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What She's All About:

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• The Moon: She's often seen as the moon goddess, and that makes sense because she's big on cycles, like the moon's phases, but also on life cycles, like from planting to harvesting.

• Babies and Birth: If you're talking about fertility, pregnancy, or childbirth, Ixchel's your go-to. Midwives would look to her for guidance. 

• Healing Hands: She's a major force in medicine and healing. Some doctors and healers throw parties for her and get their medicine bags blessed. You'll often see her with a snake, which is still a symbol of wisdom and healing for some Maya.

• Weaving Life's Threads: Picture an older woman at a loom; that's often Ixchel, weaving not just cloth, but rather the threads of life itself, perhaps even symbolizing the umbilical cord.

• Water, Rain, and Earth: She's deeply connected to water, rain, and the earth. Sometimes she's pouring water from a pot, bringing the rains that make everything grow. She even hung out with Chaac, the rain god.

• Two Sides of the Coin (and the Moon!): This is one of the most fascinating aspects: Ixchel reveals duality and transformation. She can be a beautiful young maiden, full of life (like a full moon and new beginnings), but also an older, wise woman, even a bit fierce (like the waning moon, sometimes bringing storms or sickness). This can also reflect the duality of being a human being. No one is entirely good or entirely bad; we are a very complex entity.

• Trust Your Gut: She's also a guide for intuition and dreams, helping you find clarity and trusting those inner feelings.

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Fun Facts & Connections:

 

• She often has a rabbit companion by her side, which also symbolizes fertility and the moon in our culture.

• She's often linked to Itzamná, who was essentially the sun god and a creator, so together they formed a powerful couple.

• Islands like Cozumel and Isla Mujeres (which means "Island of Women") are super essential places where people go to worship her.

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In a nutshell, Ixchel is an incredible goddess who embodies aspects of life, death, creation, healing, and nature through her powerful feminine energy and the rhythms of the moon. She truly represents the complex way the Maya see the world and our place in it. She has become a true ally for me and my family.