“Truly a pivot point” – this is how the aftermath of the US midterm elections is being seen by many. As this Chuwen (Monkey) trecena begins much remains up-in-the-air, and it could be weeks before the dust settles and the final tallies are in. It’s as if the monkey is high up in the jungle canopy and no one knows which way he will swing. One writer even commented that Peter Gabriel’s “Shock the Monkey” would be a fitting theme song for US elections.

As Gabriel sings:

Wheels keep turning
Monkey
Something’s burning
Monkey

So here we are, now heading into the Chuwen trecena, and no one is quite sure which way things are going to tilt. Indeed, energetically within the calendar cycle, this IS a pivot point, as the first day of this period is situated at the mid-point of the One Imix-to-13 Ajaw cycle, a point within the overall 260-day cycle when new directions often begin unfolding. One thing is for sure: this will be a time period during which a considerable amount of scrambling and “regrouping” will be done. The knife edge energies of the previous trecena left no doubt that in the US “polarization is total”. And so the stage is set for the energies that were seen historically (and mythologically) as the “Creation” sequence in the Maya Calendar – when the “world” itself was brought into being. As it happened, four cycles ago this trecena was the one that was in place at the beginning of 2020. It was the first full trecena of 2020 – and we all saw rapid “regrouping” during that period as the new coronavirus was identified, its gene sequence was published, and the first tests for the virus were developed, at the same time as “first cases” and “first deaths” were being reported in various parts of the world, including in France.

The first day 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 gets to decide how he’s going to weave 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 God of Pulque as the principal patron of this 13 day period, there is also a lot of potential for “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 two 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.

The last time this was in place (last February) 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 “head’s up” – the dumpster is due to make an announcement of some kind (groan!) around this time. During the summer of 1959 it was the same fifth day of this trecena when the first American soldiers were killed in Vietnam. So this seems to be another critical point.

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. Five 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 and the poison that he has spread since then, which has even spawned “election denialism”, they couldn’t have been more correct!

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 one cycle ago when the brutal bombing of Mariupol began in Ukraine. Two cruise missiles hit Freedom Square in Kharkiv, destroying many important buildings. But even then it was becoming evident that morale was flagging among Russian troops in general, and some units were surrendering, sometimes without a fight. That was 260 days ago, and US General Mark Milley has just estimated that some 200,000 Russian and Ukraine fighters have been killed or injured so far in the war, and that some 40,000 civilians have also died during that period.

Another important 10 Ajaw Burner Day comes in on November 19th. 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”. Four 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!

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. Just over 2 years ago this was in place when the dumpster, then referred to as “super spreader #1”, was moved to the hospital to be treated for Covid. One cycle ago (last March) it was reported that dozens of major corporations were withdrawing from Russia or cutting services, and hundreds of thousands of people were staging demonstrations in cities around the world in support of Ukraine, to demand an end to Russia’s invasion.

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. Five 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. The last time this was in place, earlier this year, China stated its support for Russia, but the general hope was that the invasion of Ukraine would be over within a few weeks. Now, finally, after one full 260-day cycle, and after Ukrainian forces have regained several regions, there is finally some evidence of Russian retreat, as Russian troops start withdrawing from Kherson.

So, as we move forward through this trecena, there is much that needs to be sorted out. These “monkey-influenced” energies will have to deal with the legacy of the midterm elections in the US as well as the mess in Ukraine as missiles and who-knows-what keep flying back and forth. In the meantime the climate change conference (COP27) will be continuing throughout most of this trecena, as world leaders continue their efforts to find solutions to pressing climate-related issues that are affecting the planet at large. The G20 meeting in Bali, and other global summits such as the CITES meeting on Endangered Species will be held during this period. If the weather holds, there will even be a rocket launch to the moon! We will also have Remembrance Day commemorations, to reflect on the sacrifices of those who have paid the ultimate price for freedom. And then there are all those trials and pending indictments that the dumpster has to look forward to, at the same time as he will have to learn to accept (hah!) his “biggest loser” title, as confirmed by the 2020 and 2022 elections.

Overall, perhaps it is good news that the Chuwen trecena is coming into place at this time as this is a time frame that often challenges people to think differently, to try out innovative ideas, and to push forward into new, and even unorthodox, directions. Often those challenges that will need to be tackled begin to appear during the previous trecena, as certainly is the case this time. But keep in mind that 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”. Here are the energies that will come into play:

1 Chuwen (Nov. 10th) – 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 the 4th full day of COP27 in Egypt, with this day’s focus being on Youth & Future Generations, as well as Science. This is also UNESCO’s World Science day for Peace and Development, which highlights the work of scientists and their relevence to daily life on this planet, with climate change being of particular concern at this time.

This is the second day of a two-day art auction that is expected to be the largest art auction in history, as masterpieces that were collected by Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, are up for sale. With more than 150 pieces available, spanning 500 years of art history, it is anticipated that this could be a $1bn auction, as it includes works by some of the world’s most renowed painters.

At this time considerable attention will be directed towards assessing the results of the US midterm elections. Doubtless, there will be a great deal of “monkey business” as results are debated and implications are hashed out. The nature of the “shaping” that will take place throughout this trecena will be determined by these results. And with the election now over, the US Department of Justice can now proceed with indictments related to their multiple criminal investigations associated with the dumpster, including violations of the Espionage Act. It remains to be seen what the timing will be in this regard. The civil tax fraud trial in New York relating to the Trump Organization is still underway and several other legal cases are also on-going. Indeed, as of this day it has now been three cycles exactly (780 days) since the Manhattan DA’s office began their criminal investigations related to that same company, with considerable evidence being amassed pertaining to such things as falsification of business records, insurance fraud, and criminal tax fraud.

This day also marks nine 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.

In 1866 this was the energy in place at the time of the official end of the U.S. Civil War. One cycle ago (last February) this was in place when Russia 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.

2 Eb’ (Nov. 11th) – “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 last time when the UK’s lifted almost all Covid restrictions.

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.

Currently this is Decarbonization Day at COP27, with the focus being on actions being taken to reduce carbon emissions, including the use of technologies that can help this transition towards a low carbon economy. It is also Remembrance Day (the 103rd after WWI), in Canada and the Commonwealth, and Veterans’ Day in the U.S. In early July of 1917 this energy was in place at the time of the establishment of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Western front during WWI, under the command of General Pershing. Currently, this marks one full 260-day cycle since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.

In parts of Germany and in several other European countries this day is celebrated as St. Martin’s Day (Martinmas), traditionally a harvest feast day to commemorate the end of the agrarian year.

In China this is Singles’ Day (or Double 11), a celebration for singles, generally celebrated through games, entertainment, and ecommerce shopping – now seen as the world’s biggest shopping celebration, the “most lucrative online shopping day in the world”.

3 B’en (Nov. 12th) – 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 (2 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.

Currently this is Adaptation and Agriculture Day at COP27, highlighting the devastating impact that climate change and extreme weather events have already had on world agriculture. This is the day of the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, part of Remembrance weekend in the UK. This is also the opening day for the 39th annual Winter Festival of Lights in Niagara, called the “Longest Festival in the World”.

This is the Maya birth energy of 96 year old civil rights activist Opal Lee, known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth”, who fought so long and hard to make Juneteenth a federally-recognized holiday in the U.S.

4 Ix (Nov. 13th) – 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

Currently this marks three cycles exactly (780 days) 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. As this is currently World Kindness Day, will we see kindness and “acceptance” on this day, as more results of the midterms are brought forth?

In the UK this is Remembrance Day Sunday when members of the Royal Family, political leaders, and current and ex-members of the Armed Forces join World War veterans at the Cenotaph memorial for wreath-laying and a ceremony of remembrance.

5 Men (Nov. 14th) – a “targeting” or precision-oriented type of energy associated with the Eagle’s “higher vision”, at a time when multiple political events and announcements are expected in the U.S. on this day and the following day. 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.

This is Gender Day at COP27, with the focus being on the disproportionate burdens often placed on women as a result of climate change issues. On this 8th full day of COP27, it will also be Water Day, focusing on issues associated with sustainable water resource management. In Panama on this day the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP19) will open, which will run to Nov. 25th.

In addition, this is World Diabetes Day, and Children’s Day in India, a special day for increasing awareness of the rights, care, and education of children. In Canada this is the start of Métis Week, and in the UK King Charles will celebrate his 74th birthday.

6 Kib’ (Nov. 15th) – 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 – coinciding at this time with the release of Michelle Obama’s new book: “The Light we Carry” (perfect timing!)

This is the opening day for the G20 summit in Bali, attended by world leaders who represent the 20 nations that account for 80% of the global GDP and 75% of global trade. At COP27 this is the day when attention will be focused on the idea of Civil Society, particularly as this relates to different forms of climate action and policy response. It is also Energy Day at COP27, as leaders focus on renewable energy, smart grids, energy efficiency, and energy storage.

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.

Two 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 (Nov. 16th) – “self-generating movement”, an energy that, in the past, has accompanied a great deal of Earth-oriented action and movement, coinciding at this time with the new launch day for Artemis I, the moon rocket that may first have to withstand the forces of Tropical Storm Nicole prior to the launch.

This is also UNESCO’s International Day for Tolerance, and the final day of the G-20 summit in Bali. At COP27 this is Biodiversity Day, when attention will be focused on nature and ecosystem-based solutions to climate change.

In Canada this day is commemorated by the Métis Nation as Louis Riel Day, as it is a Gregorian anniversary of Métis leader Riel’s wrongful execution in 1885. Celebrations of Métis culture now coincide with this date. This is also the 32nd Gregorian anniversary of the signing into law of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

This is the Maya birth energy of Thich Nhat Hanh, known as the “Father of Mindfulness”, who passed on Jan. 22nd. Joe Biden’s first State of the Union address as U.S. president was delivered exactly one cycle ago. Traditionally this was seen as the day in the Maya mythological creation sequence when honey was first created.

This is the day when the discovery phase of the E. Jean Carroll defamation lawsuit case against the dumpster is set to be completed.

8 Etz’nab’ (Nov. 17th) – the “resurrection of flint” – a knife-edged energy that can often be quite divisive or decisive, as was in place one cycle ago when the key southern Ukraine city of Kherson was declared “captured” by Russian forces early last March.

Currently this energy is coinciding with Guinness World Record Day, the peak of the Leonid meteor shower, and with Solutions Day at COP27. According to the COP27 website, this is when possible solutions are 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”. Solutions Day “brings together government representatives and businesses and innovators to share their experiences and their ideas with the aim of spreading awareness, sharing experiences and best practices and perhaps building future alliances and collaborations”.

It has now been one cycle since the UN the General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to denounce Russia and demand that Russia stop the invasion of Ukraine and withdraw its forces, an action that aimed to diplomatically isolate Russia. By that time, just a few days into the war, Russia had already lost a great deal of equipment and more than one million had fled from Ukraine. Since then, over the past 260 days, an estimated 200,000 Russian and Ukrainian armed forces have been killed or wounded, as well as some 40,000 civilians. Thousands of pieces of heavy equipment have been lost, and significant damage has been done to Ukrainian towns and countrysides. Millions of people have been displaced. This also marks 10 cycles exactly since Putin conscripted 150,000 troops into the Russian army in 2015 on the second straight day of Russian airstrikes in Syria. One cycle before that conscription Ukrainians were engaged in a fierce battle with Russia-aligned separatists over the Donetsk airport.

It has now been five cycles, exactly, since April in 2019, when WAPO factcheckers reported that they had found that the dumpster had made 10,000 false or misleading claims, with that number more than tripling by January of 2021 (30,573 during his 4 years in the White House, with nearly half of those lies told in his final year). Then came the WHOPPER – the BIG LIE that he has been promulgating ever since he lost the 2020 election. Note that currently this is the start date for the contempt of Congress trial of Peter Navarro (the dumpster’s assistant). Steve Bannon has already been convicted and is serving time in prison, and Allen Weisselberg, who was the CFO of the Trump Organization, has pleaded guilty to felony charges, as the Trump Organization trial continues.

9 Kawak (Nov. 18th) – “outward projecting storm”; a possibility for significant weather events or for situations requiring great compassion, coinciding at this time with the closing day of COP27. Currently this is the UN’s World Philosophy Day, with its emphasis on highlighting the contributions of philosophical knowledge, critical thinking, and thoughtful reflection in addressing global issues.

This marks one cycle since Russian forces captured Europe’s largest nuclear power plant – referred to by analysts as “an act of nuclear terrorism”. It also marks 4 Calendar Rounds (4 x 52 years, less 52 days) since the Battle of New Orleans in 1815, the last major armed engagement between the US and Britain.

10 Ajaw (Nov. 19th) – “foundational Sun” – an important Burner Day aligned with “taking the fire” in conjunction with Ajaw’s “full sun” energy, marking one Calendar Round (52 years less 13 days) since the establishment of the US Environmental Protection Agency. This 10 Ajaw energy coincides at this time with International Men’s Day, with this year’s theme being “Helping Men and Boys”.

This is Respect for the Aged day in Japan, where centenarians now number over 90,520 (as of September). Up until her death at the age of 119, in April of this year, Japan’s oldest person, listed as the oldest living person in the world, was Kane Tanaka, who has shared that eating good food and keeping her mind active were her secrets for longevity.

Two cycles ago (in June of 2021) a celebrational ceremony was held at the White House, attended by then 94 year-old Opal Lee, the “grandmother of the movement to make Juneteenth a holiday”, as Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth bill into law – the first new federal holiday since the creation of Martin Luther King Jr. day in 1963. [Juneteenth has also been known as Liberation Day or Freedom Day or Emancipation Day].

In 2019 this was the energy in place when Joe Biden kicked off his presidential campaign with a rally in Pittsburg. Tomorrow is his 80th Gregorian birthday.

This is the Maya birth energy of both Michael Cohen, the dumpster’s former personal lawyer who is now being highly cooperative in terms of current investigations (and very vocal in terms of wanting to see the dumpster get his comeuppance), 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.

11 Imix (Nov. 20th) – “inspirational new birth” (realm of all potential), on President Joe Biden’s 80th Gregorian birthday. In 1864 this was the energy in place when Abraham Lincoln was re-elected as the US president.

Currently this is Revolution Day in Mexico, the 112th Gregorian anniversary of the start of the Mexican revolution in 1910. It is also International Children’s Day – a day to promote the welfare of children around the world, and the International Transgender Day of Remembrance – to remember those who have been lost as a result of transphobia.

This would have been the 75th wedding anniverary of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

12 Ik’ (Nov. 21st) – 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, as will likely happen in Qatar on this day, at the start of the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament. In Mexico this is the day of the public holiday for Revolution Day.

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.

Tying in well with the “dedicated wind, breath, and spirit” nature of this day, this is the 103rd birthday of Eleanor Collins’, the pioneering jazz singer who became one of the first Black artists in North America to host a national, weekly television series. Earlier this year a commemorative postage stamp was launched in her honour.

13 Ak’b’al (Nov. 22nd) 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 59th Gregorian anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

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 an energy that often brings forth severe weather conditions.

This is the 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. Let’s hope there are more like him “standing guard” to avert catastrophes in Ukraine and elsewhere.

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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.]