Maya Wavespell and Trecena: The 13-Day Wave of the Tzolkin

The wavespell is a stretch of 13 days in the Maya calendar Tzolkin. UmbraLux also calls it a wave; scholars, and the traditional count, call it a trecena, after the Spanish “trece” for thirteen. Both mean the same thing: 13 consecutive days that begin with tone 1 and end with tone 13.

Every wavespell bears the name of the seal it begins with, and that seal gives it its theme. Twenty wavespells together make up the 260 days of the Tzolkin. The term wavespell comes from the Dreamspell of José Argüelles, whose count UmbraLux also uses.

How a Wavespell Comes About

In the Tzolkin two counts run side by side: the 13 tones and the 20 solar seals. Every day both move on by one. After tone 13 the number starts again at 1, but the seal keeps counting. So every new wavespell begins with a different seal: the wavespell of the Red Dragon is followed by that of the White Wizard, then that of the Blue Hand and that of the Yellow Sun, because the start moves on by 13 seals each time.

A few fixed rules follow from this:

• Each of the 20 seals opens exactly one wavespell, always with tone 1.
• No seal appears twice within a wavespell, because 13 days are fewer than 20.
• A wavespell ends with a seal of the same color it began with: the wavespell of the Red Dragon closes with the Red Skywalker.
• After 20 wavespells, that is 260 days, the Tzolkin starts over.

The 13 Steps of a Wavespell

In the Dreamspell a wavespell describes a complete path from purpose to completion. Every tone is a step, and each comes with a guiding question. You will find more on the individual tones in the article on the 13 galactic tones and in the library.

1. Magnetic: What is my purpose? The intention is set and attracts what it needs.
2. Lunar: What is my challenge? The opposing force shows itself and wants to be understood.
3. Electric: How can I best serve? First steps, first connections.
4. Self-Existing: What form will my action take? Structure and measure.
5. Overtone: Where do I draw my power from? The energy gathers in the core.
6. Rhythmic: How do I stay in balance? Organizing and balancing.
7. Resonant: How do I attune myself? The middle of the wavespell, the moment of alignment.
8. Galactic: Do I live what I believe? Bringing action and conviction into harmony.
9. Solar: How do I realize my purpose? The intention gains momentum.
10. Planetary: How do I perfect what I do? The result takes shape.
11. Spectral: What do I let go of? Dissolving what no longer carries.
12. Crystal: Whom do I share what has emerged with? Cooperation and dedication.
13. Cosmic: How do I go beyond what I have achieved? Completion and the transition into the next wavespell.

The 20 Wavespells of the Tzolkin

This is the order in which the wavespells follow each other. Each is named after the seal on its first day, with its Dreamspell name and the Yucatec day sign in brackets; the last column shows which kin belong to the wavespell.

No.	Wavespell	Kin
1	Red Dragon (Imix)	1–13
2	White Wizard (Ix)	14–26
3	Blue Hand (Manik)	27–39
4	Yellow Sun (Ahau)	40–52
5	Red Skywalker (Ben)	53–65
6	White Worldbridger (Cimi)	66–78
7	Blue Storm (Cauac)	79–91
8	Yellow Human (Eb)	92–104
9	Red Serpent (Chicchan)	105–117
10	White Mirror (Etznab)	118–130
11	Blue Monkey (Chuen)	131–143
12	Yellow Seed (Kan)	144–156
13	Red Earth (Caban)	157–169
14	White Dog (Oc)	170–182
15	Blue Night (Akbal)	183–195
16	Yellow Warrior (Cib)	196–208
17	Red Moon (Muluc)	209–221
18	White Wind (Ik)	222–234
19	Blue Eagle (Men)	235–247
20	Yellow Star (Lamat)	248–260

Wavespell in the Dreamspell, Trecena in the Tradition

Structure and order are the same in both counts: in the traditional count, too, every trecena begins with the number 1 and bears the name of its first day sign, such as 1 Imix or 1 Ix. In the Aztec calendar each of the 20 trecenas has its own patron deity; picture manuscripts such as the Codex Borbonicus show them. The guiding questions and the reading as a path from purpose to completion, on the other hand, come from the modern Dreamspell.

What differs is where the days fall in the year. The Dreamspell sets its count independently and leaves out February 29, while the traditional day count, still kept in the highlands of Guatemala today, counts on without a break. That is why a trecena there begins on a different date than the wavespell of the same name in the Dreamspell.

Finding Your Wavespell

Your personal wavespell is the one your birth kin falls into. You find its start with a simple calculation: kin number minus tone plus 1. The result is the kin your wavespell begins with, and its seal gives the wavespell its name.

An example: kin 58 is the White Mirror in tone 6. 58 − 6 + 1 = 53, and kin 53 is the Red Magnetic Skywalker. So anyone born on kin 58 belongs to the wavespell of the Red Skywalker. Their own seal stands in sixth place in it, at the rhythmic step of balance.

Working with the Wavespell

Some people use the 13 days as a rhythm for a project:

• On the first day of a wavespell, formulate an intention that fits the theme of its seal.
• On the seventh day, the resonant tone, check whether you are still on course.
• On the eleventh day, consciously let go, clear up and wrap things up.
• On the thirteenth day, look back: what has emerged, and what do you take with you into the next wavespell?

This is a tool for self-observation, not a set of rules. Nobody has to make decisions depend on the calendar, but the wavespell can help you begin and complete projects more consciously.

UmbraLux calculates your kin from your date of birth using the Dreamspell count and shows your kin, solar seal and tone in your profile; Verus, your AI companion in the app, knows your seal and your kin. The app does not show which wavespell is currently running. How seal and tone form your kin is explained in the article on the Tzolkin and the galactic signature.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Wavespell

What is a wavespell in the Maya calendar?

A wavespell, which UmbraLux also calls a wave, is a stretch of 13 days in the Tzolkin, from tone 1 to tone 13. It bears the name of the seal it begins with, and in the Dreamspell it describes a path from purpose to completion.

What is the difference between a wavespell and a trecena?

They are two names for the same unit of 13 days. Wavespell is the Dreamspell term; trecena is the Spanish name that is common among scholars and for the traditional count. Because the Dreamspell sets its count independently and leaves out February 29, the periods begin on different days in the two counts.

How many wavespells are there in the Tzolkin?

Exactly 20, one for each solar seal. 20 wavespells times 13 days make up the 260 days of the Tzolkin.

How do I find my personal wavespell?

Calculate kin number minus tone plus 1. The result is the kin at the start of your wavespell, and its seal gives the wavespell its name. UmbraLux shows your kin with its seal and tone in your profile.