Finding Freedom : Guatemala - The Mayan Calendar

Guatemalan traditional dress. Mostly, the women weave their own 'wipels' this beautiful top shown here. Imagine learning such a skill from the women in our own families and creating our own identities from patterns we choose.

Jade was highly revered and much of the sacred green stone was placed on those who had died to provide a passage to the Underworld, the afterlife.

I want to learn about the Mayan calendar and spirituality. First step, Jade Museum, conveniently located close to the chocolate museum! Once inside, a kind Latino fellow takes me for a walk around and describes the purity of real Jade. I am so attracted the earthy-ness of this stone and how highly revered it is in the Mayan culture. I learn that the Mayan counted up to 20 different cycles of life or 3-20 different 'calendars'. The one we are in now, is referred to as the 'long count' and it is indeed coming to an end of sorts sometime soon. The exact date is unknown, however many mark it as December 20th 2012. The following day, December 21st will mark the beginning of a new cycle of light and harmony for humanity. Mayan belief confirms that there will be no 'end of the world' but rather that the new cycle has a mission to harmonise all humanity, as stated in a sacred Mayan text: "We will be brothers like the fingers of a hand. Brothers among us and all around us'. http://www.sabiduriamaya.org/home/profecias.asp. What is known is that the Earth, Sun and centre of the Galaxy (the Milky Way) will be aligned.

Mayan woman and son selling weavings on the cobbled streets of Antigua. In the background are a collection of scenes of Christ's life that are brought out and carried around the streets for a Christian festival brought to town by the Spanish in the 1500s.

The Mayan calendar was once used by many across Mesoamerica and is still used today by some tradional peoples, Mayan priests and truth seekers all over the world! The Calendar is made up of a 365 day solar calendar called the Haab and a 'ritual almanac' of 260 days called the Tzolk'in. This is divided into 20 symbolic day signs and 13 'months'. I wanted to find out what my birth-day sign was. I am I'x, which is the Jaguar (8). The sign and number are significant. I read that the Jaguar sign is the Spiritual Guardian of alters, women, the jungle, hills, mountains and plains. It is the day of female energy, of astuteness, daring, intelligence and strong natural forces. It is a good day to ask forgiveness of the exploitation of Mother Nature. These signs are called to be defenders of Mother Nature. I learn this then get an amazing 2 hour reading on the sign while in the most fantastic volcanic lake, Lake Atitlan - where I visit a friend (2 blogs from here). If you want to find out your Mayan Sign and more about the Calendar, check out this website: http://www.maya-portal.net/tzolkin.