New Mayan cycle begins December 18

I received an email  yesterday from a reader who recently spent nine days in the Yucatan on an Acupuncturists without Borders World Healing Exchange trip. As part of that trip, they met with Mayan elders. They learned more about the cycles of energy related to the Mayan calendar from a Mayan elder and shaman, Don Bartolome Poot Nahuat. Here's what they found out about where we are, according to the Mayan calendar:

December of 2012 was the end of a cycle. December 2012 through December 2013 is the in-between or "Zero" year. This means that a new cycle begins on December 18, 2013. In particular, Don Bartolome said December 17 is a very significant day -- a day for prayer, and a good day to do ceremony.

On December 17, 2013, the Sun rises and the Moon sets at essentially the same time. (You will need to check what time that is in your local time zone.)

If you want to do a ceremony at that time, Don Bartolome suggested setting out four candles, one in each of the cardinal directions: a red candle in the East, a yellow candle in the South; a black candle in the West, and a white candle in the North. You can also place a green candle in the center, standing in a bowl of water. Outside of the bowl of water, place 2 crystals, one of each side of the bowl in alignment with the Sun and the Moon. The goal is to have the light from the rising sun and setting moon pass through the crystals into the bowl of water.

I appreciated getting this information, and especially hearing that we begin a "One" year this coming week. That feels right to me, especially considering that Uranus goes direct on December 17, another marker of our readiness for forward motion. It's time to move into the next phase of our evolution!