Reading the tonalámatl
Nine energies, the position of your hour, and Sahagún's omen quoted in full
What the tonal disc is
The reading of a day in nine energies at once: that of the sign, of the numeral, of the trecena, of the Lord of the Night and the rest, set out on a disc. Each takes its place and can be touched to see where it comes from.
The position of your hour. The disc marks where the hour you choose falls within the Mexica day, which does not begin at midnight. That detail changes which Lord of the Night you are given if you were born in the small hours.
The omens come from Sahagún, Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España, Book IV, quoted literally and not paraphrased. Where one source disagrees with another, the disc says so instead of choosing.
It can be shared. It exports as an image with your name and its signature, and that image is the one inside the video of the day.
Questions that reach this page
What is the tonal disc? The reading of a day in nine energies at once — the sign, the numeral, the trecena, the Lord of the Night and the rest — set out on a disc, each with where it comes from.
What does the position of my hour mean? The disc marks where the hour you choose falls within the Mexica day, which does not begin at midnight. That changes which Lord of the Night you are given if you were born in the small hours.
Where do the omens come from? From Sahagún, Book IV of the Historia general, quoted literally rather than paraphrased. Where sources disagree, the disc says so instead of choosing.
Twenty full days on installing. What is on the web and what is in the app.
How to cite this page
Alma Mexica, «Reading the tonalámatl», The app. Revised 2026-09-17. https://almamexica.org/en/app/disco-tonal/