The potential of existence
Vajrasattva (rdo rje sems dpa‘) is the adamantine Being of the Buddhist pantheon whose practice purifies the karma and obscurities of the mind. He represents transcendent reality.

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Mewa (sme-ba)

Mewa is a spot on the skin or a mole; moles appear at birth or during growth, depending on secondary causes such as nutrition, health, etc., manifesting a latent primary cause. This can help us to understand the meaning of the mewa as a potential that particular circumstances bring to light. Each mewa has its meaning also linked to the element it belongs to. The calculation of the mewa is widespread in Chinese astrology, but its origins can be traced back to the Tibetan astrological tradition.

Mewas look like a cycle that includes numbers 1 to 9, each associated with an element, a colour and a meaning. Mewas, with animals and elements, contribute to the formation of the 180-year cycle, starting from 1 and proceeding reverse from 9 to 1 (see Table 1 in the appendix).

The mewa is calculated for all characters in Jungtsi astrology using a square divided into nine boxes (fig. 1).

Incidentally, it should be noted that the numerical arrangement of figure 1 is identical to that of the magic square of Saturn present in the Hermetic texts of the Eastern and Western traditions.

The use of colours highlights the correspondence between number and element, as shown in Table 1.

The numerical arrangement of figure 1, with the number 5 representing the Earth placed in the centre of the square, is the traditional one. Each number, excluding the central one, is associated with a direction of space; some of these directions are conjugated to a characteristic of Jungtsi astrology, according to the following scheme:

  • Mewa of Life: southwest (three years before the year of birth).
  • Mewa of the Force: northeast (three years after the year of birth).
  • Mewa of the Body: centre (year of birth).
  • Mewa of Fortune: Calculating the Mewa of Fortune is a bit more complex. It coincides with the animal and the element of the Point of Fortune. For example, a person born in a Horse year will have the Monkey-Wood combination as a Point of Fortune.

To define the mewa corresponding to the various elements of Life, the Body, etc., proceed as follows:

  1. Table 1 in the Appendix shows the mewa corresponding to your birth year.
  2. Place the number obtained in the centre of the mewa square.
  3. Starting from this number, arrange the other numbers in the series in sequence, following the order of Figure 2 (if you get to 9, start counting again from 1).
  4. Assign individual characteristics (Life, Strength, Body) to the appropriate mewa by following the directions above. To assign the mewa of Fortune, consult Table 2 in the Appendix of the 60-year cycle using the animal-element combination taken from the Point of Fortune; the mewa corresponding to the combination obtained is the mewa of Fortune. Be careful to consider the year the combination last appeared before your birth year.
Figure 2 –Calculation of the mewa.

The following figures, with each number of the natural series placed in the centre of the diagram, will help in calculating the mewa (fig. 3).

Figure 3 – Tables for calculation

The meaning of mewas

The following is an exposition of the meaning of the nine mewas, which applies to the mewa of birth. Traditionally each of them is associated with the probable length of life, a birthmark (generally a mole in a specific part of the body), the practice of dharma [1] and the mantra [2] for the mewa. Naturally, these are descriptions inherent in the Tibetan culture of the past.

Mewa 1

  • Life span: 71 years. There will be four difficult periods.
  • Birthmark: a mole on the right side. He will be left-handed.
  • Practice: The practice consists of obtaining a statuette of Chenrezig (the Buddha of Compassion) and practising the appropriate sādhana.
  • Mantra: OM MANI PADME HUM
  • Description: They are only children or the only child who will do concrete things and generate offspring. They will travel a lot. They are appreciated in socially valuable activities and in jobs that benefit others. If male, he will be brave; if female, she will be a strong woman. They may have three children. They always seem to be on the move. Snakes are their protectors. They find it difficult to form relationships with children and adolescents. Jobs and possessions are precarious. They have terrible tempers but sound minds. The first part of life is difficult, but the older they get, the better life is. They love cleanliness and self-care. They prefer white things like milk, butter, etc.

Mewa 2

  • Life span: 61 years. There will be three negative periods.
  • Birthmark: a mole on the right arm or hand or the neck.
  • Practice: The practice is that of Vajrapāṇi [3], which is strength and overcoming obstacles, the realisation of the indestructibility of the vajra [4]. One has to fashion a statue of Vajrapāṇi or build a stupa [5].
  • Mantra: OM VAJRA PANI HUM
  • Description: If they are the firstborn, they will be easy to take care of, and for their parents, they will be easy boys to educate. As children, they are often ill. They have a pleasant speech but bad minds. They appear dark-skinned, unpleasant to look at, and hideous. They are always unhappy. They try to do good things, but they can’t. If Bön monks or priests, they will be powerful practitioners. They love meat and alcohol. They have many friends but rarely get to hang out with them. It won’t be easy to cure them if they get sick in adulthood.

Mewa 3

  • Life span: 50 years. There will be three difficult periods.
  • Birthmark: on the calf of the left leg.
  • Practice: The recommended practice is that of Vajrasattva. It purifies limitations, obstacles and imperfections of the mind.
  • Mantra: OM VAJRA SATTVA HUM
  • Description: They love to sleep. They have strong minds, but they will suffer from unstable situations. They are a bit greedy. At work, they can’t concentrate. If male, he will be of few words; if female, she will tend towards unhappiness. They struggle to change. Even though they do good things for others, they make mistakes for which they are held accountable. They may have many wives (husbands) but no children. They will move and die in another country. They are subject to paralysis.

Mewa 4

  • Life span: 65 years. There will be four difficult periods.
  • Birthmark: there is a black circle on one of the thighs.
  • Practice: The practice is that of Vajrapāṇi.
  • Mantra: OM VAJRA PANI HUM
  • Description:
  • They should avoid funerals. Cleanliness is essential; otherwise, the nagas [6] cause disturbances. They love to travel. They have deep but sometimes evil minds. Perhaps they will have difficulty having children. If they have a property, it will be a farm. Life is unstable, with many ups and downs. Sometimes they will be unhappy. People like to talk about them. They do good deeds, but the credit goes to others. They don’t want to be submissive but find few opportunities to lift themselves. The nagas are their protectors. They are vegetarian. They don’t get married.

Mewa 5

  • Life span: 50 years. There will be two difficult periods.
  • Birthmark: a certain nervousness.
  • Practice: The recommended practice is that of Buddha Śākyamuni, known as Prajñāpāramitā [7].
  • Mantra: TADYATA OM MUNE MUNE MAHAMUNI SAKYAMUNI SVAHA
  • Description: These are individuals who practice dharma. It is also the astrologer’s mewa. In their previous life, they were monks, now reborn into a family of noble origins. They are very devoted people with stable minds. Very intelligent and religious. Obedient to their parents, they follow their customs and continue family traditions. They don’t travel much or go far from their native country. They have a protector among the ancestors whom they don’t know about and who is, therefore, a little annoyed; they sleep restlessly because of this. They are hard to please. Before becoming a monk, they were saints or dharma teachers. They talk a lot but often lose their train of thought. They are brilliant, skilled and quick thinkers. In this life, they should be religious people. They never stand still; they go here and there. They have many expectations of others and try to be helpful, but others become their enemies. They have five children. They enjoy riches in the form of properties, houses, and lands. If they are religious, they will live long. They are virtuous and educated. Their possessions are a source of instability. If female, she will be very talkative. If angry, it’s not easy to calm them down. They have stable minds. They are prone to gallbladder disorders and heart attacks.

Mewa 6

  • Life span: 70 years. There will be five difficult periods.
  • Birthmark: on the calf of the left leg.
  • Practice: The recommended practice is that of long life (and purification) of the female deity Tsug gtor rnam rgyal-ma.
  • Mantra: OM AMRITA AYUR DADE SVAHA
  • Descrizione: They are smart. The ways and appearance are constantly changing. They travel a lot. She will be endowed with pleasant speech but not with great intelligence if she is a woman. They receive protection from local deities. They may be very poor. They will live far from their native country. They are rarely sick, but it will be hard to cure if they do get sick. Many relatives, none of whom will offer them help. There will be many enemies. They do good to others. They will have three to five children, probably with some disabilities. There is not much strength in the family except in the wife. They have a pretty tricky character.

Mewa 7

  • Life span: 80 years. There will be four difficult periods.
  • Birthmark: on the back or the chest.
  • Practice: The practice is that of Green Tara [8] for care, protection, health and good birth.
  • Mantra: OM TARE TUTTARE TURE SVAHA
  • Description: If it’s a woman, she’ll like to sleep. If married, it won’t be for long. They love to fight, have strong fibre and are sturdy. They may die from a sudden ailment or overeating meat. Murders and suicides in the family are possible. Seven children. Precarious life.

Mewa 8

  • Life span: 50 years. There will be three difficult periods.
  • Birthmark: on the right cheek.
  • Practice: the suggested practice is that of Buddha Śākyamuni’s Vajrayāna (Diamond Vehicle).
  • Mantra: TADYATA OM MUNE MUNE MAHAMUNI SHAKYAMUNE SVAHA
  • Description: They should avoid dirty things and clean themselves a lot. There is protection from local deities. They may live in a locality other than their hometown. They are pleasant but very proud presences. They are skilled in arts and crafts. Their life will improve in their old age. They will be religious and virtuous. They can have 4 to 6 children. They love elegant people. They tend to gossip, and that brings them enmity.

Mewa 9

  • Life span: 73 years. There will be five difficult periods.
  • Birthmark: on the face, neck or left leg.
  • Practice: The practice of Mañjuśrī is suggested [9], which promotes the development of the mind and intellect.
  • Mantra: OM ARA PATSA NA DHI
  • Description:
  • Imagine a person holding seven flowers; if they are well-kept, the person will be rich. They are proud or greedy. Their old age will be better than their youth. Very brave. They may live in a place other than where they were born. Their possessions include cows and farm animals. They will encounter dangerous obstacles if they don’t take care of their belongings. It is a good mewa for women, not for Bön monks and priests [10].

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