After a number of “enlightening” events over the past 13 days, that included approval finally being given by Turkey and tentatively by Hungary for Sweden to join NATO, we are returning to an energy period that calls upon people to tap into their inner wisdom, to muster the strength and drive to stretch upwards and outwards, to expand into the realm of new possibilities. In many cases, single individuals will be called upon during this period to muster the strength to make decisions that have the potential, literally, to change the world.

This trecena begins with One B’en, representative of the “initiation” of “self determination”, which kicks off the second 52-day period within the 260 day Tzolk’in. This is a force that often presents itself in bold ways, picking up the banner of authority, so to speak, and pointing towards new kinds of action that will play out over the next 52 day period (4 trecenas).

Robust growing corn or strong growing reeds, representative of that sense of “vigorous energy pushing through”, are highly symbolic of both the B’en daysign and this period as a whole. Many “pillar-like” symbols tie in with this idea, as could be seen in 2020 during this trecena when the symbolic nature of statues became the focus of attention during Black Lives Matter demonstrations.

Traditionally the patrons of this B’en trecena were seen as being highly oriented around the idea of cleansing and “purification”, which often involves a shifting of energies to clear out stagnation. Indeed the principal patron of this time period was seen as Chalchiuhtlicue, the Goddess of Running Water, associated with the cleansing waters of the earth. She is sometimes accompanied by Tlazoltéotl, the “Great Mother” goddess who not only represents fertility, but also forgiveness and healing. Often some sense of “renewed vitality” can be felt during this time frame, as could be seen the last time this trecena was in place (last May) when a number of volcanoes became very active, as has happened many times in the past. Tornadoes and typhoons also have a tendency to appear during this period.

The “self determination” aspect associated with this time frame often shows up quite vividly during this period, with individuals often stepping forth to “claim” authority. Often this can be seen from the perspective of leadership, associated with the idea of “standing up for justice and equality” – an idea which has often manifested through the “stepping forward” of individuals who reveal themselves to be very much aligned with justice and human rights. Indeed, it was the first day of this trecena in early January of 1960 when John F. Kennedy announced his candidacy and initiated his campaign for the US presidency. This was also the energy in place in 2011 when President Obama announced that he would be running for a second term as U.S. president. Abraham Lincoln was not only born during this trecena, but the final phase of his funeral events, followed by his interment, also took place during this time period.

Historically many huge shifts in the balance of power have taken place during this time frame, as when Hernán Cortés and his conquistadores began pushing into the interior of Mexico just over 500 years ago during this period, fomenting the devastating events that dramatically changed the whole of Mesoamerica. Several centuries later this same trecena saw the start of the Mexican revolution when the revolutionary Francisco Madero led strikes to denounce the dictator Porfirio Diaz. Given the huge protest demonstrations against Argentina’s newest dictator that are currently taking place, there could be a number of developments along those lines in that country at this time.

In 2007 this trecena was in place when Nancy Pelosi made history by becoming the first woman Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the highest ranking female lawmaker in American politics. She went on to spearhead the passage of hundreds of legislative bills.

In early 2014 some 70,000 pro-Western Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv’s Independence Square during this period in a major push to oust President Viktor Yanukovych over his alliance with Russia. Three cycles ago (in December of 2021) the reins of power in Germany were handed over to Olaf Scholz who replaced Germany’s long-serving chancellor Angela Merkel. That was when Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy was warning that his country’s intelligence service had discovered that Russia, again, was planning some sort of coup or attack against Ukraine. The last time this was in place Ukraine was preparing for a counteroffensive in an effort to push Russia back further, and President Zelenskyy visited several countries to make a strong case for assistance and support in the conflict.

Now, after over 700 days of battle, with hundreds of thousands killed or wounded, that war drags on, and legislators in the US continue to haggle over providing greater support. And then there is Gaza. It appears that a number of important new developments could be taking place in that regard and the US Director of the CIA will be involved, tentatively, in brokering a major deal to release the hostages and secure a ceasefire during the early days of this period. Clearly the skill of a number of individuals will be the deciding factor in determining whether or not that is successful.

Similarly, in the battle for sanity in the US, key decisions that will be made by a number of individuals will have significant implications for what happens in the future. Decisions relating to Trump’s New York business fraud trial, decisions made relating to the E. Jean Carroll defamation case, decisions made on the question of presidential “immunity” and eligibility, and decisions made relating to the Georgia election interference case, among others, all have huge implications pertaining to what happens next. The personal authority of everyone involved in such issues will be very much in play at this time. No pressure!

As we go through this trecena at this time please note that the numerical forces associated with the days, once again, are being echoed by the numbers related to the month. At this time that Maya month is known as “Pax”, which is associated with “planting”, and with ceremonies honouring warriors. While we don’t yet know exactly what this might mean in terms of forthcoming events, the numerical pairing of the day and month components suggests a strong intensification of those qualities as we go through this period, concluding with a vigorous 13/13 on the final day. Here are the energies that will come into play:

1 B’en 1 Pax (Jan. 26th) – the “initiation” of personal authority, an important 52-day Shift-point within the 260-day cycle, at the beginning of a time frame that is often associated with some significant form of social or political adjustment, or some important announcement. As this is the day when the international court of justice (ICJ) in The Hague delivers its ruling on South Africa’s request for emergency measures to be taken to bring about a ceasefire in Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid into that country, this will be highly significant.

In addition, this energy coincides with India’s 75th Republic Day (including the day the Republic of India came into being in 1950). On this momentous occasion there will be grand display of India’s cultural diversity as well as its strategic power and military prowess. French President Emmanuel Macron will be a special guest at the celebrations. This celebration comes in just four days after President Modi presided over the opening of a $217 million Hindu temple on the holy site of Babri Masjid, a mosque dating to the 16th century that was destroyed by Hindu nationalist mobs in 1992.

Down south, this is Australia Day, commemorating the 1788 landing of Britain’s First Fleet of colonists and convicts in Sydney Cove. Often seen as controversial, this day reflects two competing stories, with one relating to nation-building and the other providing a sad reminder of the displacement and dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Many refer to this day as Invasion Day, Survival Day or a Day of Mourning. On this day thousands in Australia are rallying in support of indigenous rights.

In the US this is the day when the jury in the E. Jean Carroll defamation case will begin their deliberations over how much money Trump will be required to pay for compensation. Since even this trial has not deterred him from continuing to defame her, the speculation is that the fine will be considerable. Guilt has already been established, in two trials in this matter, so it is now up to the jurors to decide what figure could serve as a deterrent against further harassment. And even while this is underway decisions are imminent on the final outcome of the dumpster’s New York business fraud trial, and on the question of presidential “immunity”.

Two cycles ago (in 2022) this energy coincided with Ukraine’s Independence Day, six months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, at which time there was major concern about the shelling of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Despite the threats that it has faced over the course of that war, it is still standing. Click here for its current status. Back  in 1942 this One B’en force was in place at the time of the first self-sustained chain reaction which initiated the controlled release of nuclear energy.

Back in early 1960 the energy of One B’en was in place when John F. Kennedy announced his candidacy and initiated his campaign for the U.S. presidency. It was also in place in 2011 when President Obama announced that he would be running for his second term as president. In 2010 the first official Nelson Mandela International Day was celebrated under this influence. This day is also marking the 13th Gregorian anniversary of the start of both the Egyptian Revolution and the anti-government protests in Syria.

2 Ix 2 Pax (Jan. 27th) – a dynamic type of energy aligned with “jaguar” earth mysteries and transformation, coinciding with Family Literacy Day and Holocaust Memorial Day, at the start of the UN’s Holocaust Remembrance Week, with the theme this year being “Fragility of Freedom”. On this day, and for several days thereafter, U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns and his Israeli counterpart will meet with Qatari officials for talks on a second potential Gaza hostage deal and ceasefire.

This marks three cycles since the swearing-in of Germany’s new chancellor Olaf Scholz, who replaced that country’s long-serving chancellor Angela Merkel. This is also the Maya birth energy of António Guterres, the current Secretary-General of the U.N.

This marks the start of the pre-Carnival events leading up to the main events of the 2024 Carnevale Di Venezia (Venice Carnival) that begins on Feb. 3rd . The lovely Night Festival on the Water will take place at this time, involving masked and bedecked Venetians participating in a procession of boats along the Grand Canal.

3 Men 3 Pax (Jan. 28th) – the “activation of Higher Vision”; a Burner Day oriented around “announcing the fire” at the beginning of the “Eagle” burner sequence, an energy that sometimes heralds the nature of some important forthcoming event or challenge. Hopefully there will be some positive developments by this time relating to Gaza.

Six cycles ago, in 2019, the energy of 3 Men was in place at the time of the enthronement ceremony for Emperor Naruhito, the 126th Emperor of Japan, which was seen as a supreme act of “personal authority” as he officially proclaimed his own enthronement, with dignitaries from over 190 countries and international organizations in attendance for the elaborate event.

It has now been 10 cycles (2600 days) since US intelligence agencies announced that they had overwhelming evidence that Russian hackers linked to the Kremlin were behind the hacking of the 2016 US presidential election, with Putin orchestrating it in an effort to help the dumpster.As can be seen in retrospect, that hacking kicked off the political nightmare that has been playing out ever since.

Four cycles before that (in early 2014) some 70,000 pro-Western Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv’s Independence Square in a major push to oust then-president Viktor Yanukovych over his alliance with Russia.

This is the Maya birth energy of Canadian producer/director Norman Jewison, who was known for creating films that addressed social and political issues. His films (which included “In the Heat of the Night” and “Moonstruck”) received 46 Academy Award nominations, winning 12 Oscars. His passing, at age 97, came just 8 days before this Maya birthday for him.

4 Kib’ 4 Pax (Jan. 29th) – a “defining” day often associated with the restoration of order; often manifesting as a “getting down to business” type of force.

One cycle since Turkey’s critical general election, in which Recep Tayyip Erdogan was reelected as Turkey’s president. His opponent in that election was attempting to scrap the all-powerful presidential system and steer that country back towards a more pro-Western, more democratic, position, but Erdogan remained in power. In 1922 this 4 Kib’ energy was in place when the treaty was signed for the formation of the USSR, aka the Soviet Union.

In 1947 the UN passed a resolution under this energy influence to divide Palestine into Arab and Jewish states, with Jerusalem as an internationalized city. And in 1979 this was the influence in place when the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty was signed after intense negotiations the year before (the 1978 Camp David Accords).

Currently this was scheduled to be the start day for the trial in a federal class action lawsuit wherein four plaintiffs accused Trump and his family of racketeering, involving the promotion of a pyramid scheme. However, earlier this month the judge handling this case tossed it out of federal court and turned it back to the plaintiffs’ state courts.

5 Kab’an 5 Pax (Jan. 30th) – a “pivotal” type of energy associated with evolutionary movement, marking four years since the WHO declared a global health emergency relating to Covid-19. By that time the coronavirus had spread to at least 16 countries globally, including Thailand, France, the US, and Australia.

In 2008 this was the energy in place when the Indian Residential Schools Truth and
Reconciliation Commission was established in Canada. Work is now underway to implement the recommendations that came out of those investigations.

6 Etz’nab’ 6 Pax (Jan. 31st) – a “six directions”, “knife edge” type of energy often associated with “separation” that can often be quite “sparkly” and attention-getting, as seen in the recent past when volcanic eruptions have occurred under this influence. It is highly likely that sparks will fly again on this day as it is anticipated that the final ruling on Trump’s New York business fraud trial will be given by Justice Engoron by this time. The New York attorney general has requested a $370 million fine and banning the dumpster from doing business in New York for life.

In 1865 this was the energy in place at the time of President Abraham Lincoln’s interment in Springfield, Illinois after a 3-week series of events that included his funeral train “tour” from Washington, D.C. to Springfield. The other important event at that time was the ending of all Confederate resistance east of the Mississippi River, as the Civil War was winding down. Note also that the attempted assassination of President Gerald Ford occurred under the influence of 6 Etz’nab’ in 1975.

7 Kawak 7 Pax (Feb. 1st) – “self-generating storm”, an energy that could bring intense weather or potentially manifest as a “storm of compassion” or a “storm of passion” oriented around a cause, coinciding at this time with the first day of Heart Month in Canada and the US, the start of the UN’s Interfaith Harmony Week and the first day of Black History month. In Canada the theme for this month is “Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build”. In the US the theme is “African Americans and the Arts”. This theme will be celebrated in many ways, as seen in the Smithsonian’s emphasis on “Art as a Platform for Social Justice”.

It has now been six cycles since the funeral in Baltimore for the much loved Congressman and civil rights advocate Elijah Cummings. At that time eulogies were given by former presidents Clinton and Obama as well as by both Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi.

In May of 1865 this was the energy in place when the Confederate government in the US was offically dissolved, prior to the final surrender of Confederate forces.

This is the Maya birth energy of Sir Michael Gambon, known affectionately in acting circles as “The Great Gambon”, and also known to millions as Professor Dumbledore in Harry Potter movies. He departed from this realm last Sept. 27th.

8 Ajaw 8 Pax (Feb. 2nd) – “resurrection” of the sun and “enlightenment”, coinciding with Groundhog Day, at the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. In Canada this is the opening day for Winterlude, Canada’s popular winter festival in Ottawa-Gatineau, which runs to Feb. 19th.

This is also the opening day for the Ottawa Ice Dragon Boat Festival (World Championships will be held on Feb. 10th). The Québec Winter Carnival, seen as “the largest and oldest winter carnival in the world”, is on-going at this time as well – running until Feb. 11th.

Often this tends to be quite a “fiery” energy, as seen when this energy was in place in 2017, the day when the sun unleashed two powerful X-class solar flares, with the second being the most powerful in more than a decade, resulting in a “wide area of blackouts” over the sunlit side of Earth. As we are currently in another active sunspot period it is possible that more flares might manifest at this time, as seen a few days ago when two solar flares exploded on the sun “almost simultaneously”.

This is the Maya birth energy of Vincent van Gogh, who was a master of the use of sunlight in his paintings.

This was the energy in place in 2014 when the eruption of Mount Kelud in Indonesia sent smoke and ash 10 miles into the air and across the island of Java, forcing 100,000 people to evacuate. The blast could be heard 125 miles away. In 2018 it was Mount Kilauea that was sending forth a lava flow when this energy was in place, as it threatened to cut off the only escape route for about 1,000 residents in Hawaii. Following suit – the last time this was in place (last May) Mexico City was put on high alert as Popocatepetl’s firey activity intensified, with some 25 million people fearing a potential eruption.

In Mexico this is Dia de la Candelaria (Candlemas), a major fiesta that comes in 40 days after Christmas and heralds the arrival of spring. The lighting of candles is a big part of this celebration. In Puna, Peru this is the start of the colourful 10-day Candlemas fiesta in honour of the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron saint of Puna. This is one of Peru’s biggest cultural festivals and is strongly associated with pachamama or “mother earth”. In Peru and many other countries Candlemas is celebrated as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and will be another important day for prayers for healing – and hopefully for finding solutions that can bring an end to the intense political strife that is causing so much global chaos.

This day marks the 81st Gregorian anniversary of the USSR’s victory over the Nazis at the end of the 5 month Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943) where over a million people are estimated to have died in one of the bloodiest battles of WWII. In the US this is National Wear Red Day, in support of heart health.

9 Imix 9 Pax (Feb. 3rd) – “immortal” birth/the realm of all potential – a force that could have a far reaching and long-lasting influence.

This is the opening day for the main events for the glorious Carnevale Di Venezia (Venice), one of the oldest and most spectacular carnivals in the world (to Feb. 21st). This includes the opulent and magnificent Carnival Costumes’ Show in St. Mark’s Square, the first of several days of “parading your magnificence”. At this time this is the “Feast of the Marias” day.

Nine Imix was the energy in place in 2015 when NASA released the first image of Earth from its Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite, showing Earth from one million miles away. This is the Maya birth energy of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the newest US Supreme Court judge.

10 Ik’ 10 Pax (Feb. 4th) – “foundational wind/breath/spirit” – an energy highly aligned with Source and with things pertaining to the air, to communication, and to things of a spiritual nature, coinciding with the opening of the 74th Sapporo Snow Festival. This is World Cancer Day, dedicated to raising awareness and promoting positive action, with this year’s theme being “Close the Care Gap”. This is also the day of the 66th Grammy Awards.

This marks four cycles since President Biden announced an historic $2.3tn infrastructure plan, originally known as the American Jobs Plan, that was seen as “a once in a generation spending plan” that included more than $600bn for such things as modernizing roads, repairing bridges, and tackling climate change. After much debate part of that plan was passed and signed into law in 2021.

11 Ak’b’al 11 Pax (Feb. 5th) – “inspirational night” or “inspirational temple of mysteries”, a force often aligned with deep thought – or even “blackness”, but also a good day to enjoy the sanctuary of home or temple, or to give “deep thought” to something of an inspirational nature. This can be seen as an intense energy associated with the secrets of the earth, now in place exactly one cycle after a large eruption of Italy’s Mount Etna.

This is the Maya birth energy of AI “godfather” Geoffrey Hinton, who quit his job in early May, 2023. Acknowledging that he was now regretting his work, Hinton warned about the growing dangers from developments in this field. This was followed shortly thereafter, on the last day of the Ajaw trecena last May, by warnings from public health professionals from the UK, US, Australia, Costa Rica and Malaysia, that AI could harm the health of millions and pose an existential threat to humanity, as they called for a halt to the development of artificial general intelligence until it is regulated.

This is also Abraham Lincoln’s Maya birth energy, which would have been in place in 1865 just 5 days after his interment.

12 K’an 12 Pax (Feb. 6th) – a “dedicated” type of energy often associated with youthful vitality and the joyful celebration of life’s bounties, coinciding at this time with the Nevada primary election in the US.

13 Chikchan 13 Pax (Feb. 7th) – “transformational lifeforce”; an intense and often impassioned energy, marking five cycles since the deaths of US Congressman John Lewis and the Rev. C.T. Vivian in 2020, both fierce warriors, both indefatigable icons of the civil rights movement. On that same day in the U.K., centenarian Captain Sir Tom Moore was knighted by Queen Elizabeth for raising over £32 million for National Health Service charities. This also marks four years since the death, in early 2020, of Dr. Li Wenliang, the doctor who issued the first warning to colleagues that there were 7 confirmed cases of coronavirus in China.

On the first day of 1970 this was the energy in place when the National Environmental Policy Act was signed into law in the US, requiring federal agencies to assess the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions.

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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.]