our thoughts, and our emotions from the impact they leave on us.

You need help.

Its ok.

Maya traditional wisdom offers help. It is help that has stood the test of time for more than 3000 years. It comes in the form of both ritual and spirit. In this little bit of writing, I will lead you into the embrace of both. Together they form the foundation for the Mayan forgiveness ritual.

Understanding the Mayan Tzolk'in Spirit of Forgiveness

Let’s begin with Spirit.

There is a spirit named Kib who is the spirit of forgiveness. This spirit is one of the 20 Nawales/Gods of the sacred Maya Tzolk’in Calendar. Every day in this 20-day cycle is not only a day, but a spirit, a powerful living being, here to help you find balance in life.

Kib is the living being who brings the power of forgiveness, compassion, inner strength, and deep connection to your ancestors who are here to support you. As you step into sacred time, you will discover the spiral of energy moving you forward in a beautiful flow where every 20th day the spirit of Kib is here for you, to help you let go, to help you cleanse your mind, your thoughts, your energy, your emotions, the memories and feelings held deep within your body. Kib embodies forgiveness and the purpose of this healing entity is to help you forgive, to release trauma, so that you can fully heal and move forward on your path.

I am going to share a simple, but profound ritual with you that you can do on Kib days. Of course you can do it any day you need to, but doing it on a Kib day just makes it that much more powerful. To find out which day is Kib, you can go to the Calendar Converter and just push the + button until you see the word KIB under the heading Tzolkin.

And to make it even easier, here are the dates of the upcoming KIB days. Make a plan. Set time aside. And do the following ritual on one of these days. You will be amazed at the magic that flows into your life and the help that comes.

The magic of the Maya works in a quiet, simple, but profound way. It is life-changing.

KIB days summer of 2025

June 12, July 2, July 22, August 11, and August 30

candles for forgiveness

Mayan Forgiveness Ritual

Items needed

• 2 small taper candles. Purple is the color for these candles.

If you can’t get purple candles, set some pretty purple things around your candle holders. Amethyst crystals are perfect for this, but you can use anything purple that speaks to you.

• Wooden or paper matches.

Wood and paper come from trees which are alive. This makes them much more filled with magic than a lighter.

• Either 2 candle holders or a plate.

My shaman friend Don Francisco drips a bit of wax onto the plate and then sticks the candle firmly in the wax. If you choose to do it this way, wait until you have spoken to the candle before you use wax drippings to attach the candle to the plate.

Directions

1. Set and intention and ask KIB to come support you. (Ahaw is the name of the over-arching creator which is the energy and love which fills all and is all)

You can pray this traditional invocation

Ahaw (a-how) Great Spirit, Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth, hear my call as I open sacred space.

I send my voice to the south, Nohol, and to you Ahaw Kib, Lord of the Day, Keeper of Forgiveness and Holder of the ancestors. Support me today. Heal my heart as I choose forgiveness.

Above me Kaj the Sky

Below me Lu’um the Earth

Within me The Sacred Flame of Life.

May you guide me and protect me as I move forward with an open heart and clear spirit.

Yum Botik. (Thank you in Yucatec Mayan)

2. Name your candles.

One of them is you so it has your name. The other one is the person or people you wish to forgive. You can use the same candle to work through forgiveness of as many people as you wish but be kind to yourself and don’t overdo it. You can only handle so much at once. This is a powerful ritual and will probably bring up a lot of emotions.

NOTE: The candle that is you is for forgiving yourself.

3. Begin by holding the candle that represents other people.

Speak to the candle as if it were the person you are forgiving (remember this candle represents other people) Use the person’s name as you are speaking and tell the candle everything you would want to tell the person. Feel free to express your hurt first and then offer forgiveness.

After you have gone through all the people you are choosing to forgive, put the candle in the holder (or light it and drip wax onto your plate and then firmly push the end of the candle into the melted wax so that it stands up straight) and then light the candle (Obviously is you dripped wax, the candle is already alight)

4. Now do the same thing for the candle that represents you.

IMPORTANT: If you are working through forgiving someone who brought you pain, you might wonder why you are also using a candle to forgive yourself.

Dig deep into your feelings here. Forgive yourself for receiving the pain. Forgive yourself for not leaving the situation. Forgive yourself for not speaking up. For each of you, what you feel you need to forgive yourself will be different. You don’t need to forgive yourself of all the things I suggested here. They are just ideas to help you see what direction to move in. It is important that you forgive yourself for things that really resonate with you. You might want to forgive yourself for being afraid, for not feeling strong, for not standing up for yourself.

5. Remember, you can ask Kib and ask your ancestors to help you with this. Listen to the quiet whispers of your heart and follow them.  

6. Once both candles are in their places and burning, allow the candles to burn until they go out.

7. Take any remaining wax and discard it outside your home.

Of course, when you finish, it is always good to say thank you, which in Yucatec Mayan is Yum Botik (pronounced yoom boutique).

Help with Recovery

You may feel drained energetically and emotionally after doing this. It is a lovely idea to nurture yourself with a cup of cacao and some relaxation. Cacao is filled with high vibrational compounds and is considered very useful for resolution support.

traditional raw cacao

Cacao recipe for Support with Forgiveness

• 1 cup water

• 1 Tablespoon raw cacao paste (or 1 Tablespoon cacao powder and 1 teaspoon coconut oil)

• Choose one or both of the following herbs which promote forgiveness in the Maya tradition.

Anise for clarity, serenity, and inner reflection, and releasing emotional tension

Basil for clearing emotional confusion, healing spiritual distress, easing the process of forgiveness, and moving forward

• Honey to taste

Honey is used to sweeten the thought in the mind, the word in the mouth, and the emotion in the heart

To read more about how cacao can support you, MORE ABOUT CACAO

Other things you can do to support yourself with compassion include

• Put on some meditation music

• Burn some incense

• Light a white candle

• Hold your favorite crystals or wear crystal jewelry

• Take a shower of bath and wash off the old energy

Remember, you can do this ritual any time you feel the need, but the most powerful days to do it are the days of KIB. This gentle but powerful deity is here to support you on your journey toward balance by bringing the healing energy of forgiveness so that you might feel free and be grounded and centered that you might walk your most beautiful path in life.

Bix a bel? How is you path?

hugs and butterflies,

laura