Justice, emergence, liberation, “awakening” – with massive protest demonstrations taking place worldwide and major calls for action with regard to climate change – the world is screaming for these things right now. And those are the “specialties” traditionally associated with the great Feathered Serpent that is representative of this Chikchan trecena.

As 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. This was vividly in evidence two cycles ago (last year) 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.

Eight 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 this past March and on-going #FridaysforFuture climate action demonstrations. During the last trecena hundreds of thousands of young people took to the streets in 2300 cities in 143 countries for rallies associated with the COP25 summit in Madrid. Just after the start of the summit more than 500,000 young people rallied in Madrid alone to protest against the lack of progress in tackling the climate emergency. As this trecena opens Greta Thunberg and other climate change activists will be making statements at the conference, with the final day of the summit (on Dec. 13th) taking place on the fourth day of this time frame, under the “heralding” influence of 4 Lamat, which is a Friday. So far, 2389 climate change strikes are planned for that day. For those living in Sydney, Australia, or anywhere else in that region, with air quality at hazardous levels due to the raging bushfires, the horrific impact of global warming is being felt on a daily basis.

As it happens this 4 Lamat day is the day when the US Supreme Court is scheduled to discuss three cases relating to the release of Trump’s financial documents and tax returns that have already been cleared through lower court rulings. It comes 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. Emphasizing multiple ways in which the Trump campaign’s immoral, unethical, unpatriotic, and corrupt actions have been used to “compromise” the entire governmental system, Schiff ‘s “reminder” of this evidence came just six days after the submission of the Mueller report this past March. That “reminder” was presented 260 days ago, and, as everyone has seen, much more evidence has been added since then.

Another day of particular importance during this period will be 9 B’en (Dec. 18th). This particular day (associated with “personal authority”) will mark three 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”.

It has also been three cycles since 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 Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, and George Papadopoulos.

And now, with these energies back again all of this is funnelling into a period during which impeachment hearings are being held and articles of impeachment are being prepared. As of last week more than 500 legal scholars have weighed in to declare that Trump “engaged in impeachable conduct” and investigations into various “categories” of wrongdoing are continuing even as those articles are being drawn up.

Intriguingly this is not the only time when this trecena has placed strong focus on heads of government. 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 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 2012 this same trecena brought a resounding victory for President Obama during that year’s presidential elections. On its last appearance (last spring) this was the trecena that was in place when Volodymyr Zelensky was elected as the president of Ukraine, an election that shortly thereafter brought him to prominence as a key touchpoint related to the Ukraine scandal that led to Trump’s impeachment hearings. During this current time frame Argentina’s new president Alberto Fernández will be sworn into office, as will Finland’s Sanna Marin, who (at age 34) will become the world’s youngest prime minister.

Also of significance is the fact that French President Emmanuel Macron (who is now dealing with a nationwide strike in France over pension reforms) was born within this time period as was Senator Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, both of whom are key Congressional Democrats who are working to implement the impeachment proceedings. At this time even the fate of the UK is at stake as the UK election will be held of the third day of this time frame, which will have significant implications in terms of Brexit as well as the fate of the European Union.

So as always, this trecena marks a pivotal point within the overall 260 day Tzolk’in cycle. It is the beginning of what is often a transformative time frame oriented around justice, freedom, higher knowledge, cyclical renewal, and world-shifting actions. As always this is an opportune time for people to step up and continue the call for justice and dignity and fairness and honour, and to continue pushing mightily against the darkness so that lifeforce and liberation can once again shine through.

Given the widespread calls for “justice” on so many levels at this time, as well as the huge push towards “world saving” action on so many fronts, it is timely that the energy of the Plumed Serpent is coming in at this time. This type of force, traditionally oriented around “reaching for the sky”, reaching towards life and light, is the type of energy that can help us to think and act differently. It’s an opportunity to break free of oppression and darkness, and emerge triumphant into a new realm of possibilities.

Just prior to the start of this trecena a WAPO article was published titled “At War with the Truth“, which highlights information contained in a trove of confidential government documents that reveal how senior US officials failed to tell the truth about the war in Afghanistan, throughout an 18-year campaign during which thousands were killed and tens of thousands wounded in action. The shocking “secret history” of that brutally long war is sure to be another topic for hot discussion during this forthcoming trecena. With the “Lord of Fire and Time” as one of the key patrons associated with this period it will be interesting to see what will be “forged” during this period. The fact that Winter Solstice comes in near the end of the trecena also provides an important marker signalling the pull away from darkness and the turn towards light. Here are the energies that will come into play:

1 Chikchan (Dec. 10th) – 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 this overall Count-of-Days, now precisely eight cycles ago since the release of the 2610 page report in 2014 by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the perils of climate change and the dire need to cut greenhouse gas emissions. This is the day when many high level officials will arrive at the COP25 summit in Madrid and Greta Thunberg as well as other climate change activists will be making statements. It is also the second day of the Sustainable Innovation Forum on climate change action, also in Madrid.

In the US, this is the day when an important announcement is expected to be made on the articles of impeachment, precisely five cycles after Paul Manafort (now in prison) became Trump’s campaign chairman and chief strategist and one cycle exactly after the intense debates that went on just after the release of the Mueller report this past spring. Discussions are now taking place to determine whether or not to work the findings of that report into the articles of impeachment that are now being prepared.

In France, this is the sixth straight day of nationwide strikes and mass protests over pension reform. This is the day when Argentina’s new president Alberto Fernández will be sworn into office. He has pledged to make Argentina the first major Latin American nation to legalize abortion, which will make that country the first predominantly Catholic nation in the region to do so.

This is also the UN’s Human Rights Day, with this year’s theme being “Youth Standing up for Human Rights”, on the 71st anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations. This is the deadline date for the Canadian federal government, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, and the Assembly of First Nations to present the results of their negotiations as to how to deal with the mechanics of paying out $40,000 to each of the First Nations children who have been harmed by the underfunded on-reserve child welfare system, with payments to go to some parents and grandparents as well, as ordered three months ago by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

Two cycles ago this energy brought the start of the dramatic rescue of the boys who were trapped in a deep cave in Thailand at the same time as Super Typhoon Maria was headed towards that region.

2 Kimi (Dec. 11th) – 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). No doubt there will continue to be considerable “pushing and pulling” in Washington as the impeachment process continues and as the final submissions regarding the release of Trump’s financial information are submitted to the Supreme Court. Maya birth energy of Senator Chuck Schumer, one of the key Congressmen involved in the proceedings.

In France this is the day when the final details of the proposed pension reform plan will be announced, which could trigger more backlash from the many who oppose it.

At this time there will be a brilliant Venus-Saturn conjunction, with the Moon almost full. This energy also coincides with the UN’s International Mountain Day, with the theme of “Mountains Matter for Youth”.

3 Manik’ (Dec. 12th) – 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, coinciding at this time with the Full Cold Moon, the UK’s general election, and the UN’s International Universal Health Coverage Day, dedicated to promoting collective action to build more equitable health systems for everyone on the planet.

This is the Feast Day for Tonantzin, Our Lady of Guadaloupe (patroness of the Americas),
celebrated in Mexico and in many other Latin American communities. In conjunction with this
feast day many churches in Canada honour this with a National Day of Prayer in Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples.

Exactly two cycles since the dramatic completion of the cave rescue in Thailand last year.

This is the Maya birth energy of Logan Boulet, one of the young hockey players who was killed in the horrific bus crash in Saskatchewan last year. His donation of organs has saved six lives and triggered a movement called the Logan Boulet Effect that has inspired more than 150,000 people to register to become organ donors. This has also led to the establishment of the Organ Donor Awareness campaign now called Green Shirt Day.

4 Lamat (Dec. 13th) – a “defining” energy associated with Venus (the sun and Venus working together), often serving as a beacon or herald, currently at the peak of the Geminid meteor shower, (known as the “king of meteor showers”), associated with the 3200 Phaeton asteroid – named after Phaëton, the son of the Greek- named sun god Helios – that travels closer to the sun than any other asteroid; into the early morning of 5 Muluk.

As this is the closing day for the COP25 summit in Madrid there will likely be major statements issued regarding the work that was done during the twelve days of the conference, which will signal the steps that will need to be taken next.

This is also the day when the US Supreme Court is scheduled to discuss three cases relating to the release of Trump’s financial documents and tax returns that have already been cleared through lower court rulings. It comes exactly one cycle after Adam Schiff provided a clear “reminder” of the vast amount of evidence against Trump relating to corruption and abuses of power.

It has been three cycles exactly since President Xi Jinping was declared “all powerful” in China. Just before the start of this current trecena he ordered that all foreign computer equipment and software be removed from government offices and public institutions within three years.

This is the National Day of the Horse, a day to celebrate the economic, historic, and cultural
contributions that horses have made. Also Canadian actor Christopher Plummer’s 90th
Gregorian birthday; his career has spanned 6 decades.

5 Muluk (Dec. 14th) – a “precision” (or “blessing”) type of energy associated with the shape-
shifting energy of water, as the peak of the Geminids meteor shower continues. This is also International Monkey Day, a celebration of “all things simian”.

6 Ok (Dec. 15th) – a “shine the light in the darkness, everywhere” type of force, on the 80th anniversary of the world premier of Gone With the Wind.

7 Chuwen (Dec. 16th) –“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. One cycle since the Ukraine presidential election last March. Given how much attention has been placed on Ukraine and its new president over the past few months, and its role in the impeachment process regarding Trump, it would seem that some of the “monkey business” energy in place at that time has left a legacy (with monkey being the symbol for Chuwen). Interestingly, Zelensky –who was born on an 8 Chuwen day – was (among other things) an actor, screenwriter, producer, and comedian prior to going into politics.

8 Eb’ (Dec. 17th) – 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. Currently this special day coincides with Pope Francis’s 83rd birthday. As this is also Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Maya birth energy, hopefully this will help her as they deal with the impeachment process. This is also the day when Rick Gates (seen as “one of the most significant cooperators” associated with the Mueller investigation) is expected to be sentenced with regard to his role in the saga relating to Russian interference in the 2016 elections.

A Thinkforest seminar will be held in Brussels on this day on the topic of “The Future of Plantation Forests in Europe”.

9 B’en (Dec. 18th ) – the “outward projection” of “personal authority” (or “long lasting self determination”), coinciding with the UN’s International Migrants Day.

As of this day it has been four Calendar Rounds (4 x 52 years) since the birth of Charles Dickens on 9 B’en 1 Kank’in (the same day + month energy as today). Today is also 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 five 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, three 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. Currently this is the day when Michael Flynn (Trump’s first National Security advisor) is expected to be sentenced.

Today is also Sir Keith Richards’ 76th Gregorian birthday.

10 Ix (Dec. 19th) – a “source” based energy associated with the jaguar and the mysteries of the earth, coinciding at this time with the Democratic debate in L.A., and the state opening of Parliament in the UK, for the second time this year.

This is the day of the scheduled release in Canada of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the final film in the nine-part “Skywalker saga”.  It is also veteran actor Cicely Tyson’s 95th birthday.

Three 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 Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, and George Papadopoulos.

11 Men (Dec. 20th) – “inspirational Eagle” – a Burner Day that can bring about change or a new form of Higher Vision, correlating at this time with the launch debut of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner, postponed from the earlier Nov. 30th date. This is now the new date for the Starliner launch for an uncrewed Orbital Flight Test (OFT). It is also the UN’s International Human Solidarity Day, and the final day of US government funding unless another spending bill is passed. The US release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

12 Kib’ (Dec. 21st) – a “gathering together” type of energy, associated with the ability to “survey”, clean things up, and ultimately restore order, coinciding at this time with Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year and the start of the winter season. This is Jane Fonda’s 82nd Gregorian birthday, and given her recent climate change activism, she is still going strong. It is also the Maya birth energy of French President Emmanuel Macron and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Start of the peak of the Ursid meteor shower.

13 Kab’an (Dec. 22nd) – transformational movement (or earth movement), a powerful force that can bring either heavy weather conditions, or significant “movement” of an evolutionary nature, at a time when the Moon is positioned just above Mars. This evening brings the start of Hanukkah, the Jewish “festival of lights” that features the lighting of menorahs over eight consecutive nights.

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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.]