A brilliant Full Moon ushers in a brand new 260-day count, providing us with yet another opportunity to work through the Imix-to-Ajaw (birth to enlightenment) cycle of energies. As this first trecena of the new cycle gets underway the Moon Goddess (who is aligned with the power of birth) is working in tandem with Imix, the birth-oriented “generative nucleus” that begins and carries forward this initiatory 13-day period aligned with the “realm of all potential” , thereby setting the stage for new ideas or opportunities.

With the affirmation by nineteen of the G20 member countries, on the final day of the last cycle, that the Paris Climate Agreement is irreversible, “without exception”, emphasis can now be placed on moving forward on implementation, so this Imix trecena will see action being taken on this front.

A global perspective is also being taken at the Blue Dot Festival at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in the UK at this time, as the end of the old cycle transforms into the beginning of the new one, as over 200 stronomers and astrophysicists headline a festival of discovery to raise awareness about the fragility of Planet Earth and its place in the cosmos. Such actions are in perfect synch with this trecena as this is a very “world-making” type of energy, often oriented around that more expansive view of reality.

At this time it may be important to keep in mind that as much as this is a new beginning, a time of “birthing” new possibilities, it still has the potential to be quite chaotic. The process of “birthing” can be painful and dramatic as “anything” can happen as a new “being” struggles to make its entry into the world. Most assuredly this was what happened last October.

As it happened the Imix trecena was the last full trecena before the U.S. election, and it was at precisely the mid point of this trecena when FBI director James Comey sent a letter to Congress saying he was reopening his investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server in light of “new information found but not yet examined”. Even though many argued at the time that this action was likely in violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits interference with an election, it was an action that prompted Trump to claim that she would be indicted, as he urged his followers to “lock her up”.  Even though Comey reported, nine days later, that there was nothing new or incriminating about the information, this “October Surprise” caused such a furor that it changed the course of the election. Many saw Comey’s action as “a mistake of historic proportions”.

In 2006 it was the Imix trecena that brought forth a major Democratic sweep in U.S. midterm elections, as the Democrats took control of both houses of Congress. At that time Nancy Pelosi was elected as House Democratic leader, becoming the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives in American history.

Often, during this trecena, there is a focus on the cosmos as many pioneering events have occurred during this period, as when the first human ascent into the stratosphere took place in 1931. Under the auspices of this trecena test pilot Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, in 1947, and then in 1957 the launch of Sputnik I kicked off the space race.

Other important “firsts” brough forth during this “birthing” time frame include the landing of NASA’s Spirit Rover on Mars (in 2004) and the first flight powered entirely by solar energy by the experimental Solar Impulse 1 (in 2010).

This trecena seems often to open portals to the cosmos itself – as happened in 1925, when the astronomer Edwin Hubble chose this trecena to announce the existence of galaxies other than the Milky Way, which greatly expanded our awareness of the great cosmic expanse. In 2013 this was the trecena that saw the launch of the European Space Agency’s Gaia probe on a 5.5 year observational campaign to map this Milky Way galaxy. Such events certainly open new realms of thought, prompting inquiry into unexplored frontiers.

During this opening of “the realm of all potential”, new tactics or “new beginnings” often come into play on many fronts, as happened when the internet became active under the influence of One Imix in 1969, signalling a dramatic, quantum shift in the nature of world communications. Then two cycles ago, in early February of last year, came the historic announcement about the discovery of gravitational waves that cause distortions in spacetime, as anticipated by Albert Einstein decades ago. This new discovery was called “transformational”, as this opens the door to the detection of completely different kinds of information, and is seen as the beginning of gravitational wave astronomy.

Seven cycles ago, during the summer of 2012, a series of powerful coronal mass ejections narrowly missed hitting Earth during this trecena, which was indeed fortunate as the effect would have been highly problematic.

So although this trecena has the potential to be chaotic as new ventures or ideas are taking shape, this is also a trecena that can prompt people to think “beyond the box”, embark on new adventures, and possibly even find solutions to long simmering problems. These are the energies that will come into play:

1 Imix (July 9th) – the initiation of the “realm of all potential”, accompanied by the Full Buck Moon (aka the Thunder Moon). This is the third and final day of the Blue Dot festival, described as “an intergalactic festival of music, science, arts, culture, and the exploration of space”, where over 200 astronomers and astrophysicists are sharing information about the cosmos and its workings. One of its most important messages:
“Look again at that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us.” (Carl Sagan)

As the 16th annual Malabar Naval Exercises between the U.S., India, and Japan begin at this time, and carry through to July 17th, hopefully they will be mindful of the need for protection for this planet, not more aggression. This is also the day when a ceasefire is scheduled to come into effect in southwest Syria, and the day of the massive “March for Justice” rally in Turkey.

2 Ik’ (July 10th) – a dynamic energy associated with “wind, breath, and spirit”, as was in place when Solar Impulse I made its first flight powered entirely by solar energy (in 2010), charging its batteries in flight. At the present time this particular Two Ik’ coincides with the beginning of the Maya month of Xul, symbolized by both a dog and a baby jaguar, but also traditionally associated with Kukulcan (known as Quetzalcoatl to the Aztec), the great Feathered Serpent, who was thought to descend from the heavens to collect offerings at the end of this Maya month. Xul can also translate as “end” which suggests, at this point, that there might be some consequential endings during this period, coming into play at the same time as the formulation of new beginnings. The resignation of the director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) just four days ago is re-emphasizing the gravity of the instability in Washington.

3 Ak’b’al (July 11th) – the activation of darkness, associated with deep mysteries and sometimes the unexpected, this time coinciding with World Population Day.   Precisely eight cycles ago (in 2011) the UN estimated that the global population officially hit 7 billion, which is quite astonishing since the Day of Five Billion was celebrated only 30 years ago as of this day. But considering that just five decades before that (in 1933) it was estimated to be less that two billion, this is quite alarming. [See worldometers that show the rising population, and an interactive map on world population history]

Currently this energy coincides with the 2017 Family Planning Summit in London, where emphasis is being placed on finding ways to accelerate progress in providing worldwide access to family planning.

4 K’an (July 12th) – a “defining” energy associated with the resurrection of youthful vitality, coinciding at this time with the Calendar Round (New Fire) anniversary of a “pivotal moment” in rock history, at the Newport Folk Festival, when Bob Dylan made the shift from folk singer to rock star (the moment when he went to electric guitar to sing “Like a Rollin’ Stone”).

Currently on this 4 K’an day Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Prize winning activist for female education, celebrates her 20th birthday. Also the 100th anniversary of the birth of the renowned artist Andrew Wyeth. The first of two days of Manhattanhenge in New York at 8:20 p.m. EDT, when the setting sun aligns with Manhattan’s street grid.

5 Chikchan (July 13th) – associated with the “blessing of lifeforce”, on the second of two days of Manhattanhenge. The 100th anniversary of the alleged third appearance of the Virgin Mary at Fatima, when she revealed the “third secret” (re the consecration of Russia) to three children.

6 Kimi (July 14th)  a “foundational” type of energy that can often manifest as a kind of “equalization everywhere” type of force, which can often bring a sense of “release”; sometimes oriented around the setting of foundations for restructuring or for “regeneration”. In France nationwide celebrations will take place for Bastille Day [commemorating the critical turning point in the French Revolution of 1789, when the Bastille (where many dissidents were imprisoned) was stormed – a significant event that led to the overthrow of the monarchy].

This day marks the first anniversary of the day last year when 86 people were killed and 434 injured in a terrorist attack on a promenade in Nice.

7 Manik’ (July 15th) – a “self-generating” type of energy generally associated with the idea of reciprocity – often good energy for “generating sustenance”, for being involved in humanitarian activities, or for working through negotiations or joint ventures. But there can also be a strong sacrificial aspect to it as well, as happened on its last occurrence last October, less than two weeks before the U.S. election, when FBI Director James Comey delivered the “October Surprise” when he sent a letter to Congress indicating that he was “reopening” the investigation into Clinton’s emails.

8 Lamat (July 16th) – a “resurrection” of the Venus-oriented “heralding” energy aligned with leadership, coinciding at this time with the last day of the Calgary Stampede and the 250th anniversary of the canonization of St. Joseph by Pope Clement XIII. Traditionally a Maya “Celebration of Abundance” day, this energy was known as “Rabbit” in some ancient Mesoamerican regions, and was seen as a symbol of abundance and proliferation. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Maya birthday.

9 Muluk (July 17th) – representative of “the outward projection of water”, this is a path-finding and often “shape-shifting” type of force, correlating at this time with the 100th anniversary of the royal proclamation of the House of Windsor – when King George V changed the name of his family from the German House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the House of Windsor.  Also the day of the popular Yamaboko Junko (grand parade) in Kyoto with its massive Gion Matsuri floats 

10 Ok (July 18th) – a Burner Day representative of “foundational” fire (or “heart fire”), often
associated with love, protection, guidance, and justice, this time in conjunction with Nelson
Mandela International Day and the 70th anniversary of the U.K. Act of Parliament that gave royal assent for the partitioning of British India into the two separate independent dominions of India and Pakistan. Traditionally this would have been seen as an energy that “takes the fire”, as in the sense of setting something up for action. This energy can also provide a “course correction” if some significant adjustments are needed to a course of action. The date when John Horgan will be sworn in as B.C.’s new premier.

11 Chuwen (July 19th) – a “change” oriented, “timeweaver” type of energy – the energy that brought forth the first untethered space walk in 1984. This is an energy that can prompt us to have fun, but also remind us to “be on our toes”.  On this day Walter Shaub, director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) will depart from office. Given how frequently the White House has disregarded his recommendations he felt that his job was “pointless”.

12 Eb’ (July 20th) – a “gathering together”, “stream-of-consciousness” type of energy, this force can be quite intense, often containing within it a “spark” or “essence of revitalization” that hints at refreshing new possibilities, coinciding at this time with the 48th anniversary of the first moon landing, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon, and with the opening of Comic-Con International 2017 in San Diego (the longest continuously-run comics and popular arts convention in the U.S.).

13 B’en (July 21st) – “transformational personal authority”, an energy under which many strongly transformative events have taken place in the past, as in the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, the inception of the Russian Revolution of 1917, the launch of Sputnik I by the USSR (signalling the beginning of the Space Age) in 1957, the inception of the Islamic Revolution in Iran (in 1979), and the election of Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 (a position she assumed several weeks later).

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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.]