Calendars Dictionary

Over the decades much discussion has focussed on finding the exact correlation between the Mayan Long Count and the Gregorian calendar. Most researchers in the field have now come to agree that the so-called GMT correlation, placing the beginning of the Long Count 4 Ahau 8 Cumku on the Julian day 584 283, August 11, 3114 BC, is correct. This means by consequence that it will end on December 21, 2012 and most, such as Jose Arguelles, John Jenkins and Terence McKenna, who have taken an interest in the calendar of the Maya, have endorsed this date as the end of the current cycle.

Read more here: » Mayan Calendar: Why the Creation Cycles do not end December 21, 2012, but October 28, 2011

During the past decade interest in the Calendars of the Maya has dramatically increased world-wide. Ultimately, this increasing interest is derived from the fact that a new consciousness of time is now emerging. A New Age gives rise to a new consciousness of time which in turn requires a new calendar for this to be expressed. This new consciousness of time is today commonly experienced either as if time is accelerating, or that it simply disappears. Maybe, in fact, the idea that time is a quantity is on its way out. "Why is this?" we may ask. Is it merely an illusion of ours that time is running faster or has our highly developed technological society developed so effective means of tele communications that everything is speeding up to a point where things almost become unbearable?

Read more here: » Mayan Calendar: The Classical Mayan Tzolkin Count and the Dreamspell

Predictions for 2004 based on the Mayan Calendar. This article by Ian Lungold, based on new revelations pertaining to the Mayan calendar, seems to fit in well with other predictions for the coming year. If this year is truly part of an accelerating galactic cycle to pay off karmic debts, we may see quite a few earth-shaking events taking place worldwide, in every sense of the word, politically as well as geophysically. There could be tightening of controls, even as hidden closets begin to get cleaned out. With increasing solar flares and tectonic plate activity, there could also be increased earthquake and volcanic activity worldwide.

The period from December 10 2003 through December 4 2004 will be the greatest test that humanity has ever faced. It is at this time that the Law of Karma goes extinct. That is to say that all Karmic debts shall be paid in full during this Galactic cycle.

Read more here: » Mayan Calendar: 2004 - The Third Night by Ian Xel Lungold

Calendar A formal table of time measures based on the motions of the heavenly bodies. Where esoteric knowledge is intact, these cyclic motions and the periods they mark are inseparably connected with all other parts of the esoteric system.

Nowadays, the original calendars having been lost and reconstructed for purely civil or ecclesiastical purposes, they have no other significance. But formerly they likewise indicated the courses of cosmic evolution and the succession of human races. The Surya-Siddhanta gives the number of revolutions of the planets in 4,320,000 years, among other such data; and the work itself claims to be the result of observation over an immensely long period, based on a knowledge of the mathematics underlying the cosmic and terrestrial cycles. This calendar or astronomical-astrological work claims to be the original production of the Atlantean astronomer and magician Asuramaya.

The Mayas of Yucatan had a calendar system, deciphered at least in part, that extended far back into the past. In this calendar we find not only the familiar cycles of the lunation and of the solar year, but others such as the synodical revolution of Venus, and exact periods of 250, 280, or 360 days. The Egyptians in their calendar time-measurements used three different years, one of which was a year of 365 days, adapted to the Julian year by a Sothic period of 1460 years.

The lunar year of 12 lunations is one of immense antiquity, and formerly of almost universal usage, frequently combined with the solar year; and the lunar year is still used, with various systems of intercalation to adapt it to the tropical year. As to such periods as 280 and 260 days, one may wonder whether these numbers were merely used as convenient for computation, or whether they rest on actual cycles not recognized by modern astronomy.

The 280 is evidently connected with the human gestation and prenatal period. The position of the equinoctal point in relation to the stellar zodiac is often referred to as an indication of the dates of ancient events; and cycles of successive conjunctions of all or most of the planets are frequently mentioned in the archaic literatures of different peoples.

It seems evident that the structure of the map of time must give keys to the understanding of the evolution of worlds and races; and one may well anticipate that a knowledge of all the cycles and their intersections and combinations would suffice to reduce what now seems chaos into a symmetrical and thoroughly scientific system.

See also ANNUS MAGNUS.

(See also: Calendar , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Occultism, Occultism Dictionary)

Jose Arguelles

(1939 - ) New Age author whose book The Mayan Factor, published early 1987, argued that during a critical time (August 16-17 of that year) the prophecies of the Bible, Aztec and Mayan calendars indicated that the world would either begin a new age or be destroyed.

If 144,000 self-chosen people were "resonating" with peace during this important time, worldwide, though especially at the "power centers" like Mount Shasta, Arguelles believed the world could be saved from destruction. (see Harmonic Convergence).

He has a distinguished career as an educator, he taught at Princeton University, University of California, Evergreen State College, San Francisco State University, San Francisco Institute of Art, the Naropa Institute, the University of Colorado, and The Union Graduate School.

His pioneering books resulting from investigations into human whole systems include: Mandala (1972), A Psychophysical Aesthetic (1972), The Transformative Vision: Reflections on the Nature and History of Human Expression (1975) (1992), and, Earth Ascending: An illustrated Treatise on the Law Governing Whole Systems (1984, 1988). As one of the founders of Earth Day, 1970 (First Whole Earth Festival, Davis, California. 1970), Arguelles is a career activist for peace and the planetary transformation of consciousness.

With his wife and partner, Lloydine, they founded the Planet Art Network (1983), promoting the revival of the Nicholas Roerich Peace Pact and Banner of Peace (1935). Combining investigations of the Roerich Peace Pact with his lifetime study of the mathematics and prophesies of the Mayan Calendar.

(See also: Jose Arguelles , New Age Spirituality, Body Mind and Soul)

Time Cycles and cosmic calendars from different cultures lika the maya, aztek, hopis and veda, predicting a planetary ascension, are brought together and analyzed by Kiara Windrider.

Read more here: » Spiritual Awakening: Spirals of Time

Very soon the planet is entering into the window some believe is the entrance to the Golden Age; The Venus Transits of June 8 2004 and June 6 2012. This will be celebrated with a global prayer for oneness all over the world. Please join this celebration and help to spread the word. This article by Kiara Windrider gives an inspiring background to the event and its significance.

Please relay the message about the Oneness Celebration to everyone in your network and if you have a website, please feel free to publish this article there.

Read more here: » Venus Transit: A call for Global Oneness

The person with no previous exposure to the Mayan Calendar will usually initially be surprised by the fact that some people today take such an interest in an ancient calendar. After all, human history has seen a high number of different calendars. Is not then the Mayan calendar just a very specialized subject of interest only to specialists or history buffs? “Why would the world today need another calendar than the Gregorian or Muslim that are currently in use, and why should this be the Mayan calendar?” some may ask.

Read more here: » Mayan Calendar: What is so special about the Mayan Calendar?

EPAGOMENAL

An intercalary, or extra day not attributed to any day of the week or month and standing outside the year. One or two epagomenals are necessary when employing calendars with months of exactly 29 days. ("A year and a day" as the old expression has it). In the Newtime calendar, since every month begins on Monday, the epagomenal is not one of the days of the week and so has no designation other than "non-day" or "zero-day" or "Year-end Day".

(See also: EPAGOMENAL , Magick, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body Mind and Soul,)

Why did the ancient Mayan or pre-Maya choose December 21st, 2012 A.D., as the end of their Long Count calendar? This article will cover some recent research. Scholars have known for decades that the 13-baktun cycle of the Mayan "Long Count" system of timekeeping was set to end precisely on a winter solstice, and that this system was put in place some 2300 years ago. This amazing fact - that ancient Mesoameri- can skywatchers were able to pinpoint a winter solstice far off into the future - has not been dealt with by Mayanists. And why did they choose the year 2012? One immediately gets the impression that there is a very strange mystery to be confronted here. I will be building upon a clue to this mystery reported by epigrapher Linda Schele in Maya Cosmos (1994). This article is the natural culmination of the research relating to the Mayan Long Count and the precession of the equinoxes that I explored in my recent book Tzolkin: Visionary Perspectives and Calendar Studies (Borderlands Science and Research Foundation, 1994).

Read more here: » 2012: The how and why of the Mayan end date in 2012 AD

In this article Carl Johan Calleman predicts a unification of the modern expressions of some of the most advanced ancient traditions of the West and the East; the Mayan and the Vedic. In this unification it seems that it is the West, the Maya and some other Native American peoples, that is providing the calendrical knowledge about the cosmic plan, while it is the East, the Vedic and Buddhist traditions that is carrying the time-less wisdom of the Self. The practical unification of these thought systems and traditions is then brought about by all those that are taking a path towards Enlightenment And according to the Mayan calendar, the time for this is now.

Read more here: » Mayan calendar and humanity’s path towards Enlightenment

Venus is a planet rich in mythology from many different traditions; it is not without reason that the forthcoming Venus Transit as attracted so much attention. The author, Maya White has been a student and teacher of the metaphysical world for over 25 years and her focus as an astrologer include Theosophy, mysticism, spiritual healing and natal & astrology charts.

Read more here: » Venus Transit: Venus - Goddess of the Morning Star

Week The period of seven days was known to the Hindus, Egyptians, Hebrews, and other ancient nations, but not used by the Greeks or Romans until the Christian Emperor Theodosius. It is not based on any exact astronomical cycle, so far as is ordinarily known, though it may be considered roughly as a subdivision of the month. It was well known to the Hebrews, and in the New Testament the word week translates the Greek Sabbator which is the Hebrew Shabbath. Though commonly Sabbath is taken to mean a seventh day after six, a more esoteric sense makes it a period of seven time units of rest after a period of seven active time units -- in other words after a septenary manvantara comes a septenary pralaya. The word is also used of other sevenfold time periods, such as a week of years or of ages; for each of the days in a week of years represents 360 solar years, and the whole week 2,520 years. The Hebrews "had a Sabbatical week, a Sabbatical year, etc., etc., and their Sabbath lasted indifferently 24 hours or 24,000 years -- in their secret calculations of the Sods. We of the present times call an age a century" (SD 2:395).

The nomenclature of the seven days of the week according to the seven sacred planets is serially uniform in the various calendars, and points to a common origin of this knowledge. It can be arrived at by dividing the day into 24 hours and assigning a planet to each hour, for instance, first counting from Saturn, then Jupiter, then Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, down to the Moon when, by this system of counting and pausing at every fourth, both inclusive, the first planetary hour of each day, beginning with the sunrise, will be found to be governed by the planet which is assigned to that day. The same occurs with a ten-hour day, or by counting the planets in order and giving one to each quarter of the day (cf Fund 250).

Here are the names of the days of the week in the English, ancient Anglo-Saxon, Scandinavian, Greek, and Latin systems as being sacred to their deities:

English // Anglo-Saxon // Scandinavian // Greek // Latin

Sunday // Sunnandaeg // Day of the Sun // Phoebus // Apollo

Monday // Monandaeg // Day of the Moon // Artemis // Diana

Tuesday // Tiwesdaeg // Day of Tiw // Ares // Mars

Wednesday // Wodnesdaeg // Day of Odin // Hermes // Mercurius

Thursday // Thunresdaeg // Day of Thor // Zeus // Jupiter

Friday // Frigedaeg // Day of Frigga // Aphrodite // Venus

Saturday // Saeterndaeg // Day of (?) // Kronos // Saturnus

Blavatsky writes that in the course of time the seven-headed or septenary Dragon-logos became split up into "four heptanomic parts or twenty-eight portions," which suggests the division of the week and the month, into the seven days of the week, and the 28 days of the lunar month, and the four seasons of the year. "Each lunar week has a distinct occult character in the lunar month; each day of the twenty-eight has its special characteristics; as each of the twelve constellations, whether separately or in combination with other signs, has an occult influence either for good or for evil" (SD 1:409).

The ancient Mexicans had a different system of dividing their weeks and months: their week consisted of five days, and their month of 20 days. There were likewise other weeks among other nations or peoples as, for instance, the Athenians had a week of ten days, etc.

(See also: Week , Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary, Body mind and Soul)

Telugu New Year's Day

THIS FALLS on the first day of the month of Chaitra (March-April) according to Chandramana. This is a day of rejoicing. This is new year's day for the people of Andhra Pradesh and also the Telugu people all over the world.

From Hindu Fasts & Festivals by Sri Swami Sivananda.

Read more here: » Telugu New Year's Day: Hindu Traditions - Telugu New Year's Day

This is the foreword by José Argüelles to Carl Johan Calleman's latest book: Enlightenment: The Mayan Calendar as Our Guide to the Future

“…This also makes Dr. Carl J. Calleman's new book, Enlightenment, the Mayan Calendar as Our Guide to the Future, a land mark piece of literature. Besides presenting scientific evidence of a "Divine Plan" and factually establishing where we are in that plan, this book creates the unification of 100's of thousands of Mayan calendar students and practioners all over the world. “

Read more here: » Mayan Calendar as Our Guide to the Future

Buddhist Festivals and Special Days

There are many special or holy days held throughout the year by the Buddhist community. Many of these days celebrate the birthdays of Bodhisattvas in the Mahayana tradition or other significant dates in the Buddhist calendar. The most significant celebration happens every May on the night of the full moon, when Buddhist all over the world celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha over 2,500 years ago. It has become to be known as Buddha Day.

Read more here: » Buddhism: Buddhist Festivals and Special Days

The Thai Buddhist Calendar

With important days for ceremonies and rituals, including: Visakha Puja, Magha Puja, Asalha Puja, Khao Phansa, Ok Phansa, Tod Kratin

Read more here: » Buddhism: Thai Buddhist Calendar

In the series, Evolving Towards Enlightenment I-V, Carl Johan Calleman explains the links between the Mayan Calendar Enlightenment and the significance of the year 2012.

Read more here: » Mayan Calendar: Evolving Towards Enlightenment - II

In the series, Evolving Towards Enlightenment I-V, Carl Johan Calleman explains the links between the Mayan Calendar Enlightenment and the significance of the year 2012.

Read more here: » Mayan Calendar: Evolving Towards Enlightenment - I

New Year: The majority of Hindus in India celebrate the New Year according to traditional, pre-colonial calendars, several of which are still in use. There are, therefore, various New Year's days in different states of India, the two major ones being Dipavali in October-November, observed in North India, and the day when the sun enters Mesha (Aries) in April, celebrated in Tamil Nadu, Bengal and Nepal.

(See also: New Year , Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)