Mayan Astrology

Caracol - the astronomical observatory of Chichén Itzá

The Mayan Indians had the most sophisticated culture in South America before its Spanish colonialisation in the 16th century. They had their own form of writing, a holy book ("Popul Vuh"), great buildings such as pyramids, an intricate calendar and highly developed forms of astrology, astronomy and mathematics. Their sophistication helped them to influence other more military powerful peoples such as the Aztecs whose astrological knowledge relied heavily on the Mayan version of astrology. There downfall had already begun half a century before the arrival of the Spanish who showed no respect for the indigenous peoples of the region and eventually destroyed their cultures.

Mayan astrology did not use a zodiac similar to that in the west. It was based on a combination of Sun and Moon calendars complemented by numerology. The Mayan's cardinal number was twenty, and it also played a key role in their astrology. It is the sum total of an individual's fingers and toes. The number thirteen was also considered to have great symbolical significance. The lunar calendar (and therefore Moon year) consisted of 13 months of 20 days, i.e. 260 days. There are various speculations as to why the lunar calendar was calculated in this way. A pregnancy lasts about 260 days and was seen as being related to the Moon. It lasts for 9 months of 29 days, the length of a synodic month, although for the sake of simplicity one day is subtracted. The Mayans were early to recognise the difference between the sidereal and synodic lunar periods.

The solar year was made up of 360 days, although Mayan astronomers were fully aware that the actual year was 5 days longer. It was divided into 18 months of 20 days. Five intercalendary days were added to synchronise the solar year with the astronomical one. The 20 days of the solar and lunar calendars were associated with 20 so-called daily signs that were named after animal symbols arranged in a specific order. Concrete astrological interpretation was based on the signs which defined the quality of time. The Mayans believed that some signs brought luck and others bad fortune. The 20 signs also ruled the hours of the day. The day was divided into 13 daytime and 7 nighttime hours. The combination of daily and hourly signs gave an individual their particular personality.

One cycle consisted of 52 (4 times 13) years, after which time the solar and lunar cycles were repeated in the same order.

The concept of polarity played an important role in Mayan culture. The Sun's energy was considered to be both creative and destructive, while the Moon symbolised birth and death. The polarity of masculine and feminine also finds symbolic expression in the figures of Itzamna the Sun god and the Moon goddess Ix Chel who was his partner. Mercury and Venus, which appeared alternately as morning and evening stars, were held in particularly high esteem because they were considered to be an additional sign of this polarity. The concept of polarity was also reflected in the Mayans' awareness of both the cyclical and linear quality of time. They believed that the cosmos went through five great ages and was then destroyed by natural disasters. According to their calendar, humanity now finds itself at the end of the fifth age which lasted until the year 2012. Although there were clearly judgmental aspects of Mayan astrology, it was in no way deterministic, and the free will played an important role. A favourable day or hour did not automatically translate into actual fortune and success. If an individual took this potential for granted and became arrogant, the situation could change very quickly and a so-called fortunate day could bring unfortunate results. On the other hand, on unfortunate days humility and sacrifices might appease the gods and allow events to turn out favourably.

The art of prediction played an important role in Mayan astrology, as it did in many older cultures, but because of the emphasis on free will concrete predictions were not as important as in India or China. However, in his seminal work "Geschichte der Astrologie" (The History of Astrology) the astrologer Wilhelm Knappich speculates that owing to the striking similarities between the cosmologies of the Aztecs, Mayans and Inkas and earlier cosmologies in Egypt, China and India, it is likely that the later cosmologies adapted certain aspects of the earlier ones. Thor Heyerdal's bold crossing from Peru to the South Sea islands makes it feasible that Asian cultural influences managed to penetrate as far as South and Central America.

However, the fact that no clear evidence has ever emerged would appear to throw doubt on Knappich's hypothesis, and a more probable explanation might be the idea of synchronicity.

The descendants of the Mayans still live in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. They have been largely christianised, and although some of them have attempted to revive their once great culture, it lives on for the most part only in memory. The same is also true of Mayan astrology.

Weblinks

• Wikipedia: Maya Calendar
• mayan-sign-calculator
• One Reed Publications (Scofield's website on Aztekian and Mayan Astrology)
• Mayan Life Path Astrology for Mel Gibson (Scofield/ Orr, 2006; PDF)
• The So-Called Mayan Prophecy for 2012 (Bob Makransky; selfgrowth.com)