Amusing, playful, inventive, dexterous, and agile, monkeys are always mesmerizing to watch. No doubt it was this versatility that earned the monkey the honour of being the Maya symbol for the innovative energy that sits in the centre of the cosmic World Tree and orchestrates the proliferation of life. And so we return to the creation-oriented Chuwen trecena that begins with One Chuwen, the Day of the Monkey, at the beginning of the “Creation” sequence, when all things of heaven and earth were made.

As we reach this point many are struggling to make sense of a world that has become increasingly crazed and unstable, a world where very little seems to make sense any more, a world badly in need of reassurance. But where to find it? It’s as if a massive restructuring needs to take place to shake off “whatever it is” that has been wreaking havoc with people’s brains and lives. And so we come again to that point in the middle of the 260 day cycle, the point where the web of time is spun and spun again.

This trecena opens on the heels of a day when the news was filled with people commenting on Sunday’s tragedy in Orlando. But it was also a day filled with reaffirmations of the power of love. And it was Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator and star of “Hamilton”, who put things into perspective that evening during his acceptance speech at the 70th annual Tony Awards.

The sonnet that he read pointed out that “Hamilton” reminds us that even when hate and fear seem to dominate “hope and love last longer. And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside.” The last lines of the sonnet were a rallying cry to “. . . fill the world with music, love and pride.”

Now, as we embark on the 13-day journey through this special trecena we again enter a time frame where we can be supported in doing just that, as this energy frame was seen traditionally as encompassing extraordinary productive power. This is the energy sequence that magically created the winal (a 20-day cycle that is a fundamental part of the Tzolk’in), so it was seen as a time of great artistry. But as the God of Pulque serves as the principal patron of this trecena, there is also the potential for a certain amount of “reckless abandon” to unfold, since this is a deity that was associated with the fermented sap of the maguey plant, the base of the highly intoxicating pulque. Nevertheless, at this time a certain amount of “reckless abandon” may be in order to remind the world that play, and art, and celebration are NECESSARY aspects of life – essential to the promulgation of life.

And there are a number of important celebratory points within this time frame, such as Father’s Day, the Summer Solstice, the famed Glastonbury Music Festival in the UK, and the great week-long Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun) in Peru. So there will be many opportunities for play, artistry, and “reckless abandon”, which many may welcome as a time for refreshment and a time to refurbish hope and invention. At the very least this trecena may offer a number of opportunities to “think differently” or “go beyond the norm” in the interest of creating something new or finding ways to overcome ALL that might vie to bring us down.

As this trecena opens thousands will be paying respect at the passing of yet another legend, a great athlete who was seen as the very best in his field – not only as a player but as a human being. In the days after his passing all who commented on hockey superstar Gordie Howe’s life referred to him as one of the “nicest” individuals they had ever met.

Thus, it seems very fitting that the day of the public visitation for “Mr. Hockey” at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, prior to his funeral the following day, will be on the day that was seen in Maya mythology as being when the Creator “raised himself to his divinity after he had made heaven and earth”, with Howe’s funeral taking place under the influence of the energy that was in place when the first “stairway” was created that descended from the heavens. In 2012 this Two Eb’ energy was in place when a coronal mass ejection hit Earth after a massive solar tsunami erupted on the sun two days earlier.

Moving forward through the trecena there will be undoubtedly many celebrations of life for those who were taken in Florida. The third through fifth days (Three B’en through to Five Men, coinciding with June 16th to 18th) were the days in the mythological creation sequence when many of the other things of the heavens, the seas, and the earth were made. Three B’en is particularly important as this was in place in 1933 during the inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the 32nd President of the U.S., the individual who brought in the “New Deal” policies that so greatly helped to pull that country out of the Great Depression, so there is a great deal of positive energy there, as there is with all of the days in this powerful time frame.

The sixth day of this sequence, known as Six Kib’, is the point where the “first light” came into being. This idea was illustrated vividly in October of 2010 during the rescue of the Chilean miners when a drill first broke through to the trapped miners in their underground chamber after they had been imprisoned by the earth for 66 days, signalling that rescue was very close at hand. Three cycles ago tens of thousands of people took part in a May Day parade and celebration in Moscow’s Red Square under this influence, the first time that this International Workers’ Day has been held in Russia since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Seven Kab’an was thought of as the day when honey was first created. Translating as “self-generating movement”, this is an Earth-oriented energy that often can be highly action-oriented, as seen when the Global Work Party – the “largest day of environmental activism in history” – unfolded on a Seven Kab’an day that aligned with 10/10/10. At that time 7,000 communities in 188 countries participated in campaigns to plant trees, collect rubbish, and rally against pollution. This time Seven Kab’an coincides with the Full Moon and Summer Solstice.

Within this Chuwen trecena one of the most pivotal days is Ten Ajaw, a “Burner” day that often provides a strong energy boost. It will be particularly pivotal at this time as this is the day (on June 23rd) when the UK will be voting on the EU referendum to decide if Britain will remain in the EU. The birth energy of Pope John Paul II, 10 Ajaw was the energy in place when the 33 Chilean miners were finally rescued from their dreadful underground imprisonment in October of 2010, with the first miner coming to the surface just after midnight and the last miner bring pulled out 22 hours later, exactly spanning the day.

In deep mythology the day known as Twelve Ik’ (which coincides with June 25th at this time) was seen as the day in which the breath of life was created. This is a “collecting together” type of force associated with Wind, Breath, and Spirit, which can be strongly aligned with communication. This was the energy in place on May 1st, 1893, the first day of the Maya year at that time. That day was the opening day for the Chicago World’s Fair which showcased the first major display of AC lighting – precisely 19 cycles, to the day, after Thomas Edison managed to get an electric light bulb to glow for a sustained period. So, at this time it would not be surprising to see a great amount of rallying around the idea of creative expression and living life to the full, no matter who you are. A great time to “pump up your glow”!

June 26th, the final day of this trecena, will be Thirteen Ak’bal (“transformational temple or house”). In the Maya creation legend this was the calendrical energy that brought forth the creation of the first human. This can be a very high-powered force, a force that can bring quite severe weather conditions. It is also the energy that was in place when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in the U.S. in 1862.

Overall, this Chuwen trecena can challenge individuals to think differently, to try out new ideas, and to push forward into new, and even unorthodox, directions. It’s a time when even “miracles” are possible as the “Monkey-God” plays with time and opens the door to new possibilities. During this time frame these are the energies that come into play:

1 Chuwen (June 14th) – Day of the Monkey, an “initiating” day associated with high creativity and the beginning of an important new time sequence. Flag Day in the U.S. and the day of the public visitation for hockey legend Gordie Howe (“Mr. Hockey”), at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Two cycles since the March for Liberty and Freedom of Expression in Paris in defiance of the horrific attack against Charlie Hebdo journalists and cartoonists.

2 Eb’ (June 15th) – “dynamic animating vitality”, in Maya mythology the energy that was in place when the first “stairway” was created that descended from the heavens, this time in place at the time of Gordie Howe’s funeral. The image here would likely be “Mr. Hockey” climbing the stairs.

3 B’en (June 16th) – the “activation” of personal authority, as in the inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the 32nd U.S. President in 1933. On this day commemoration ceremonies will be held in South Africa to mark the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the Soweto Uprising, one of the major turning points in the anti-apartheid struggle, when an estim. 20,000 high school students protested for better education (at least 170 were killed in the struggle). Also the Maya birth energy of the extraordinarily inventive Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets.

4 Ix (June 17th) – a “defining” energy associated with the jaguar and the mysteries of the earth, at the time of the observance of Kuan Kung birthday’s in Taiwan (aka Guan Gong, he was a kind of benefic warlord known as a great and righteous protector, able to deflect all negative energy). Also the start of the Glowfairfestival in Ottawa. Two cycles since Charlie Hebdo published one million copies, instead of the usual 60,000.

5 Men (June 18th) – a “blessing” type of energy associated with the Eagle’s “higher vision”

6 Kib’ (June 19th) – an “everywhere” type of energy associated with the “restoration of order”, the energy that brought in the “first light” during the creation sequence, this time in conjunction with Father’s day and the “New Fire” of the energy in place when the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by LBJ. Maya birth energy of Albert Namatjira, the first indigenous person in Australia to be granted official citizenship. Through the creation of richly detailed watercolours of the outback he departed from many traditional styles and pioneered contemporary aboriginal art in Australia.

7 Kab’an (June 20th) – “self-generating movement”, an energy that, in the past, has generated a lot of Earth-oriented action and movement, this time coinciding with the Full Moon, Summer Solstice, and World Refugee Day.

8 Etz’nab (June 21st) – the “resurrection of flint” – a knife-edged energy that can often be quite divisive or decisive, this time coinciding with National Aboriginal Day in Canada, and the U.N.’s International Day of Yoga

9 Kawak (June 22nd) – “outward projecting storm”; a possibility for significant weather events or for situations requiring great compassion, this time coinciding with the start of the Glastonbury Music Festival, which will include tributes to both David Bowie and Prince. Musician Glenn Frey’s Maya birthday, whose passing was also mourned by millions earlier this year.

10 Ajaw (June 23rd) – “foundational enlightenment” – an important Burner Day aligned with “taking the fire” in conjunction with Ajaw’s “full sun” energy, the day when there will be a major tribute to David Bowie at Glastonbury. This is also the day of the EU referendum in the UK when voters will decide whether Britain will remain in the EU.

11 Imix (June 24th) – “inspirational new birth” (realm of all potential) at the time of International Fairy Day and the Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun – see above), Cusco’s biggest festival

12 Ik’ (June 25th) – a “collecting together” type of force associated with wind, breath, and spirit; an excellent type of energy for conferencing or “putting heads together” to develop or share ideas, to “rally round” an idea or issue, and to make voices heard.

13 Ak’b’al (June 26th) – as the last day of this “creation sequence” trecena, this is a transformational energy aligned with deep esoteric mysteries. Associated with the “temple or house”, this is a powerful earth-oriented energy that sometimes can have profound personal implications as reflected in the Emancipation Proclamation that was signed in the U.S. under this influence in 1862; this energy often brings forth severe weather conditions. Last day of the Glastonbury Music Festival.

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[Please note that the brief descriptions of the days provided above are only “thumbnail sketches”. Much greater detail can be found in Manual for the Soul: A Guide to the Energies of Life.]