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Aztec and Maya Calendar

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In the tonalpohualli, the sacred Aztec calendar, Thursday August 30, 1979 is:

Tonalli: − +

day

Mahcuilli Acatl

5 - Acatl (reed)

Trecena: − +

13-day period

Ce Atl

Atl (water)

Xihuitl: − +

solar year

Chicuacen Acatl

6 - Acatl (reed)


Yoaltecuhtli:

Lord of the Night

Chalchiuhtlicue

Long Count:

Mayan calendar

12.18.6.3.13

Xiuhpohualli:

365-day calendar

20 - Panquetzaliztli (XVI)

(Correlation: Alfonso Caso [adjust])

The significance of this day

Aztec facts

Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, often combines two terms to create a metaphoric expression (difrasismo). Examples are 'atl-tepetl' ('water, hill') for the concept of a settlement, or 'atl-tlachinolli' (water, fire) for the concept of war.

Day Acatl (Reed) is governed by Tezcatlipoca as its provider of tonalli (Shadow Soul) life energy. Acatl is the scepter of authority which is, paradoxically, hollow. It is a day when the arrows of fate fall from the sky like lightningbolts. A good day to seek justice, a bad day to act against others.

The thirteen day period (trecena) that starts with day 1-Atl (Water) is ruled by Chalchihuihtotolin. These are 13 days of instability and unexpected events, of accidents and coincidences: these are good days to gamble a little on a long-shot; bad days to gamble a lot on a sure thing. Every day rollercoasters between all-good and all-bad, between rapture and terror. This trecena advises the priest-warrior to perfect the art of shapeshifting: only by mimicking the nature of water do we become an agent of change rather than a target of it. The purified heart casts no reflection in the smoking mirror.

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