Wind, Breath, Spirit – these are the three key words that are generally associated with the Ik’ trecena that is coming into place at this time. And as this trecena begins each of these takes on significant meaning. Wind and breath are things of the AIR – and these days it is evident that this is one of the most precious commodities on this planet, something that we used to take for granted – but no more. Having access to clean, fresh air . . . . having access to oxygen . . . . is fundamental to the sustaining of life, and millions of people these days are fighting for this basic necessity as the pandemic rages on.

Click here for the Podcast to accompany this trecena

As this trecena opens with One Ik’, which is, in essence, the “initiation of wind/ breath/spirit”, this significant energy is coinciding with a number of very special events, including the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year for sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere, with the lowest noonday sun, and the start of the winter season. This is also the peak of the Ursid meteor shower and the time of the “Great Conjunction” between Jupiter and Saturn, the two largest planets in our solar system. Although this conjunction happens every 18-20 years, it is rare to see it this close. As astronomers tell us, this is apparently the closest conjunction between these two planets since 1623, with both planets visible in the same telescopic field of view and shining at about one-fifth the size of the moon. But apparently it has been nearly 800 years, since March of 1226, since it was last in plain view. Due to its brilliance at this time and its proximity to Christmas, many are calling this the “Christmas Star”.

In addition to all this astrologers are pointing out that, as this Great Conjunction coincides with 0 degrees Aquarius, it is marking the beginning of 200 years of Great Conjunctions in air signs (Aquarius, Gemini, Libra), referred to by many as “the Age of Air”. Some are even calling this “the great mutation” because it marks the change from earth to air, initiating a move away from restricton and materialism towards greater humanitarianism, innovation, and liberation in thought and action. Most see this as a very “potent” time.

So there is much, much discussion going on about this very rare conjunction happening on the Winter Solstice. But, even more significant – and something very, very few people would be aware of – is the fact that all this is taking place on One Ik’, which is “the” one particular trecena within the 260 day Tzolk’in cycle that is specifically oriented around high magic. If this was part of general awareness the intensity of the discussions at this time would likely be greatly increased!

Last spring this was the first full trecena of the new Maya year (that began at the end of March), a time when the world was coming into full realization that everything was shifting in unprecedented ways. The emphasis was on both breath and communication – finding and sharing information about how to deal with the coronavirus. By the time this trecena opened at that time the global number of cases had topped 1.2 million, with just over 300,000 cases in the US. But over the past 260 days (the last full cycle) the increase has been so great that the global number of cases will be close to 78 million by the time this trecena opens on One Ik’ this time. And given that the world’s population is just over 7.8 billion that means that over the past year approx. 1% of the world’s population has become infected, including many of the world’s leaders.

As it happens, the first day of this trecena marks one cycle exactly since the UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson was admitted to the hospital with this disease, and had to be put into intensive care. And now, one cycle later, the leaders of the EU are holding an emergency meeting, again on the very first day of this trecena, to discuss how to deal with the new variant of the disease that was first detected in September but is now spreading so rapidly that European nations are now banning all passenger flights from the UK until at least the first of the new year.

Fortunately, the last trecena (Muluk, which is associated with water and “purification”) brought the start of vaccination programs in a number of different countries, so hopefully this will help to turn the tide, but in the meantime, the Northern Hemisphere still has to get through a long, cold winter.

Symbolically, this is the trecena associated with Ehécatl, the “Wind/ Breath/ Spirit” form of the great Feathered Serpent that was often seen as a portal to the heavens. One of the most prominent symbols associated with Ehécatl was a duck-billed mask, representative of the wind that blows in all directions. And, of course, one of the most important things we can all do at this time is to wear masks whenever we leave our homes.

The fact that Ehécatl is a variant of the great Feathered Serpent, known as Kukulcan (Quetzalcoatl), is also significant at this time since serpentine energy has long been associated with medicine. In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius is a serpent-entwined staff wielded by the Greek god Asclepius, a deity associated with healing and medicinal arts. This staff is used as a symbol for many health oriented organizations, including the WHO, although sometimes is confused with the caduceus on the staff of Hermes/Mercury. In both cases the serpent is representative of the healing arts. The serpent’s ability to shed its skin and “renew” itself is a key concept here, in addition to its ancient connection with alchemy.

The connection of this symbol with Hermes, the winged messenger, ties it in with its original association with trade, negotiation, and alchemy. It is also expressive of the dual nature of the work of the physician, who deals with the dualities of life and death, sickness and health.

So here we are again with the Ik’ trecena coming into play, with its forces deeply aligned with many of the ideas associated with healing, communication, alchemy, life and death, and even negotiation, just as vaccination programs are getting underway in many countries, and a new $900 billion funding initiative in the US kicks in to provide much needed relief for the millions suffering from the disastrous effects of the pandemic in the US.

If this planet was not in its current state of crisis this trecena would have encompassed the wideranging celebrations and festivals associated with the start of winter, and with Christmas and the New Year. This year will be very different, of course, as people maintain their vigilance and remain close to home. Large scale gatherings are defintely NOT recommended.

The good news is that this is the trecena that was thought of, traditionally, as being under the patronage of Chantico, the Goddess of Terrestrial Fire, associated with the warmth and nourishment of the hearth fire – the “home fires”. Clearly she will be very, very busy during this trecena as she helps people not only to “shelter at home” but to celebrate at home and count blessings. She is also associated with “high magic”, earthy treasures, and domesticity. She provides the reminder that this would be an opportune time to turn towards things that can inspire and uplift, and to look for moments of “high magic” in places closer to home.

Hopefully Ehécatl’s wind forces will not kick up at this time, as they have so often in the past. The first day of this trecena has often brought intense storms, and the 7 Lamat mid point has a long association with such things as hurricanes and tornadoes. Hopefully we will be spared this time through – however, it IS winter . . . . .

Along the lines of working with “Spirit”, this trecena has a tendency to be aligned with important “energy pushes” as people rally behind particular causes, as could be seen during this energy zone in 2018 during the midterms when the Democrats took back the US House of Representatives and 102 women were newly elected. During that period many events took place worldwide pertaining to the 100th anniversary of the 1918 armistice at the end of World War I.  It was exactly one cycle ago when US citizens began receiving direct payouts from the $250 billion emergency relief package that was passed by the US Senate on Mar. 18th. And now, just as this trecena is coming back in, Senators have finally agreed on the parameters of a new pandemic relief bill that will provide $900 billion in additional funding to help Americans who are on the brink of financial disaster. So during this trecena US citizens can breathe a collective sign of relief as action begins to be taken on that greatly anticipated payout.

So what we are working with during these thirteen days that take us from the Grand Conjunction, through to a “hunkering down” Christmas, through Brexit in the UK and some financial relief in the US, and into the first two days of 2021, is “wind, breath, spirit, medicine, and high magic”. Communication is important, particularly if it is “solution” oriented, inspirational in tone, aligned with light, and collectively dedicated to overcoming the widespread darkness that has blanketed this past year. These are the energies that are coming into play:

1 Ik’ (Dec. 21st) – the “initiation of wind/breath/spirit”, coinciding with the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year for sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere, at the start of the winter season. This is also the peak of the Ursid meteor shower and, in the early evening, the time of the heralded “Great Conjunction” between Jupiter and Saturn.

This is the day when Congress in the US is likely to vote on the new $900bn pandemic relief bill, and on another spending bill to fund government operations for another nine months. On this day Joe and Jill Biden are to receive their coronavirus innoculations, and EU leaders are holding a “crisis” meeting to discuss a coordinated approach to a new, rapidly-spreading variant of the coronavirus that has been found in south-east England. By this time the number of global cases is nearing 78 million, almost one percent of the global population (up from just over a million cases around the globe one cycle ago).

This day marks precisely eight cycles since Hillary Clinton announced (in the spring of 2015) her campaign to become the Democratic candidate in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. If she had won the 2016 election through her popular vote win there can be no doubt that the world would have been significantly different by this time.

This is actor/activist Jane Fonda’s 83rd Gregorian birthday and the Maya birth energy of French President Emmanuel Macron who is currently in isolation after testing positive a few days ago for coronavirus. He has acknowledged the negligence in his own behaviour that led to this diagnosis.

This is also the Maya birth energy of former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court justice in the U.S.

As of this day it has been four cycles since the 2018 launch of the Never Again Movement in the US to advocate for gun control, after the horrific Florida school shooting, and the beginning of nationwide rallies by students across the US in a call for stricter gun regulations.

2 Ak’b’al (Dec. 22nd) – a “dynamic” type of energy associated with the temple or “house” of deep esoteric mysteries – precisely one cycle since the direct payout of $250 billion to US citizens promised as part of the emergency package for coronavirus relief that was passed by the US Senate on Mar. 18th. As it happens this energy is returning just 2 days after the US Senate finally reached agreement on the new pandemic relief bill that will provide $900 billion in additional funding to help Americans who are on the brink of financial disaster, so word on the details of the payout should follow soon.

This marks four cycles since Special Counsel Robert Mueller indicted 13 Russians for election interference (for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and for aggravated identify theft). And now, the US is scrambling after learning, just a few days ago, that hackers backed by a foreign government (that most suspect to be Russia) have been monitoring a large number of important government agencies, including the US Treasury Dept.

3 K’an (Dec. 23rd) – an “activation” type of energy associated with both germination and opulence. This is Queen Elizabeth II’s Maya birth energy. It has been one cycle since early last April when mainland China reported that, for the first time since January, there had been no new deaths in that country. All information since then has shown that China has been highly successful in controlling the coronavirus, as the curve has significantly “flattened” there since that early April report – and this was done long before the development of any kind of vaccination program.

4 Chikchan (Dec. 24th) – the “defining” of Lifeforce, a Burner Day associated with “running with the fire”, in conjunction with Quetzalcoatl’s connection with Liberation and Higher Consciousness, coinciding at this time with Christmas Eve. This marks precisely 3 Calendar Rounds (3 x 52 years) since the passage of the 13th Amendment (the abolition of slavery) by the U.S. House of Representatives in January of 1865.

It has been five cycles ago since June 2017 when thousands of protestors took part in March for Truth rallies in more than 150 cities across the US and around the world.

5 Kimi (Dec. 25th) – a “precision” type of energy associated with “absolute foundations”, this time coinciding with Christmas Day . . . . and that is the kind of Christmas it will be for millions this year – very “bare bones”, and very sparse. The last time this energy was in place it marked the 100th day since China alerted the WHO to several pneumonia cases (later identified as Covid-19).

This can sometimes be seen as a “game changing” force, as it can bring things right down to the barest of essentials, prior to regeneration. But that can also mean bringing things down to “pure spirit”, which can be that “game changing” turning point.

As if to emphasize this point, the last time this energy was in place (early last April) a large snowstorm (referred to as a bomb cyclone) hit the US northeast (northern New England) and eastern Canada. It brought high winds that toppled trees and triggered power outages that left more than 200,000 houses in the dark. And now it seems that many are battling similar conditions with that area now blanketed with several feet of snow from a recent storm. Parts of Japan were also inundated with up to 7 feet of snow, so this is sure to be a white Christmas for many, in keeping with the nature of Kimi.

Two cycles ago this was in place at that “game changing” moment when all-time high temperature records were shattered in many European countries, and scientists warned that the speed and extent of current global warming was exceeding any similar event in the past 2000 years. They emphasized that the period from that date (July, 2019) to the end of 2020 would be critical in terms of dealing with the global heating crisis and other environmental challenges, and announced that a series of critical UN meetings would take place during this period. At that time no one had any idea that the year 2020 would also bring a global pandemic. Disastrously, the dumpster’s administration was worse than useless when it came to addressing climate change issues, but Joe Biden has just introduced his team who will lead an “ambitious plan” to tackle climate change as soon as he takes over the US presidency.

In 2018 the energy of 5 Kimi was in place when Democrats won back the US House of
Representatives in the midterm elections and and made history with a record number of women winning seats in Congress.

6 Manik’ (Dec. 26th) – the energy of the six directions in conjunction with the reciprocity-oriented (but sometimes “sacrificial”) energy of the deer (traditionally seen as a “carrier for the sun” on Earth) coinciding with Boxing Day in British Commonwealth countries.

This would have been the day when some 12 million Americans would have lost their federal unemployment benefits if Congress had failed to reach agreement on a relief package, so this really came down to the wire.

7 Lamat (Dec. 27th) – “self-generating star” or beacon; a strong “heralding” type of energy, as well as a force that has been historically associated with strong winds (often tornadoes and hurricanes), as happened one cycle ago when this energy triggered an outbreak of severe weather in the southeast from Texas through to the east coast. That was the day when, for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus, all 50 US states were under disaster declaration as the number of cases in the US climbed to over 500,000; it also had the world’s highest death toll. By this point the number of cases in the US likely will be close to 19 million, with the death toll over 330,000.

The last time this energy was in place the world’s population reached over 7,777,000,000. It is now over 7.8 billion.

8 Muluk (Dec. 28th) – the “resurrection” of water; strongly aligned with rebirth and “purification”. This is the day when Vice-President Elect Kamala Harris is scheduled to get innoculated against Covid-19. It is also Dame Maggie Smith’s 86th Gregorian birthday.

9 Ok (Dec. 29th) –an “outwardly-projecting” type of energy associated with love, loyalty, and guidance that can have long lasting influence; a “double-fire” type of energy often aligned with “hearth-fire” or even “heart-fire”. This is the Maya birth energy of the much-loved Alex Trebeck, the host of the game show Jeopardy for 37 seasons before his death in early November.

10 Chuwen (Dec. 30th) – “foundational play”; a creative time-weaving type of force, that brings in the last Full Moon of the decade. This is also known as the Cold Moon, the Snow Moon, and the Hoar Frost Moon, which will reach peak illumination just before this 10 Chuwen energy comes into place.

It has been three cycles since commemorations worldwide marked the 100th anniversary of the
1918 armistice at the end of World War I, on the opening day of the first Paris Peace Forum.

11 Eb’ (Dec. 31st) – inspirational “animating vitality”, aligned with change and new possibilities, coinciding at this time with New Year’s Eve, and the end of the transition period related to Brexit, the UK’s controversial departure from the EU.

This is the Maya calendar anniversary of the energy that was in place in 1920 at the time of the ratification of the 19th U.S. amendment, which gave the right to vote to all citizens, including women. As of this day there are just twenty days remaining until Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th US president.

12 B’en (Jan. 1st, 2021) – a “dedicated” type of force aligned with personal authority, a double-Quetzalcoatl type of force, coinciding at this time with New Year’s Day. With 2020 finally behind us, with coronavirus vaccination programs now underway, and with Joe Biden less than three weeks away from taking over the US presidency, this year promises to be a vast improvement over 2020.

In India this is the beginning of the 4 month Kumbh Mela, one of the world’ largest
religious gatherings, which usually draws some 10 million Hindus. Stay safe everyone!

At this point it has been fourteen cycles since the beginning of the revolutionary wave (in January 2011) that became known as the Arab Spring.

13 Ix (Jan. 2nd) – “transformational Jaguar” – a double transformation type of energy associated with the Jaguar and earth mysteries, on the 118th birthday of Japanese supercentenarian Kane Tanaka, the world’s oldest verified living person, at the peak of the Quadrantids Meteor Shower, apparently one of the strongest meteor showers of the year.

This is 19th century poet Emily Dickinson’s Maya birth energy. Emily once said that “Hope is the thing with feathers”, so let’s make this a very, very feathery year!

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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.]