What Is Mewa 6
Mewa (Tib. rme ba, རྨེ་བ; in some sources — sme ba; literally "spot, mole") is one of the nine numbers of the magic square 3×3 on which the numerological layer of Tibetan astrology — the "black calculations" (nagci) — is built. The sum of numbers along any line of the square equals 15: this is the same square as the Chinese Lo Shu. The system as a whole is described in the Tibetan Numerology hub.
Within the system, a distinction is made between the birth mewa (keme) — determined by the year of birth and lasting for life — and the annual mewa (bame) — which changes every year and is used in annual forecasts.
Mewa 6 in this system is white, element iron. By color it is called the "white six." By Tibetan reckoning (for those born after Losar), its years are 1991, 2000, 2009, 2018. Mewa 6 is associated in the magic square with the animal group: Ox, Dragon, Sheep, Dog (the same group as mewas 3 and 9).
Briefly: according to the "White Emerald" text as retold by the Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia, in past lives the bearer of mewa 6 was a deity (Tib. lha), a hungry ghost, a Brahmin, a deer, and a cuckoo; the text describes them as "a beautiful soul in an ugly body." Details follow.
Mewa 6 Interpretation According to the "White Emerald" Text
All interpretations below are a retelling of the traditional "White Emerald" text as presented by the Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia (the site's legal status is unclear, so the text is retold, not quoted). This is "according to tradition," not canon: other authors give different emphases (see "Controversial Points").
Past Lives
According to the text, the sequence of past lives of the bearer of mewa 6 is: deity (Tib. lha), then hungry ghost, Brahmin, deer, and cuckoo. This mewa is also associated with "traces of past lives" — moles on the body (in the TBE retelling; also mentioned in the hub article).
Character
According to the text, a person of mewa 6 "is not rich" and "keeps two houses" (figurative expressions of the retelling), and has few descendants. They are physically and intellectually strong, have many relatives and friends, but ultimately remain alone. The text contains a formulaic image: "a beautiful soul in an ugly body."
Health
According to the text, illnesses for mewa 6 are few, but serious ones are dangerous.
Children and Family
According to the text, there are up to 5 children; twins are possible.
Wealth
There is no separate section on wealth in the available retelling; in the character description it is mentioned that a person of mewa 6 "is not rich."
Lifespan and Obstacles
According to the text, the lifespan is 70 years, with 5 obstacles on the path. What exactly constitutes an "obstacle" is not elaborated in the retelling.
Next Rebirth
According to the text, the next life of the bearer of mewa 6 is as the daughter of a shaman, a shaman, a Buddhist meditator, or a bird.
Pacification and Recommendations
For "pacification" (improving karmic circumstances), the text recommends gTsugtor (transliteration of the retelling) and a statue of a spiritual teacher. A special warning: for mewa 6 there is danger from black magic; at the same time, red things bring prosperity.
How to Calculate Your Mewa
The mewa count runs in descending order: 1 → 9 → 8 → … → 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. For mewa 6 the remainder r = 4 — these are the years 1991, 2000, 2009, 2018.
Important: the Tibetan New Year (Losar) falls in February–March, not on January 1. Those born before Losar belong to the previous Tibetan year — and to the previous mewa. The exact calculation and table of all nine mewas are in the Tibetan Numerology hub; a mewa calculator by birth year is being prepared.
Controversial Points
- Not canon. Detailed interpretations (lifespan 70 years, "rebirth as bird," 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 (e.g., F. Cornu, Namkhai Norbu) give different emphases, so everything above is "according to one of the texts."
- Color. Mewa 6 is white (iron): Berzin and TBE agree; mewas 1, 6, and 8 are considered white in this system. No color discrepancy for the six has been found in verified sources.
- Year correspondence. There is no direct authoritative table of "Gregorian year → mewa": the formula is derived from Berzin's scheme and verified against the TBE animal mewa table (10/10 matches). Online tables differ by one due to Losar and the choice of starting point (1987 vs Chinese 1984).
- Terminology. Dictionaries contain the spellings rme ba (རྨེ་བ) and sme ba; in Russian practice — "мева," "мев," "мево." The transliterations gTsugtor and figurative expressions of the retelling ("keeps two houses," "a beautiful soul in an ugly body") require verification with the printed edition.
Gaps for Fact-Checkers
- gTsugtor — what exactly this object or practice is has not been elaborated in the retelling.
- "Keeps two houses" — a figurative expression of the retelling (likely a domestic/family image of the text), the exact meaning requires verification.
- The full text of "White Emerald" is not freely available; a second line of verification with printed editions is desirable (Cornu "Tibetan Astrology," 1997; Namkhai Norbu "Key for Consulting the Tibetan Calendar," 2003).
See Also
- Tibetan Numerology — hub: mewa system, correspondence table, calculation
- Chinese Numerology — Lo Shu and the common root of the systems
- Number 6 — the six in Western numerology schools
- Mewa Calculator — calculation by birth year