Interviews
An interview with Hanna Kotwicka

the author of the series ‘I am Another Yourself – The Maya Calendar".

Why did you take up the Maya as your leading theme?

Normally I’d say it was an accident...but now I know it was my destiny. My adventure with the Maya Calendar began five years ago with my friend who gave me this gift – they were books written in German by Johann Kossner – an Austrian who advocated that the Maya knowledge be deciphered. I read the books carefully but even though the subject matter seemed interesting, I had considered it to be too difficult to be able to explore it in any great length.
Then, after a couple of months, that same friend gave me Kossner’s other books to read – I have to say I wasn’t very keen on reading them and expected to see yet another portion of cryptic and difficult information. However this time around, as I read on, I began feeling more and more euphoric. The dates and the numbers spoke for themselves. The Tzolkin’s key digits i.e. 13 and 20 turned out to be incredibly significant to me. The 26th of July – the beginning of the New Year in the Thirteen Moon Calendar, was also my name day. My child died on the 20th of January, which was also the day that Johann Kossner was born. Gradually, I began to discover more and more direct connections between the knowledge found in the Calendar and the significant events of my own life. I finally understood the reasons for the tragic twists of fate that I experienced and grasped the meaning of my destiny. The moment I found out that the headquarters of the Galactic Maya were found in the Radiant Anchor – and my last name in Polish is Kotwicka (Anchorwoman), I began thinking that perhaps I am the person try and anchor the Calendar’s learnings in Poland. That’s how it all began.

What was it like for you to work on the book?

It took me three years (on and off) to complete writing the book. In 1999 I began my crusade in the publishing industry. Even though the subject matter seemed to appeal to the publishers, putting out a nearly 600 page series proved to risky for them. Everybody admitted that what the Maya knew was ingenious, they called it a revelation and a revolution – but also considered it to be too revolutionary for some to swallow. On top of it all, neither I nor Kossner were learned art historians. What’s there to say, I mean we live in the world of paradoxes, where diplomas, certificates, domination and money matter most. They pulled wool over my eyes for almost two years. Every publisher had different comments on my work, and I kept on cutting out more and more out of my own book because they asked for it – parts that were considered to be controversial. In total, I had re-edited my own book five times and finally said enough is enough ! I decided to become the publisher of my own work. Needless to say this was quite a bold step for me. I had absolutely no experience in the publishing world – only an idealized vision of what it would be like. Still, with the help of a few kind people whom I encountered later on, the "knowledge of the third millennium" had transitioned out of the German-language realm into the Polish terrain.

How did the title "I am Another Yourself" come about?

It comes from the language of the Maya: ‘In Lak'ech Yelir’ in their language translates into "I am another me". I had considered three versions of the title: "I am Another Me", "You are Another I", "I am Another Yourself". Finally, I went with the last one. I believe the title is simply ingenious. It is incredibly profound. I makes you think. It teaches tolerance. We are all a part of the greater Whole. In each of us as in everything, there exists the igniting spark of the Only Creator of the Universe. We’ve come to this Earth to learn to show respect to every form of life and to live in harmony as a group. Meanwhile, almost all the relationships continue to be dominated by violence and force and by the unwritten law of possession. In wanting to harmonize the Whole, each of the two mature individuals should treat the other one’s sovereignty with full respect instead of competing with him or her. In the context of spiritual laws, we all, as a terrestrial collective, take responsibility for what’s going on around us. No by-laws will ever apply here. It has to come from our hearts. A healthy society is one in which every entity can express itself in a group unrestricted. This is the main message of the book.

Are you bordering on the esoteric?

Esoteric refers to the knowledge available to the few chosen ones. I tend to skew more toward the exoteric. My books are addressed to everybody out there. I completely agree with what Rudolf Steiner once said: "A man who possesses extrasensory perception shouldn’t restrict himself only to talking about it to those people who already see the extrasensory world. He should direct his words to all the people, as he speaks of things that pertain to every human being. What’s more, he knows very well that without knowing these things he cannot become "a human being" in the true sense of the word."

Is this the only point of alignment with Steiner’s views?

No. There are many instances where the Mayan spiritual insights overlap with those of Steiner. Take for example the impact of the Luciferic and the Aryman elements on the human consciousness, or the phenomenon of karma, or the nature of pain, or the attitude to the phenomenon of death. Today, we have a much greater opportunity to get to know the spiritual worlds, and what’s more we can openly talk about them.

What is your view on the sudden collapse of the Mayan civilization?

I find the theory of star wars, with the Earth being divided into quadrants and sectors, and being the training ground for a variety of god creators, the most compelling. At different times of the evolution the gods of Darkness and Light crossed their swords numerous times. It’s not unlikely that the Forces of Light have had to evacuate the planet or go underground, leaving behind a code of archetypes for us to follow. The people, abandoned by their leaders, in fear of another invasion, abandoned their cities and sought refuge in the jungle. Droughts or plagues could have been the consequences of a new, deadly weapon having been used. I believe the Galactic Maya live among us today, dispersed around the world, and their awakening is just around the corner. Let us remember that in 1987 the spin of the planet had changed and we are not making new debts anymore; instead we are going back in history, back to the place where our fall had begun.

Where did you learn such excellent German?

I’ve often wandered about it myself. I learned German when I was young for about six years. I had some excellent teachers. As an adult I lived in Germany for nine years, but I must say never before have I been interested in the esoteric, in the paranormal, though I always found the human psyche fascinating. In his books, Kossner uses this incredibly complicated, channeling language. He himself admitted that Austrian and German readers ask him to express himself more clearly. Where did I know this type of a language from? I think the Galactic Maya helped me there. Once this Reiki master once looked at me and said I am one of THEM (The Navigators of TIME).

And are you?

I wouldn’t mind being one, but this isn’t important to me and is in no way relevant to my future work. I am a Taurus, I keep my feet firmly on the ground and either give my best or don’t give at all. Life is what fascinates me.

Do you know how many times you’ve been to this Earth before?

No - I’m not interested in who I was in my past lives or how many times I’ve incarnated on Earth. All I know is that I got plenty to learn still.

What did the Maya knowledge give Hanna Kotwicka?

Everything – peace, tolerance, soothing, plenty of challenges, a sense of fulfillment. Above all though, I’ve discovered my purpose in life.

That being...?

Eight years ago I lost my only child. I wanted to die. My life had lost its meaning. I can talk about it openly today, but two years ago it wouldn’t have been possible.

My family, out of the fear I might take my own life, kept signing me up to these courses. I began helping people. I had some excellent results working as a therapist. People flocked to me; as a rule they needed to talk more than they needed the treatment. Over time, I started to develop artistic skills. I began to paint. Yet, this wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. I passed my entrance exams to the School of Physical Therapy and Massage affiliated with one of the rehabilitation centers in Westfal. I was really proud of myself, but this still wasn’t what I was cut out for. I developed neurosis-based allergic symptoms and that ruined my plans. That was when I decided to return to Poland. My friend gave me two books by Kossner to take with me back to Poland. Initially, I translated the Maya seals just for the closest friends. They were fascinated and wanted to know more. It was my mother who put me up to this work. She’s still got this insatiable appetite for the Maya knowledge, and she’s almost become an expert on the Calendar.

Would you choose this path all over again?

Yes, even though my life has been turned inside out and upside down; my comfortable lifestyle is in the past. There don’t seem to be enough hours in the day now, my phone rings off the hook from the wee hours of the morning. I’ve got loads of problems but also plenty of satisfaction.

What about reader feedback?

They’re very appreciative. I’ve noticed that the people who have never been involved with the paranormal grasp what I am talking about instantly, while most of the "in" crowd have a problem with understanding some of the issues that relate to destiny or to the impact exerted by the planets. This shows that knowledge can at times inhibit understanding; with this subject matter it’s how flexible and open you are that matters.

For a while I’ve watched as astrologers and people from the publishing industry boycotted my books, as to them it was whether or not the author’s got an established reputation that mattered more than the actual content of her books. To many I continue to be a "nobody". The world of business is merciless. I’m not complaining, I’m just stating the facts as they are. In light of what we know about the laws of TIME, all those pursuing money and power will sooner or later have to destroy their irrational "creation". I do believe it. I have been experiencing the workings of the Cosmic Laws and I cannot say I enjoy them everytime. Yet, I know how to pick out something positive out of even the most negative events. This prevents me coding grudges; as a result I am able to enjoy all change and transition.

What about the critics?

So far all is quiet on the Western front, but I do know that my book’s caused a lot of havoc in the astrologer community. I’ve even heard it said that this Kotwicka woman has made up this Kossner character with his Maya Calendar and that they both question the principles of astrology to sell a whole lot of crap to the readers. This is completely absurd. I have not questioned any principles and have never attacked astrology because I know almost nothing about it. I am just a neutral observer who’s recording the facts without passing a value judgment on their meaning. I also know that many of the "Old Babylon Consciousnesses" have incarnated on this Earth in the present times and that they will stand by their truths and not want to make place for the New Spirit. They have a right not to ! After all we live in the free will zone.

Apart from that I’ve also been accused by two leading authorities on the subject that I haven’t done a good job translating the books into Polish. It’s paradoxical that neither of the two experts knew German. I’ve been told that the title "I am Another Yourself" is very poor Polish. I like the title. Everybody’s got a right to their own opinion.

They also told me that no translator would ever use the term "spirytualny" in Polish (Eng. spiritual) as the laws that govern translation in this field are quite strict. Well, I follow my own laws. In translating Kossner’s works, it’s completely impossible to stick to the conventional. How do you distinguish between the very subtle and incredibly important aspects that relate to spiritualism, the spirit and the soul without making the Polish language sound incorrect. Is the use of such terms as “spirytualny", “duchowy", “duszny" really such a terrible crime? Isn’t the content, the essence more important?

Let’s get back to astrology. What are the astrologers so upset about in your books?
I can only talk about those I’ve actually met – it’s their ego, their own sense of being powerless, and it’s the lack of tolerance for new trends – but they don’t see it you see.

This sounds like you’re challenging them...
I don’t challenge people and I don’t accept challenges. I’ve got my own beliefs and I respect the beliefs of other people. There are as many truths in this world as there are people. No one holds the exclusive right to the truth.

What is the relationship between the Maya Calendar and astrology?
The Maya cosmology is the art of multidimensional creation. The Maya Calendar encompasses absolutely everything: mathematics, astronomy, numerology, astrology, galactic runs, the short and the long count of time, the cycle of evolution, the human body, astrogenetics, I-Ching, prophecies...It’s a sort of a calendaric lexicon.

In the Dresden Codes, apart from the advanced Maya knowledge, one can also find broad astrological content. The exit point was the birth of the planet Venus. Many Mayan structures were used as observatories to track the rises and the settings of planets, used in turn for astrologic purposes. Cosmic phenomena, the courses that planets run, the spots on the Sun and their effect on the human psyche, the fertility of the human species were of special interest to the Maya. They worshipped the Sun as their highest god, and that is why in the Mayan astrology the impact of the Sun and the cyclic nature of the phenomena in the Solar System were essential in importance. The star alignments in the Zodiac were only the backdrop, a sort of a cosmic clockwork. Though contemporary astrology had kept the traditional nomenclature referring to the sections of the ecliptic, the first sign of Spring does not lay in the sign of Aries but in Pisces. Despite this the astrological cycle works just as it did centuries ago. The wisdom of the Maya doesn’t contradict contemporary astrology; it compliments it or I’d even say it is superior to it, as it studies the world from a four-dimensional perspective. Up there they still have the fifth planet – Maldek – and that is why they’ve factored in Maldek’s power in their calendar. And it’s a force to be reckoned with – it is the source of law-abidingness, mercy, the will of life and the mighty serpent instinct. In the Maya religion and culture, the serpent was considered to have been of tremendous importance – it symbolized Quetzalcoatl. In the medieval times, regrettably, Maldek was forgotten. We all know what the spirit of those times was like historically and why the force of the fifth planet of the Solar System was considered to have been undesirable.

Contemporary astrology has its roots in the Mesopotamia (Sumer, Assyria, Babylon). That is where the twelve month calendar had been born, as well as the signs of the Zodiac, the notions of sin and punishment, the negative energy of money...The Babylonian spirit, through the clergy, had made its way into astrology, and became an excellent tool to manipulate people and to instill fear in them.

The Maya calendar, by opening the gates to the fourth dimension, reveals numerous celestial mysteries. The idea is to uncover and scrutinize falseness, to stop instilling subconscious fears, to bring back to the people the freedom and the right to make sovereign decisions that were once stolen from them under false pretenses. What do good and bad days mean in contemporary horoscopes? Should I leave the house today? Does Jupiter’s favorable position on the day you were born bring you good fortune, while an unfavorable position of Saturn bring you bad luck? Let us remember that it is what we fear most that we end up attracting. No individual horoscopes are needed to comprehend this simple truth; all you need to do is to look within you to find the answer and the cause of fear and then all you need to do is consciously heal it. Whether or not you do have a personal connection to Saturn will be irrelevant once misfortune stops haunting you. I encourage all the "dissatisfied" readers to check out a book by Adrian G. Gilbert and Maurice M. Cottrell entitled "The Prophetic Knowledge of the Maya". They will find plenty of interesting scientific evidence there.

What about numerology?

The knowledge passed on in the Maya Calendar and numerology compliment each other very well. Numerology paints a specific picture, creates the backdrop, sketches the general outline of activity. Though it manages to do it very accurately, it’s devoid of the actual act. A numerological portrait, once superimposed over the Maya Calendar comes to life. It not only lets us observe the course of events or changes, as they unfold and take shape, but above all helps us make conscious decisions and change our lives for the better. The same applies to horoscopes. The individual studying our numerological pattern or our horoscope and the way he or she goes about interpreting them is also very important. Regrettably, this is yet another area where the Babylonian trainers of fear can be found; some of them are completely unaware of what they are doing. I almost fell victim to their tricks myself. Let’s listen to wise counsel, read the most wonderful of books, order horoscopes, see clairvoyants, and in doing so always listen to your intuition and the voice of our heart. Those two are our only infallible advisors.

If there’s anybody out there who believes he or she suffers from misfortune, take a moment to ponder why these things are happening to you. Misfortune and bad luck are a natural braking system that is activated to keep us from repeating the old mistakes. It is in such circumstances that we begin to look for new solutions, for a new way out, it may be a longer road to take, but it will nonetheless always lead you to your destination.

What are your plans for the future?

I’ve got loads of plans. I want to put out the fourth and final volume of my series in Autumn, and there may be a supplement coming out too. After all I ended up editing so many things out of the book...

I also want to spend some time writing about the concept of Ego to show it in a completely different light. This work would become a sort of a guide addressed to those who are having personal problems.
When saying "ego" the Romans meant "I" or "self". I really don’t understand why in the English language translations of Freud’s work, "I" was replaced with the Latin term ‘ego". Many spiritual philosophies define the human ego as something negative, something that needs to be annihilated. That’s an error in thinking ! Our job is to foster and not destroy the ego. Ego is our "younger", imperfect self. By destroying it, we are destroying a part of ourselves. Isn’t it better to rehabilitate the ego, to consciously transform it so that another void isn’t created? I also have numerous fascinating works by Arguelles, Kossner and many other writers to translate.

Are you not afraid of competition?

I know the competition never sleeps. But I’m not scared. If there are people out there who are better than me, I will be more than glad to have them take my place and will even share interesting materials with them. There’s enough work for all of us. My insight into the Tzolkin represents a mere few percent of the knowledge contained in the calendar. There’s still so much to be communicated.

Can you let us in on at least some of this?

Tzolkin and I-Ching, the galactic runs, the law of the cube, Tzolkin and the human body, the march of Shambala Warriors, the scientific calendar...

What’s your greatest dream?

To find a sponsor, to invite Johann Kossner to Poland (he already agreed to come). I can’t do it all myself. This man is a walking-talking PSI Bank. He’s great, he’s got a great sense of humor, and is very forthcoming.

I also want to open these advisory centers or the centers of "psycho-solar medicine" where all those in need could get free advice or undergo therapy (i.e. with the help of the Universal Energy) – this would be something like the centers created by Rosemary Altea. She started from a scratch and she made it a success. In only a short period of time she’s had many people contact her, offering support. She’s trained many students. I’d be ready to give up writing to be able to make this idea come alive. To be able to help is the most beautiful service to the people I can think of. When my daughter got sick many Germans, as opposed to the Poles, showed me incredible kindness. I got many friends there now. They’re a great nation and history shouldn’t be pulling us apart.

The world doesn’t have to be as bad as everybody makes it out to be. Just start with yourself – begin by cleaning up your own back yard, and many will follow suit. You only need a small group of people to bring about great changes on a world-wide scale. Let us remember the law of attraction – like attracts like.

Thank you– Hanna Kotwicka was interviewed by Tomasz Olszowski