Emergence, liberation, and the triumph of lifeforce over death – these are forces that tend to factor strongly into the context of the Chikchan trecena. Within the 260 day cycle the beginning  of this trecena marks the start of the third 52-day period, a time often associated with both justice and “awakening”.

At the moment the need for liberation and awakening is profound in so many areas, not only in circumstances that scream for justice, fairness, and equality, but also in areas that have been brought to their knees by great natural tragedies, as can be seen in Puerto Rico. With much of that country still without power and without drinking water or access to fresh food a whole month after being hit full force by Hurricane Maria, millions continue to suffer under appalling conditions. How can there even be a debate about when and how to provide assistance?

But this is a trecena that has been known to strongly energize and push people into action. Great passion and intensity, and even bravery, often comes into play at this time, in keeping with Chikchan’s lifeforce-oriented nature. While the debate goes on as to how much federal aid the U.S. will provide, organizations such as World Central Kitchen have been stepping into the breech. That organization alone has provided over one million meals for the people of Puerto Rico.

Aligned with justice, freedom, higher knowledge, cyclical renewal, and even the triumph of lifeforce over death this force can be highly transformative. This is the energy of the great Plumed Serpent – an energy so vibrant  and inspirational that it was the focal point for all that was sacred in Mesoamerica prior to the 16th century Spanish intrusion.

In 1776 that push towards a new state of being was significantly in evidence when the U.S. Declaration of Independence was adopted on the ninth day of this trecena, and again in 1960 when John F. Kennedy delivered his acceptance speech on the first day of this time frame after narrowly winning the presidential election. In that speech an echo of this energy push could be heard in Kennedy’s pledge to devote himself “to the cause of freedom around the world”. As it happens this is also the trecena that will bring forth the release (on 6 Ok, Oct. 26th) of all the remaining previously sealed records pertaining to the JFK assassination.

This idea of freedom and the opening up of new possibilities seems to be a common theme during this sequence. Often infusing people with a strong sense of “mission”, this energy sequence has often fomented world-shifting actions, as when Hernan Cortés and his conquistadores accepted the surrender of the Aztecs at Tenochtitlan on the first day of this trecena in 1521, after defeating them in a fierce battle. Just over 100 years ago it was this trecena that kicked off the German invasion of Belgium and Britain’s declaration of war against Germany at the beginning of WWI. And then four years later this energy also brought that war to an end, precisely six Tzolk’in cycles after it began.

As mentioned the last time this trecena appeared, we are now paralleling exactly the energies that were in place in 1861 at the start of the U.S. Civil War. One Chikchan at this time brings the return of the precise day + month energies that were in place three Calendar Rounds ago (3 x 52 years), on Nov. 15th, 1861, when Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States, declared that this day be set aside as “a day of fasting,  humiliation and prayer” as he called on the South to implore God to bring victory. It was a day that brought a welcomed respite for the soldiers who had been engaged in recent battles. As always, this was a shift-point day, a day to “catch one’s breath” and regroup.

Five cycles ago the beginning of this trecena coincided with the release of a 2610 page report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the perils of climate change and the dire need to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The report emphasized the risks to the planet on multiple levels from destruction of the ecosystem to species extinction to the threats to food production, and led to the development of the historic Climate Change Accord which was signed by 196 nations in April of 2016.  Even though implementation of that accord has been hampered by the current U.S. president’s denial of climate change, many states and organizations have chosen to honour that agreement on their own and so work in this area continues regardless of the wanton ignorance that he has demonstrated in this regard.

It is becoming vividly clear that, after nine months of despicable behavior in almost every area imaginable, Trump is failing in every possible way, as predicted by many. With his administration in continual disarray, with evidence piling up by those who are investigating the actions that led to what is essentially an illegitimate occupation of the White House, and with more and more people (even from within his own party) speaking out against the injustices that he has been both initiating and perpetuating, the forces of justice and opposition to malevolence are steadily gaining strength and cohesion.

Last January, in his insightful “A Clarifying Moment in American History” during which he highlighted the many reasons why Trump will ultimately fail, Eliot Cohen provided the reminder of Lincoln’s way of seeing the story of the U.S. as perpetual story of “a rebirth of freedom”. At that time he advised Americans to “steel themselves” for the fight against the current administration and hold their representatives to account. So many people have been doing just that as the months have dragged on and the battles have been raged. With the Chikchan trecena now back in place it is an opportune time to step up the fight, to call for justice and dignity and fairness and honour wherever they are lacking, and to push mightily against the darkness so that lifeforce and liberation can once again triumph. As this is a time (energy-wise) when a major shift from one state of being into another has traditionally been possible, this trecena holds the potential to release blockages and push towards freedom.

Indeed, it is the Feathered Serpent’s ability to lift off the ground and fly – its ability to be a portal between Earth and the Heavens that can help us to think and act differently, that can help us to “reach for the sky”. And as it happens there are several events happening within this trecena at this time that are oriented towards the afterlife, reminding us that there are other things of importance than just the mundane day-to-day. One of these is the extraordinarily elaborate funeral of the king of Thailand. Then there is the Maya traditional Celebration of Personal Life coinciding with China’s Double Ninth Festival, with the trecena finishing up with both Hallowe’en and the Day of the Dead festivities. As this is the time of year when the boundaries between the worlds are thought to be the thinnest, we have the energy of the Plumed Serpent as an important guardian and guide. As always during this Chikchan trecena the Plumed Serpent’s Lifeforce energy will be working with each of the thirteen days as various events unfold. Here are the energies that will come into play:

1 Chikchan (Oct. 21st) – the “initiation” of Lifeforce/Higher Wisdom at the start of the third 52-day period within the 260-day cycle, an intense and highly influential position within the overall cycle, coinciding at this time with the One America Appeal concert for Hurricane Relief and the peak of the Orionids meteor shower. At the present time it is Spain that will be the focus of much attention on this day as Spain will move to activate article 155 of their constitution, which will allow it to impose direct rule over Catalonia, even though that region has recently voted on and declared independence. No doubt there will be oppposition to this move, and yet another great battle for freedom will begin.

As shown above, it was a One Chikchan 3 Sak day, precisely three Calendar Rounds ago, on Nov. 15th, 1861, when Jefferson Davis declared that this day be set aside as “a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer”, as a respite for the soldiers who had been engaged in battles during the American Civil War.

 2 Kimi (Oct. 22nd ) –  a dynamic type of energy aligned with “death” or the “return to source” which often manifests as a push-pull type of force that can shake things up and set new foundations for action (as was in place at both the beginning and end of World War I). At this time 2 Kimi coincides with the annual October 22 Coalition to Stop Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation. One cycle since the worldwide protests against the travel ban imposed by Trump. Within the past few days two federal judges blocked the third travel ban attempt that was due to go into effect four days ago.

3 Manik’ (Oct. 23rd) – the “activation” of reciprocity, symbolized by a deer that “embodies” the sun on Earth, a kind of harmonizing, “hands-on” type of energy connected with the natural world. Sen. John McCain’s Maya birth energy.

4 Lamat (Oct. 24th) – a “defining” energy associated with Venus (the sun and Venus working together), often serving as a beacon or herald, this time correlating with United Nations Day, World Development Information Day, and Global Oneness Day.

5 Muluk (Oct. 25th) – a “precision” (or “blessing”) type of energy associated with the shape-shifting energy of water; two cycles since the opening of the first World Humanitarian Summit (in Istanbul) to address the global crisis of more than 130 million people needing humanitarian help. More than 9000 participants were involved in the summit.

6 Ok (Oct. 26th) – a “stabilizing love” type of force at a time when Jupiter is at solar conjunction (on far side of the sun), coinciding with the opulent cremation of Thailand’s beloved long-reigning King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), one year after his passing.  Reportedly, the funeral pyre alone is estimated to have cost $30 million. King Adulyadej celebrated his 70th year of reign last year, four months before his passing, at which time he was the world’s longest reigning monarch.

This day is also Hillary Clinton’s 70th Gregorian birthday. In addition, this is the day when all the remaining previously sealed records pertaining to the JFK assassination are due to be released.

7 Chuwen (Oct. 27th) –“self-generating play”, a highly creative “time weaving” (and sometimes trick playing) type of energy that can sometimes conjure up things of an unusual nature, as could be seen on the last appearance of this energy when more than 400 pilot whales beached themselves on Farewell Spit on New Zealand’s South Island, the third largest stranding in recorded history.

8 Eb’ (Oct. 28th) – the “resurrection” of the pathfinding energy of vitality, associated with the “dew of life”; a day which the Maya traditionally devoted to the Celebration of Personal Life, as was in place in 1994 when Nelson Mandela won the election to become the first democratically elected State President of South Africa. At this time this energy coincides with China’s Double Ninth (Chongyang) Festival, aka Height Ascending Festival or Chrysanthemum Festival.

This is the day when many will visit the graves of ancestors to pay respects and to clean the stones. As chrysanthemums are considered to have cleansing qualities these flowers are also prominent at this time. This is also known as Seniors’ Day, as the Chinese pronunciation for the word “nine” is similar to that for the word “forever”, symbolizing longevity.

9 B’en (Oct. 29th) – the “outward projection” of “personal authority” (or “immortal personal authority”), at the time of the final funeral service for King Adulyadej, and the enshrinement of his ashes at the royal Buddhist temple of Wat Pavaranivesh Vihara in Bangkok.

This is also Barack Obama’s Maya birth energy (and the birth energy of the U.S.). Two cycles ago this was the energy in place when President Obama’s made his historic visit to Hiroshima, the first visit to that city by a U.S. president since the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. At that time the world applauded as he called for a “world without nuclear  weapons”. At that time who could have possibly imagined that the world could be brought to the brink of nuclear war by a change in leadership that would sink U.S. foreign policy so low as to allow a despicable exchange of insults that puts the lives of millions of people at risk.

On the last appearance of this energy Alec Baldwin reprised his caricature portrayal of Trump in an entire episode of Saturday Night Live.

Completion of the sixth Tzolk’in cycle for little Prince George of England.

10 Ix (Oct. 30th) – a “source” based energy associated with the jaguar and the mysteries of the earth

11 Men (Oct. 31st) – “inspirational Eagle” – a Burner Day that can bring about change or a new form of Higher Vision, correlating at this time with Hallowe’en, and with the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, marking the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. Divination was often a favourite passtime during these festivities. Even today Samhain is observed by many as the beginning of the spiritual new year.

12 Kib’ (Nov. 1st) – a “gathering together” type of energy, associated with the ability to “survey”, clean things up, and ultimately restore order, coinciding at this time with All Saints’ Day, the start of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico and elsewhere, and the start of the Bunkyo Chrysanthemum Festival in Japan. One cycle since the huge “Day Without Latinos” protest demonstrations in Wisconsin. French President Emmanuel Macron’s Maya birthday.

13 Kab’an (Nov. 2nd) – transformational movement (or earth movement), a powerful force that can bring either heavy weather conditions, or significant “movement” of an evolutionary nature, coinciding with the last day of the Day of the Dead festival in Mexico. Three cycles since astrophysicists were able to detect and observe the warping of space-time, seen as the beginning of gravitational wave astronomy.

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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.]