Hurricane Laura approaching the Gulf coast, Typhoon Bavi barrelling down on Korea, horrific wildfires scorching California, the Gong Show in Washington (which some refer to as the Republican National Convention), the Black Lives Matter protests that continue on in many cities, and the March on Washington, aka the “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” Commitment March – all this, along with the pandemic, within just the first three days of this current trecena.

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As those opening salvos suggest, this is often a period of intensity, highly aligned with Lifeforce pushing forward. The emphasis during this timeframe tends to be on actions aligned with justice, emergence, liberation, and “awakening”, as could be seen during the last appearance of this trecena, last December, when massive protest demonstrations took place worldwide to place attention on major calls for action with regard to climate change.

This is a trecena that has been known to strongly energize and push people into action. Great passion, and even bravery, often comes into play at this time, in keeping with Chikchan’s lifeforce-oriented nature. This was vividly in evidence three cycles ago (in 2018) when rescuers carried out a complex and highly dramatic operation to retrieve twelve boys and their leader who were trapped deep within a long, convoluted, serpentine cave system in Thailand. The rescue involved intricate underwater maneuvres that required great skill, dexterity, courage, and multi-level cooperation.

Certainly bravery will be required during this current period to deal with the forces of nature that are threatening so many. In the Gulf of Mexico Hurricane Laura is picking up steam after causing havoc in the Caribbean and is expected to make landfall on the Louisiana coast just as this trecena begins, almost fifteen years after the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina. Hundreds of thousands of people along the Gulf coast are under evacuation orders as this hurricane approaches, as are hundreds of thousands in California, in efforts to escape the wildfires. This situation is developing exactly 11 cycles after the onslaught of Hurricane Sandy in 2012. As it happens, a typhoon is now barrelling down on the Korean peninsula at the same time. This is 4 cycles exactly since the mammoth Cat. 2 Typhoon Lam made landfall in Japan in 2017.

On the third day of this timeframe, Rev. Al Sharpton and his National Action Network, and tens of thousands of supporters will gather at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the historic 1963 civil rights March on Washington. It will be led by the families of black people who have died at the hands of police officers, including George Floyd’s family. Sharpton made the announcement while speaking at Floyd’s memorial service in June. He said the purpose of this march is to “restore and recommit” to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of transforming hatred and injustice into freedom for all.

As Rev. Sharpton put it: “We need to go back to Washington and stand up, black, white, Latino, Arab, in the shadows of Lincoln and tell them this is the time to stop this”. He said that the march is going to be led by the families that “know the pain” and know what it’s like to be “neglected”, including the families of Floyd and Eric Garner, a black man who was choked to death in 2014 by a police officer in New York. He said that the march is going to get people ready to vote, not just for who is going to be in the White House, for those in statehouse and city councils who can help to address these issues in a just manner.

And in other parts of the world, similar actions are being taking, as in Belarus, where tens of thousands have been taking to the streets in a huge push to overthrow President Lukashenko, seen as “Europe’s Last Dictator,” who has been in power for 26 years. Although he has been resisting the push to step down, the protesters have vowed to continue on until he is vanquished.

That drive towards Justice and Freedom will be very much on display during this overall time frame, as it has been in the past. The very first day can often shed light on the direction that will be taken for this force, as happened in 1914 with Germany’s declaration of war against France, at the same time as Switzerland declared its neutrality and mobilized its defense forces.

In 1960 John F. Kennedy delivered his acceptance speech on the first day of this time frame after narrowly winning the presidential election. In that speech President Kennedy pledged to devote himself “to the cause of freedom around the world”. In 1776 this was the energy in place at the time of the push towards a new state of being that resulted in the adoption of the U.S. Declaration of Independence on that ninth day of this trecena. ”. In 2012 this same trecena brought a resounding victory for President Obama during that year’s presidential elections.

Nine cycles ago (in the spring of 2014) 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. This critical report emphasized the risks to the planet on multiple levels and led to the development of the historic Climate Change Accord which was signed by 196 nations in April of 2016. Given the slow governmental response since then the world’s youth have been pushing for greater action, as seen in the massive Global Climate Strike two cycles ago, and then in the unveiling of a 100 billion-euro ($100 b) plan for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 by the EU one cycle ago.

Given the emphasis on justice and “awakening” that generally comes through this period, attention has often been directed towards events associated with governance. Four cycles ago the Russia scandal in the U.S. officially became a LEGAL case, at which time indictments involving issues such as money laundering and “conspiracy against the U.S.” were issued against Trump associates Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, and George Papadopoulos. All of that led to the unveiling of two articles of impeachment against Trump last December, on the first day of this time frame, just after more than 500 legal scholars had weighed in to declare that Trump “engaged in impeachable conduct”. This came in exactly one cycle after Adam Schiff, the Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, laid out a long list of evidence pertaining to Russian meddling in the 2016 election, and emphasized multiple ways in which the Trump campaign’s immoral, unethical, unpatriotic, and corrupt actions have been used to “compromise” the entire governmental system.

One day of particular importance during this period is 9 B’en (coming in on Sept. 3rd). This particular day (associated with “personal authority”) will mark four cycles since the hair-raising “day of infamy” in 2018 when Trump met with Putin in Helsinki, just 13 days after the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee released their report wherein they concurred with the earlier reports by the CIA, NSA, and FBI that revealed how Russia had worked to sow discord, undermine democratic institutions, and interfere in U.S. elections. During this meeting Putin basically agreed with the report and blatantly admitted to directing his officials to help Trump win the 2016 election. However, Trump said nothing, which Sen. John McCain, the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee at the time, referred to as “a tragic mistake”. McCain echoed the sentiments of many when he referred to Trump’s role in that meeting as “one of the most disgraceful performances by an American president in memory . . . No prior president has ever abased himself more abjectly before a tyrant.” Former CIA Director John O. Brennan called it “nothing short of treasonous”.

Fast forward two cycles after that infamous meeting and you come to 9 B’en last December, which was the day when Trump was formally impeached by the US House of Representatives, on two articles – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress – the third US president ever to be impeached.

Right after the impeachment Trump sent a rambling “unhinged” letter to Senators, most of whom lacked the fortitude to confirm the impeachment and remove him from office. And thus, the abuses have continued. So here we are again, after an untold amount of damage has been done for yet another cycle – the battle for justice and truth and accountability carries as this Lifeforce trecena returns.

As always, this trecena marks a pivotal point within the overall 260 day Tzolk’in cycle. It is the beginning of an often transformative time frame oriented around justice, freedom, higher knowledge, cyclical renewal, and world-shifting actions. For those who are already engaged in the battle for freedom and justice, this energy frame should provide much needed assistance. For those not yet involved this would be an opportune time to step up and become involved in the much needed call for equality and justice and integrity and LIGHT, since it is clear that darkness has been trying to drain the lifeforce out of people for much too long.

Remember that this is the energy of the Plumed Serpent, a significant force that, traditionally, is oriented around “reaching for the sky”, towards Life and Light and Liberation. It can help people to think and act differently, as they work to break free of oppression and darkness so that they can eventually emerge triumphant into a new realm of possibilities. Remember that the “Lord of Fire and Time” is one of the key patrons associated with this period. There is much at stake at this time and actions MATTER. The steadfast commitment to Light and Life will contribute greatly to the vanquishing of the darkness that has had a chokehold on Life, Liberty, and Justice for far too long. Here are the energies that will come into play:

1 Chikchan (Aug. 26th) – 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 Women’s Equality Day, celebrating the 100th Gregorian anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. 19th amendment, which gave all citizens, including women, the right to vote.

This is the 50th Gregorian anniversary of the Women’s Strike for Peace and Equality in 1970 when massive Women’s Liberation demonstrations and marches took place in New York and in other cities across the U.S. In 1960 this was the energy in place when John F. Kennedy delivered his victory speech after narrowly winning the Presidential election the day before.

This day marks precisely nine cycles ago since the release, in 2014, of the 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. With some 250,000 people currently under evacuation orders or warnings in California due to enormous wildfires, the climate change issue looms larger than ever.

At this point Hurricane Laura is expected to make landfall on the Texas/Louisiana coast, almost fifteen years after the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina, at the same time as Typhoon Bavi is zeroing in on the Korean peninsula.

It has been exactly one cycle since Democrats unveiled two articles of impeachment against Trump – abuse of power (by putting his own personal interests above the interests and security of the US) and obstruction of Congress. Those two articles, in the words of Laurence Tribe, the eminent Harvard Law professor and constitutional expert, “charge[d] President Trump with massive crimes against the Constitution and against the American people.” Tribe said these articles laid out the most serious abuses of power ever alleged against a sitting president. Precisely five cycles before that Paul Manafort (now in prison) became Trump’s campaign chairman and chief strategist under this key influence. And yet his impeachment was not confirmed by the Senate and the abuses of power have continued.

2 Kimi (Aug. 27th) – a dynamic type of energy aligned with 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). The last time this energy was in place there was considerable “pushing and pulling” in Washington as the two-day House Judiciary debates on articles of impeachment against Trump got underway. This is the Maya birth energy of Senator Chuck Schumer, one of the key Congressmen involved in those proceedings.

Currently this day is billed as the last day for the Republican National Convention, but, as Rachel Maddow pointed out, the low-key, greatly scaled down “convention” in Charlotte, NC was technically over by the first night (Aug. 24th) after Trump’s nomination. Campaign events held over the following three days, and concluding this evening, were not organized by the convention committee. These events, organized by the Trump campaign itself, were held in Washington D.C. There was no party platform; it was simply a “show” (or “a pageant about a convention” as Rachel put it) – an attempt to “reassert support” for Trump.

This is the 60th Gregorian anniversary of “Axe Handle Saturday”, when black students participating in an anti-segregation sit-in in Jacksonville were attacked by an angry mob brandishing baseball bats and axe handles. Jacksonville was where the convention was originally going to be held before the location for that one day version was moved to North Carolina.

There is a possibility that this is the day when Mazars will turn over Trump’s financial information to New York prosecutors, as ordered by the courts, as he seems to have run out of options for delays. It has been one cycle exactly since the final submissions regarding the release of Trump’s financial information were given to the Supreme Court.

3 Manik’ (Aug. 28th) – 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, as the Moon makes a close approach to Jupiter. Eleven cycles ago, in 2012, Hurricane Sandy turned into a Superstorm under this influence, as it careened up the US East Coast, heading towards New York. It has been one cycle (260 days) since “a new viral outbreak” (later called Covid-19) was first detected in China, but not broadcast until Jan.

Currently, this is the scheduled day for the March on Washington, when Rev. Al Sharpton and his National Action Network and tens of thousands of supporters will gather at the Lincoln Memorial to commemorate the historic 1963 civil rights March on Washington. The organizers have stressed that marchers will be required to wear masks and social distancing will be enforced, with provision for 100,000 attendees. This is the 57th anniversary of the Manik’ day when Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, as this current march seeks “to restore and recommit to the dream” that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “defined” that year.

The Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network began planning the march in partnership with the NAACP and others after he announced the event during George Floyd’s funeral this past June. More than 200,000 people participated in the 1963 march, which was officially titled the “March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom”. This year’s march, dubbed the “Get Your Knee Off Our Necks” Commitment March, will reiterate the demands for police reform, criminal justice reform, and racial equality. Marchers will call on the US Senate to pass a voting rights bill named after the late civil rights icon John Lewis, and police reform legislation named after George Floyd, legislation that has already been passed by the House of Representatives.

In 1913 a massive Woman’s Suffrage parade was held under this same influence.

4 Lamat (Aug. 29th) – a “defining” energy associated with Venus (the sun and Venus working together), often serving as a beacon or herald, on the UN’s International Day Against Nuclear Tests. This is the 15th Gregorian anniversary of the day when Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Louisiana coast in 2005, triggering severe flooding that brought devastation from New Orleans to Biloxi, Mississippi. It is also the Maya Calendar energy that was in place when Superstorm Sandy slammed into New York in 2012. It is likely that there could be severe flooding along the Texas-Louisiana coastlines if Hurricane Laura has made landfall by this time.

This would have been been Senator John McCain’s 84th Gregorian birthday. It has now been four cycles exactly since President Xi Jinping was declared “all powerful” in China.

5 Muluk (Aug. 30th) – a “precision” (or “blessing”) type of energy associated with the shape-shifting energy of water, as was in place in 2012 when President Obama toured New Jersey after the onslaught of the hurricane, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie gave him high praise for his handling of the situation.  This is the Maya birth energy of former US President Bill Clinton whose Clinton Foundation supports a number of humanitarian causes, including global initiatives associated with health care, poverty alleviation, and environmental protection.

This was the energy in place in 1868 at the time of the Treaty of Fort Laramie, when the Great Sioux Reservation was established, including ownership of the Black Hills. The Sioux are still awaiting the return of their lands, even though the Supreme Court ruled (in 1980) that tribal lands covered by this treaty had been taken illegally.

6 Ok (Aug. 31st) – a “shine the light in the darkness, everywhere” type of force, on International Overdose Awareness Day, when candlelight vigils will be held in many areas to bring attention to the opioid crisis and to Overdose Prevention. In India this is the most important day of the Onam festival.

7 Chuwen (Sept. 1st) –“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 – on the 81st Gregorian anniversary of the outbreak of WWII. In 1915 this was the energy in place when Italy entered World War I on the side of the Allies.

Currently this is the publication date for Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady.

This is the final day of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival that began during the last trecena. Known as Anant Chaturdasi, this is the day when the deity Ganesh is immersed in a lake or ocean to help this deity become “formless” once again so he can “return home”.

In the U.S. this is beginning of National Service Dog Month. Founded 11 years ago, this organization was established to raise awareness and support for guide dog and service dog schools that do so much to provide assistance for people in need and for the amazing animals that help them.

It has been two cycles since last year’s election in Ukraine when Volodymyr Zelensky won and went on to become the new president. (Zelensky was born on an 8 Chuwen day and was a comedian prior to going into politics). Considerable attention was placed on Zelensky during the impeachment process in the US last December.

8 Eb’ (Sept. 2nd) – 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. One cycle ago Rick Gates (Trump’s deputy Campaign Chair, seen as “one of the most significant cooperators” associated with the Mueller investigation) was sentenced to 45 days in prison for his role in the saga relating to Russian interference in the 2016 election.

This is the 75th anniversary of the formal signing of the articles of surrender by Imperial Japan at the end of WWII. This is celebrated in the US as V-J Day even though other countries observed this on Aug. 15th.

It is also the day of China’s Hungry Ghost festival, in the middle of the Ghost month (the last day is Sept. 16th), at the time of the Full Moon, when many people carry protective amulets.  This is Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Maya birth energy.

9 B’en (Sept. 3rd) – the “outward projection” of “personal authority” (or “long lasting personal authority”). This is Barack Obama’s Maya birth energy as well as the birth energy of the U.S. (the Declaration of Independence was adopted on a 9 B’en day in 1776).

As of this point six cycles have passed since President Obama’s historic visit to Hiroshima, the first visit to that city by a U.S. president since the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945.

By dramatic contrast, four cycles have passed since the hair-raising “day of infamy” during the summer of 2018 when Trump met with Putin in Helsinki and basically threw U.S. intelligence agencies “under a bus” by siding with Putin rather than honouring the work done by by US defence organizations. As of this day it has been one cycle exactly since Trump was formally impeached by the US House of Representatives.

10 Ix (Sept. 4th) – a “source” based energy associated with the jaguar and the mysteries of the earth, on the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing where the Beijing Declaration was developed to “advance the goals of equality, development, and peace for all women everywhere”. This is the 10th Gregorian anniversary of the Christchurch, NZ earthquake. It also marks 60 days to go until the US elections.

Four cycles ago as of this day the Russia scandal in the U.S. officially became a LEGAL case, when indictments involving issues such as money laundering and “conspiracy against the U.S.” were issued against Trump’s former campaign chair Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, and George Papadopoulos. (Two weeks ago his former chief adviser Steve Bannon was also indicted. If convicted of his crimes he could face up to 20 years in prison.)

This is the Maya birth energy of famed civil rights activist Cordy T. Vivian, who died a few weeks ago on 13 Chikchan, at age 95, just before the death of Congressman John Lewis.

11 Men (Sept. 5th) – “inspirational Eagle” – a Burner Day that can bring about change or a new form of Higher Vision, coinciding with the UN’s International Day of Charity and the Catholic feast day devoted to Mother Theresa who was canonized in 2016. One cycle since the UK Parliament (under Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party leadership) passed a Brexit deal.

12 Kib’ (Sept. 6th) – a “gathering together” type of energy, associated with the ability to “survey”, clean things up, and ultimately restore order;  one cycle (260 days) since the first cluster of patients with “pneumonia of an unknown cause” was first identified in China last December.

13 Kab’an (Sept. 7th) – transformational movement (or earth movement), a powerful force that can bring either heavy weather conditions, or significant “movement” of an evolutionary nature, as Venus reaches its highest point in the morning sky. This is Labour Day in Canada and the US. It is also the 80th Gregorian anniversary of the start of the London blitz in 1940 and the 198th Gregorian anniversary of Brazil’s Independence.

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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.]