Discussing the Mayan calendar and Mesoamerican astrology, which is the indigenous astrology of ancient Mexico and Central America, with astrologers Kenneth Johnson and Chris Brennan.
During the course of the episode we talk about what is known about the development of astronomy and astrology in Mayan and other Mesoamerican cultures prior to the arrival of Europeans in the 16th century, when many written documents were destroyed during the Spanish conquest.
Kenneth explains how Mesoamerican cultures had complex and highly accurate astronomically based calendars, and how these were tied in with a pervasive belief in astrology, conceptualized as a connection and mirroring between the sky and the earth.
One of the key features of Mayan astrology was a focus on tracking the cycles of Venus, as well as the development of a 260-day sacred calendar which consisted of 13 numbers and 20 day-signs that were used for astrological purposes.
Later in the episode we talk about what happened with some of the western misunderstandings surrounding the Mayan calendar ending in 2012, and how time is seen in terms of cycles that have no end.
Finally the last point we touch on is the recent revival and expansion of Mayan astrology in modern times, and how a new system has grown and developed over the past 30 years
Kenneth is the author of the book Mayan Calendar Astrology: Mapping Your Inner Cosmos.
