The Mayan Calendar and the Transformation of Consciousness by Carl Johan Calleman

A metaphysical map tracing the spiral evolution of consciousness towards enlightenment since the beginning of life on Earth

Hi, I’m Sue and I write about the beauty and ingenuity of Nature, and how we can deepen our connection for our optimum health and wellbeing. Discover more Nature-inspired content on Spiral Leaf, Twitter and my video Nature Channel.

There is so much more to the Mayan Calendar than meets the eye. It has a wide-ranging reach in terms of what it reveals to us about ourselves and what it can teach us about our future. This awe-inspiring book by Carl Johan Calleman published in 2004, suggests we use this knowledge to clarify our position in the cosmic scheme of things so that we can move forward with confidence knowing we are on the right track.

The Mayan Calendar and the Evolution of Consciousness begins with an excellent preface and chapters explaining the Legacy of the Maya, the Thirteen Heavens, the World Tree, God and the Historical Religions, the Nine Underworlds, the History of the Human Mind and the Completion of the Cosmic Plan.

There are many charts and tables with calendar dates, numbers, symbols and cycles. Of particular interest, are the charts mapping key events through history such as the Industrial Revolution and those mapping key developments such as Writing and Technology through each of the nine levels of consciousness (or Underworlds). The Appendix shares practical uses for the calendar and how to calculate your Tuniversary and Tzolkin Day.

Your Mayan Sign

For my birthdate reading and to check on readings for the day, I use the My Mayan Sign Calculator created by Fatih Keçelioğlu where you can obtain an overview consisting of your Day Sign (spirit animal and personality), your Tone (energetic number), your Trecana Sign (dominant characteristics), and the nine signs and numbers associated with your Tree of Life reading. You can purchase a full reading but I have not done this so cannot recommend it although it will be extensive with so many signs included in one reading.

Finding out your Mayan Sign is a beneficial exercise as it adds more depth and scope to the Astrology Readings we are used to. The latter focus on a fixed rotation of planetary influence rather than taking into account the steady spiralling advancement of consciousness as depicted by the Mayan Long Count Calendar.

I talk about this in more detail in my previous post The Mayan Calendar and the Evolution of Consciousness and I have created a chart of the nine Long Count levels of Consciousness (and their continuation) to show how far we have come and where we are now. This is available as a free download on my website (see below).

The purpose of this post is to provide an overview of Carl's book and to summarise key insights in terms of why the Mayan Calendar is such a remarkable legacy and how it can help us today.

[The above chart extends to 11 levels including the Era of Consciousness we are in now at the beginning of a new Bak’tun. This I have named UNITY (for Unity Consciousness) represented by a fundamental equation for life which includes the previous two eras of Truth and Love to give us - LOVE (High Frequency) + TRUTH (Natural Law) = BEAUTY (Unity Consciousness). The Love + Truth = Beauty equation was originated by my late Dad, Jeff Cartwright in 1979].

Legacy of the Maya

The Maya developed their language, mathematics, astrology and calendars from the findings of those who came before them.

Carl notes that: The Aztecs had an awareness, expressed through their calendar, of the basic patterns of seven Days and six Nights of creation, and both the Mayans and the Aztecs described a Universe of Thirteen Heavens and Nine Underworlds.

The Nine Underworlds are represented by the nine levels of consciousness of the Mayan Calendar. The following aspects represent the various counts and levels:

Tzolkin Count - a 260-day cycle in time units based entirely on metaphysical cycles where each one of the days has a unique energy combination.

Uinal Count - a 20-day cycle in the Tzolkin with a different Day Sign for each day including Crocodile, Wind, Night, Seed, Serpent, Death, Deer, Rabbit, Water, Dog, Monkey, Road, Cane, Jaguar, Eagle, Owl, Earth, Knife, Storm and Light.

Trecena Count - a 13-day cycle in the Tzolkin represented by 13 numbers which are each aligned to a unique vibration. There are 20 Trecana Cycles in the 260-day Mayan Calendar. We each have our own Trecana Number which gives us the tone of our birth and where we stand in the bigger picture.

Long Count - a five place notation system of ascending cycles - Kins (days), Winals (20-day months), Tuns (360 days), K'atuns (20 tuns = 7,200 days) and Bak'tuns (20 k'atuns = 144,000 days).

The Long Count Calendar starts in 3114 BCE and ends in 2012 CE at the end of the 13th Bak'tun. However, it doesn’t end there for us nor for the Maya. It turns out that in more recent archeological findings calendar calculations encompass much larger units of time than the Bak'tun with only 5 of a total of 24 units of time incorporated into the calendar we have come to know.

This means we continue to live in a period of increasingly rapid change in 2024 as we let go of the restrictions of the old cycles and transition into the beginning of another new era in world history - this being the era of Unity Consciousness.

Tree of Life - reaching out to eight directions with four main directions and another four in between, the Tree of Life represents the balancing of masculine and feminine energies within the self with a Core Sign located at the centre.

Without understanding the ins and outs of this complex system to begin with, we can immediately see how phenomenal it is. It is a legacy of holistic thinking written in cycles, symbols and numbers, each with their own meaning, positioning and vibrational energy.

Where else are we to find such an accurate record of history depicting how life has evolved through time?

The key premise

Contrary to mainstream belief, the Mayan Calendar did not come to an end in 2012, rather, it marked the end of a cycle of 13 Bak'tuns - the era of Conscious Co-Creation. This makes sense because during this period of time many of us have become increasingly enlightened and aware of our ability to make beneficial changes in our lives. More of us are joining together to talk to each other and become valued members of our local community.

We now stand at the beginning of a new Bak’tun era leading us to an even higher level of consciousness which is Unity Consciousness. This is where we come together to create a world we want to live in and be a valued part of. It is up to each one of us to choose whether we want to participate which means doing all we can to achieve this higher level of consciousness within ourselves.

In terms of how this affects us, Carl explains: As we apply the Mayan chronology to human history, we can see a significant wave pattern known as 'Winds of History' that brought in the emergence of religions, written communication and the ups and downs of the word economy.

As the contours of the Cosmic Plan become clearer, human beings are presented with a choice as to whether to attempt the climb of the cosmic pyramid. Each one of us has to make this choice individually, and it may require of us that we turn many of our most cherished notions upside down.

The kind of choices that humanity makes, collectively speaking, will determine the outcome of creation on this planet.

Up until now, this information has been unknown to us which means we have been unaware of how human consciousness has evolved in tandem with the Cosmic Plan leading us to where we are now. 

Beyond power and ethics

It is no coincidence that the wisdom of the Mayan Calendar has been purposefully hidden from us. This has been deliberate to prevent us from evolving to a higher level of consciousness to realise that we are more than capable of doing things for ourselves.

The Mayan Calendar helps to put this into perspective where it is clear to see that individuals clinging to POWER and CONTROL are reluctant to let go and evolve to a higher level of consciousness. It is the same with individuals clinging to ETHICS and EQUALITY as a remedy for the old power and control systems. They too are reluctant to let go and evolve to the higher levels of Conscious Co-Creation and Unity Consciousness.

This is when we come together to create the world we wish to create. It is a world where power is no longer about hierarchy and control but rather, em-power-ment, and where ethics is no longer about law and punishment, rather, a given as we learn how to live our lives with respect for one another, with responsibly for ourselves and those in our care, and in reciprocity with Nature, the Universe and Natural Law.

Our time is now

As I mentioned in my previous post, many of us are actively working to align with cosmic energies, heal past traumas, and detach ourselves from the old POWER and ETHICS paradigms so that we can consciously create healthier and more fulfilling lives for ourselves and those around us. This is because we choose not to be dictated to by those operating at a much lower level of consciousness.

Learning about the Mayan Calendar and using the calculator mentioned above, is a practical way to put things into perspective and tune into the various energies of the day. This helps us to become more sensitive to the energies of the calendar and the natural cycles of life.

In another book published in 2017 which I have yet to read, Carl talks about The Nine Waves of Creation (see below) explaining the quantum physics behind the Winds of History depicted by the Mayan Calendar system and how this allows us to understand the shifting eras on Earth as well as possibilities of the future. 

At the end of 2011, the thirteenth ninth wave was activated, as Carl says, bringing with it an accelerated push for a more egalitarian world, a rising awareness of Unity Consciousness and access to the full power of all Nine Waves of Creation.

It is our destiny to co-create a peaceful life on Earth in harmony with Nature and the Universe. To do this means seeing each other as ourselves and coming to terms with the fact that we are all one. It means being aware that every thought, word, feeling and action has an impact on the greater whole. It means creating our own reality in Unity Consciousness where there is no separation and no such thing as us and them.

I hope this helps to bring things into perspective and give you the confidence to continue on your own path of conscious creation and co-creation for all the goodness this brings. 

Thank you for reading and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Further Reading

The Mayan Calendar and the Transformation of Consciousness by Carl Johan Calleman

The Nine Waves of Consciousness - Quantum Physics, Holographic Evolution and the Destiny of Humanity by Carl Johan Calleman PhD

August 21, 2024, A Major Milestone in the Mayan Calendar: The Activation of a new Positive Trecena of the 8th Wave by Carl Johan Calleman PhD - a repeat cycle of the Trecena that ruled Jan 5 1999 to October 28 2011 to create a more stable platform for those of the 8th Wave who want to climb to the full Unity Consciousness of the 9th Wave.

Only the second link above is an affiliate link to my bookshop where Spiral Leaf may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you!

Video Presentations & Guidance - highly recommended!

2024 Ends in a Big Timeline Shift - Kerry K where ‘timelines’ are the same as the levels of consciousness described above with guidance on how to ride this new wave.

The Mayan Calendar Comes North presented by Ian Xel Lungold