Watch out for the fireworks, but not just because Hallowe’en is coming! In Brazil the highly consequential run-off election that will determine who will be the next president of that country takes place on the third day of this trecena. Then, near the end of the trecena, the midterm elections in the U.S. will determine the shape and character of the governing bodies for the next two years. The leadup to these elections has already been intense, and the pressure keeps building.

While all of this is going on, the war in Ukraine continues to rage, and estimates of the destruction and loss of lives are now revealing staggering numbers, with no real sign of abatement, even though there was a slight hint of drawback earlier on. To make matters worse, both Russian and NATO have engaged in nuclear exercises during the last part of the last trecena, involving the testing of inter-continental ballistic missiles, and tensions are high in Korea due to the recent ballistic missile tests in the North. South Korea, the US, and Japan have been holding large-scale military exercises, to bolster their defences. Note that this was the trecena in place 39 years ago (1983) when a Korean airline was shot down by the Soviets, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war. The fact that this kind of sabre-rattling is taking place at this time, during this particular trecena, is troubling, to say the least.

So here we are again, teetering on the thin edge of this “knife” related trecena, waiting and praying for the return of sanity. As we journey through this time frame we are, once again, working with energies that can highlight sharp contrasts, with Etz’nab’ (Flint) serving as the “knife-edge” between two opposing forces. This can play out in many different ways, even to the point of “severing” realities, thereby triggering massive change.

The last time this trecena was in place (last February), it seemed as though we were reaching a tipping point. Among other things, the madness of right-wing conspiracy theorists continued to create havoc in the US, Russia was poised to invade Ukraine, hundreds of truckers were causing a crisis in Ottawa, and overall there were no easy solutions in sight. Over the past nine months, it has become evident that stubborn denial, brutish behaviour, and loyalty to a false idol have become the norm for far too many. However, the wheels of justice have been turning, albeit slowly, as investigations and prosecutions have been pursued. In many areas it seems that some sense of progress has been made. But now the questions become: Has it been enough? With elections looming, will enough logic and reason and civility and humanity break through, not only in the US, but elsewhere, to enable us to make some major leaps forward, or will there be major backslides into chaos? A great deal is at stake during this period. The nature of the road ahead will be determined by the outcomes of events that will take place at this time.

Fortunately, events that unfold during this time frame often involve the cutting away of whatever no longer “works” in order to foment change. There is often a sense of dualities being brought into stark contrast so that whatever is no longer needed can be easily identified and neutralized. This is even reflected in the nature of the patron energies of this time period, with one representing the warmth of the sun and the other representing the coldness of the Underworld.

During this period it is not unusual for events of a “shocking” nature to take place, as opposing forces vie for dominance. It is also possible that events can become so compelling, or issues so urgent, that they can provide the “spark” that can initiate new forms of thought or action. Given the elections, the war in Ukraine, the war mongering, and climate change issues, among other things, the potential for multiple “sparks” of this nature is very, very high at this time.

As we go through this period, the elections in Brazil and the U.S., and the war in Ukraine will be principal focal points for millions of people. But of equal (or greater) importance will be the opening of the UN conference on climate change (COP27) in Egypt, two days before the U.S. election, which will be attended by leaders and officials from more than 200 countries. The emphasis will be on finding ways to fulfill promises made under the Paris Agreement at COP21 where countries pledged, collectively, to cut their greenhouse emissions enough to keep the planet from heating up more than 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), compared with pre-industrial times. Overall there has been widespread failure to meet targets set in 2016, and many disasters (such as the catastrophic flooding in Pakistan) have occurred since then. Given the UN’s urgent warning, just the day before the start of this current trecena, that the climate crisis has reached a “really bleak moment”, the need for global collective action has become acute. At this point one might ask: Why will the new British Prime Minister not be in attendance at this summit?

As noted in earlier blogs, many significant events that have changed the fate of nations have taken place within the context of this Etz’nab’ trecena. In 1814 this was the trecena that knocked Napoléon Bonaparte off his self-styled lofty perch and exiled him in disgrace to a small island, bringing the grandiose Napoléonic era to an ignominious end. So surely these same energies can play a key role in dealing with a would-be dictator who has continuously weaponized disinformation and mal-information in his efforts to foment anarchy and procure power. Expect significant developments along these lines as this trecena unfolds.

Indeed, many things of a “shocking” nature have taken place during this trecena in years past, including assassinations. In 1933 this was the trecena that was in place when Herr Hitler and other Nazis stepped in to consolidate their authoritarian power after the Reichstag fire in Berlin, a pivotal event in the establishment of the Nazi regime. In 1948 Mahatma Ghandi was killed on the first day of this trecena, and in 2019 General Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s top military commander, was assassinated by a US drone strike. This was the trecena that was in place at the time of the devastating 7.0 earthquake that flattened Haiti in 2010, at the time of Superstorm Sandy on the east coast of the US in 2012, at the time of the terrifying attack on Charlie Hebdo journalists and cartoonists in Paris in 2015, and at the time of the horrific fire that consumed the roof and spire of the famed Notre Dame de Paris cathedral in 2019.

Significantly, this trecena was in place in 2014 when the Ukrainian government began mobilizing its military for “large scale anti-terrorist operations” after a day of violence in eastern Ukraine when government buildings in several cities were seized by heavily armed, masked pro-Russian activists. Five years later, as 2019 drew to a close, a “full and comprehensive” ceasefire between Russia and eastern Ukraine came into effect, echoing other instances in world history where particular trecenas have seen the beginnings and endings of specific conflicts. BUT, the last time this trecena was in place it was frighteningly evident that a massive buildup of Russian forces was taking place on Ukraine’s border once again, and by the end of the trecena it was clear that Putin had issued a “go” order in his attempt to seize control of Ukraine.

In the US this particular trecena has brought forth many massive anti-Trump strikes and protest demonstrations, starting in early 2017, with themes such as the “National Day of Action to Push Back Against Assaults on Democratic Principles”; the nationwide “Not My President’s Day” protest marches; the huge “Day Without Latinos, Immigrants, and Refugees” demonstrations; the Refuse Fascism protests; and Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Within the context of such events many stark contrasts in “realities” have come into view, and with each event the divisions in that country became more and more exposed. And now, with the leadup to the midterms elections, and the US elections themselves, taking place within the context of this timeframe, the very stark contracts between the two political arenas in the US will be dramatically illuminated once again. Sparks will fly, and issues associated with “justice vs. injustice”, “sanity vs. insanity”, and “order vs. anarchy” will be starkly contrasted once again. As this is a trecena that often brings an end to specific forms of “reality”, prior to the creation of something new, it will be interesting to see how all of this plays out by the end of this time period.

And on a completely different note, we see that Hallowe’en, Day of the Dead, and several related festivities will be coming up during this period. In Egypt there is also the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb.

As always, this is an opportune time for personal reassessment, a great time to cut away whatever no longer “works” in order to make adjustments that could lead to new forms of thought or action. It is a favorable time to “clean house” (both physically and metaphorically) in preparation for the “creation” energies that will follow in the next trecena. But proceed with caution, as this tends to be one of the most intense and consequential 13-day periods in the entire 260-day cycle – definitely a time to “tread carefully”. Here are the energies that will be in play:

One Etz’nab’ (Oct. 28th) – the “initiation” of Flint, a sparkling, attention-getting “shock and awe” type of energy that can dazzle and/or divide and separate, on Day 5 of the Trump Organization’s criminal trial in New York. This marks exactly one cycle since Russia and Belarus undertook joint military exercises, reportedly one of the largest joint military exercises ever held. That was the day when it was reported that the National Archives in the U.S. asked the justice department to investigate the dumpster’s handling of official government papers, as 15 boxes of papers that should have turned over to the NA were illegally taken to his home in Florida. On-going FBI investigations in this regard are focusing not only on the fact that he removed those records and tried to conceal them, but also on his possible violations of the Espionage Act, among other things. It is likely that many new developments in this regard could unfold during this 13-day period.

In 1814 this was the energy in place when France’s Senate passed a resolution to depose Napoléon Bonaparte (or “cast him down from the throne”, as noted in their decree).

Three cycles since the publication of Michael Cohen’s book titled Disloyal, a Memoir, the story of someone who witnessed firsthand what went on in the dumpster’s world for over a decade. Cohen’s newest book called Revenge was released earlier this month, and Michael is now reporting daily on developments related to that criminal trial. He issues “Stark Warnings” to those who are still in what he terms the “MAGA Cult”, advising them to “leave before it’s too late”.

It has now been one cycle since the “Freedumb” seige in Ottawa by the “FluTruxKlan” had reached crisis levels, as the government and the city of Ottawa were looking for ways to bring an end to it. Currently an inquiry is underway as to whether it was truly necessary to invoke the rarely-used Emergencies Act in order to bring an end to the occupation by the end of the trecena last February.

2 Kawak (Oct. 29th) – “dynamic storm, catalyzation”, often manifested as the “generation of a storm, or a storm of compassion” – a highly cause-oriented energy often fueled by strong emotion or great passion, as was in place nine cycles ago, in June of 2016,  when Hillary Clinton emphatically warned that electing the “dangerously incoherent” dumpster would be an historic mistake, as she highlighted what that might trigger. Precisely one cycle later, on 2 Kawak in February of 2017, people were already acknowledging the truth of her warning through a nationwide General Strike/National Day of Action in the U.S. at the same time as The Washington Post unveiled their new slogan: “Democracy Dies in Darkness”.

This is the 100th Gregorian anniversary of the day in 1922 when the Fascist leader Mussolini demanded that King Victor Emmanuel of Italy hand over to him and his organization complete control of Italy’s government, under the threat that he would mobilize his 800,000 supporters and fight his way to power. The king agreed and allowed him to form a cabinet (the Maya date was the jaguar-oriented 7 Ix).

3 Ajaw (Oct. 30th) – the “Activation of Enlightenment” – an important Burner Day traditionally oriented around the idea of “announcing the fire”. This is the first of four Ajaw related “Burner Days” that run from here until Dec. 29th, so whatever is “in the works” would be “announced” around this time. Traditionally this is a point where clarity can suddenly break through on important issues, with Ajaw’s “full sun” illuminating things that previously may have been hidden. (There are 20 days between each of these Burner “stations” – the next one will be in the next trecena.) In the Maya Long Count calendar this is a Tun Shift marker day, as the Long Count clicks over to 13.0.10.0.0. This is the day for the run-off election in Brazil.

In 1814 this was the energy in place when Napoléon Bonaparte abdicated the throne, and in 1944 this was one of the days when an attempt was made to assassinate Hitler. In 1983 this was the energy in place when the Soviets shot down a Korean airline, bringing the world to the brink of nuclear war.

Currently this marks two 260-day cycles since the announcement of the discovery of the graves of the 215 indigenous children at the former Kamloops residential school, on Tk’emlups te Secwépemc First Nation, which really began to “wake people up” to the severity of the abuses that had been inflicted on Canada’s indigenous nations for over a century.

4 Imix (Oct. 31st) – representative of the sun working with the waters of creation to bring something new into being, this is a “defining” type of energy associated with “birth” (ie. a “whole new world” or a “whole new way of thinking”), coinciding at this time with UNICEF Day and with the UN’s 9th global celebration of World Cities Day, with this year’s observance being held in Shanghai, China around the Theme: Act Local to go Global.

This is also both Hallowe’en, and Samhain, associated with the ancient Celtic festival that marked the end of harvest and the beginning of winter and “the dark half of the year”.

5 Ik’ (Nov. 1st) – the “blessing” of wind/breath, and spirit – an energy that could enhance communication and perhaps even assist with bringing clarity or the idea of “hope” with regard to critical issues or events, coinciding at this time with All Saints’ Day and Dia de los Inocentes – the part of Mexico’s Day of the Dead festival that focuses on remembrances for the young who have died. The final day of the celebration is the next day. Marigolds are prominent at this time in Mexico.

This is also the beginning of Native-American heritage month, and the start of the 27th RNCI Red Nation International Film Festival (The Authentic Voice of American Indian and Indigenous Cinema), which runs from Nov. 1-30.

6 Ak’b’al (Nov. 2nd) – a “structuring” type of energy sometimes associated with “home and/or sanctuary”, but also “the darkness before dawn”, coinciding at this time with Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) in Mexico and in many other areas, particularly throughout Latin American communities. Given the understanding that there is much beyond the end of life on this plane, keep in mind that Mexico’s Day of the Day is all about “laughing” at death. It is also All Soul’s Day, the third component of the Christian observances of Allhollowtide (the “time to remember the dead”), that includes All Saints’ Eve (Hallowe’en), All Saints’ Day and All Soul’s Day. Feliz Día de los Muertos!

This was the energy in place in June of 1917 when the first of 14,000 US soldiers began arriving at the port of St Nazaire in France to join the Allied forces in fighting against Germany during World War I.

7 K’an (Nov. 3rd) – “self-generating germination”, situated at the pivotal middle point in this “knife edged” trecena, coinciding with UNESCO’s International Day Against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying. This marks four Calendar Rounds since the 7 K’an 17 Sak day in 1814 when the Treaty of Ghent was signed, bringing an end to the War of 1812 between Britain and the U.S.

At this point it has been nine cycles since Hillary Clinton became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in 2016, a day seen as an historic milestone for women.

8 Chikchan (Nov. 4th) – the “resurrection of Lifeforce”, the perfect energy to be in place at the opening of the three-day “Transcending Eternity” conference in Egypt, marking the 100th Gregorian anniversary of Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb.

This marks the completion of four 260-day cycles since late December of 2019 when Dr. Li Wenliang issued the first warning to colleagues that there were 7 confirmed cases of coronavirus in his hospital in Wuhan.

In 1945, near the end of World War II, this was the Maya energy in place at the beginning of the push by the Canadian Forces to liberate the Western Netherlands.

9 Kimi (Nov. 5th) – the “outward projection of death/new foundations” – a critical marker point, as it has now been four cycles exactly since New Year’s Eve in 2019 when China alerted the WHO about several pneumonia cases that were, in fact, Covid-19 cases. That was the first official announcement about the coronavirus. Just one cycle after that (mid-September of 2020) the global number of cases had reached 30 million and the US had recorded some 200,000 deaths. One cycle after that (June 2021) the energy of 9 Kimi brought the US death toll to over 600,000. By that time the global number of cases had reached almost 173 million, with 3.7 million deaths.

At the current rate those numbers will be over 650 million global cases by this time, with over 6.5 million deaths globally. The US will be nearing 100 million cases, with well over a million deaths from covid. Fortunately, the rate of new cases and recorded deaths is now trending downwards significantly in most areas.

In the UK this is Guy Fawkes day (and Bonfire Night), in remembrance of the “Gunpowder Plot” of 1605 when Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Palace of Westminster during England’s state opening of Parliament.

This is the UN’s 7th World Tsunami Awareness Day, part of a campaign to invest in
resilient infrastructures, early warning systems, and education to help alleviate tsunami risks. This also marks 2 Calendar Rounds (2 x 52 years) since the beginning the allied forces’ occupation of the Rhineland during WWI.

10 Manik’ (Nov. 6th) – the “bare-bones”/foundational energy of “source” combined with that of the sun-carrying Deer, symbolic of reciprocity but also sacrifice, coinciding with the ending of Daylight Savings Time, on the UN’s International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.

This is the opening day of the UN’s 27th Climate Change Conference (COP 27), in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, as world leaders gather to continue working on ways to fulfill promises made at COP21 under the Paris Agreement where countries pledged, collectively, to cut their greenhouse emissions enough to keep the planet from heating up more than 1.5 degrees C (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), compared with pre-industrial times. All sectors of society appear to be failing to meet previously set targets (set in 2016), and so the global climate change challenge continues.

In 1814 this was the energy in place at the time of the signing of the Treaty of Fontainebleau that stripped Napoléon Bonaparte of his powers as ruler of the French Empire.

11 Lamat (Nov. 7th) – a “bright light” kind of energy that often heralds something new, or some significant change, coinciding at this time with the first day of the World Leaders’ Summit at COP27, and marking ten cycles since the launch of the UN’s sustainable development agenda called “The 2030 Agenda” which was seen as “the new universal agenda for humanity” aimed at bringing an end to world poverty and biodiversity loss. But that was in 2015 and the clock keeps ticking!

One cycle ago (last February) this was the energy in place when Western allies concurred that Russian president Putin has issued a “go” order for his plans to seize control of Ukraine. At that time they were expecting a multi-pronged Russian assault to begin any day, possibly culminating in what they thought might be a “lightning war”. The following day Putin ordered his Defence Ministry to dispatch Russian “peacekeepers” to Eastern Ukraine’s two breakaway regions, after he signed decrees to recognize the “independence” of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and the Lugansk People’s Republic, defying Western warnings that such a step would be illegal.

Three cycles ago this was in place at the time of the death of the legendary US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of the most admired, respected, and influential women in the US. This quickly turned into “the crisis of the Supreme Court” as politicians wrangled over who would replace her.

In 1933 this was the energy in place on that pivotal day in Berlin in 1933 when a fire broke out at the Reichstag (assembly location of the German government). That was when Herr Hitler and other Nazis stepped in to consolidate their authoritarian power – a “pivotal” event in the establishment of the Nazi regime.

This is the 50th Gregorian anniversary of the day in 1972 when Joe Biden defeated an older, more established, candidate in Delaware, to win the race for the US Senate.

12 Muluk (Nov. 8th) – a “pulling together” or “grouping together” type of energy associated with water, a good time for people to find ways to be adaptable and to “put heads together” to search for new pathways or find new solutions to problems – – on midterm Election Day in the U.S., and the second day of the World Leaders’ Summit at COP27 in Egypt.

This is generally a very intense energy that can create situations where people have no choice but to work together to find solutions. Intriguingly, this is coinciding with the Full Beaver Moon, and a Total Lunar Eclipse. In Canada this is Indigenous Veteran’s Day.

Significant events that have taken place in the past under this 12 Muluk influence include:

• Napoléon’s attempt to end his own life in 1814, after his abdication, rather than face a life in exile.
• The Reichstag Fire Decree in 1933 that enabled Hitler’s regime to arrest and incarcerate political opponents without specific charges, dissolve political organizations, and suppress publications.
• the start of Kristallnacht (“Night of Broken Glass”), in 1938, when Nazis destroyed 7500 businesses, burned 267 synagogues, killed at least 91 Jews, and arrested over 25,000 Jewish men
• the massive protest demonstrations in Moscow against election fraud, in 2012, the day after Russia’s presidential elections
• Canada’s House of Commons vote to support PM Trudeau’s decision to invoke the rarely-used Emergencies Act, one cycle ago, to end the pandemic-related protests that had paralyzed Ottawa for over 3 weeks

 

13 Ok (Nov. 9th) associated with “transformational love” or “transformational fire”, this is an energy that holds the potential to be a real “scorcher”, marking 15 cycles since a massive solar flare erupted from the sun in 2012, one of the strongest ever recorded, and 12 cycles since the peak of a powerful X1.3-class solar flare in 2014 (that erupted the night before), which triggered temporary communications blackouts at the time of a Mercury Superior Conjunction.

This energy can manifest as the final big push away from “sacrifice and separation” towards greater freedom, creativity, and integration, as seen in the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolution in 1783. In 1814 this was the energy in place when the Treaty of Fontainebleau was ratified, when Napoléon Bonaparte abdicated his powers unconditionally. The former Emperor of the French “renounced for himself, his successors and descendants, all rights of sovereignty and domination in France and in Europe” and agreed to retreat into exile on the island of Elba.

Currently, across Thailand this is the day for the traditional Loy Krathong (Festival of Lights) and Yi Peng (sky lantern) celebrations. At this time purification rituals take place to float away bad luck while paying respect to the goddess of water. For Loy Krathong small containers containing candles, incense sticks, and flowers are floated on bodies of water to symbolize the letting go of past mistakes and negative thoughts. The purpose of Loy Krathong is to enlighten the mind and bring good fortune. Loy = “to float” and krathong = “container”.

Here’s hoping that the U.S. election the day before has helped to wash away the “past mistakes and negative thoughts” that preceded it. One can dream, n’est-ce pas? In any case, a new trecena, associated with “creation” energies, begins the day after this one.

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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.]