Mayan 13 Year Count Down
Beginning December 21, 1999 to December 21, 2012

Aluna Joy Yaxkin - February 2000

December 21, 1999 marked the beginning of the last 13-year cycle of the Mayan Long Count Calendar which ends on December 21, 2012. I was in Palenque with a small group of spiritual adventures during this time. We traveled to this site because Palenque is a solar marker for Winter Solstice. At sunset the Sun shines through a 3-story tower, activating the Hall of Records anchored in a chamber underneath this small plaza. It was at this time that spirit guided me to write this article outlining the energy and creative potential possible for Earth and Humanity in the these last 13 years of a 104,000-year cycle.

It was clear this is a cycle of time (13 years) when will change life as we know it. At the end of this 13-year period our lives will be significantly different. Each cycle of time, no matter how big or small, builds energy like a capacitor. This is why the last days or years in these cycles are the most powerful and transforming. Each cycle, no matter how big or small, also carries an evolutionary intention that was set by the collective whole at the onset of the cycle. Many things we are experiencing now were set into motion 104,000 years ago, 52,000 years ago, 26,000 years ago… When a cycle shifts, so do the intentions. Big cycles of time affect larger natural laws, and huge intentions that mold our world. Little cycles of time affect smaller and natural laws and subtle intentions.

When big cycles shift to a new higher cycle, we can expect big changes in every area of our life and big changes in our experiences of reality. But we are not at the mercy of an angry creator or Mother Earth’s whims. We are part of the Great Creator and our bodies are part of Mother Earth. We have just as much to do with what manifests in our reality as the stars above, the planets, the creative force of the universe, and the creator Gods of all the religions of the world. We are part of all that is. We are as responsible for the things we celebrate as the things we grieve over. During the next 13 years we are being asked to own this fact, to brave unknown territory and to create new paths of light in the jungle of uncountable possibilities ahead. We are being asked to become the New Pioneers.

Mayan calendars do not dictate the way we live, rather they issue and define creative energy that we use with our free will to create anything we desire. We can use it to pray, heal the past, to send love to our all our relations and even to dream a new world into manifestation. We are moving past the time to follow, or to give power to something or someone outside ourselves, into a time to empower our divine creative process. The energy of the next 13 years is for us to USE as an unlimited supply of cosmic fuel from which to create. To understand the energies and focuses of the next 13 years will help one manifest with greater clarity and passion. We always know when we are moving out of alignment of our passion. We get bored, depressed, sleepy, uninspired, etc. When we flow with the universe, our passion for life awakens and life becomes rich and rewarding again. But aligning with our destiny can be a journey in itself.

It is the last 13 years of a 104,000-year cycle. It is truly time to stand up and take responsibility and begin to dream a new world into reality. It is time to let go of those things that are not serving humanity, Earth, the heavens, our family and ourselves. This takes great courage, as there is not going to be anyone ahead of us showing us the way any more. We are the leaders now.

The 13-year cycle listed below are based on 2 Mayan Calendar counts. I like to honor these 2 counts, as they are the most widely used in the world today. Even though there are arguments to which calendar is right, I feel that each has some deep and interesting insights to offer us and are both valid when we stay open and have respect for all perspectives.

The Mayan Astrology Count is based on my book "Mayan Astrology" and can be ordered by contacting me at the address at the end of this article. This count is a frozen count calendar using March 21 as Mayan New Year and is based in many sources of modern interpretations of the Mayan calendars. My fiends in Guatemala also call this count the Yucatec count as much of the information used is from the Yucatan area of the Maya lands.

The Kiche Count information comes from many Traditional Mayan sources I personally collected over the last 3 years in Guatemala. Information was given orally as well as in printed form. The Kiche Count is also called the true count or long count and is still being actively used in many areas of Guatemala by Aj Kij (meaning Mayan Daykeeper / priests). The Mayan Calendar End date of December 21, 2012 comes from this count. December 21, 2012 is 4 AJPU and is considered by many Mayan researchers the last day of this 104,000-year cycle.

Here is the 13 year count down….

Year 1. Beginning December 21, 1999
Mayan Astrology Count - 12 IK (eek - wind) - A year to understand the spirit of the wind. Learn to be flexible in this changeable and multifaceted time and speak from the heart. A year of change versus rigidity. We could experience difficulties with responsibilities, obligations and decision making. A year to learn and understand about your fears and confront them.
Kiche Count - 13 BATZ (batz) Modern Yucatec translation - Chuen (monkey) - A beginning point and thread of time and destiny. Batz is the weaver of history of humanity and spirituality. It represents the umbilical cord between Humanity and Earth. Accurate decisions can be made this year. Watch out for addictions of all kinds. Work on issues concerning trust.

Year 2. Beginning December 21, 2000
Mayan Astrology Count - 13 MANIK (man eek - hand) A peace loving year filled with generous acts of kindness and inspiring cooperation, yet outspoken and individualistic. A year to heal past issues and to remember cosmic truth. We will need companionship balanced with freedom and will desire to travel to sacred lands. Unconventional lifestyles, experimental relationships and controversial subjects will be a focus. A year to trust and respect yourself and be comfortable with your individuality. Learn to balance contradictory desires.
Kiche Count - 2 NOJ (noh) Modern Yucatec translation - Caban (earth) The power of intelligence, knowledge and wisdom anchors great potential in this year. Patience, dignity, honor, even genius are qualities of this year. A year where the stories of the ancient ones will be revealed. A year to honor ancient traditions and become social defenders of human rights. Foster peacekeeping, be flexible to new ideas and watch for pride issues.

Year 3. Beginning December 21, 2001
Mayan Astrology Count - 1 EB - (eb - human) A year of great influence of the Source of All That Is. A year to foster free will and expand wisdom. A relaxed, courteous and careful year. A year to begin to formulate new ideas. We may be overly sensitive, touchy and easily hurt this year, but will also be ambitious and hard-working. Work on issues of inner anger versus the desire for peace as well as self-interest versus self-sacrifice. Learn to express feelings and foster purifying and healing actions.
Kiche Count - 3 IK (eek) Modern/Yucatec translation - Ik (wind) A year of the spiritual breath and the voice / concept of the universe. A window to the ancestors. A place of power that new and profound ideas come from. Could be a year with natural disasters, i.e. lightning, storms, hurricanes, etc. Issues with lung and respiratory systems could occur this year. A year filled with clear ideas and actions and will flow within any situation. Watch for mental rigidity and quell the desire to force ideas on others.

Year 4. Beginning December 21, 2002

Mayan Astrology Count - 2 CABAN (ca bon - earth) A liberal, rational, controversial year that begins new things. Very mentally active, rationalizing, clever and practical. Liberal and progressive and often controversial, magnified with strong convictions. Learn to balance a stable lifestyle with being changeable. Learn to hold focus and life together according to plan. Become more flexible and patient with life experience.
Kiche Count - 4 KIEJ (kee eh) Modern/Yucatec translation - Manik (hand) Symbolizes our connection to Earth and sky. Fingers are the connection to the heavens; toes being connected to the Earth. A year to get in touch with nature and the guardians of natural spaces. A year with tests of deception. A powerful year filled with responsible, intelligent yet gentle authority and actions with good equilibrium/balance. A year of outward calm and quiet, but inward compulsion with the potential of exhibiting anger. Appreciate the things you accomplish.

Year 5. Beginning December 21, 2003

Mayan Astrology Count - 3 IK - A year to live in the presence of the spirit of the wind. Be flexible within this changeable and multifaceted time. A heart centered spirit filled year. Change, change, change. We could experience difficulties with responsibilities, obligations and decision making, focusing may be difficult. A year to learn and give your fear to spirit and live in the moment without attachment to security.
Kiche Count - 5 E (Eh) Modern Yucatec translation Eb (human) A year that represents the spiritual path in life and way shower for the people. A year for thanks and gratitude. A year filled with love of humanity. It is a year of hard work blessed with deep connections from spiritual guides. Caution, do not build a big wall around yourself for protection. Learn to be open in each moment.

Year 6. Beginning December 21, 2004
Mayan Astrology Count - 4 MANIK - A peace loving year filled with generous acts of kindness and inspiring cooperation, yet outspoken and individualistic. A year to define past issues and to define cosmic truth. We will need companionship balanced with freedom and will desire to travel to sacred lands. Unconventional life styles, experimental relationships and controversial subjects will be a focus. A year to trust and respect, in spite of it weirdness. Learn to balancing contradictory desires. Learn to be comfortable with your individuality.
Kiche Count - 7 TIJASH (tee hash) Modern Yucatec translation - Etznab (Mirror) The cutting sharp double-bladed ceremonial knife of life mirroring all that is not in integrity and truth. It perfectly reflects the energy that is in front of us. A year of the power and swiftness of the wolf. A year of nobility, liberation, but also health issues, sacred offerings, and sacred wounds. This year offers good endurance, optimism, courage, and cooperation. A year where bad is really bad, but good is really good, extremes from both light and dark worlds. A year filled with good friends that can express love. Community oriented and peace loving. Learn not to make other people’s problems your own and avoid gossip.

Year 7. Beginning December 21, 2005
Mayan Astrology Count - 5 EB A year of great influence of cosmic empowerment. A year to empower freewill and expand wisdom. A relaxed, courteous and careful year. A year to empower the formulation of new ideas. We may be overly sensitive, touchy and easily hurt this year, but will also be ambitious and hard-working. Work on issues of inner anger versus the desire for peace as well as self-interest versus self-sacrifice. Learn to empower feelings and foster purifying and healing actions.
Kiche Count - 8 AKABAL (ak a bal) Modern/Yucatec translation - Akbal (night) The difference between night and day - Sunrise / Sunset - Negative / positive. Birth of a new day. A time of being born again and becoming the holder of truth, clarity, devotion. A year of hope and opportunity. A place of great mystery and the ability to access the mystery. Well protected against the darkness yet can be a year full of storms with many test to overcome. Watch for issues concerning the stomach.

Year 8. Beginning December 21, 2006
Mayan Astrology Count - 6 CABAN - A liberal, rational, controversial year that we will understand and discover the cycles of nature and the repeating cycles in one’s life. A year when we come to understand our destiny’s path based in past cycles or lives. Very mentally active, rationalizing, clever and practical. Liberal and progressive and often controversial magnified with strong convictions. Learn to balance a stable lifestyle with being changeable. Learn to hold focus and life together according to plan. Become more flexible and patient with life experience.
Kiche Count - 9 KANIL (ka neel) Modern/Yucatec translation - Lamat (star) A year of the feminine aspect. A year to plant seeds for the future. Symbolizes life, self-realization, knowledge and love. A restless year activating the inner adventurer. An intuitive and harmonious hard working and responsible cycle. A year that exhibits a great sense of love. Quiet on the outside, but developing great inner strength. Can have a lot of trials in this year if living out of self-centeredness. Do not over over-analyze life, as truth will be clouded or even lost. Be ready to voice your issues in a peaceful manner and not let them build into covert hostile actions.

Year 9. Beginning December 21, 2007
Mayan Astrology Count - 7 IK - A year to be a bridge between the spirit and physical worlds. Be flexible, expect the unexpected, for it will be a changeable and multidimensional year. A year to speak from the heart. A year of change versus rigidity. We could experience difficulties with responsibilities, obligations and decision making. A year to learn and understand about your fears and confront them.
Kiche Count - 10 AJ (ak) Modern Yucatec translation - Ben (pillars of light) AJ is a year that represents the staff of authority and the development and power of our personal space, destiny and spiritual path.. It is a year of resurrection and reincarnation. All that is started in this year has the potential to grow. A year with accelerated clairvoyance. Watch for changeable moods, overeating and laziness.

Year 10. Beginning December 21, 2008
Mayan Astrology Count - 8 MANIK - A peace loving year filled with generous acts of kindness and inspiration and cooperation, yet outspoken and individualistic. A year to harmonize past issues and to transduce cosmic truth. Companionship balanced with freedom and a desire to travel to sacred lands will have our interest. Unconventional life styles, experimental relationships and controversial subjects will also a focus. A year to trust and respect, in spite of it weirdness. Learn to balance contradictory desires. Learn to be comfortable with your individuality.
Kiche Count - 12 KAWOK - Ka wak) Modern Yucatec translation - Cauac (Storm) A year represented by transforming flashes of light that anchor a deep focus for family and community. Represents the sustaining energy for the world and being fully realized, in contact with the celestial Gods. A good year for healing ceremonies. A year that helps us be good students and teachers with natural clairvoyance A year of activating impeccable order, physically and spiritually and emotionally. A year when we will not allow control. Watch for being insensitive and getting involved with other’s business without invitation. Can have spiritual tests this year that make us reconsider and question our beliefs.

Year 11. Beginning December 21, 2009
Mayan Astrology Count - 9 EB - A year of great solar influence. A year to empower free will and expand wisdom. A relaxed, courteous and careful year. A year to empower the formulation of new ideas. We may be overly sensitive, touchy and easily hurt this year, but will also be ambitious and hard-working. Work on issues of inner anger versus the desire for peace as well as self-interest versus self-sacrifice. Learn to empower feelings and foster purifying and healing actions.
Kiche Count - 13 KAT (cat) Modern/Yucatec translation - Kan (seed) - A year to uncover that which is hidden. KAT is represented by a net and makes this a year to collect information. Can be quite a difficult year filled with what we might consider punishments or tests, but can also be filled with effortless abundance. Watch out for arising demanding, hoarding natures. KAT is a good protector as it is focuses on survival issues and will also active a desire to improve ourselves with education, purifying our bodies, and working to improve our spiritual life. New inspiring ideas will emerge this year We will set high goals and will work and achieve these goals with passion. A high-strung year that may be hard on the nervous system.

Year 12. Beginning December 21, 2010
Mayan Astrology Count - 10 CABAN - A liberal, rational, controversial year that we will harness the power of manifestation. Very mentally active, rationalizing, clever and practical. Liberal and progressive and often controversial, magnified with strong convictions. Learn to balance a stable lifestyle with being changeable. Learn to hold focus and life together according to plan. Become more flexible and patient with life experience.
Kiche Count - 1 TOJ (toh) Modern/Yucatec translation -Muluc (water) - A year to offer payments to the spiritual world and to settle unfinished business, pay back loans of all kinds (material - emotional - spiritual). A year to purify our lives from all the past life karma, with ceremony and offerings. A year filled with hard lessons of the negative egos. A year to balance truth and love. A hard working year balanced with a great love for personal freedom. In a Toj year we can be easily angered, often moody, short sited, restless, self-destructive, and accident prone. We can also be attracted to entertainment in all forms and this can take us off our path. A year that can activate huge control issues and will rebel if we can’t control. Watch for aggressiveness over petty things. Do not react to life out of egos but from love.

Year 13. Beginning December 21, 2011 - Ending December 20, 2012
Mayan Astrology Count - 11 IK - A year to be dissolve the barriers between the spirit and physical worlds. Be flexible, expect the unexpected, for it will be a changeable and multidimensional year. A powerful year to let go and let God. Speak from the heart and balance change with security. We could experience difficulties with responsibilities, obligations and decision making. A year to learn and understand your fears and confront them.
Kiche Count - 2 ISH (ish) Modern Yucatec translation - Ix (wizard) - A year of the intelligence and awesome power of the jaguar. It is considered the heart of the planet - the map of the world - map of the cosmos. A year we have the ability to make swift and accurate decisions based in reality but still able to change our minds and direction easily. Watch for anger and the need for attention and power.

December 21, 2012 … The beginning of a NEW 104,000 year cycle

Mayan Astrology Count - 12 MANIK - A peace loving year filled with generous acts of kindness and inspiring cooperation, although outspoken and individualistic. A year to come to a deep understanding on past issues and to understand universal cosmic truth. A year when it all come together. Companionship balanced with freedom and a desire to travel to sacred lands will interest us. Living the dreams of unconventional life styles, experimental relationships. A year to trust and respect our uniqueness, in spite of our apparent weirdness. Learn to balance contradictory desires. Learn to be understand our unique individuality.
Kiche Count, 4 AJPU (ak poo) - Modern/Yucatec translation - Ahau (Sun) - AJPU is the light from which we emerge and the light to which we all will return. A year of the vision of the EAGLE and its connection with Grandfather Sun and the solar mind. The Lord of the Age of Flowers. Balance in the material and physical worlds. Strong, intelligent, hard working, yet tender and brave. This year anchors a spiritual certainty and the understanding of cycles of time and the interdependence of all living things. It offers us the ability to use the creative power of the universe. We will pass many tests of the mind and will. Remember to act from trust and let go of the belief in struggle.

Aluna Joy Yaxk'in is an internationally known speaker, author, and photographer, Mayan Astrologer and Sacred Site Essence Formulator. Aluna’s work has been influenced by a life long interaction with the Star Elders and a series of shamanic experiences that began on her first visit to the Mayalands in 1986 which deepened her spiritual path. She has continued to travel to the ancient sites of the Maya, Inca and Southwest, drawing wisdom and teachings from various indigenous wisdom keepers along the way. She now acts as a cross cultural guide on unique spiritual pilgrimages, blending her vast experience in Maya Cosmology, Andean Mastery, and Ascended Master Teachings. Aluna is author of Mayan Astrology and The Mayan Daykeeper, and her articles have been published worldwide. She can be reached at Center of the SUN - Aluna Joy Yaxk'in, PO Box 1988, Sedona AZ 86339 Ph: 928-282-6292 Ph/Fax: 928-282-4622 Webpage: www.1spirit.com/alunajoy E-mail: alunajoy@kachina.net

Copyright © 1998 - Permission is granted to copy and redistribute this article on the condition that the content remains complete, full credit is given to the author(s), and that it is distributed freely.
Center of the SUN - Aluna Joy Yaxk'in - PO Box 1988 Sedona, AZ 86339 USA
Ph:928-282-6292 ~ Fax:928-282-4622 Email: alunajoy@kachina.net
Web: www.1spirit.com/alunajoy