Mewa Calculator
Mewa is the "year number" in Tibetan numerology: one of the nine cells of the magic square 3×3, whose lines each sum to 15. The birth mewa is determined by the year and remains for life; it corresponds to a color, element, and animal group.
The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, psychological, or financial advice. Mewa values are given as "by tradition" — this is the traditional view of Tibetan astrology, not scientific facts.
How the calculator works
Mewa counting proceeds in descending order: 1 → 9 → 8 → … → 1. The starting point is the 17th Tibetan 60-year cycle, which began in 1987. The formula for the Gregorian year is: ((1987 − year) % 9 + 9) % 9 + 1. For example, 1987 → mewa 1, 1988 → 9, 1995 → 2, 1996 → 1. Cross-referencing with the animal mewa table gives 10 out of 10 matches for 1987–1996.
The year boundary is the Tibetan New Year (Losar), which falls in February–March, not January 1. Those born before Losar belong to the previous Tibetan year and the previous mewa. The calculator does not know the exact date of Losar in the Gregorian calendar (it is calculated by the Tibetan lunisolar calendar), so a simplified documented boundary is used: for births in January–February, the previous year is taken with a note. If you were born after Losar (usually February–March), no adjustment is needed.
Colors and elements are given per the Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia as the primary variant; for mewas 2, 3, and 9 the results include a note about discrepancy with Alexander Berzin (black / dark blue / burgundy). Mewa meanings are "by tradition" — from retellings of "The White Emerald": this is the traditional view, not scientific fact.