ART BY Claudia Olivos
Ixchel is the Mayan Triple Goddess of Moon, Fertility, and Healing and the embodiment of the Medicine Woman Archetype. Her name comes from ‘Ix’ which means “Goddess of the Feminine” as well as ‘Chel’ meaning light. She is the Goddess of the Light, and also known as the Lady of the Rainbow. She joins us during the season of Virgo and the month of September as the embodiment of the archetype of The Medicine Woman.
Ixchel is known for her work in the Shamanic realms working closely with Doulas and Midwives, during the gestation of babies in their mother's womb. She also is very connected to kundalini energies and is supporting our healing journeys. She is a guide, particularly through times of questioning, and she helps us to gain clarity and trust through deepening our own intuition, especially by working with us in dreams.
As a triple Goddess (as popularized by folklorist Robert Graves in modern times) Ixchel can also be seen as the Maiden, Mother, and Crone.
As the Maiden, she is known as the Goddess of Weaving and ‘Lady Rainbow’ because of the exceptional beauty and inspiration she spreads around the world. She is usually accompanied by a rabbit as her animal guide and can also be wearing a snake around her to represent her medicine power and the intuitive knowledge she holds. As maiden, she is in her “virgin” state which is to belong to no one, and sovereign unto herself. She is beautiful, youthful and enchanting.
As the Mother, she is the Goddess of fertility, the moon, and motherhood. As the mother, it is said that she connected with the Creator God, Itzamna, and through their relationship create the world and all the people. And again, her animal guide, the rabbit, represents fertility as well as the phases of the moon and her cycles. (Rabbits are known to have 1-month mating-to-birth cycles and always give birth at night). In ancient times, and for the Maya people, Ixchel also chooses what sex and face the child will have in the womb. As mother, she is fertile, abundant and nourishing.
And lastly, as the Grandmother, or Crone, she is known and referred to as the Water, Earth and Moon Goddess. She looks over the moon and her phases, the rains, plant medicine, and death. She is the great wisdom keeper, with all her spiritual knowledge and intuitive wisdom. She also carries a snake and holds a clay pot filled with water to symbolize the pouring rains. She ruled over the plants and the cycle of life and death. As crone, she is wise, intuitive, and not afraid of the shadow, death or darkness.
She is called upon in many traditions for her healing guidance and guarding, especially for doctors, healers, midwives, and shamans. She is the guiding light to healing from within.
Ixchel is here to show the path of healing from within. Many work with Ixchel in different ways, here are some suggestions:
When you are in need of healing and would like to connect with medicine in its energetic form, or are selecting a holistic practice but are not sure what is the right medicine for an ailment, you can call on her for guidance. She will reveal her answer to you through dreams and signs in your waking life. For example, you might read about a plant or herb you need and someone will gift you tea of the same plant.
When called upon, Ixchel likes to reveal her answers through dreams. Before going to bed perform a short ritual with a candle to ask her your question. Write it down. When you wake up in the morning write down everything you remember. Do this for several days with the same question to receive your answer.
Lean into learning about the holistic practices that you feel called to learn, like prayer, reiki, song, medicinal plants, essential oils, meditation etc. Ixchel can guide you into deepening certain skills and practices through your intuition.
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