Here are your strongest and most obvious personality traits. The delineation below describes who you are and how you appear to others, at least on the surface. In Aztec astrology this part of your horoscope is your Tonalli, or Day-Sign, the form bestowed upon you by the Sun.

Serpent:

You are the kind of person who is always noticed, yet others rarely understand you. Few ever get to know you really well. You are hard to pin down -- you either project an aura of mystery, or you are just simply charismatic in some way and manage to attract a number of followers. You are often found on one stage or another -- or attracting attention by lurking in the shadows. Leadership comes naturally to you, in part because of your ability to "psych-out" or subtly influence others. You are quite strong, physically and mentally, and are capable of living under very stressful conditions. One of your weaknesses is in not nurturing yourself enough.

Your emotional power is remarkable. Others do not want to be in your way when you are angry or upset. You are strongly affected by your feelings and are occasionally overcome by them -- in a sense, you "wrestle with the serpent." You sense a need to let go of your control over yourself from time to time, but this may be dangerous should you underestimate the depth of your feelings. For some Serpent personalities a needed and more or less socially acceptable emotional release comes when under the effects of alcohol. Uninhibited, you have the potential to undo yourself and hurt others, though you do would never intend to do so consciously. One of the effects of this character trait is shown in the periodic upheavals in relationships and family matters that you tend to experience. When your powerful emotional energies are harnessed, you can be quite constructive and creative, pouring out products or performances without any apparent need for rest. There are some Serpent types who are apparently calm and steady but experience upheaval and crisis in life through others. If this is the case for you, then you may be projecting this characteristic, not internalizing it.

It is possible that you have a noticeable sex-appeal, or you are sexually frustrated, or both. The key factor here has to do with personal centering. When your mind and body are in balance, your naturally deep reservoir of primal emotional energies flows and becomes enticing to others -- who then respond to you sexually. You are a natural performer, sexually and otherwise, with a sense of the dramatic. You also have a tendency to keep the act going well after the curtain has come down.

You are probably regarded by others as being of high intelligence and very well-informed. You tend to be interested in subjects that involve strategy and transformation, like advertising, investments or psychology. Internally, you are not entirely comfortable with who you are and may need to work on self-acceptance. In this regard, you may have some experience with therapy, or have become something of a therapist yourself. Because you are so deeply in touch with the process of change and transformation you try to learn as much about it as you can.

While you are intellectually comfortable with the notion of change and transformation, you often hang on to the past until it becomes unbearable -- and then you change your life all at once. In this regard you are an extremist. One subject that both frightens and attracts you is death. You may have been through some powerful emotional upheavals connected with death in some way, such as the experience of the death of someone close to you. At worst, you could be somewhat obsessed with death. The death of a relationship or a project in which you have invested much emotion may have also affected you deeply. It is important that you learn to acknowledge, understand and value this powerful part of the life experience. It is the lesson of letting go.

The Aztecs called this fifth of the twenty day-signs Coatl, meaning serpent or snake, and it was symbolized by the head of that animal. It was considered a powerful sign and was associated with the water goddess Chalchihuitlicue, a goddess of sudden storms and the unexpected power of nature. But there was another side to this goddess, one that stressed the primal beauty of nature as well. In Serpent the ancient Mexican astrologers were probably trying to capture in a symbol the powerful forces of change and transformation against which no human could resist.

The personality of your day-sign is reflected in the planet and sign emphasis in your Western astrological chart. You probably have one or more of the following signs prominent in your birthchart: Aries, Gemini, Leo and Scorpio. These symbolize your personal power and active mind. Another way of symbolizing the same thing in your chart would be for the planets Mars, Mercury, Sun and Pluto to be emphasized. Finally, your magnetic effect on others is probably shown by a strong Uranus.

Your Deeper Self -- the 13-day Week of Your Birth

Each of us reacts to the world around us in different ways. Our reactions are mostly unconscious; they represent what our deeper self needs. Our reactions both attract and repel us from things, people, and situations. What we like, what we like to do, and who we really are is shown by the 13-day week called the Trecena that we were born under. Each of these periods begins with the number 1 and the name of the day-sign that starts it. A number is attached to your position within the 13-day period that may be an important number for you.

You were born on the twelfth day of the 13-day period beginning with 1-Ocelot. Beneath your surface personality you are an explorer of the human condition. You deeply understand the complexities of life because you tend to become so entangled with other people. You are a facilitator and a communicator, a person whom others trust to bring about changes. You would make a good counselor.

You can be secretive and private. Controlling information is a way of maintaining your position in complex social situations. You are interested in power and will use it from time to time, or draw it to yourself in the form of other people who tend to dominate situations. In general, you experience great intensity in your relationships with the opposite sex. Crisis events, upsets, and powerful transformations, have caused you to turn inward and keep your deeper feelings to yourself.

You respond strongly to survival issues. Perhaps you are even drawn to situations where conditions are in a state of crisis. Although you are somewhat impulsive, you do have an ability to keep cool under pressure. While you like to be where the action is, you also need to be realistic about any responsibilities that may arise. In general, you have a strong, but hidden, aggressive streak that can get you into trouble at times. You tend to be particularly well-informed and also tend to become absorbed in making plans or effecting strategies.

Serpent is a sign of the East, a direction symbolic of action, self-interest and self-realization. Ocelot, however, is a sign of the North, a direction symbolic of rationality and understanding. Your natural inclinations are to articulate your personal understanding of the world -- or to use words and ideas as power. Don't get hung up on any one set of ideas because your perspective on life is subject to constant change and evolution.

What You Share With the Others of Your Birth Year

The Maya and Aztec astrologers recognized that each year produces a unique group of people. Each individual year in a 52-year cycle is linked with a number and a compass direction that has an astrological meaning. The delineation below says something about you in only a general sense. It describes the general traits that you share with others born in your year.

You were born during the year called 11-South. From the perspective of ancient Mexico, the South is a region characterized by the triumph of life over nature. The South is where the uncontrolled growth of the jungle overuns even the mountains. Accordingly, the southern direction symbolizes power and energies of feelings and emotions. Being born during a year of the South, you are probably strongly motivated by your feelings and emotions, in a general sense at least.

You are strongly driven by what you feel you need to do, not just what you think you need to do. The urgings within you have a great deal of power and may sometimes cause you do to things that others deem irrational. To others you may seem confused. On some occasions that may be so, but more often your instincts and feelings prove to be correct and appropriate. This is your gift -- sensitivity of feelings. Your challenge is to develop your mind and understand choice from a different perspective.

The number 11 preceding your direction indicates that you are motivated by the needs of the group. When all are out of harmony, no one can be at peace. The energies of your direction will help you heal rifts in the social world around you.

Your Deepest and Darkest Motivations -- the Night Lord

The ancient Mayan and Aztec astrologers used a 9-day cycle of gods and goddesses called the "Lords of the Night." These deities symbolize the workings of your deepest and darkest self, parts of you that others may not know of or understand. They also symbolize the deepest forces behind your "will to exist."

You were born under the third Lord of the Night. Piltzintecutli (Peel-zeen-tek-KOOT-lee), an Aztec sun god who was the "noble offspring" of other gods, is your ruling deity. You are a serious person with great ambitions. You have a strong sense of self-importance or mission in life. You may be a little insecure, but you strive to achieve prominent social positions. If you are a mother, you may project (experience) this pattern through your son (usually the oldest) or through your husband.

You are a deeply serious person. You have high expectations for yourself (or for your son or husband) and you work hard to achieve your goals. You feel that your work is crucial in some ways and because of this you make make sacrifices in your personal life. You may neglect relationships, or simply make pragmatic choices in this area in order to accomplish your tasks. This dedication to your work or goals is admirable in some ways, but could lead to a lopsided life as well. Perhaps the most important question you need to ask yourself is "what is my real motivation for all this effort or concern?"

In Aztec mythology, Piltzintecutli was the noble son of the two gods who created the calendar and divination. Since Piltzintecutli is associated with the sun, a heroic symbol, and is mythologically the offspring of other gods, his rulership suggests the notion of "favorite son" or "only son." Through the mythology we discover the real meaning of this second Lord of the Night -- the pressure of meeting up to parental expectations. In many cases this is a burden, the burden to meet up to expectations that are not really your own. This translates as a kind of insecurity.

You seek the limelight and recognition for your accomplishments, but for much of your life you may work under the shadow of another, perhaps your father or another authority figure. You hold traditional values and are not quick to challenge this authority -- you see the value in apprenticing or learning from the elders. You may be attracted to authority figures in general, but you must be realistic about the nature of such relationships. Authority figures are dominating by their very nature and this may not give you the room you need for yourself. One of your tasks in life is to work to be an authority in your own right. This is something that is earned, not bought through association.

In spite of your insecurities you are a powerful person. You need to learn how to use your power wisely and responsibly. Your strength is in your persistence and dedication to greater learning and improvement. Your dark side lies in your internalized critical parent, the voice in you that judges you and says that you're not good enough. You must, if only psychologically, step out from under the shadow of your father or other authority figure.

Your Patterns of Relationship -- The Phase of Venus

Maya and Aztec astrologers observed the phases of the planet Venus and correlated them with events on earth. Venus has four basic phases: morning star, evening star, and two conjunctions with the Sun. The phase of Venus you were born under symbolizes your relationship patterns -- how you approach and become involved with others, both individuals and groups.

You were born with Venus in its Evening Star phase. According to the Maya, this is a 250-day period when Venus is visible after the Sun sets. This phase follows the Superior Conjunction phase and precedes the Inferior Conjunction phase.

For you, feelings and emotions arise after an action has been taken. In making judgments, which you do very well, you evaluate what has happened against the background of society's rules and values. You instinctively understand the power, and perhaps the correctness, of the world as it is and has been. The values and morals of the past are important to you and your vision is one that has probably been strongly influenced by tradition.

There is a sense of inevitable compromise in your life, possibly a reaction to your awareness of having been strongly imprinted by society, culture or your parents. One result of this may be seen in your stance towards the powers that be. It is possible that deep down you are troubled by your conditioning and how it causes you to evaluate and interpret the world in a certain way. But this is very subtle and most of you will only notice this pattern in a general way, far more obvious when viewed over the course of a lifetime.

One positive manifestation of evening star Venus is that you may become, consciously or unconsciously, successful due to the fact that you personify certain family and traditional values. In extreme cases, you could become a hero, a person who represents what your society truly believes in. It is through participation with the traditions and cultural definitions of reality that you achieve emotional satisfaction and success in life.

Your Days of Peak Experience

From time to time we experience periods where our lives seem to be rushing forward -- almost out of control. Sometimes we accomplish great things during these periods; sometimes we become stressed or fail at something. More often we find that our experience of life is more intense, and richer. The Maya astrologers discovered such a cycle: your "peak" dates in this cycle are listed below (in the complete reading).

You will probably find that your experience of life becomes more intense about five days before the peak date and then builds. Keywords displayed next to the dates are a suggestion of how to focus your energies.

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