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View our Special Offers and Vacation Packages designed for those planning to visit Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.  Review our 2009: "Things to Do" Fiesta and Cultural Events Calendar."

Please take a minute to visit  Geotourism Challenge 2009 for Sustaining the Future of Destinations, where you will find the Maya Foundation In Laakeech A.C. sustainable tourism project in conjunction with the Hacienda Chichen vision, this competition is sponsored by National Geographic and Ashoka's Changemakers.

Mayan  Calendars

  Ancient Maya discovered two fundamental ideas in mathematics and used them in their numeric system: a) positional value; and,  b) the concept of zero.

300 years after the Maya accomplished their impressive numeric system; only The Hindu great ancient civilization was able to acquire such important numeric understanding.

DID YOU KNOW: 2009 will have a 13 full moon cycle; and the J-Men or Mayan Shamans and Wiseman Healers suggest that those visiting Chichen Itza during such times, should participate in one of their  mystical KAY NIKTE' ceremonies
to renew your intimate connection with the Moon and Cosmos.

     The Mayan solar calendar of 365 days depicted here is called "Haab;” it is divided into 18 months of 20 days, each with a period of 5 days left over at the end of the year. This short 5 day month is called “Uayeb,” the resting of the year.

The most important calendar cycle for the Maya is Tzolkin, a ritual calendar of 260 days also known as the Sacred Almanac and J'Men Elder Mayan Priests (Shamans) continue using its count to celebrate their Mayan sacred rituals and ceremonies.  It is composed of 13 months, each with 20 days. Every day in the 260 day calendar has a unique corresponding position in time as well as in the “Haab” or the solar 360 + 5 day Maya calendar.  Each day’s position in the calendars only repeats itself every 52 solar years.

A cycle of 52 solar years, called the Sacred Calendar Round intermeshes with both Haab and Tzolkin calendars to form a calendar system of the Maya’s Cosmo-vision and time.  There is one more calendar, the Long Count, a linear calendar interpretation of time that the Maya perfected during the 1^st millennium A.D.

THE MAYA LONG COUNT:  The Maya calculated dates millions of years in the past and the future for ritual purposes with the use of their “Long Count,” or date calendar, which records the total number of days that have elapsed since their zero day 0.0.0.0.0  that can be correlated to August 2^nd, 3114 B.C. in our Gregorian calendar.  The present Haab calendar cycle will end on 13.0.0.0.0 or December 21^st, 2012 A.D. in our Gregorian calendar which will mark the winter equinox.  The slow wobbling of the earth's polar axis causes the precession of equinoxes, also known today as the Platonic Year, this was well known by ancient Maya timekeepers, or sky-watchers, and played an important part in ancient Mayan gods, sacred ceremonies, Cosmo-vision and Mayan mythology.

       December 21^st, 2012 Winter Solstice marks not only the conclusion of the Haab but also of the Maya Long Count calendar (recording time it takes for the Solar System movement return to the same positional space within the Milky Way).  In astronomic terms that date is when the Sun will conjunct the intersection of the Milky Way and the plane of the Solar System's ecliptic cycle; this rare astronomical event was calculated with extreme exactitude by the ancient Mayan Wiseman, and will be celebrated with a Mayan Holistic Zumpul-che Cave ritual (or sacred purification sweat-bath  similar to the Aztec's Temazcal ritual) at the Hacienda Chichen, Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.  If you want to participate, please email us to pre-register.

Mayan mythology foretells the creation story of the Hero Twins and the end of the present Haab (solar year) which interlock with the end of the Long Count calendar cycle; this rare cosmic event, the cross formed by the intersecting Milky Way and the plane of the ecliptic path of our solar system, was symbolized with a Ceiba Sacred Tree of Life by ancient Maya and marked the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new era.

 
The long count is based on the number 20 and days are referred to as kin. 

·         A day is called “kin”

·         Each set of 20 kin (days) is called uinal

·         Each set of 360 days is known as tun

·         Each set of 20 tuns (almost 20 years) is known as  katun

·         Each set of 20 katuns (almost 400 years) is known as baktun

Long count dates are inscribed on many ancient Maya monuments, ceremonial vessels and codex. The count is expressed in a sequence like this one 9.13.0.5.2 which reads: 9 baktuns, 13 baktuns, 0 tuns, 5 uinals,  2 kins. NOTE: original Maya numerical reading format goes from right to left numbers as shown in the wheels of time photo below:
 

This article is a courtesy of the following non-profit organizations:

 Maya Founation In Laakeech A.C. and the
Elder Mayan Wiseman Association KUCH KAAB Y'EETEL J'MEN MAAYA'OB, A.C.

with the kind support of:
www.haciendachichen.com and www.chichenservices.com
 

HACIENDA CHICHEN RESORT AND YAXKIN SPA
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and enjoy a USD $100 discount in your total prepaid reservation charge!
Limited offer to new bookings; in time cancelations have a 50% charge and need to
be faxed or emailed 6 days prior to arrival to avoid full cancelation charges.

Find more Yucatan green hotel discounts, Eco-Spa Mayan Vacation Packages, Mayan Eco-Retreats in Yucatan, boutique Spa Hacienda offers and discounts.

 Chichen Itza Vacation Packages and Special Offers help travelers save money when planning their visit to Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico.  Remember to view our
"Chichen Itza: Things to Do" page and 2009 Monthly Fiestas and Events Calendar

Yucatan's Wildlife:  Our World, Our Mission
protecting Yucatan's fauna (indigenous animals)

     
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Helps us Help!   We hope you find our Online Volunteer Magazine's articles interesting and full of learning fun.  Yucatan Adventure welcomes article, news, travel contributions, and genius ideas on how to support the Maya Foundation In Laakeech A.C. efforts to help the Mayan Communities nearby Chichen Itza.

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Published 2007
    Updated April 2009
 

2009 March Equinox Ceremonies already held:

Mayan Spring Equinox Ceremony  celebrated on 21 March at 10 AM by the
J-Men, Mayan Wiseman Elder Healers (Mayan Shamans) at their Sacred Ceremonial Site. This Spring Equinox was the first in 2009, a year to revitalize your holistic inner communion with nature;
participation to this spring equinox celebration is free, arrive on time to Hacienda Chichen
 
After the Equinox ceremony, J-Men Tamay celebrated the Zumpul-che Ritual, a holistic Mayan purification sweat-bath ceremony highly recommended to revitalize your inner communion with Mother Nature, renew your vital energy, and reconnect mind, body, emotions, and soul.