It’s the start of a new 260-day T’zolkin (count-of-days) cycle and many new beginnings are on the agenda during this Imix trecena, including a new school year and the return to work for many who have been on vacation over the past few weeks.

From the perspective of the Maya calendar, we have just come through one complete cycle of the Tzolk’in that ran from last December through to most of August this year, and, as always it is the last trecena of the cycle (the Lamat trecena, in place over the past 13 days) that “signals” what is to come. Many times those signals, on the world stage, point towards changes in leadership or towards some significant issues that need to be addressed.

As always, this first trecena of the new cycle begins with the Moon Goddess (aligned with the “initiating” energy of the Number One and the power of birth) working in tandem with Imix, the birth-oriented “generative nucleus” that begins and carries forward this initiatory 13-day period that is representative of the “realm of all potential”, thereby setting the stage for new ideas or opportunities. Within this trecena the emphasis often seems to be on “world-making”, in the sense of opening up vast new arenas for engagement, as when this energy brought forth the first host-to-host connection between computers back in 1969, signalling a dramatic, quantum shift in the nature of world communications.

At this time the issue of climate change is becoming more and more pressing, as temperatures continue to soar in many areas, and catastrophic events such as the raging fires sweeping through the Amazon are drawing the world’s attention. Although G7 leaders pledged millions during last weekend’s summit to help fight the fires (an offer that was rejected by Brazil), many have been pointing out the need for better monitoring and for the enforcement of regulations to prevent such calamities. Global warming is also contributing to major flooding in such places as Indonesia, where the capital city of Jakarta is sinking at such a high rate that an announcement has just been made to move the capital to a different location. With the arrival of youth climate change activist Greta Thunberg in New York at the beginning of this trecena, after completing her two-week transAtlantic trip aboard a solar-powered, zero-carbon producing yacht, it is likely that we will be hearing much more from her in the leadup to the UN climate summits in the US and Chile which will take place this fall, with Greta in attendance.

Currently, as this trecena gets underway, Tropical Storm Dorian is spinning towards Puerto Rico where a state of emergency has already been declared as people prepare for this weather system to turn into a hurricane that has the potential to bear down on them just as this trecena begins. It is also on track to bring heavy winds and rains to the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas and Florida. The intensity of the storm will greatly determine the extent to which lives will have to be restructured when dealing with the aftermath. Further north Tropical Storm Erin could be bringing severe weather conditions to the Maritimes.

Severe storm systems or not, the need for dramatic restructuring is being recognized in many places around the globe. The Brexit situation is reaching crisis point in the UK, with still no solution in sight, and British MPs have just signed an agreement to form an alternative parliament if Boris Johnson continues to push for a no-deal Brexit. The political situation in the US is still extremely volatile with the mental stability of the person at the helm of the White House coming increasingly into question. World economies are in deep flux over trade issues, battles related to personal freedoms are still being fought (as in Hong Kong), and resolutions still need to be found with regard to how to help migrants (wherever they are) who are seeking to escape intolerable situations in their home countries. So again much attention during this trecena will continue to be placed not only on world-making, but also on “world-saving”.

With this trecena coming into place at a time when planning for fall events will begin to get underway, considerable attention will be placed on new beginnings, on many levels. As always with this Imix trecena this is a time for the “birthing” of new possibilities, which can tend to be a bit chaotic and even dramatic at times, as “anything” can happen as new realities begin to take shape. Most assuredly this was what happened when this trecena was in place four cycles ago just before the 2016 U.S. election. That was when FBI director James Comey announced that he was reopening his investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server in light of “new information found but not yet examined”. As this action ultimately changed the course of the election, millions now see this as “a mistake of historic proportions”. Ten years prior to that huge upset this same trecena brought forth a major Democratic sweep in the U.S. midterm elections, as the Democrats took control of both houses of Congress. At that time Nancy Pelosi was elected as House Democratic leader, becoming the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives in American history.

Often, during this trecena, there is a focus on the cosmos as many pioneering events have occurred during this period, as when the astronomer Edwin Hubble chose this trecena in 1925 to announce the existence of galaxies other than the Milky Way, which greatly expanded our awareness of the universe. In 1931 the first human ascent into the stratosphere took place during this period. And then in 1957 the launch of Sputnik I (on the final day of this trecena) kicked off the space race. In 2013 this was the trecena that saw the launch of the European Space Agency’s Gaia probe on a 5.5 year observational campaign to map this Milky Way galaxy. Four cycles ago, in early February of 2016, came the historic announcement about the discovery of gravitational waves that cause distortions in spacetime, as anticipated by Albert Einstein decades ago. This “transformational” new discovery, seen as the beginning of gravitational wave astronomy, opened the door to the detection of completely different kinds of information, and is now prompting inquiry into vast unexplored new frontiers.

Currently it is Chandrayaan-2, a robotic lunar orbiter/lander/rover that will be the focus of attention as it is expected to land on the moon on the tenth day of this time frame. And then there is the 28th annual International UFO Congress that will be taking place in Arizona, and at Walt Disney World imaginations concerning the cosmos will playfully soar as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, an “All-New Land”, opens on the second day of this “world making” time period.

As this trecena often has a tendency to prompt people to think “beyond the box”, embark on new adventures, and possibly even find solutions to long simmering problems, it can be an exciting and even adventurous time frame – a period that can offer opportunities for people to make life-changing adjustments, if needed. During this period these are the energies that will come into play:

1 Imix (Aug. 28th) – the initiation of the “realm of all potential” as the new 260-day cycle begins, on the day when Greta Thunberg is due to arrive in New York, at the same time as another severe weather system is careening through the Caribbean. Fifty years ago (in October 1969) this was the energy in place when the first host-to-host connection was made between computers (from UCLA to SRI) – an event that undoubtedly will be commemorated in some special way this fall. There is often some kind of turning point or a point when something new opens up, as happened last December when Theresa May’s proposed Brexit deal in the UK was under fire as at least 48 Conservative MPs called for a no confidence vote. Although she survived the vote the following day, One Imix was a critical day that ultimately led to her resignation this past summer.

Currently this is the deadline for Democratic candidates in the US to qualify for the fall presidential primary debates. Although the field is now narrowing there is still an historically large number of candidates who could be heading into the primary season so the “realm of all potential” is still wide open in this regard.

2 Ik’ (Aug. 29th) – a dynamic energy associated with “wind, breath, and spirit”, currently coinciding with the 14th anniversary of the day when Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Louisiana coast, triggering severe flooding that brought devastation from New Orleans to Biloxi, Mississippi. Five hundred years ago this was the energy in place when the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés fought the Maya at the Battle of Centla before he and his troops headed for Veracruz, where he set up an encampment and then began working his way through Mexico as “the Conquest” began.

In 1974 this was the energy in place when the impeachment process against President Nixon was formally initiated, and last December this was in place when Trump’s former “fixer” and personal counsel Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison for various crimes associated with the 2016 US presidential election. This would have been Senator John McCain’s 83rd Gregorian birthday (he died last year just before his 82nd).

Currently this is the UN’s International Day Against Nuclear Tests and the last day of Ghost month in China. For those who might want to escape into some “other” world, this is the opening day for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, an “All-New Land” at Walt Disney World.  It is also the beginning of Harley-Davidson’s 116th anniversary celebration in Milwaukee, where thousands of bikers from many different regions will gather for the party.

3 Ak’b’al (Aug. 30th) – the activation of darkness, associated with deep mysteries and sometimes the unexpected, coinciding at this time with the New Moon, and in the evening, the beginning of the Islamic New Year, at the first sighting of the waxing crescent moon.

4 K’an (Aug. 31st) – a “defining” energy associated with the resurrection of youthful vitality, as the Rolling Stones wrap up their 2019 No Filter Tour, in Miami. This is also International Overdose Awareness Day. This should be a very good day for that seemingly immortal rock group.

This is the full day of the Islamic New Year, also known as the Arabic New Year or the Hijri NewYear, the beginning of the first month in the Islamic calendar which is used to calculate significant Islamic events for the year.

5 Chikchan (Sept. 1) – associated with the “blessing of lifeforce”, on the day when the Parker Solar Probe is due to complete its third close approach to the Sun, called perihelion, passing within 15 million miles of the sun as it speeds past at 213,200 mph.

This day marks the start of the glorious Corso Zundert Flower Parade festival (Bloemencorso) in Holland and the start of the colourful 10-day Onam harvest festival in Kerala, India where the ground in front of homes is decorated with wonderful floral carpets called pookkalams, and people celebrate with feasting, new clothes, games, and snake boat races.

In the U.S. this is beginning of National Service Dog Month. Founded ten years ago, this organization was established to raise awareness and support for guide dog and service dog schools that do so much to provide assistance for people in need and for the amazing animals that help them. This is also the 80th anniversary of the outbreak of WWII, with significant events in Poland and commemorations around the world.

6 Kimi (Sept. 2) a “foundational” type of energy that can often manifest as a kind of
“equalization everywhere” type of force, which can often bring a sense of “release”; sometimes oriented around the setting of foundations for restructuring or for “regeneration”, coinciding at this time with Labour Day.

This day marks the start of the highly anticipated Ganesh Chaturthi festival, a popular Hindu festival in honour of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, giver of good fortune, patron of the arts, letters, and knowledge, and Lord of New Beginnings, that spans 11 days. This is one of the most important festivals in Hinduism.

This is also the final day of Burning Man, as Mars conjuncts the sun, on this 74th anniversary of the formal signing of the articles of surrender by Imperial Japan at the end of WWII. This day also kicks off the Asia-Pacific Week climate change events leading up the the COP conference in Santiago in December.

Two cycles since the private funeral service for famed cosmologist Stephen Hawking, at Great St. Mary’s, the University Church in Cambridge, UK. His ashes were later interred near the grave of Sir Isaac Newton at Westminster Abbey. This is also the Maya calendar anniversary of the death of actor/dancer/singer Patrick Swayze, ten years ago on Sept. 14th. Ghost was one of his most memorable movies.

7 Manik’ (Sept. 3rd) – a “self-generating” type of energy generally associated with the idea of reciprocity, symbolized by the Deer – often a good energy for “generating sustenance”, for being involved in humanitarian activities, or for working through negotiations or joint ventures.

Traditionally it was recognized that there could be a strong sacrificial aspect to 7 Manik’ as well, as happened five cycles ago, in October of 2016, when FBI Director James Comey sent a letter to Congress indicating that he was “reopening” the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails, an action that had catastrophic consequences.

Five cycles since the historic announcement concerning the discovery of gravitational waves that cause distortions in spacetime, as anticipated by Albert Einstein decades earlier; a discovery that was seen as the “transformational” beginning of gravitational wave astronomy. Just a few days ago this new technology provided astronomers with data concerning the swallowing of a neutron star by a black hole nearly a billion years ago – a nearly unfathomable concept, on multiple levels.

8 Lamat (Sept. 4th) – a “resurrection” type of force associated with Venus as a “heralding” energy, aligned with leadership; traditionally a Maya “Celebration of Abundance” day, this energy was known as “Rabbit” in some ancient Mesoamerican regions, and was seen as a symbol of abundance and proliferation. For many this will be the first day of school for the new school year.

It is also the opening day for the 28th annual International UFO Congress in Arizona, at a time when Mercury is in Superior conjunction with the Sun. Also the opening of the 7th Annual International Conference on Sustainable Development.

Two cycles since SpaceX launched an experimental system called RemoveDEBRIS, which is proving to be promising with regard to the challenge of cleaning up Earth’s space junk-littered atmosphere, wherein more than 500,000 pieces of defunct satellites, used rocket boosters, and other bits of space junk are posing a serious threat to other orbiting objects

Maya birth energy of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and primatologist Jane Goodall, who is credited with greatly increasing awareness of the reality of animal emotions and animal social structures.

9 Muluk (Sept. 5th) – representative of “the outward projection of water”, this is a path-finding and often “shape-shifting” type of force, coinciding with the UN’s International Day of Charity and the opening of the Vancouver Fringe Festival, an annual celebration of theatre with more than 700 performances offered by over 90 artists.

This would have been rock star Freddie Mercury’s 73rd Gregorian birthday, and is the Maya birth energy of both 92-year-old Sir Sidney Poitier, the first black actor to receive an Academy Award for Best Actor, and the celebrated fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy. At this time the first quarter moon will be hanging out close to bright Jupiter in the night sky.

10 Ok (Sept. 6th) – a Burner Day representative of “foundational” fire (or “heart fire”), often associated with love, protection, guidance, and justice, on the day when Chandrayaan-2, a robotic lunar orbiter/lander/rover is expected to land on the moon. Traditionally this would have been seen as an energy that “takes the fire”, as in the sense of setting something up for action. This energy can also provide a “course correction” if some significant adjustments are needed to a course of action.

Maya birth energy of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Queen Victoria’s husband and consort, who introduced the Christmas Tree to England. His 200th Gregorian birthday was on Aug. 26th this year. Prince Albert was also highly instrumental in educational reform and the abolition of slavery, and led reforms in areas such as architecture, finance, and the applied sciences. He was notably associated with the Great Exhibition of 1851.

11 Chuwen (Sept. 7th) – a “change” oriented, “timeweaver” type of energy – the energy that brought forth the first untethered space walk in 1984. This is an energy that can prompt us to have fun, but also remind us to “be on our toes”, as was the case on its last appearance last December at the time of a partial “Friday before Christmas” US government shut down.

Currently this is the 197th anniversary of the Independence of Brazil, although one wonders what kind of celebration there might be with thousands of fires burning in the Amazon. At this time the gibbous moon will be seen close to Saturn.

Maya birth energy of the beguiling super sleuth Mata Hari, and the amazing martial arts, mountain-climbing quadraplegic athlete Kyle Maynard.

Three cycles since Walter Shaub, director of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) departed from office. Given how frequently the White House had disregarded his recommendations (even after he had been in office for 9 months!) he felt that his job was “pointless”.

12 Eb’ (Sept. 8th) – a “gathering together”, “stream-of-consciousness” type of energy, this force can be quite intense, often containing within it a “spark” or “essence of revitalization” that hints at refreshing new possibilities, coinciding at this time with the Moscow City Duma (regional parliament) elections.

13 B’en (Sept. 9th) – “transformational personal authority”, an energy under which many strongly transformative events have taken place in the past, as in the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, the inception of the Russian Revolution of 1917, the launch of Sputnik I by the USSR (signalling the beginning of the Space Age) in 1957, the toppling of the monarchy in Iran in 1979, and the election of Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006.

Five hundred and forty years ago this was the energy in place at the time of the dedication of the enormous Aztec Calendar stone (that many people mistake for the Mayan calendar). Fifty years ago (in November, 1969) the first episode of Sesame Street aired under this influence.

This is the Maya birth energy of both Pulitzer prize winning poet Mary Oliver, whose 84th Gregorian birthday would have been tomorrow, and Emma Lazarus the author of The New Colossus, aka “the Liberty poem”, that is inscribed into the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Emma was born 170 years ago, as of July 22nd.

Currently this is the 71st anniversary of the founding of North Korea, the supposed start of a British Airways pilots’ strike, and the day when the House of Representatives reconvenes in Washington DC.

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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.]