What Is Mewa 2
Mewa 2 is one of the nine mewas of Tibetan astrology. Mewas are numbers of the magic square 3×3 assigned to the year of birth; the word "mewa" (Tib. rme ba, རྨེ་བ; in another transcription — sme ba) means "spot, mole." Mewa 2 is black (in some sources blue), and its element is water.
Unlike Western numerology, where the date of birth is reduced to a "destiny number," mewa is determined by the year of the Tibetan calendar and remains with a person for life. According to tradition, it describes past lives with residual tendencies, character, children, health, probable next rebirth, and recommended "pacifying" practices. All of this is interpretation from one of the traditional texts, not established facts (details in the "Controversial Points" section).
Mewa 2 by Birth Year and Animal Group
The black water mewa corresponds to the years: 1995, 2004, 2013, 2022 — by Tibetan reckoning, for those born after Losar (the Tibetan New Year; on the boundary of the year, see the "How to Calculate Your Mewa" section).
Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
Mewa | 2 |
Color | black (in some sources blue) |
Element | water |
Birth years | 1995, 2004, 2013, 2022 |
Animal group | Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig |
Together with mewas 5 and 8, mewa 2 shares one animal group: Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig. This card concerns the permanent birth mewa — keme; the annual mewa (bame) changes every year and is used in annual forecasts.
Mewa 2 Meaning According to the "White Emerald" Text
The detailed interpretation below is a retelling of the traditional Tibetan text "White Emerald" as presented by the Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia. This is not canon or scientific data: the text is one, and different authors place their own emphasis.
Past Lives
According to the "White Emerald" text, the past lives of the bearer of mewa 2 are: hell, then birth as the son of a demon, then a cannibal.
Character
According to the text, a person with mewa 2 is gentle and pleasant in conversation but strong inside; described as cold, reserved, nervous, and aggressive. A separate note in the text is that there may have been fratricide in this person's lineage.
Health
According to the text, serious health problems are usually few, but if an illness is serious — it is dangerous.
Children and Family
According to the text, bearers of mewa 2 have 2–3 children.
Wealth
Not described in the available retelling of the "White Emerald" — a gap; we do not invent.
Lifespan
Not indicated in the available retelling — a gap. (For comparison: mewa 1 has about 71 years, mewa 3 about 50 years, but these values cannot be transferred to mewa 2.)
Next Rebirth
According to the text, the next birth is as a cannibal, bear, monkey, or preta (hungry ghost). Pacifying practices are traditionally intended to improve this karmic result.
Pacification and Spirits
The "pacifying" practice for mewa 2 is the installation of a statue of Vajrapani (the protector-bodhisattva). The text names the provoking spirits as Sadak, De-bo, and a pair of male/female bDud; the protectors are Dud and the War God. Specifics of the rites are not provided in the open retelling.
How to Calculate Your Mewa
The mewa count runs in descending order: 1 → 9 → 8 → 7 → … → 1. The starting point is the 17th Tibetan 60-year cycle, which began in 1987. For the Gregorian year:
r = (year − 1987) mod 9
when r = 0 the mewa equals 1, otherwise — 9 − r + 1.
Verification for mewa 2: 2022 − 1987 = 35, 35 mod 9 = 8 → mewa = 9 − 8 + 1 = 2. The other years in the table (1995, 2004, 2013) yield the same remainder of 8.
An important caveat — Losar: the Tibetan New Year falls in February–March, not on January 1. Those born before Losar belong to the previous Tibetan year — and to the previous mewa. For an accurate result, the year should be taken according to the Tibetan calendar. More on the system in the article on Tibetan numerology; online calculation in the mewa calculator.
Controversial Points
- Color: black or blue. Berzin gives mewa 2 as black; in the Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia it is listed as blue — with the note that in old Chinese texts water was designated black. Both variants are recorded in the hub; the card heading uses Berzin's variant.
- Interpretations are not canon. Detailed meanings ("2–3 children," "rebirth as bear, monkey, or preta," etc.) are taken from a single traditional text — "White Emerald" — as retold by the Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia, a site with unclear legal status that itself copies materials. Other authors (F. Cornu, Namkhai Norbu) give different emphases. Therefore, all characteristics above are "according to the text," not established facts.
- Gaps. Not described for mewa 2 in the available retelling: wealth, lifespan, obstacles, correspondence to its parkha (trigram). No specific scientific studies of mewa 2 have been found — the general critique of numerology and astrology applies.
See Also
- Tibetan Numerology — mewa system: table, colors, elements, calculation
- Mewa Calculator — online mewa calculation by birth year
- Chinese Numerology — related system: Lo Shu, 60-year cycle
- Number 2 — meaning of two in Western schools (do not confuse with mewa 2)