As this trecena begins we are half-way through the current 260 day Tzolk’in cycle that began in early May. The first day of this period is the mid-point, the central “pivot point”, within the 260 day cycle that runs from 1 Imix-to-13 Ajaw, a point where new directions often begin unfolding. The last time this Chuwen trecena was in place (late last December to early January), the U.S. was bidding adieu to former President Jimmy Carter, President Biden was completing his final full trecena in office, and the US justice system was frantically rearranging itself in anticipation of the change in command. It was a highly unstable period, with investigations shutting down and people jockeying for positions in the dumpster’s forthcoming new cabinet, like monkeys scuttling about, vying for the best position in a new tree. The world at large was trying to recover from the shock of the 2024 elections in the US, whereby a slippery convicted felon managed to evade justice (on multiple counts) and become the president-elect for a second term. With bizarre and dangerous proposals already being floated, the road ahead looked murky, to say the least.

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, and time, as he orchestrates the proliferation of life. This key mid-point within the cycle marks the beginning of the mythological “Creation” sequence of events in deep mythology, when the world itself was brought into being and 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 the potential exists for a certain amount of “reckless abandon” (tied in with the pulque connection to the principal patron of this 13 day period). Certainly that seemed to be the case in January of 2020, during the dumpster’s first term, as the coronavirus was beginning to make its presence known during this period. That was when this creation sequence of days began to call on everyone to think and act differently. It was the beginning of global regrouping, and the world will never be the same.

Fast forward to June of 2021 (6 cycles ago), when world leaders met for the G7 summit in Cornwall, England – that was when 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, and there was 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. During that period a number of criminal indictments were brought against the Trump Organization, which eventually led to a major fraud trial and conviction that resulted in a $454 million judgment against him early in 2024, and the sentencing of his CFO to more jail time.

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. Patecatl, the traditional patron deity for this time frame, was associated with pulque, which was seen as both medicine and as an intoxicant. While the idea of “healing through creativity” is an important aspect of this time frame, there is also a caution, as 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. When this was in place at the time of that G7 summit in 2021, President Biden called that day “an inflection point in history” as he and Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed a New Atlantic Charter. In April of 2024, two cycles ago, this brought the start of the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president, and one cycle ago it was in place on the final day of 2024. Note, as well, that it was the fifth day of this time frame when the opening shots of the U.S. civil war were fired in 1861.

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. In April of 2019, that was what happened when Joe Biden announced his candidacy for the 2020 presidential election under this influence, but then, in keeping with the “echoing” effect of these energies, exactly five cycles later, in November of 2022, the dumpster announced his new bid for the presidency. At that time that was seen as a gamble, and a bid to avoid federal criminal indictments or even incarceration, because he was in the midst of multiple criminal probes, which eventually did result in multiple indictments.

Then, after 3 cycles (780 days) of vulgar, non-stop, lie-spewn, court-bashing campaigning all in the interest of avoiding prosecution, he arrived back at the cusp of a return to the presidency, even outlasting multiple indictments and several convictions. Jack Smith, the Special Counsel appointed to lead various investigations into federal crimes associated with the insurrection and the classified documents cases, was required to step down on the final day of this period, since those prosecutions could not move forward. It was all very, very bizarre.

The seventh day, 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 in 2023 when the dumpster was arraigned in a magistrate’s court in Washington DC, two days after his indictment by a federal grand jury on charges associated with his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. One cycle after all that, in 2024, he was in the midst of his first criminal trial.

The 10 Ajaw Burner Day that comes in on September 24th tends to be an intense and consequential energy traditionally oriented around the idea of “taking the fire”, in conjunction with the force of Ajaw’s “full sun”. Eight cycles ago, in January of 2020, this was the energy in place when the Russian government resigned after Putin put forward “an entire package of proposed amendments” to Russia’s constitution that would enable  him to extend his hold on power. And we all know what has happened since then! When this comes into place this time, this energy will mark five cycles since Russian forces captured Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine. And even now that war continues to rage.

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. Four cycles ago, when this was in place, Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy delivered an extraordinary address during which 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.”

Thirteen Ak’b’al (“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. In April of 2019 this was the energy 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 (to do with Russian interference in the 2016 election). One cycle after that, in January of 2020, the dumpster’s first impeachment trial got underway under this influence. One cycle after that the dumpster was in hospital with Covid, with CNN commenting that this situation was symbolic of “own administration’s failure in its pandemic response”. One cycle after that a New York judge scheduled a trial date related to Trump’s New York civil case, related to his company’s “staggering” fraud. One cycle later (in 2023) the news was all about how he had destroyed the Republican party. In 2024 this energy brought forth the Supreme Court’s granting of presidential “immunity’ for a variety of so-called “official” acts. That was also the day when a federal judge upheld the verdict in E. Jean Carroll’s civil defamation case against Trump after he called her a liar for accusing him of sexually assaulting her. She was awarded more than $83m after Trump’s motion for a new trial was denied and the judge affirmed that Carroll had suffered harm. Since then this ruling has also been confirmed by a court of appeals.

Then, the last time this energy was in place (this past January) the dumpster was sentenced in the hush money trial, after being found guilty on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to the hush money case, even though he avoided being sent to prison since he was about to assume the presidency. So what does this energy have in store this time – something to do with the Epstein scandal perhaps?

As has happened so often in the past, it is entirely possible that there will be echoes, as we go through this period, from earlier trends and events. Without doubt it will be tense and eventful, again with a great deal at stake, as a multitude of high stakes lawsuits have now reached the supreme court stage. The question of legality concerning the tariff issue is likely to explode during this period as a US appeals court has recently ruled that Trump far exceeded his power with regard to imposing tariffs on other countries. Indeed, several other high level courts ruled against various other actions over the past few days; many people in his cabinet are being called out for their incompetencies; he is being seen as a dangerous “weakling” when it comes to key international issues associated with the likes of Russia, China, Israel, and Venezuela; and the whole sordid mess associated with the Epstein files is about to explode.

Keep in mind, as we work through this time period, that this is a trecena that often challenges people to think differently, to push forward into new, and even unorthodox, directions. But if it’s all too much, remember to take a deep breath, step out of it for awhile, and do something playful and life-enhancing. That will work wonders! Here are the energies that will come into play:

1 Chuwen (Sept. 15th) – the Maya Day of the Monkey, an “initiating” day associated with Artistry and High Creativity at the beginning of an important new time sequence. This return of the “creation” sequence in the Tzolk’in (Sacred Count of Days), is coinciding with the UN’s International Day of Democracy, with Respect for the Aged Day in Japan, and with Hispanic Heritage Day at the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month. The 2025 theme for this special Hispanic month is “Collective Heritage: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future”. Click here for information on a lovely online platform dedicated to preserving and amplifying the work of contemporary Mexican artists and master artisans.

This is also the 204th anniversary of Central America (including present day Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras) officially declaring its independence from Spain in 1821, on the the eve of Mexico’s Independence Day. Every year on the eve of this special day Mexico’s president re-enacts some version of El Grito de Dolores (the “Cry of Dolores”), in a “Viva México! Viva la Independencia! Vivan los héroes!” ceremony broadcast throughout the country, in remembrance of the call to arms that triggered the Mexican War of Independence.

With regard to this day, Mesoamerican archaeologist/mythologist Karl Taube (and others) have made reference to the local Maya belief in the Yucatan that on September 15th “giant feathered serpents, the noh kaan, emerge from the sacred lakes of Coba to create havoc where they fly”. So it seems that if one is in the Yucatan at this time this would be not only the eve of a great national festival but also a day to watch out for plumed serpents. It may be that, since feathered serpents are symbolic of freedom and liberation, this could be a variant on the independence day celebrations.

Currently this day marks 13 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 (and the world) during that November’s presidential election.

While some important historical endings have occurred under this One Chuwen influence, as in the official end of the U.S. Civil War in 1866, and the ending of the Orange Revolution in Ukraine in January of 2005, more often it marks beginnings – as seen five cycles ago (February 2022) 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. On that day there was a rare moment of unity in the U.S. as lawmakers issued a bipartisan statement in which they pledged to put together an emergency aid package in the face of Putin’s further escalation of hostilities. The dumpster, however, was busy elsewhere – praising Putin.

Two cycles ago (in April of 2024) more than 300 cruise and ballistic missiles and drones were launched in a retaliatory attack against Israel, with attacks launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, with Iran seen as the centre of an “Axis of Resistance” against Israel. Dozens of rockets were also launched from Lebanon towards northern Israel. But recently Israel appears to be carrying out strikes against any country within reach that it sees as a threat, even hitting Qatar which has been a key mediator in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.

Currently this is also marking the 85th anniversary of Battle of Britain day, the day in 1940 when the German Luftwaffe launched its largest and most concentrated attack on London. Fortunately, the RAF successfully fought them off, and the Luftwaffe suffered heavy losses. Way back in 64AD this was the energy in place when Rome was in flames (and Nero was reportedly “fiddling”).

This is former US President Ronald Reagan’s Maya birth energy, the energy that was in place one cycle ago at the time of the passing of President Jimmy Carter, at age 100. It was Reagan who succeeded Carter as president, on Jan. 20th, 1981, after narrowly winning the election.

2 Eb’ (Sept. 16th) – “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 in 2022 when the UK lifted almost all Covid restrictions, after implementing an extensive vaccination program. Currently, on this second day of National Hispanic Heritage Month, this is Mexico’s Independence Day, celebrating 215 years since Spain withdrew and officially recognized Mexico as an independent country. This is also the UN’s International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

In March of 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.

When this 2 Eb’energy was in place in the spring of 2019 then-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 that massive attack against Ukraine.

3 B’en (Sept. 17th) the “activation” of personal authority, coinciding at this time with the UN’s International World Patient Safety Day, with this year’s theme being “Safe Care for every newborn and every child”. In San Francisco this is the opening day for the two-day AI Conference 2025.

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 is also marking two 260-day cycles exactly since the start of the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president, with jury selection (in April of 2024), after the dumpster had made multiple attempts to get it delayed. This was the hush money trial, related to falsifying business records as part of a scheme to suppress damaging stories about him during the 2016 campaign. It was to be the first of Trump’s four criminal trials slated to take place during 2024, but others (including the Jan. 6th case related to the coup attempt, and the classified documents case relating to his hoarding of classified government documents) got siderailed. He was ultimately declared Guilty on all 34 counts in the hush money trial, marking the first time that a former U.S. president was convicted on criminal charges. His sentencing was delayed, and the payments that he was required to make after being found guilty in various civil cases were hung up in the appeal process.

Fast forward two cycles and we find that today is the day when that convicted felon will be visiting Windsor Castle in the UK, hosted for two days by King Charles III. This is the day when a traditional state banquet will be held at the castle. Pop quiz: What’s wrong with this picture?

It has now been seven cycles since this 3 B’en energy was in place (5 years ago as of Sept. 23rd) when the beloved human rights advocate Ruth Bader Ginsburg lay in repose at the US Supreme Court so that members of the public could pay their respects. She must be appalled by the current state of that court.

This is the Maya birth energy of soon-to-be (on Oct. 7th) 99 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. President Biden signed the Juneteenth bill into law on the tenth day of this time frame in 2021.

4 Ix (Sept. 18th) – 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. In ancient Mesoamerican mythology this was seen as a powerful force, known to the Aztec as Nahui Ocelotl, associated with Tezcatlipoca, one of the original creator forces. Because this represents an amalgamation of solar and jaguar energies, it was seen as a Jaguar Sun, aka a Night Sun, aligned with the creation of the Aztec First Sun (era), which lasted for 676 years. Currently this powerful force, symbolic of Earth-related “transformation”, is marking five cycles since worldwide anti-Putin protests, when iconic landmarks (monuments and buildings) were lit up in blue and yellow, the colours of Ukraine’s flag, in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and freedom.

Currently this is the day when the dumpster travels to Chequers to meet with the UK’s embattled prime minister, Keir Starmer, who had delivered the invitation for a second state visit when he visited the White House in February. Ben Jacobs’ article titled How the UK became American conservatives’ worst nightmare provides an interesting perspective on all this.

This is also Independence Day in Chile and International Equal Pay Day.

5 Men (Sept. 19th) – a “targeting” or precision-oriented type of energy associated with the Eagle’s “higher vision”, marking three cycles exactly since a federal grand jury charged the dumpster with four counts associated with his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Although he was given an unconditional discharge, without a custodial sentence, last December because he “won” the last election, his conviction remains on record.

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. Given the current state of the US, there is considerable discussion at this time, particularly on social media, about recent violent events potentially touching off a new civil war in that country.

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. Seven 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.

6 Kib’ (Sept. 20th) – a “stabilizing” type of energy that can force one to “think differently”, but sometimes triggers some kind of chaos that ultimately leads towards a “restoration of order”. This is the energy that brought in the “first light” during the creation sequence in Maya mythology. In 2019 this was in place when Joe Biden announced his candidacy for the presidency.

Currently this is World Cleanup Day, the start day for Munich’s 190th Octoberfest, one of the largest festivals in the world, and the first day of the two-day Nezujinja  shrine Grand Festival, one of Japan’s three major Edo festivals.

This is also the first day of the two-day sixth Annual Canadian Walk for Veterans event, to provide support for veterans who suffer from PTSD.  This is also legendary actress Sophia Loren’s 91st birthday. Happy birthday Sophia!

This is the Maya calendrical energy that was in place in April of 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.

7 Kab’an (Sept. 21st) – “self-generating movement”, coinciding at this time with a partial solar eclipse, at the start of Climate Week NYC, which runs through to Sept. 28th. This event is held in partnership with the UN General Assembly. This is also the first day of the UN’s 2-day Summit of the Future event, that looks to commit to “Bold new solutions” to global challenges. It is also the UN’s International Day of Peace, with this year’s theme being “Act Now for a Peaceful World”.

In addition, this is World Gratitude Day, World Alzheimer’s Day (associated with raising awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia), and the final day of Ghost month in China.

In the past, this energy has accompanied a great deal of Earth-oriented action and movement, now marking three cycles since Trump was arrested and arraigned in a magistrate’s court in Washington DC, on four charges relating to the Jan. 6th insurrection case, 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. Although the case was dismissed “without prejudice”, after the dumpster won the 2024 election, apparently the case can be filed again after he leaves office, which could be one of the key reasons why he is fighting tooth-and-nail to stay in office.

This is also marking two cycles since the completion of the jury selection process in the hush money trial. That was the day when the G7 powers pledged to bolster Ukraine’s air defences to counter increasingly deadly Russian attacks.

In the Maya mythological creation sequence, 7 Kab’an was seen as the day when honey was first created. And indeed, it was a “honey of a day” one cycle ago (last January) when President Joe Biden bestowed Presidential Medals of Freedom on 19 prominent Americans who had made significant contributions in politics, sports, entertainment, civil rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and science. He also awarded the second highest civilian medal to Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson, leaders of the congressional investigation into the 2021 Capitol riots.

8 Etz’nab’ (Sept. 22nd) – the “resurrection of flint” – a knife-edged type of energy that often can be quite divisive or decisive, but also quite dazzling or attention-getting, coinciding at this time with Autumn Equinox, at the time of the UN’s high-level meeting to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. The Charter went into effect on Oct. 24th, 1945.

This energy is now marking five cycles since the key southern Ukraine city of Kherson was declared “captured” by Russian forces. That was when 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 isolate Russia diplomatically. Unfortunately, that was a futile effort, as the battles continue on, with still no end in sight.

In India this is the start of Navratri, the Nine Nights of Devi, nine nights of battle between good and evil, at the start of India’s big festival season. Specifically this is Shardiya Navratri, an auspicious Hindu Masik Durgashtami day associated with the arrival of the dazzling 10-armed warrior Goddess Durga, who comes in to battle against the forces of evil that threaten peace and prosperity, in order to restore cosmic balance. This Hindu deity represents the positive and compassionate female forces of the universe, and is generally seen as the great divine mother whose name translates as “the one who eliminates sufferings”. Durga is seen as the protector of all that is good and harmonious in the universe. Traditionally this would be the day of her arrival on an elephant, at the beginning of a ten-day day festival that involves colourful processions, performance arts, pagentry, prayers and traditional songs and dances dedicated to the goddess. As it happens, this is also the International Elephant Foundation’s Elephant Appreciation Day.

The evening brings the start of Rosh Hashanah – meaning “head of the year”, thought to be the anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, and the beginning of the Jewish New Year. Also known as the Feast of Trumpets, this is a Jewish High Holy period that runs from the evening of Sept. 22nd to the evening of Sept. 24th.

It has now been nine cycles, exactly, since April in 2019, when WAPO factcheckers in the U.S. reported that the dumpster had made 10,000 false or misleading claims, with that number more than tripling by January of 2021 (30,573 were documented during his first four years in the White House, with nearly half of those lies told in his final year). Then came the BIG LIE that he spewed forth continuously since losing the 2020 election, as it became a central ad nauseam theme in his long drawn-out re-election campaign. What is that old adage – “if you repeat something often enough, people will think it’s true” ? In the US, the tsunami of disinformation and misinformation that has been fomented from that same source and then amplified over and over through social media is seen as the central cause of the massive vitriolic divide that currently exists within that country.

9 Kawak (Sept. 23rd) – “outward projecting storm”, sometimes associated with significant weather events, or with situations requiring great dedication and compassion, now coinciding with the full day of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and the first day of the UN’s General Assembly high-level debate and the high-level meeting to mark the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women. It’s also the UN’s International Day of Sign Languages.

When this energy was in place in early January, that was the day when electoral votes were certified in a joint session of the U.S. Congress, on the fourth anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capital, as investigations and legal actions pertaining to holding people accountable for their actions in that regard went into “pause mode” (or got dropped altogether) as the transition to a 2.0 administrative term got underway. The animosity between the two parties in Congress, the extraordinary disfunction and rampant hypocrisy within the Republican party itself, and the takeover (or elimination) of key governmental departments since then has left the country in a shambles.

This energy is marking four cycles exactly since Jack Smith’s appointment as Special Counsel for the DoJ, to lead various investigations into federal crimes that may have been perpetrated by the dumpster. Although Smith was working relentlessly to ensure that justice prevailed in the highly consequential cases pertaining to both the dumpster’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election, and his attempts to maintain government materials, including highly classified documents, he was not able to bring the cases to court before the election deadlines, and therefore had to resign from this endeavor, just 4 cycles and 4 days after his appointment. It remains to be seen whether or not any of those cases will ever be brought to trial.

Currently this is Bruce Springsteen’s 76th birthday, when New Jersey will celebrate Bruce Springsteen Day.

10 Ajaw (Sept. 24th) – “foundational Sun” – an important Burner Day aligned with “taking the fire” in conjunction with Ajaw’s “full sun” energy, marking one cycle exactly since the ignition of the horrific and historic Pacific Palisades firestorm in southern California. A state of emergency was declared and some 49,000 people were put under evacuation order, as millions across southern California were put under a red flag warning as intense Santa Ana winds exacerbated the fires.

This is the second of four Ajaw-related “Burner Days” within the Tzolk’in cycle. This particular Burner Day often marks a time when something is “accepted”, in the sense of “taking the baton and running with it”, with regard to some important issue. In 2019 this was in place when Joe Biden “took the baton” and kicked off his presidential campaign with a rally in Pittsburg. Currently the General Debate at the United Nations is continuing at this time, with a climate summit ahead of COP30 in Brazil, and a summit on the global economy. This is also the final day of Rosh Hashanah, which concludes in the evening.

It has now been two cycles exactly since the opening day (after seating of the jury) for the dumpster’s sleazy hush money trial, where he was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records (and ultimately found guilty). In sharp contrast, that was Earth Day, the day when President Biden announced a $7bn investment in solar energy projects nationwide, focusing on disadvantaged communities, as he unveiled a week-long series of what was termed “historic climate actions”.

This marks five cycles since Russian forces captured Europe’s largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine, in March of 2022, referred to by analysts as “an act of nuclear terrorism”. Back in 1815, this energy was in place when the “Grand Alliance” was created, linking the monarchist powers of Austria, Prussia, and Russia after the final defeat of Napoleon, at the behest of Tsar Alexander I of Russia. The goal of the alliance was to restrain liberalism and secularism in Europe in the wake of the devastating French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars.

11 Imix (Sept. 25th) – “inspirational new birth” (realm of all potential), as the General Debate continues at the United Nations general assembly, and a high-level meeting takes place on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being. A high-level meeting to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the World Programme of Action for Youth will also take place at this time.

When this was last in place (last January), thousands of US citizens paid their respects to President Carter as his lying-in-state in the Capital rotunda continued. In 1864, this was the energy in place when Abraham Lincoln was re-elected as the US president.

In 1993 this energy was in place when the Oslo Accords were signed, marking the start of the Oslo process, a cycle of negotiations built around the idea of allowing Palestinians to establish an independent state alongside Israel. This was seen by many as the only hope of ending a century of conflict between Arabs and Jews over control of the land between the river Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately those negotiations fell apart, and the situation in Gaza is now “hell on Earth”.

Currently this is World Maritime Day, with this year’s theme being “Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity” and Remember Me Thursday, a focal point for a global campaign to increase awareness of pet adoption organizations around the world, a campaign to help orphaned pets to find forever homes.

12 Ik’ (Sept. 26th) – a “dedicated” type of force associated with wind, breath, and spirit, seen in deep mythology as the day in which the breath of life was created in the Maya Creation sequence. 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. The General Debate at the United Nations continues on this day, along with a high-level meeting to commemorate and promote the UN’s International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

This is also Native American Day in California and Nevada.

This is now marking one cycle since a National Day of Mourning in the U.S, at the time of President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral at Washington DC’s national cathedral. A private funeral service was held in Plains, Georgia, later in the day, followed by the private interment. The U.S. Navy conducted a missing man formation flyover in Carter’s honour, as part of these final ceremonies.

This was the energy in place at the time of the landmark Roe vs Wade decision made by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 to decriminalize abortions in the U.S. (That was overturned in 2022 by the current Supreme Court, throwing thousands of people’s lives into chaos.)

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.”

Sadly, millions of disillusioned people are now wondering if that is actually true, after the astonishing events of 2024 that saw millions of dollars being spent on “delay, deny, deflect, dismiss” tactics within the US judicial system, and the failure of that system to prosecute outrageous crimes associated with the Jan. 6th insurrection, among many others. Then came the astonishing dissolution of government programs and human rights systems in 2025, and the takeover of key departments such as the Defence Department (now “Department of War”) and DoJ by dumpster loyalists, many of whom are woefully ill-equipped to fulfill the mandates of their positions. Nevertheless, if the arc of the moral universe does eventually bend toward justice, it is going to need the help of the millions of people who still believe that freedom from oppression is still worth fighting for.

13 Ak’b’al (Sept. 27th) As the last day of this Maya “creation sequence” trecena, this is a powerful transformation-oriented energy aligned with “darkness” and deep esoteric mysteries – a force that can be highly consequential, as it was two cycles ago when the US Supreme Court held its hearing relating to “presidential immunity”. Their decision regarding presidential immunity has not only had dire consequences in terms of the issue of holding the dumpster responsible for his alleged crimes, but very likely served as the pivot that turned the 2024 election in his favour. One cycle ago, when the dumpster was sentenced in the hush money trial, after being found guilty on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to the hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election, the sentencing was an “unconditional discharge”, rendered just 10 days before the dumpster assumed the presidency – hardly even a slap on the wrist. So the question of how to hold him accountable for the crimes that have been committed still looms large. Nevertheless, two cycles ago a federal judge did award more than $83m to the writer E. Jean Carroll in her defamation case against the dumpster, an award that has been upheld earlier this month by a court of appeals. The fact that Trump was found guilty of sexual assault in the case that she originally brought against him is significant for many reasons, including the fact that this case can be seen as one more “exhibit” in a series of scandals that has swirled around him since he first announced his candidacy for office. The entire long-running Epstein scandal is now simmering in the background, waiting to explode. That arc of justice may well be starting to bend under the sheer weight of it all.

Note, as well, that this powerful earth-oriented 13 Ak’b’al force was in place in October of 1973 when then-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. Indeed, this is the exact Calendar Round return of the 13 Ak’b’al 1 Yax energy that was in place in 1973 when Agnew’s crimes finally caught up with him. Let’s hold that thought.

The last time this energy was in place, Maduro was sworn in for his third six-year term as president of Venezuela, despite the fact that the opposition had proven that Edmundo González won the election with twice as many votes as Maduro. And now a situation has developed where one would-be-dictator (the dumpster) is duking it out with an actual long-term dictator (Maduro) over the issue of the US attacking a Venezuelan boat. A new war in Latin America (as some are referring to this) would be yet another way to deflect attention from on-going scandals, such as are associated with the long-awaited, and possibly soon-to-be released, Epstein files.

This is an energy that often brings forth storms and other 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.]