Maya Mystery School

of Northern California

Long Count Calendar

The Long Count Calendar represents a cycle of time that is approximately 5,125 years, ending with the 13th cycle (Bahaou). Each cycle lasts about 394 years or 144,000 days. Currently, we are in the 12th Baktun, which will end on December 20, 2012 or the Mayan Calendar date of 13.0.0.0.0. The Bahaou can be understood in terms of our own age; when we turn 12, we are actually moving into our 13th year or cycle, having already lived 12 years. When we fulfill our 12 years (Baktun) we become 13.

The Long Count Calendar date starts on August 11, 3114 B.C. although the calendar itself was not in existence until 2,100 years ago, when it was calculated and invented. The day also coincided with a conjunction to the star Sirius. The Mayans believed that there were five great ages and we live in the last one. The combination of each great age represents approximately 26,000 years, or one precession of the equinox, starting and terminating at the winter solstice when the sun conjoins the galactic center; an event that only occurs once every 26,000 years.

This conjunction is encoded into their mythology and sacred sites. The Mayans believe that this alignment is responsible for great evolutionary leaps tied to major cosmic births, transformations, and a shifting of the hemispheres of the planet and all life. 

The understanding of the nature of the precession was a major theme in all of the Mayan shamanic rituals, as well as central to their astronomical teachings and the building of their sacred sites.  In Chichen Itza, the ballcourt will be the central stadium, or front row seat of the planet, for watching this event transpire, and experiencing this transformation in December, 2012. 

Go To:
[Calendar Round] [Tzolkin Calendar] [Venus Round] [Haab Calendar]

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