As often happens, the lively days immediately preceding the opening of this “Flint” oriented time frame were “world-shakingly” eventful – days of great joy as thirteen boys were rescued from a deep cave in Thailand, days of “glory” for France when its team won the World Cup, and days of jaw-dropping incredulity as Trump’s summits with NATO, the UK, and Putin brought things to a boil. With the passage of the Jewish “nation-state” bill in Israel, declaring (just 2 days ago) that only Jews (but not Arabs) have the right of self-determination in that country, things are at a boiling point in that area as well. Often the events that play out during that trecena set the foundations for what will follow, and this is certainly the situation at this time.

So now, with the Etz’nab’ trecena coming into place, we are facing a monumentally attention-getting energy parallel that, given the current US-Russia state of affairs, is almost head-spinning! As noted before, the cycles of the Tzolk’in often bring forward echoes of energy from earlier events, with the intensity of those echoes often being strengthened by certain energy alignments.

At this particular time, as we embark on this Etz’nab trecena, we are at the return of something that the Aztec referred to as a Huitzilopochtli cycle, a “war” oriented time frame representative of the 780 day cycle of Mars. Looking back we can see that precisely two Huitzilopochtli cycles ago (in April, 2014) the Ukrainian government began mobilizing its military for “large scale anti-terrorist operations” after a day of violence in eastern Ukraine when government buildings in several cities were seized by heavily armed, masked pro-Russian activists. At that time the U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting as this crisis was seen as being “the brink of civil war”, seen by the world as a huge geo-political shift being orchestrated by Russia. At that time some 10,000 people rallied in central Moscow to denounce Russia’s aggressive actions in that regard and the Russian State media coverage of the crisis. And now, as this trecena comes into place, it is the U.S. that is facing the stark implications of Russian interference, as they deal with, among other things, the fall-out from Trump’s summit in Helsinki and the confirmation by U.S. intellignce agencies that Russian interference in the 2016 election did indeed take place.

With the situation being so volatile it is perhaps no coincidence that the Etz’nab’ trecena is returning at this time, as so much is at stake. This is a time frame which has a tendency to bring issues into stark focus in dramatic ways. Expect sparks and even “shock and awe” as the cold sharp flint edge associated with Etz’nab’ prompts people to make hard decisions.

This is an energy sequence that is highly aligned with decisiveness, with the separation of “right” from “wrong”, “good” from “bad”, “sick” from “healthy”, and other such opposites. The metaphor is that of a knife edge that can be used to cut away whatever no longer “works” in the interest of promoting healing. This concept is even reflected in the nature of the patron energies, with one representing the warmth of the sun and the other representing the coldness of the Underworld. Etz’nab’ is an energy that can cut through or cut away issues and provide the “spark” that can initiate new forms of thought or action.

A classic example of how this can play out can be seen in the example of Napoléon Bonaparte’s downfall in 1814. After he and his army had been driven back to France the Etz’nab’ trecena became a key time frame for his abdication and exile. It began on the first day of this trecena with the French Senate passing a resolution to depose him. Two days later he was required to abdicate the throne. Towards the end of the trecena he was required to sign The Treaty of Fontainebleau that ended his rule as Emperor of France. And then he tried to kill himself, prior to his exile. Given that Napoléon was also born on an Etz’nab’ day, all of this seems particularly striking.

Back to the current era, this entire trecena was again highly attention-grabbing two cycles ago as huge anti-Trump strikes took place throughout this time frame, including the F17 general strike, the “National Day of Action to Push Back Against Assaults on Democratic Principles”; the nationwide “Not My President’s Day” protest marches; and the massive “A Day Without Latinos, Immigrants, and Refugees” demonstrations. During the last appearance of these energies (last November) an organization called Refuse Fascism promoted a number of anti-Trump events in cities across the U.S., as part of their agenda to “unleash a process of continuous protest”, towards the achievement of the unseating of the Trump administration. And now, as this trecena begins, the stage is set for the anti-corruption, collusion, even “treason” oriented battles that will have to be fought. Swords are out, armour donned, and sparks will fly.

Intriguingly, all this is taking place precisely one Huitzilopochtli cycle Mars/war cycle (three Tzolk’in cycles) since Hillary Clinton was confirmed as the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, at which time the momentum appeared to be firmly in her favour.

Historically this trecena has had a tendency to present situations that require people to face their dilemmas and make important decisions. Often those decisions have to be instantaneous, as in 2010 when Haiti was struck by a devastating 7.0 earthquake, and again in 2012 when this trecena forced tens of thousands of people on the U.S. east coast to face the daunting task of rebuilding homes, lives, and communities after the onslaught of Superstorm Sandy.

Very often the events that have taken place during this time frame have been either dazzling or just plain shocking, as was the case five cycles ago when the horrific terrorist attack on journalists and cartoonists took place at the headquarters of the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, prompting hundreds of thousands of people in cities worldwide to take to the streets to stand in solidarity against the attack. “Je Suis Charlie” became a rallying cry of defiance.

Overall, it appears that, once again, this highly attention-getting time frame will be particularly intense. As this trecena begins on a weekend, there could be any number of public demonstrations brewing, and shortly thereafter the first of two Manafort trials will begin, which will be critical to the Russia investigations. Mid trecena brings the deadline date for reuniting all immigrant children with their families, after the terrible botch-up at the Mexican border several weeks ago. But given how poorly organized that has been, it is unknown whether it is even possible to complete this process. Then, in the middle of the trecena, the day after this deadline – a Total Lunar Eclipse.

What with the eclipse, with Mars making a very close approach to Earth, with the Huitzilopochtli Mars/war cycle echoes of energies from previous events all hovering around at this time it is surely a “be prepared for anything” kind of time frame. Flint, sparks, “shock and awe” – all of this is posssible. Let’s keep in mind what happened to Napoléon. These are the energies that will be in play:

1 Etz’nab’ (July 21st) – the “initiation” of Flint, a sparkling, attention-getting “shock and awe” type of energy that can dazzle and/or divide and separate. Two cycles ago this energy coincided with the massive “Day Without Immigrants” strike by foreign-born residents of the U.S., at which time hundreds of restaurants (including McDonald’s), food trucks, grocery stores, and other businesses and services were shut down in many large cities as protestors took to the streets in a strike that highlighted the contributions of immigrants. On that same day Trump held a press conference that was seen by many as an unhinged “marathon rant”. One cycle ago Trump began his Asia tour under this influence, on the same day that Allan Lichtman, who predicted Trump’s win two months before the election, predicted his impeachment, which he thought would be “mere months away”. In 1814 this was the energy in place on the day when the French Senate passed a resolution to depose Napoléon. Currently this is the opening day for the dazzling Surrey Fusion Festival.

2 Kawak (July 22nd) – “dynamic storm, catalyzation”, often manifested as the “generation of a storm of compassion” – a highly cause-oriented energy often fueled by strong emotion or great passion, in place at the time of the 2018 G20 summit in Buenos Aires, the first-ever G20 finance ministerial summit to be hosted in South America. This is also the second day of the Surrey Fusion Festival in B.C. and the final day of the Bluedot Festival in the UK.

It was under this influence three cycles ago (in June of 2016) that Hillary Clinton launched a scathing attack on Trump, saying that he would be an historic mistake as “he cannot do the job” – she referred to his bizarre rants and outright lies, calling him “dangerously incoherent’, warning that he could even trigger war. Precisely one cycle after that courageous warning this 2 Kawak energy “hosted” a nationwide General Strike in the U.S. – the F17 (Feb. 2017) Strike, aka a “National Day of Action to Push Back Against Assaults on Democratic Principles” – that included lawyers, legal workers, and other members of the legal community protesting in front of Federal buildings in many major cities. On that day The Washington Post unveiled their new slogan: “Democracy Dies in Darkness”, a phrase often used by Washington Post editor Bob Woodward, after Trump called mainstream media outlets the “enemies of the people”. Then, keeping in step with all this, on the last appearance of this energy (last November) an organization called Refuse Fascism promoted a number of anti-Trump events in cities across the U.S., as part of their agenda to “unleash a process of continuous protest”, towards the achievement of the unseating of the Trump administration.

This is also the Maya birth energy of solar astrophysicist Eugene Parker who developed the theory of supersonic “solar wind” and proposed the spiral shape of the solar magnetic field in the outer solar system. NASA’s Solar Probe Plus (the Parker Solar Probe), due to be launched next month, is named after him.

3 Ajaw (July 23rd) – the “Activation of Enlightenment” – an important Burner Day oriented around the idea of “announcing the fire”; traditionally this is a point where clarity can suddenly breakthrough, with Ajaw’s “full sun” illuminating things that previously may have been hidden. Three cycles since an email was sent to Trump Jr. that revealed that “The Crown prosecutor of Russia . . . offered to provide the Trump campaign with some offical documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to Trump.” In 1814 this was the energy in place when Napoléon abdicated the throne.

4 Imix (July 24th) – representative of the sun working with the waters of creation to bring something new into being, this is a “defining” type of energy associated with “birth” (ie. a “whole new world” or a “whole new way of thinking”). Another of the days when the popular Yamaboko Junko (grand parade) takes place in Kyoto with its massive Gion Matsuri floats

5 Ik’ (July 25th) – the “blessing” of wind/breath and spirit – an energy that could enhance communication and perhaps even assist with bringing clarity or the idea of “hope” with regard to critical issues or events. Two cycles since the nationwide “Not My President’s Day” protest marches across the U.S. in 2017 just after the inauguration, at which time polls were showing that 46% of the population was calling for impeachment. Maya birth energy of the great African-American educator/activist Booker T. Washington. Six cycles since the announcement of the Kepler telescope’s discovery (in a galaxy 459 light-years from Earth) of Kepler 186f, the first planet with a radius similar to Earth to be discovered in the habitable zone of another star.

6 Ak’b’al (July 26th) – a “structuring” type of energy associated with “home and/or sanctuary” (or even “darkness everywhere”). Hopefully the emphasis at this time will be on “home or sanctuary” as this is the deadline date for all immigrant children (nearly 3000) who were separated from their families at the Mexican border to be reunited with those families (a formidable task, given the disarray associated with the “zero tolerance” policy that separated them in the first place, with many children having to be DNA tested in order to find the family match). This is also Mick Jagger’s 75th Gregorian birthday.

7 K’an (July 27th) – “self-generating germination”, situated at the pivotal middle point in this “knife edged” trecena, coinciding at this time with the Full Blood Moon and a Total Lunar Eclipse, on the 65th anniversary of the day in 1953 when U.S., North Korea, and China signed an armistice agreement to end the Korean war. Three cycles since Hillary Clinton became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, a day referred to as an historic milestone for women.

8 Chikchan (July 28th) – the “resurrection of Lifeforce”, coinciding at this time with Celebration of Light, the fireworks at the beginning of the Upfest Festival in the UK, Europe’s largest street art festival, involving over 400 artists from 70 countries in a “paint live” extravaganza that is sure to be spectacular.

9 Kimi (July 29th) – the “outward projection of death/new foundations”, this time coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the opening of the 1948 Olympics in London, the first one held since 1936. Maya birth energy of Queen’s iconic front man Freddie Mercury, whose story is being told in a movie called Bohemian Rhapsody, due for release in November. In 2010 this was the energy in place when Haiti was struck by a devastating 7.0 earthquake.

10 Manik’ (July 30th) – the bare-bones/ foundational energy of “source” combined with that of the sun-carrying Deer, symbolic of reciprocity, coinciding at this time with the UN’s International Day of Friendship. On this day, however, the “harmonization” type of quality that is often associated with this energy takes a rather bizarre slant as this is the day when Time magazine releases a print edition that features a creepy image of Trump’s face morphed with that of Putin, a frightening image that speaks volumes. In 1814 this was also a dark day for Napoléon when officials from the Austrian Empire, Russia, and Prussia got together to sign The Treaty of Fontainebleau that stripped Napoléon of his powers as ruler of the French Empire.

11 Lamat (July 31st) – a “bright light” kind of energy that often heralds something new, at a time when Mars will be within 35.8 million miles of the Earth, the biggest and brightest visibility since 2003. This energy is a force that can sometimes bring a sudden shift as when Napoléon Bonaparte was forced to pack things in after signing The Treaty of Fontainebleau in 1814 just prior to his exile, and when women received the right to vote and hold elected office in Manitoba in 1916. One cycle since Trump Jr. was exposed for having secret contacts with Wikileaks during the 2016 presidential campaign.

This is the day when the Paul Manafort trial begins in Virginia (postponed from a few days ago), relating to charges of tax fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy (the first of two trials slated for Trump’s former campaign manager). A motion filed on July 6th indicated that the Trump campaign “is relevant and inextricably intertwined” with one of the charges against Manafort. All preliminaries were dealt with a few days ago so the trial should go ahead at this time, as the first court test of special counsel’s prosecution.

12 Muluk (August 1st) – a “pulling together” or “grouping together” type of energy associated with water, a good time for people to find ways to be adaptable and to “put heads together” to search for new pathways or find new solutions to problems. In 1814 Napoléon tried to end his own life under this influence, after his abdication. Currently this is the opening day for the 2018 Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas.

13 Ok (August 2nd) – associated with “transformational love” or “transformational fire”, this is an energy that holds the potential to be a real “scorcher”. This energy can manifest as the final big push away from “sacrifice and separation” towards greater freedom, creativity, and integration, as seen in the Treaty of Paris that ended the American Revolution in 1783. Two cycles ago this energy brought an eruption of Mount Etna in Italy, and at least 22 tornadoes that ripped through several U.S. states. One cycle since North Korea’s state media called Trump a coward and said that he deserved the death penalty for insulting their supreme leader.

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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.]