Aztec and Maya Calendar
In the tonalpohualli, the sacred Aztec calendar, Thursday April 20, 1972 is:
Xihuitl:
solar year
12 - Tecpatl (flint knife)
Xiuhpohualli:
365-day calendar
7 - Tlaxochimaco (IX)
Long Count:
Mayan calendar
12.17.18.13.5
(Correlation: Alfonso Caso - Nicholson's veintena alignment [adjust])
The significance of this day
Day Coatl (Snake, known as Chicchan in Maya) is governed by Chalchihuitlicue as its provider of tonalli (Shadow Soul) life energy. Coatl is the day of the snaking river that always changes without changing. It signifies the fleeting moment of eternal water. A good day for humility, a bad day for acting on self-interests.
The thirteen day period (trecena) that starts with day 1-Tecpatl (Stone Knife) is ruled by Mictlantecuhtli, Lord of the Region of the Dead, god of death. This trecena signifies an ordeal or trial that pushes one to the very threshhold of endurance: it forebodes an abrupt change in the continuity of things. These are 13 days influenced by the sun, which is a symbol of death: the stars are the warriors of the past and the sun is the gateway of that transformation. The sun is singing fire while the Evening Star guides it through the Region of the Dead: the combined efforts of the elementals are focused on producing a permanent change of heart. These are good days to shed old skins; bad days to cling to what is already known.
Naomi Watts was born on day 8-Coatl.
Aztec facts
In the years after the conquest of Mexico, the xiuhpohualli (solar calendar) became tied to the Julian calendar as used by the Spaniards. This effectively introduced a leap year to the Aztec calendar every four years (this site provides the pre-conquest calendar).