ik’ – the breath of the heart of sky

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

Key Words: Spirit • Breath • Air • Your Voice

Ik’ is the wind — the moving breath that carries spirit, the voice of creation. It is the Heart of Sky, present when the worlds were formed, carrying the first words that called life into being. In the Maya world, wind is sacred and double-edged. It can be a gentle breath of inspiration or the fierce power of a hurricane (hurakán in Yucatec Maya). It is the air that fills our lungs and the words that shape our reality. Ik’ reminds us: your voice is your magic. Speak with truth, for in speaking truth, you speak life.

Ik’ days are ideal for:

• Asking for protection for friends and family.

• Asking that all suffering be taken away.

• Asking for protection against the rage of overly strong human emotions.

• Using your voice — speaking your truth.

• Meditation and breathing practices.

  

  Ik the Wind

drawing the ik’ glyph

The Ik’ glyph is a flowing, open design that represents the movement of air and the breath of spirit. Its curves and openings invite energy to pass through freely, symbolizing both inspiration and exhalation.

How to draw it:

1. Begin with a the inside square and the core image. This is the heart of the glyph

2. Draw the outside square

3. Add breath scrolls flowing from the lower edge to show the glyph is alive and moving.

4. Use white ink or color it white (sak in Yucatec Maya) to honor Ik’s place in the north, the realm of clarity, spirit, and purification.

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, breathe deeply. Let your hand move as if tracing the wind itself.

using the glyph’s energy

in your home

• Place it near windows or doorways to invite fresh energy and clarity.

• Keep it in meditation spaces to encourage calm, rhythmic breathing.

• Hang it above your workspace to inspire clear communication.

on your body

• Mark it on your throat with natural pigment to strengthen your voice and truth-speaking.

• Wear it as a pendant or embroidered on a scarf to keep your words clear and protected.

• Draw it on your chest before breathwork or chanting.

other ways

• Carve it into candles before speaking intentions aloud, letting the flame carry your words on the air.

• Draw it in the sand on a windy day and let the wind lift it away as a blessing.

• Write your prayers or spoken affirmations on paper, then draw the glyph over them — place the paper where air moves freely, such as under a ceiling fan or near an open window, to carry your intentions out into the world.

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awakening the glyph

To call forth Ik’s energy:

1. Sit with the glyph before you.

2. Inhale slowly and deeply, feeling the air move through your nose into your lungs.

3. Exhale with the sound ik’, drawing out the vowel so it becomes a long, airy breath.

   • In Yucatec Maya, ik’ means wind or breath, and speaking it aloud while breathing deeply aligns you with the living spirit of air.

4. Repeat three times.

5. Whisper: “Ahaw Ik — breathe life into my words, carry my voice with truth.”

This unites the image of the glyph, the movement of your breath, and the sacred name of the wind, activating the spirit within it.

reflection

Ik’ asks: “What truth needs to be spoken into the wind today?”

Journal on the words you hold back, the breaths you take in silence, and the power of giving them voice.

Remember, drawing the glyph brings it to life.

Hugs and butterflies,

laura