Ix Chel

Lady Rainbow; Old Woman with the Jaguar Claws; Lady Splotch of Blood; Lady All Embracer

**Origin:** Maya

Ix Chel presides over sex, childbirth, healing, creativity, and weaving. In her benevolent aspect, she represents the waters of life, whether the ocean or amniotic fluids. In her negative aspect, Ix Chel represents destruction through water. She is the goddess of torrential rains and hurricanes. Most associated with the Yucatan Peninsula, Ix Chel was also venerated throughout southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and El Salvador.

Once upon a time, Ix Chel took the sun as her lover. Her angry grandfather hurled lightning at her and killed her. Dragonflies mourned and sang over Ix Chel for thirteen days, at which time she emerged alive and whole. She followed her lover to the Palace of the Sun, but once they were living together, the sun turned out to be a jealous lover.

Accusing Ix Chel of infidelity with his brother the Morning Star, the Sun threw her out of his house. Ix Chel found sanctuary with the Vulture Spirit. In the nature of abusive husbands, the Sun eventually repented, missed Ix Chel, and enticed her back to his home, only to fall back into his compulsive, violent jealousy.

Ix Chel had enough. Tired of the Sun’s behavior, she left his home and bed for good, preferring to wander as she wished. Ix Chel, the Moon, now makes herself invisible in the Sun’s presence. Rather than waste time and energy on his abusive love, Ix Chel prefers to nurture new life and devotes herself to caring for pregnant and labouring women, especially those who visit Cozumel, her beloved island. (According to other myths, Ix Chel may be the consort of Itzamna or a rabbit spirit.)

Ix Chel has dominion over menstrual cycles. She may be invoked to provide personal fertility and to guard pregnancy and childbirth. Ix Chel is also traditionally invoked to protect against venomous spiders and to heal their bites.

**Favoured People:** Women in general; also healers, midwives, and weavers

**Manifestations:** She manifests in all phases of womanhood: a young girl, a fertile woman, and an old crone.

* In her fertility aspect, she is often accompanied by her consort, a man-sized rabbit.
* In her destructive aspect, she manifests as an old crone carrying a large water jug, which she empties to raise storms and hurricanes.
* Ix Chel often wears a skirt embroidered with crossbones and a snake as a headband.

**Iconography:** In Mayan script, she is represented by a uterine symbol; she is often depicted with a loom, which she is credited with inventing.

**Planet:** Moon

**Element:** Water

**Sacred creatures**: Rabbit, snake, dragonfly, spider

**Bird:** Swallow

**Sacred Sites:** Two sister islands off the coast of Cancun in the Yucatan were once essentially shrines to Ix Chel. They were once pilgrimage sites: before European conquest, women travelled tremendous distances to these shrines.

* Cozumel
* Isla Mujeres (translated the Island of Women)

Shrines on both islands were once filled with statues of Ix Chel. None survive. On the Mexican mainland, prayers and petitions were offered to Ix Chel at Temple 45, north of El Castillo, Tulum.

**See Also:** Astara; Itzamna

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes