The end of July, the end of a month that has been recorded as being the hottest on record, bringing temperatures that temporarily exceeded the 1.5°C threshold set by the Paris Agreement. As this trecena begins, a ring of fire encircles the Mediterranean, with wildfires spread across nine countries; the heat dome across the southern U.S. remains in place; and hundreds of wildfires continue to burn in Canada. At the same time Typhoon Doksuri is heading for China after battering Taiwan and the Philippines, and northern Italy is attempting to recover from “doomsday” hailstorms. What a summer!

According to UN secretary general, António Guterres, the era of global warming has ended and “the era of global boiling has arrived”. Interesting timing for this announcement, at this central “pivot point” within the 260 day calendrical cycle, with the Chuwen trecena bringing in the “creation sequence” once again. With the first day of this period situated at the mid-point of the 1 Imix-to-13 Ajaw cycle, this is the point within the overall 260-day cycle when new directions often begin unfolding. During this 13-day period a considerable amount of scrambling and “regrouping” often takes place.

In early 2020 this took place at rapid speed as the new coronavirus was identified, its gene sequence published, and the first tests for the virus developed, at the same time as “first cases” and “first deaths” were being reported in various parts of the world. By one cycle after that the global number of cases had reached over 31 million, and “super spreader #1” who was in the White House at that time was not only downplaying it, but also spreading it, to the point where even he ended up in the hospital. By the time this trecena came into play in June of 2021 the pandemic had registered nearly 175 million cases globally, jumping to almost 430 million by early last year. Although we are now past that particular global emergency, the scrambling taking place at this time is happening on multiple fronts, with the issue of climate change being of prime importance. In that regard, according to Guterres, “dramatic, immediate climate action” is essential if we want to avoid the very worst of what climate change could bring. But that would have to involve much more cooperative action than we are seeing at the moment.

One cycle ago the focus was on the results of the U.S. midterm elections, as votes were being tallied and the push was on to confirm power shuffles in Washington. That was when the knife edge energies of the previous trecena had left no doubt that in the U.S. “polarization was total”. The legacy of that reshuffling has played out in multiple ways over the past cycle, as a multitude of state and federal investigations have been underway, and are still ongoing. And now the stage is set once again for the return of the energies that were seen historically (and mythologically) as the “Creation” sequence in the Maya Calendar – when the “world” itself was brought into being.

The first day of this period is One Chuwen, the Day of the Monkey. You might think of this as a day governed by a 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 is the key mid-point within the overall 260-day cycle, marking 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 pulque connection to the principal patron of this 13 day period, the potential exists for a certain amount of “reckless abandon”. Certainly that seemed to be the case in January of 2020, when the coronavirus was breaking out. At that time this creation sequence of days called on everyone to think and act differently. It was the beginning of global regrouping, and the world will never be the same.

When this was in place three cycles ago, in June of 2021, world leaders met for the G7 summit in Cornwall, England, at which time President Joe Biden announced that “The US is back and democracies are standing together”. It was the start of the rebuilding of positive international relationships. During that period the US Supreme Court rejected the Republican challenge to Obamacare, and millions of low-income Americans maintained access to medical coverage. That same period brought a number of criminal indictments against the Trump Organization. There was a a sense of positive regrouping and even “healing” at that time, in keeping with the nature of Patecatl, the Aztec God of Medicine who was seen as the principal patron of this period.

When this was in place two cycles ago (February 2022) a rare bipartisan moment of unity was seen in the U.S. as more than 20 senators and House members issued a joint statement pledging to put together an emergency aid package in the face of Putin’s further escalation of hostilities against Ukraine.

Historically this has been seen as a very special time frame that encompasses the kinds 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), so it is associated with great artistry and ingenuity. As noted above, the traditional patron deity for this time frame was associated with pulque, which was seen as both medicine and as an intoxicant. So here we have a time frame with an emphasis on “healing through creativity”, but with a caution – the intoxicant aspect could also precipitate a certain amount of “monkey business”.

In Maya mythology the first day of this time frame, One Chuwen (One Monkey), was seen as the day when the Creator “raised himself to his divinity after he had made heaven and earth”.

This is followed by Two Eb’, when, mythologically, the first “stairway” was created that descended from the heavens, followed by three more days (3 B’en through to 5 Men), when more of the “other things” of the heavens, the seas, and the earth were made.

Note that 3 B’en was the energy in place in 1933 when Franklin D. Roosevelt was inaugurated as the 32nd President of the U.S. His “New Deal” policies greatly helped to pull that country out of the Great Depression. However, it was the fifth day of this time frame when the opening shots of the U.S. Civil war were fired in 1861, and during the summer of 1959 it was that same fifth day when 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 Maya creation sequence. Six cycles ago, in April of 2019, that was what happened when Joe Biden announced his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election under this influence, when he came to the conclusion that “enough was enough” with regard to the orange menace’s support for extremism. On that day a group of psychiatrists completed a report in which they concluded that Trump was “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. Given all the destruction that he has wrought, all the lives ruined, and all the poison that he has spread since then, which has even spawned “election denialism”, they couldn’t have been more correct! Nevertheless, fast forward to the same Maya day in November 2022, and what do we see . . . . Teflon Don’s announcement of another bid for the presidency, even though he was “enveloped in a suffocating fog of scandal”, as Rachel Maddow put it. Despite the worldwide groans heard at that point he has now been campaigning for one full cycle, and the “scandal” has ballooned to actual state and federal indictments, with the possibility of more to follow, possibly even during this trecena. The ninth day of this time period will mark one cycle since the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith, to lead various investigations into federal crimes, particularly those related to the insurrection. So once again, this seems to be another critical point.

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 two cycles ago when Russia’s brutal bombing of Mariupol began in Ukraine. Two cruise missiles also hit Freedom Square in Kharkiv on that day, destroying many important buildings. The last time this was in place the Orion spacecraft blasted off on the first flight in the Artemis program, the first major spaceflight of a new lunar exploration mission.

Another important 10 Ajaw Burner Day comes in on Aug. 6th. This tends to be intense and consequential as this energy was seen traditionally as being oriented around the idea of “taking the fire”, in conjunction with the force of Ajaw’s “full sun”. Five cycles ago, in January of 2020, this was the energy in place when the Russian government resigned after Putin proposed “an entire package of proposed amendments” to Russia’s constitution reform that could see him extend his hold on power. And we all know what has happened since then! One cycle ago the first train between Kyiv and the then-recently freed city of Kherson arrived, as crowds shouted Slava Ukraini, “Glory to Ukraine”

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. When this was in place last November, just over one cycle after Russia’s invasion, President Zelenskyy delivered an extraordinary address on what was called a Day of Dignity and Freedom that marked the pro-European Union protests of 2013/2014, known as the Maidan Revolution. During that address he praised the defiance and determination of the Ukrainian people and said: “We can be left without money. Without gasoline. Without hot water. Without light. But not without freedom. . . . We will hold out. We will endure.”

We will hold out. We will endure. Zelenskyy

 

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 humans. 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. Six cycles ago (in April of 2019), this energy was in place when what was termed “the worst constitutional crisis since the civil war” unfolded in Washington, tied in with the stonewalling and obstruction of justice on the part of the dumpster White House in response to the release of the Mueller report. One cycle after that, in January of 2020, the dumpster’s first impeachment trial got underway under this influence. Now, by the time this energy is in place by the end of this trecena, it is highly likely that indictments related to the insurrection will have been brought both at the federal level, and in Georgia.

With regard to the Russia-Ukraine war – when this was in place in early 2022, China stated its support for Russia, but the general hope was that the invasion of Ukraine would be over within a few weeks. That did not happen, but after one full 260-day cycle, Ukrainian forces had regained several regions, and there was some evidence of Russian retreat. Now, one cycle after that, with new commitments and support from NATO, including bolstered equipment, Ukraine is escalating its counteroffensive and progress is being made. It may be that the creative forces of this trecena will increase the wind in their sails as they push forward.

So, as we move forward through this trecena, there is much going on at very high levels. The last time this trecena was in place these “monkey-influenced” energies had to deal with the legacy of the midterm elections in the US, at the same time as Ukraine was fending off Russian missiles. Now, those missile defence systems are still in action, and in the US the legal field is becoming the battlefield as lawyers and prosecutors jockey for position over various high-level indictments and preliminaries relating to forthcoming trials. It is expected that even more indictments related to the classified documents case, the Jan. 6th investigation, and the Georgia investigations could be brought during this current trecena.

And while all this is happening world leaders continue to look for solutions to pressing climate-related issues that are affecting the planet at large, including blistering heat domes and “doomsday storms” such as seen in northern Italy over the past few days.

Keep in mind, as we work through this time period, that this is a trecena that often challenges people to think differently, to try out innovative ideas, and to push forward into new, and even unorthodox, directions. Overall, this is a period where considerable creative forces are in play which could be very helpful in the forging of a “new (and better) world” – something that is SO greatly needed at this time. Here are the energies that will come into play:

1 Chuwen (July 28th) – the Maya Day of the Monkey, an “initiating” day associated with Artistry and High Creativity at the beginning of an important new time sequence, coinciding at this time with Day 88 of the Writer’s Guild strike and Day 15 of the SAG strike. Due to the extreme heat in New York picket lines for these strikes have been cancelled for this day, which will no doubt give those involved some much needed respite, but also time to continue to work creatively on how to resolve this very tense situation.

This is World Nature Conservation Day, dedicated to raising awareness about the need for the protection of nature and its resources. The theme this year is: “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet”. At this time this is particularly problematic as wildfires have been consuming huge swaths of forests in many different regions for weeks. In British Columbia, just under 500 wildfires are currently burning and dozens of communities are under evacuation alerts as hundreds of firefighters battle the blazes. Similarly, wildfires in other parts of Canada, in Greece and other parts of Europe, and in Northern Africa are forcing thousands to flee. With so much global attention being placed on saving lives and livelihoods at this time, the need for protection and conservation is greater than ever. Peter Gabriel’s “Monkey, Something’s burning” lyrics (from “Shock the Monkey”) have never been more apropos – and the call to find creative solutions has never been stronger. As Gabriel put it, it’s time to “Shock the monkey to life” to find those solutions – and quickly!!

This day also marks ten 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. The last time this was in place (last November) the results of the US midterm elections were being tallied.

In 1866 this was the energy in place at the time of the official end of the U.S. Civil War. Two cycles ago (February 2022) this was in place when Russian lawmakers authorized Putin to use military force outside of Russia, on the eve of his assault on Ukraine, at the same time as a state of emergency was declared in Ukraine.

At this time this is the last day of the Maya month of Xul, traditionally associated with Kukulcan (known as Quetzalcóatl 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. Interesting timing as we are nearing the end of July as well.

2 Eb’ (July 29th) – “dynamic animating vitality”, in Maya mythology the energy that was in place when the first “stairway” was formed that descended from the heavens “when the world was being created”. This is an energy that can trigger a healing process, as it did two cycles ago when the UK lifted almost all Covid restrictions.

When this was in place in the spring of 2019 actor/director/comedian Volodymyr Zelenskyy won the presidential election in Ukraine by a landslide (over 70% of the vote), defeating President Poroshenko. Exactly 4 cycles later, on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia launched a massive attack against Ukraine.

In 1965 this was the energy in place when President Lyndon B. Johnson gave his historic “We Shall Overcome” speech, when he addressed a joint session of Congress and presented a strong argument for the passage of a Voting Rights Act that would allow African Americans to vote. In that speech he officially recognized the Civil Rights movement and ruled that the Civil Rights march from Selma to Montgomery could legally take place.

3 B’en (July 30th) – the “activation” of personal authority, 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”.

When this was in place in June of 2021 (3 cycles ago) there was a very special “heart of the sun” astronomical alignment with the Three Hearthstone Place in the cosmos, the place of origin in Maya cosmology, just before the start of the G7 meetings of world leaders in Cornwall, England. That was when President Joe Biden announced that “The US is back and democracies are standing together”, as he and Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed a New Atlantic Charter to reaffirm their commitment to work together to realize a vision for a more peaceful and prosperous future. That was when the Pew Research Center reported that America’s image abroad was rebounding significantly with the transition to Biden.

The last time this was in place (last November) it was Adaptation and Agriculture Day at COP27, as the devastating impact that climate change and extreme weather events have had on world agriculture was the topic under discussion. Which leads to the question – “where are we doing about this?” That was also the day when it was confirmed that the Democrats had won a majority in the US Senate.

4 Ix (July 31st) – a “defining” energy associated with the jaguar and the mysteries of the earth, one of the four energies at the centre of the Aztec Sun Stone, marking two cycles since worldwide anti-Putin protests, with iconic landmarks (monuments and buildings) lit up in Blue and Yellow, the colours of Ukraine’s flag.

This marks four cycles exactly since the US Senate unanimously passed a resolution reaffirming its commitment to a peaceful transition of power in the wake of the dumpster’s refusal to do so if he lost the election. However, it wasn’t long after that when it became clear that Republican senators had completely forgotten about that resolution, or made that commitment under pretense.

This is the New Fire anniversary of the beginning of the Nixon Shock meetings in 1971 that led to the announcement about changing U.S. monetary policies.

In 1990 this was the energy in place when Voyager I took a photo of Earth as a Pale Blue Dot in a sunbeam, from a distance of 6 billion kilometers. It was a photo that radically changed our perspective of Earth – and its fragility.

5 Men (Aug. 1st) – a “targeting” or precision-oriented type of energy associated with the Eagle’s “higher vision”, at the time of the Full Sturgeon Moon. This is World Youth Day (in Portugal), and Emancipation Day in Canada, marking the day in 1834 when the Slavery Abolition Act came into effect across the British Empire. This is also the day when the US begins its one month presidency of the UN Security Council.

In addition this is the day when liberal judge Janet Protasiewicz takes her place on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She won the election (the most consequential one of the year) last April 4th, with that win flipping the ideological balance of the court towards the left, after it had been controlled by conservatives for 15 years. Note that in 1958 this was the energy in place when the first women took their seats in the House of Lords in the UK. Four cycles ago this was in place when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a passionate advocate for women’s rights and civil liberties, became the first woman to lie in state in National Statuary Hall at the US Capitol, in a tribute reserved for the most distinguished government officials and military officers, after a formal ceremony in the morning.

This is potentially a “hang onto your hat” kind of day, as this was the energy in place in early April in 1861 when the opening shots that started the “main events” of the American Civil War took place at Fort Sumpter.

6 Kib’ (Aug. 2nd) – 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. The last time this was in place (last November) the global population topped 8 billion, and the US surpassed 100 million cases of Covid. Currently this energy is coinciding with Earth Overshoot Day – the day when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services for the year exceeds what Earth can regenerate during the year.

This is the calendrical energy that was in place in 1814 when Napoléon Bonaparte gave his farewell address to the Old Guard in the courtyard at Fontainbleau after his failed invasion of Russia and defeat by the Allies, and his abdication of the throne two weeks earlier. He was then sent into exile.

Three cycles ago this was in place when President Biden met with Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle, exactly three cycles after he announced his candidacy for the presidency on April 25, 2019.

7 Kab’an (Aug. 3rd) – “self-generating movement”, an energy that, in the past, has accompanied a great deal of Earth-oriented action and movement, as was in place exactly one cycle ago when Artemis I, the first major spaceflight of NASA’s Artemis program, was launched as a test of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, marking NASA’s return to lunar exploration missions.

This time this “evolutionary movement” energy will be in place as Trump is formally
arraigned on four charges associated with his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, with those charges being: conspiracy to defraud the United States “by using dishonesty, fraud and deceit to obstruct the nation’s process of collecting, counting, and certifying the results of the presidential election”; conspiracy to impede the Jan. 6 congressional proceeding; conspiracy against the right to vote and to have that vote counted; and obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct and impede, the certification of the electoral vote.

Two cycles ago this energy was in place when President Biden delivered his first State of the Union address as U.S. president.

Traditionally this was seen as the day in the Maya mythological creation sequence when honey was first created. At this time this is the opening day of Caribana Toronto, North America’s largest Caribbean carnival.

This would have been the legendary Tony Bennett’s 97th Gregorian birthday, had he lived for another 13 days. Six years ago Tony was awarded the US Library of Congress Gershwin prize for his lifetime contributions to music.

8 Etz’nab’ (Aug. 4th) – the “resurrection of flint” – a knife-edged energy that can often be quite divisive or decisive, as was in place two cycles ago when the key southern Ukraine city of Kherson was declared “captured” by Russian forces early last March.

Currently this energy is coinciding with the opening of ICCR 2023, the 2-day International Conference on CyberSecurity Resiliency, in Vancouver.

This is the opening day for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, referred to as “the greatest celebration of arts and culture on the planet”. This is a festival that dates back to 1947, when eight theatre groups showed up to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival. Since they weren’t officially invited to the Festival they staged their own shows on the “fringe”. The vision of “giving anyone a stage and everyone a seat” continues.

One cycle ago this energy was in place on Solutions Day at COP27, as possible solutions were presented for the broad array of climate change challenges that range from “holistic, cross cutting solutions such as greening of national budgets, or sustainable cities, multilevel action and sustainable transport, to sectoral solutions like waste management, alternatives to plastic and green building”. Despite all that, the issues are growing faster than solutions are being put into practice.

Similarly, it has now been two cycles since the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to denounce Russia and demand that Russia stop the invasion of Ukraine and withdraw its forces, an action that was attempting to diplomatically isolate Russia. That was a futile effort, as the battles continue on, with still no end in sight.

9 Kawak (Aug. 5th) – “outward projecting storm”, sometimes associated with significant weather events, or with situations requiring great dedication and compassion, at a time when Toronto will be showcasing wildly costumed masqueraders as they take part in the Caribana Grande Parade, Vancouver kicks off its Pride Festival weekend, and Edmonton kicks off its 3-day Heritage Festival.

This energy marks one cycle exactly since Jack Smith’s appointment as Special Counsel for the US DoJ, to lead various investigations into federal crimes that may have been perpetrated by the dumpster. It is highly likely that by the time we reach this one cycle anniversary, more charges will have been brought, in addition to the 37 felony charges that have already been unsealed and the additional criminal charges brought on the final day of the last trecena, when a third defendant was added to the classified documents case.

This marks two cycles since Russian forces captured Europe’s largest nuclear power plant – referred to by analysts as “an act of nuclear terrorism”. This was also the energy in place in 1815, at the time of the Battle of New Orleans, the last major armed engagement between the US and Britain.

10 Ajaw (Aug. 6th) – “foundational Sun” – an important Burner Day aligned with “taking the fire” in conjunction with Ajaw’s “full sun” energy, coinciding with the 58th anniversary of the signing into law of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by President Johnson. This is also the 78th Gregorian anniversary of the Hiroshima bomb attack in 1945.

This 10 Ajaw energy is marking four Calendar Rounds precisely since the signing, in Paris, of The Holy Alliance in 1815 (aka the Grand Alliance), a coalition linking the monarchist great powers of Austria, Prussia, and Russia. It was created after the final defeat of Napoleon at the behest of Emperor (Tsar) Alexander I of Russia. The alliance aimed to restrain liberalism and secularism in Europe in the wake of the devastating French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.

11 Imix (Aug. 7th) – “inspirational new birth” (realm of all potential), the final day of Caribana in Toronto, as well as B.C. day, Heritage Day in Alberta, and Terry Fox Day.
This was the energy in place in 1864 when Abraham Lincoln was re-elected as the US president.

12 Ik’ (Aug. 8th) – a “dedicated” type of force associated with wind, breath, and spirit – 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.

In 1965 this was the energy in place when some 25,000 civil rights supporters marched to the steps of the Alabama State Capitol, in Montgomery, to deliver a petition calling for voting rights, after many had marched for several days from Selma. At that time Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “How Long, Not Long” speech, during which he said “How long? Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” These efforts led to the establishment of the federal Voting Rights Act several months later.

Currently this is the 49th Gregorian anniversary of the day President Nixon announced his resignation, in 1974. This was also the energy in place at the time of the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, with its ruling that the U.S. Constitution, in general, protected abortion rights.

13 Ak’b’al (Aug. 9th) 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, coinciding at this time with the 78h Gregorian anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Nagasaki in 1945.

This is national Peacekeepers’ Day in Canada, in honour of more than 125,000 Canadian peacekeepers who have served in dozens of international efforts over more than six decades. This is also the UN’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, with this year’s theme being: “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-Determination”, with a Virtual Commemoration taking place at this time.

Translating as “temple”, “house”, and sometimes “darkness”, this 13 Ak’b’al force is a powerful earth-oriented energy, as was in place in 1973 when US Vice-president Spiro Agnew resigned after investigations showed that he was involved with extortion, bribery, and income tax violations. He pleaded guilty on one count of tax evasion and made a plea deal that ensured he would never run for office again. This was also 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 an energy that often brings forth severe weather conditions.

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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.]