As we embark on this new year we find that the first full trecena of 2020 is the “Creation” trecena introduced by the playful, inventive, agile, and capricious Monkey deity who sits at the centre of the Tree of Life and weaves together the threads of creation as he orchestrates the proliferation of life.

This Chuwen trecena begins with the Day of the Monkey, the key mid-point within the overall 260-day cycle, that marks the beginning of the mythological “Creation” sequence of energies, when all things of heaven and earth were made.

This tends to be a highly creative time frame, where almost anything is possible. At times it can be highly play oriented, but with the God of Pulque as the principal patron of this trecena, the potential for “reckless abandon” can also be a factor. However, pulque was seen as a medicine as well as a stimulus so “healing through creativity” can also be an important theme. Last April when this trecena was in place the French nation had to come to grips with the aftermath of the Notre Dame fire and in the U.S. members of various congressional committees were forced to look at potential consequences that might result from non-compliance with subpoenas, including the issuing of fines and warrants for arrest for contempt of Congress – a battle that is still unfolding.

As this trecena returns France is back in the spotlight as the transportation strike continues over the issue of pension reforms. At the same time the massive fires in Australia continue on with no relief in sight, and tensions in the Middle East are exploding after the U.S. assassination of Iran’s top military commander as well as a high ranking Iraqi militia commander. So let’s see what we will be working with.

As always, this trecena opens with One Chuwen, the Day of the Monkey, seen in Maya mythology as the day when the Creator “raised himself to his divinity after he had made heaven and earth”. This was followed by Two Eb’, at which time the first “stairway” was created that descended from the heavens.

The third through fifth days (3 B’en through to 5 Men), coinciding at this time with Jan. 7th to 9th, were the days in the mythological creation sequence when many of the other things of the heavens, the seas, and the earth were made. Three B’en is often particularly important as could be seen in 1933 when the inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the 32nd President of the U.S. took place under this influence. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” policies greatly helped to pull that country out of the Great Depression.

Significantly, this was also the energy in place in 1978 when the seeds of the Iranian revolution were planted, leading to the overthrow of the Shah of Iran a year later. But now, after the killing of Iran’s General Soleimani by a US drone a few days ago, followed by the Ayatollah’s vow of “severe revenge” against the US., the potential for this authoritative force to become “explosive” is very high, particularly with funerals for Soleimani being held in several locations during the first few days. The US air strike against this key Iranian leader is seen as a dramatic escalation of tensions with Iran, which have been continuously growing since Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in May of 2018 – a move that was highly criticized by many different countries and international organizations.

And then there is the whole issue of the forthcoming impeachment trial in the US Senate, with the timing for that still to be determined. Given the deep divide in the US Congress and the country as a whole it is noteworthy that it was the fifth day of this time frame in 1861 when opening shots of the U.S. Civil war were fired. On that same fifth day when this trecena was in place during the summer of 1959 the first American soldiers were killed in Vietnam.

The sixth day of this sequence, known as Six Kib’, is the point where the “first light” came into being. During the last appearance of this energy former Vice-President Joe Biden announced his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election, on the same day as French President Emmanuel Macron gave a long-awaited response to the yellow jacket protesters as he promised tax cuts, civil service reform, and the introduction of proportional representation.

On that day (this past April) a group of psychiatrists completed a report in which they detailed how Trump’s “reckless” response to the Mueller report “shows that he is unable to rationally process risk, making him a danger to the entire nation” as they called for a full evaluation of his mental state by a non-governmental, independent and non-Partisan panel that would include psychiatrists, neurologists and internists.

Seven Kab’an was thought of as the day when honey was first created. Translating as “self-generating movement”, this is an Earth-oriented energy that often can be highly action-oriented and even “earth-shaking”, as it was last April when Trump announced that the US will withdraw its support from the UN treaty that regulates the multibillion-dollar global arms trade. Currently this will be in place just as a long awaited conjunction of Saturn and Pluto comes into position, which many astrologers see as a point of extremely high tension.

Another important 10 Ajaw Burner Day comes in on Jan. 14th, which also has a tendency to be intense as this energy was seen traditionally as being oriented around the idea of “taking the fire”, in conjunction with Ajaw’s “full sun” energy.

In deep mythology the day known as Twelve Ik’ was seen as the day in which the breath of life was created. This is a “collecting together” type of force associated with Wind, Breath, and Spirit, which can be strongly aligned with communication. This day and 11 Imix (the day before) coincide at this time with a special Hindu “holy phase of transition” day that marks the return of light.

Thirteen Ak’bal (“transformational temple or house”), the final day of the trecena, is referred to in the Maya creation legend as the calendrical energy that brought forth the creation of the first human.

Another very high-powered force, this is an energy that can be highly consequential in terms of the fate of the human race as a whole. Currently the last day of this trecena will be 13 Ak’b’al 11 Muwan, the Maya Calendar Round anniversary of the Lunar New Year in 1968 when “a pivotal event” in that transformative year took place as North Korean communists launched the shocking Tet Offensive by sending thousands of soldiers and Vietcong guerrillas into cities and military bases all over South Vietnam, resulting in tens of thousands of casualties. It was so shocking and so widescale that it began to turn American public opinion against the conflict.

The last appearance of 13 Ak’b’al (last April) was also quite nail-biting for the many who were following the crisis in Washington at that time. It was being referred to as the worst constitutional crisis since the civil war, a situation resulting from the stonewalling and obstruction of justice on the part of the White House in response to the release of the Mueller report. As we all are aware, that situation still has not been resolved.

And speaking of wars – we are now entering a period that is paralleling (energy-wise) the overall energies that were in place in 1968, often referred to as “the year that shattered America”, as that was the year when civil rights, human rights, and anti-war activism “exploded” into being. Undoubtedly 2020 will be another highly active year with regard to these kinds of issues, and many others.

As events of the past have revealed, this Chuwen trecena can often present the kinds of challenges that require individuals to think differently, to try out new ideas, and to push forward into new, and even unorthodox, directions. And the challenges in so many areas at this time seem to be greater than many people have ever faced before – the horrific on-going bushfires in Australia that are causing such destruction, the climate crisis, the world threatening actions of a US president who does not seem to be capable of doing anything but fomenting hate and destruction.

Nevertheless, historically this has been seen as a very special time frame that encompasses the kind of extraordinary powers that are able to weave together the threads of time itself. This is the energy sequence that magically created the winal (the 20-day cycle that is a fundamental part of the 260-day Tzolk’in), and so is  associated with great artistry and creativity.

In his book titled Mexico, novelist James Michener notes that maguey (the plant from which pulque was made) provided inspiration for the artists who built the [great Mexican] pyramids. And it is Patecatl, the God of Medicine and Lord of Pulque, who is a key patron of this particular time frame, which ties in well with the creative forces that are associated with this sequence of days. So for those willing to take this opportunity to work with these forces – as did the great Renaissance master painter Raphael who was born during this period – the rewards could be great, and possibly even miraculous. Here are the energies that will come into play:

1 Chuwen (Jan. 5th) – Day of the Monkey, an “initiating” day associated with high creativity and the beginning of an important new time sequence. This is the opening day for China’s 36th Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival with this year’s theme being “Ice Snow Integration, Happy to go Together”.

Thirty years ago, in early February of 1990, this was the energy in place when Nelson Mandela was released from prison after spending 27 years behind bars as a political prisoner. This is also the Maya Calendar energy that was in place 500 years ago at the time of the unexpected death of the great Renaissance master painter Raphael, on (or within hours of) his 37th birthday. A number of special events will be held this year to mark this anniversary, with April 5th or 6th in the Gregorian calendar thought to be the date of Raphael’s birth in 1483, and his death being on April 6th in 1520, which would mean that his arrival and departure both took place within the context of this trecena.

This day marks seven Tzolk’in cycles since 3.7 million people participated in the 2015 March for Liberty and Freedom of Expression in Paris and across France in defiance of the horrific attack against Charlie Hebdo journalists and cartoonists a few days earlier. January 7th marks the fifth Gregorian anniversary of the day when the attack itself took place (called “the darkest day in the history of the French press”). Currently this is the third day of national mourning in Iran after the killing of Iran’s General Soleimani by a US drone, and is the day when his body is to be returned to Tehran.

By this point it has been five cycles since it was reported that Russian government operatives had hacked into the DNC in the US in June of 2016, precipitating the Wikileaks release of confidential documents shortly thereafter, which, in turn, triggered the disastrous upset for Hillary Clinton during the November election. This is also former US President Ronald Reagan’s Maya birth energy.

2 Eb’ (Jan. 6th) – “dynamic animating vitality”, in Maya mythology the energy that was in place when the first “stairway” was created that descended from the heavens, coinciding at this time with the day of the official funeral in Tehran for Iran’s General Soleimani. No doubt many would find this significant if they knew about it.

This energy is also coinciding with Twelfth Night, traditionally a day of “feasting and merriment” as Christmas trees are taken down. In the Christian tradition this is Three Kings Day, or Epiphany, a concept that pertains to the manifestation of a supernatural or divine reality, or a sudden revelation, as in the appearance of Christ to the Magi.

3 B’en (Jan. 7th) – the “activation” of personal authority, coinciding at this time with the opening of the gigantic (and influential) Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – “The Global Stage for Innovation” in consumer technologies. This is Coptic Christmas Day in Egypt, and Orthodox Christmas (“Old Christmas Day”), a public holiday in many eastern European traditions at the beginning of a festive week. The Coptic Church recognizes Jan. 7th as the day when Jesus was born.

As noted above, this day marks the fifth Gregorian anniversary of the dreadful Charlie Hebdo attack on journalists and cartoonists in Paris. It is also the day when talks will resume between the French government and the unions associated with the mass transportation strike that has been going on in France since Dec. 5th.

In 1933 this was the energy in place at the time of the first inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt as the 32nd U.S. President, during which he uttered the immortal words

the only thing we have to fear is fear itself–nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance

Currently this key “authoritative” energy is in place as pressure heats up with regard to the forthcoming impeachment trial in the US Senate and the escalating tensions in the Middle East with regard to Iran. This is the day of General Soleimani’s funeral in his home town of Kerman. The fact that Iran’s Supreme leader has elevated the commander to martyr status after his assassination emphasizes the reality that emotions are running extremely high at this time. Although governments around the world are calling for restraint, this is a powder keg situation that has the potential to be highly explosive, as many Iranians saw the commander as a national hero. As many noted a few days ago, the world is “bracing for a backlash”, which could include potential cyberattacks.

4 Ix (Jan. 8th) – a “defining” energy associated with the jaguar and the mysteries of the earth, one of the 4 energies at the centre of the Aztec Sun Stone, on a day that would have been Elvis Presley’s 85th Gregorian birthday and David Bowie’s 73rd Gregorian birthday.

5 Men (Jan. 9th) – a “targeting” or precision-oriented type of energy associated with the Eagle’s “higher vision”, in place on Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge’s 38th birthday. This was the energy in place in 1958 when the first women took their seats in the House of Lords in the UK. This was also the energy in place when opening shots kicked off the U.S. Civil war in 1861.

6 Kib’ (Jan. 10th) – a “stabilizing” type of energy that can force one to “think differently”, often triggering some kind of “restoration of order”; the energy that brought in the “first light” during the creation sequence in Maya mythology – in place at this time in conjunction with the Full Wolf Moon and a penumbral lunar eclipse that spans Jan. 10th-11th. Note the proximity of this moon to the grand conjunction coming up in two days.

As this is the 4th anniversary of the death of David Bowie, this “Starman” would likely appreciate the cosmic synchronicites at play over these 3 days. If Raphael was born on April 6 in 1483, as noted by some, then this is an anniversary of his Maya birth energy. As he was born late at night his birth was likely in that transition zone between 5 Men and 6 Kib’. This is also the 100th Gregorian anniversary of the founding of the League of Nations.

7 Kab’an (Jan. 11th) – “self-generating movement”, an energy that, in the past, has accompanied a great deal of Earth-oriented action and movement, although with the eclipse, the full moon, and the grand conjunction coming up, there will be a lot of attention placed on cosmic events at this time. Traditionally this was seen as the day in the creation sequence when honey was first created.

8 Etz’nab’ (Jan. 12th) – the “resurrection of flint” – a knife-edged energy that can often be quite divisive or decisive, coinciding at this time with the tenth Gregorian anniversary of the catastrophic Haiti earthquake of 2010 that severely affected some three million people. On the last appearance of this energy, the Washington Post factcheckers reported that Trump had made 10,000 false or misleading claims as of that date, with the average number of lies per day increasing after the release of the Mueller report. By Dec. 10th that number had jumped to 15,413 false or misleading claims over 1055 days in office, or more than 32 false claims a day since their update two months earlier. The question might well be asked – if he has lied this much so far, why would anyone believe him about why that air strike against Iran was launched?

Currently this is the day of the long heralded conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn – the first of three major conjunctions this year. At this time this is part of a stellium that includes these two planets as well as the Sun, Mercury, and Ceres, representing a kind of “super concentration” of these planetary forces with these cosmic entities being in such close proximity.

9 Kawak (Jan. 13th) – “outward projecting storm”; a possibility for significant weather events or for situations requiring great compassion. It is possible that they could be getting on with the impeachment trial in the Senate by this time as this is the beginning of the second week in Jan., so it will be interesting to see what kind of “storm” may be in the works by this time. Coincidently, this is the Maya birth energy of Herbert Kalmbach, Richard Nixon’s personal lawyer, who went to jail for crimes associated with Watergate.

10 Ajaw (Jan. 14th) – “foundational Sun” – an important Burner Day aligned with “taking the fire” in conjunction with Ajaw’s “full sun” energy, coinciding at this time with the next Democratic debate, this time at Drake University in Des Moines. This is inauguration day for Alejandro Giammattei, the centre-right president-elect of Guatemala who was elected last August. This is also the 9th Gregorian anniversary of the collapse of the Tunisian dictatorship that resulted from the first massive people power uprising/revolution of the Arab world in 2011, seen as the beginning of a revolutionary wave that became known as the Arab Spring.

Maya birth energy of both Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer who is now in prison, and James Comey, the former FBI director who has been one of the key figures in the controversies relating to the 2016 U.S. presidential election. It has also been five long, combative cycles since the Brexit vote in the UK in 2016.

11 Imix (Jan. 15th) – “inspirational new birth” (realm of all potential), coinciding at this time with the opening of the Ice Magic Festival in Banff. This is the first day of India’s Makar Sankranti festival, a Hindu astrological “holy phase of transition” event that marks the end of winter solstice period and the return of the sun – and light – and wisdom. At this time one of the main activities is kite flying by day and the flying of stunning sky lanterns by night.

At this time a year long celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday will kick off with Sir Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s seventh symphony.

12 Ik’ (Jan. 16th) – a “dedicated” type of force associated with wind, breath, and spirit, coinciding at this time with the second day of India’s Makar Sankranti festival and the opening of Igloofest, the coldest music festival in the world. This is the 100th Gregorian anniversary of the formal inauguration of the League of Nations in 1920; one cycle since the beginning of the reign of Emperor Reiwa of Japan at the start of what is now known as the Reiwa (“fortunate harmony”) era. Maya birth energy of veteran actor Al Pacino, who will celebrate his 80th Gregorian birthday in April.

In general this is an excellent energy for conferencing or “putting heads together” to develop or share ideas, to “rally round” an idea or issue, and to make voices heard.

13 Ak’b’al (Jan. 17th) As the last day of this “creation sequence” trecena, this is a powerful transformation-oriented energy aligned with “darkness” and deep esoteric mysteries – a force that can be highly consequential. Translating as “temple”, “house”, and sometimes “darkness”, this 13 Ak’b’al force is a powerful earth-oriented energy, as was in place in 1862 when President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, exactly one 260-day cycle after the resignation of Robert E. Lee from the Union Army before he become a commander of the Confederate army.

This is the Calendar Round anniversary of the exact energies that were in place in 1968 when North Korean communists launched the shocking Tet Offensive (noted above).

Maya birth energy of Vasili Arkhipov, the Soviet naval officer who was posthumously awarded a “Future of Life” prize for averting global catastrophe, due to his actions in preventing a Soviet nuclear strike during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.

In 1998 this was the energy in place when Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr sent his 445 page report on the investigation of President Clinton to Congress in 1998, prior to it being released to the public 2 days later.

Currently this is the start of International Green Week 2020 in Berlin and the day when veteran entertainer Betty White celebrates her 98th Gregorian birthday. In addition this is the Feast Day of St. Anthony and the blessing of domestic animals, which (as she is an animal lover), Betty would undoubtedly like. According to this post regarding this special day for animals, this particular feast day is propitious for the “regeneration of the cosmos” so it fits in well with this “creation” sequence.

Note that this trecena will be in place twice this year – with the second appearance happening in late September, just a few weeks before the 2020 US presidential elections.

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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.]