For the past few days Vancouver and its environs has been covered by an inordinately dense, clingy, chilly kind of fog, which one news source even described as “kind of apocalyptic” as it has been so thick that its “near zero visibility” at times has made any kind of travel quite challenging. And as much as this is a weather related situation, is also seems to be a metaphor for where things stand in the world at this time. Everything seems so bogged down, disrupted, and downright broken in so many places that a “polycrisis” has been created and it is difficult to see even two steps ahead. As world leaders have acknowledged at the World Economic Forum in Davos over the past few days, the rules-based order that the world has been living in over the past decades is fading, and something new needs to be created to replace it. So the question on everyone’s mind becomes: “If the old order is not coming back, what will the ‘new order’ look like – and how will we get there?”

Intriguingly, this realization of the need to globally restructure happens to coincide with the start of a new 260-day cycle in the Maya Calendar. While that doesn’t mean that change will be instant, the realization alone is significant, because that means that thought and energy can start to be directed towards change, and hopefully, improvement. Globally, that will mean forging new alignments and changing strategies to accommodate the “new world order” that is waiting to be born. Sadly, it is looking like the U.S. will soon be standing alone since trust has been severely breeched, and it could take a very long time to repair the damage to US foreign relations that has been brought on by the Trump regime. Additionally, the unfathomable internal strife that the White House keeps fomenting has created such instability in that country that it could be a very long time before the insanity dissipates and rationality begins to return. But who knows for sure?

As it happens, the start of this new cycle is coinciding with a massive winter storm system that is bringing ice and snow across much of Canada and across some three dozen central and eastern states in the U.S., even as far south as Texas. Many parts of central and eastern Europe are also dealing with deep snow and bitter cold.

As with the dense fog, these kinds of conditions can make it impossible to do anything other than deal with the immediate challenges, so the auguries seem to be, “expect disorder” and even pain, for now, as the planet is going through a “birthing” process, as new approaches to existing and co-existing are being forged. As Prime Minister Carney said in Davos, “We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition.” So the rupture has to be addressed before a clear vision of the future can be formulated.

It has now been two cycles (520 days) since August of 2024 when the new 260-day Maya Calendar cycle began with a new sense of optimism as the Harris-Walz campaign clicked into high gear in the U.S. and people had “a reason to hope” that rationality and justice would prevail and Trumpism would finally die down. At that time new military equipment was being provided by allies to assist Ukraine in their effort to create a “buffer zone” to curtail Russian attacks, and intense efforts were being made to bring forth a ceasefire in Gaza. The sense that new “possibilities” were opening up was palpable at that time, but, lamentably, over the past 520 days there has been a steep downward slide on many fronts as chaos, uncertainty, lawlessness, cruelty, and avarice play out on multiple levels, with little or no accountability being extracted for the gross crimes against humanity that have been perpetuated over the past few years. This past 260 day cycle has been particularly devastating as “government by whim” and avarice, underscored by ineptitude, bigotry, and “constitutional dementia” (as Lawrence O’Donnell puts it), has fomented widespread instability, both nationally in the US and internationally.

But as this new cycle begins, there is one thing that is now in place that is uniting people (both locally and internationally) like never before – the common cause of bringing an end to the horrors and building a new, more just, more accountable world.

From the perspective of the Maya Tzolk’in, the first trecena of a new cycle is associated with birth, and is often seen as a kind of “generative nucleus” that contains all possibilities. A very wide metaphor for this would be the cosmos itself – that cauldron of “everything happening at once” that gives birth to new worlds. While it can be very difficult to make sense of this seeming chaos, it still holds the sense of myriad possibilities. For the Aztec this “realm of all potential” was generally symbolized by a fierce alligator, but the Maya symbolized it as nourishing waterlily, the source for new life that can evolve from that swirling cauldron.

As always, the first day of this cycle is symbolized by the Moon Goddess (aligned with the “initiating” energy of the Number One and the power of birth) working in tandem with Imix, that birth-oriented “generative nucleus” that begins and carries forward this initiatory 13-day period. The Maya Maize god is also associated with the same number, and with the power of “resurrection” and cyclical regeneration. The patron of this time frame was known to the Aztecs as Ometeotl, a dualistic “creator” deity who was often depicted as a male and female pair, a “Lord and Lady of Our Sustenance” also known as Tonacatecuhtli and Tonacacihuatl. This is a rare binary deity that was seen as the ultimate progenitor, a generative kind of force that suggests that “anything is possible”.

During this trecena that “cosmic abyss” from which everything is created often presents itself in unusual ways. Indeed, many pioneering space-related 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. In early 2016 we saw the historic beginning of gravitational wave astronomy during this time frame. Five cycles ago (in the summer of 2022) the new James Webb Space Telescope opened the doors to the universe, as it gave us our first glimpses into the extraordinary wonders of deep, deep space. It’s also not unusual to see “epic” solar flares during that period, that can spawn fantastic auroras here on Earth, although this time the strongest aurora since 2003 hit Earth just four days before the start of this current time frame.

And on the earthly plane, new beginnings or shifts in direction are often seen during this period, as happened in late January of 2021, when the newly minted Biden/Harris administration in the US began launching widescale administrative reforms, putting into action a comprehensive plan to tackle the raging coronavirus pandemic. Other major initiatives at that time included a sweeping economic rescue plan, measures related to environmental protection and climate change (later quashed by Republicans), and measures to address ethical issues, human rights issues, and the deep divisions in that country. At the time it was a well-thought-out agenda, which also included plans for stabilizing relationships with the rest of the world, after the four years of severe erosion under Trump 1.0.

Tragically, it did not foresee Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine, or how the pandemic would play out, or the relentless sycophantic machinations of those desperately trying to cling to the Big Lie – at the expense of democracy, human rights, humanitarian programs, and foreign relations. And it certainly could not have foreseen Israel’s vicious assault on over two million civilians in Gaza, or the global foot dragging with regard to climate change amelioration. Since then the devolution in those areas has greatly intensified.

Note that it has now been three cycles (780 days) since 1,400 tech leaders and academics (including Elon Musk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and Pinterest co-founder Evan Sharp) signed an open letter calling on Artificial Intelligence developers to pause the training of some of their more sophisticated AI experiments, citing risks they claimed could result in “loss of control of our civilization.” And although there has been agreement on comprehensive regulations pertaining to artificial intelligence since that early warning, there is considerable distrust of those who appear to be in charge of much of this. And we are now living in a world that has already been taken over by AI on many fronts – a world in which artificiality often replaces reality, a world in which everything has to be questioned – including AI summations on the internet, which are often filled with mistakes.

As we begin this new 260-day cycle, the question of “who is in control” looms large – on multiple fronts. In many American cities citizens themselves are having to engage in hand-to-hand combat with lawless federal agents. The US Justice department under the auspices of the Orange Felon 2.0 has shown itself to be almost fully under his control, as is the Department of Homeland Security and the US army. However, that does not mean that all is lost. Indeed, history has shown that this trecena has played a prominent role in the past in terms of political “course corrections”, as in 1974 when the impeachment process against President Nixon was formally initiated on the second day of this trecena. As it happens – at this time when everything looks so bleak – precisely the same Calendar Round energies (days, numbers, months) that were in place in 1974 during that Nixon investigation period, leading to his resignation, are now returning. And with this calendar’s propensity for bringing forth “echoes” from earlier events, it is entirely possible that some of those echoes will come through again. Indeed, in early Feb. of 2021 this was the trecena in place at the start of the dumpster’s second impeachment trial. Three cycles ago, in 2023, this trecena signalled the start of a whole slew of actions associated with “course corrections” related to the Orange Felon as hearings and trials associated with his widespread wrongdoings, both civil and political, began to play out. It also brought forth his indictment. Similarly, in the past, this trecena has precipitated multiple legal actions relating to his cronies and sychophants.

One cycle ago, last spring, it was becoming evident that very strong pushback would be needed in order to counter the tyranny and gross ineptitude of Agent Orange 2.0, and many large scale protests were taking place. Since then it has become clear that what is needed is “all hands on deck” on a daily basis to push back against the atrocities. While no one is going to magically parachute in to save American citizens from the internal tyranny, as they deal with another “civil” war, the world at large is also strategically regrouping and forming new alliances, often without the inclusion of the U.S. During this “realm of all potential” period much will be in flux, as various strategies for regrouping are being considered. But there is much greater clarity now, as to what the issues really are, and what needs to be done. It remains to be seen how it will all play out, but during this “realm of all potential” period, “anything is possible”. Here are the energies that will be in play:

1 Imix (Jan. 23rd) – the initiation of the “realm of all potential” as a new 260-day cycle begins. Imix is often “cosmos” oriented, related to the “birth” of new possibilities, so combined with the energy of “One” this can be seen as “initiating” (or giving birth to) new directions. And indeed, that is what happened the last time this was in place, with the election of Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope.

Currently this is the final day for the 56th World Economic Annual Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that began on Jan. 19th. This was the conference where it became apparent that what had been thought of as the “international global architecture” (the old “rules-based international order”) has been shattered. As Canada’s Prime Minister Carney put it, the US-led global system of governance is enduring “a rupture,” and a new reality has set in – “a system of intensifying great power rivalry where the most powerful pursue their interests using economic integration as coercion”.

This is also the day when delegates from Ukraine, Russia, and the US will hold talks in Abu Dhabi on ending the Russia-Ukraine war, making this the first three-way meeting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It has been four cycles since the spring of 2023 when 18 countries signed the European Defence Agency (EDA)’s Collaborative Procurement of Ammunition project for the procurement of ammunition to supply Ukraine with artillery shells and replenish Member States’ national stockpiles.

This marks seven cycles since this energy initiated Joe Biden’s first full trecena as the new U.S. president, in 2021, after his inauguration 9 days earlier. By that time more than 270 Congressional staffers had signed onto a letter asking US Senators to convict the dumpster in the then-forthcoming impeachment trial to try to prevent him from ever running again. (Those signatures soon grew to over 550, but his full impeachment was blocked by his sychophants.) Ten years earlier this energy was in place when Egypt’s President Mubarak stepped down and handed over all presidential powers to the Egyptian Armed Forces.

In Minnesota this is the day when everything and everyone will focus on the goal of getting ICE out of that state. This will be a statewide day of non-violent moral action and reflection: “no work, no school, no shopping — only community, conscience, and collective action”.

This is National Handwriting Day – perhaps a good time to review those signatures on the U.S. Declaration of Independence and remember the ideals that they represented.

This is also the day of the funeral, in Rome, for the legendary fashion designer Valentino Garavani, whose work over more than five decades epitomized glamour and high luxury.

Back in the summer of 1503, prior to the arrival of the Spanish in Mesoamerica, this was the energy in place when Montezuma II (Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin) took the throne of the Aztec Empire. Little did the Aztecs know at that time that their world would soon be turned upside down.

2 Ik’ (Jan. 24th) – a “dynamically balancing” energy associated with “wind, breath, and spirit”, now marking the New Fire (52 years less 13 days) anniversary of the early February day in 1974 when the House voted to authorize the Judiciary Committee to investigate grounds for impeaching President Nixon. Note that over the next few months the exact Maya day + Maya month energies that were in play in 1974, leading to Nixon’s resignation, will be back in play, influencing current events.

It has now been two cycles since the Democratic National Convention when U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris formally accepted the convention’s nomination for president.

In 1814 this was the energy in place when British troops set fire to the White House.

Currently this is the UN’s eighth International Day of Education in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. The theme for 2026 is “Why Education Matters for Every Child”. As mentioned on their site, there are still hundreds of millions of children and adolescents globally who cannot read or write or do basic math, and over 760 million adults who are illiterate, so the need for strengthening education systems and for global rebalancing is great.

3 Ak’b’al (Jan. 25th) – the “activation of darkness”, associated with deep mysteries and sometimes the unexpected, as happened three cycles ago when West London’s underground tube system unexpectedly broke down, trapping hundreds of tube passengers in cold, dark trains for up to four hours due to damaged overhead electrical cables. That was the day when Israel inflicted such an enormous amount of damage on buildings in Gaza that leading international legal experts referred to it as “domicide”.

When this was in place last Spring a ceasefire between India and Pakistan came into effect after several days of escalating clashes. That was the day when the “Coalition of the Willing” held a virtual meeting to discuss support for Ukraine’s long-term security, and ongoing efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

This was also the energy in place in May of 1941 at the conclusion of the 8 month long German bombing campaign against the UK known as The Blitz.

Currently this is Robbie Burns’ Day, the 267th anniversary of the birth of that much loved Scottish poet. It is also President Zelenskyy’s 48th Gregorian birthday.

4 K’an (Jan. 26th) – a “defining” energy associated with the resurrection of youthful vitality, coinciding at this time with the Buddhist oriented Laba Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday, when memorial ceremonies are held to pray to ancestors and deities for good fortune.

This is also coinciding with India’s 77th Republic Day (including the day the Republic of India came into being in 1950). In addition, this is Australia Day, commemorating the 1788 landing of Britain’s First Fleet of colonists and convicts in Sydney Cove. Often seen as controversial, this day reflects two competing stories, with one relating to nation-building and the other providing a sad reminder of the displacement and dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Many refer to this day as Invasion Day, Survival Day or a Day of Mourning. It is likely that, as before, thousands in Australia will be rallying in support of indigenous rights.

In April of 1961 this was the energy in place at the start of the attempted Bay of Pigs operation to try to overthrow the Castro government in Cuba.

5 Chikchan (Jan. 27th) – associated with the “blessing of lifeforce”, coinciding at this time with the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, with a Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights ceremony taking place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to mark the 81st anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. This year’s theme is Bridging Generations, placing emphasis on “the responsibility of remembrance”.

This is also Family Literacy Day, devoted to raising awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in literary activities, which, in turn, leads to “enlightenment”. In Canada the theme this year is: “Make mealtime family learning time”

This is the Maya birth energy of ground-breaking astronomer Harlow Shapley who is credited with being the discoverer of the dimensions of our Milky Way galaxy, and of finding the location of its centre.

6 Kimi (Jan. 28th) 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”. This is sometimes oriented around the setting of foundations for restructuring or for regeneration”.

When this energy was in place in May of 2020 more cases were reported to the World Health Organization than at any time since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the most in a single day. However, that was well before cases skyrocketed to hundreds of thousands per day in several countries.

In 2018 this was in place at the time of the private funeral service held 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.

Currently this is actor Alan Alda’s 90th birthday.

7 Manik’ (Jan. 29th) – 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 under this influence 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 for the US and the world.

8 Lamat (Jan. 30th) – 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 prosperity and proliferation. When this was in place seven cycles ago (January, 2021) the US Senate passed a budget resolution that allowed for the passage of President Biden’s $1.9tn Covid-19 relief package in the coming weeks without Republican support – one of the few important bills they were able to get through without being blocked by Republicans.

Three cycles ago this was in place when the UN General Assembly voted to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. But where was the follow-through or consequence of that?

This is the opening day for the 48th edition of Winterlude, Canada’s popular winter festival in Ottawa-Gatineau, which runs to Feb. 16th.

Eight Lamat is the Maya Calendar birth energy of renowned zoologist Dame Jane Goodall, who was the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees and a “tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world”. A much admired and much loved advocate for animal rights, Jane passed last Oct. 1 at age 91, while on a speaking tour. She was awarded the title of Messenger for Peace by the UN in 2002.

Currently this is the deadline for federal funding in the US.

9 Muluk (Jan. 31st) – representative of “the outward projection of water”, this is a path-finding and often “shape-shifting” type of force, that can also precipitate strong weather events, as it did one cycle ago when enormous EF3 tornadoes struck St. Louis, Missouri and parts of Kentucky, as part of a powerful storm system that brought more than 70 tornadoes and destructive hail to several different states.

Currently this energy is coinciding with the start of the pre-Carnival events leading up to the main events of the 2026 Carnevale Di Venezia (Venice Carnival) that begins on Feb. 7th. This year the Venice Carnival celebrates “Olympus – The Origins of the Game”, evoking mythology that recalls the Venice of centuries past paying tribute to the universal themes of play and challenge. This will be the start of the Venice Carnival Street Shows that will involve more than 350 street performers bringing circus-theatre types of events to life in the city’s squares.

This is also marking seven cycles since it was reported that the world had turned “upside down” due to Covid-19.

10 Ok (Feb. 1st) – a Burner Day representative of “foundational” fire (or “heart fire”), often associated with love, protection, guidance, and justice, now coinciding with the Full Snow Moon. Traditionally 10 Ok would have been seen as an energy that “takes the fire”, as in the sense of setting something up for action.

Currently this is the first day of Heart Month in Canada and the US, and the start of the UN’s Interfaith Harmony Week. In Canada the theme for this month is “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations – From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries”.

At this time this energy is coinciding with Venice’s Water Parade on the Grand Canal, involving masked and bedecked Venetians participating in a procession of hundreds of boats along the Grand Canal. Ah, to be in Venice to escape all the madness. This is also the day of the 68th Annual
Grammy Awards, honouring excellence in the music industry.

In 1968 this is the energy that was in place when Senator and prominent civil rights activist Robert F. Kennedy was mortally wounded (shortly around midnight) during the California Primary convention. He died some 26 hours later.

This is the Maya birth energy of Ales Bialiatski, a Belarusian pro-democracy activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. It is also the Maya birth energy of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

11 Chuwen (Feb. 2nd) – a “change” oriented, “timeweaver” type of energy – a force that can prompt us to have fun, but can also remind us to “be on our toes” – now marking one 260-day cycle since the Vatican’s Mass of Inaugural for Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square, which was attended by world leaders as he officially began his pontificate.

In 1920 this was in place at the founding of the League of Nations, the first worldwide governmental organization with a mission to maintain world peace. That was when the Treaty of Versailles came into force after the first world war, formalizing the end of war between Germany and the Allied Powers.

Currently this is Groundhog Day, at the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. In Mexico this is Dia de la Candelaria (Candlemas), a major fiesta that comes in 40 days after Christmas and heralds the arrival of spring. The lighting of candles is a big part of this celebration. In Puna, Peru this is the start of the colourful 10-day Candlemas fiesta in honour of the Virgin of Candelaria, the patron saint of Puna. This is one of Peru’s biggest cultural festivals and is strongly associated with pachamama or “mother earth”. In Peru and many other countries Candlemas is celebrated as the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and will be another important day for prayers for healing – and hopefully for finding solutions that can bring an end to the intense political strife that has been causing so much global chaos.

This day marks the 83rd Gregorian anniversary of the USSR’s victory over the Nazis at the end of the 5 month Battle of Stalingrad (1942-1943) where over a million people are estimated to have died in one of the bloodiest battles of WWII.

It has now been four cycles exactly since a Manhattan Grand Jury voted to indict the Orange Felon for his role in the hush money/falsification of documents, case – the first time in American history that a current or former president had faced criminal charges (but many more felony charges against him followed over subsequent months). The following morning “Trump Indicted” was the front page news in many US and global papers.

12 Eb’ (Feb. 3rd) – a “gathering together”, “stream-of-consciousness” type of energy that can be quite intense, often containing within it a “spark” or “essence of revitalization” that hints at refreshing new possibilities.

In 1962 this was the energy in place at the time of the publication of Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring”, which documented the environmental harm being caused by pesticides. This is seen as a book that sparked the environmental movement, and is seen as “one of the 25 greatest science books of all time”. This is also the Maya birth energy of Edith Cavell, the British nurse who saved so many lives during World War I.

It has now been seven cycles since the start of the dumpster’s second Senate impeachment trial, associated with his “incitement of insurrection”, and five cycles exactly since the release of a 72-page report categorically rebutting each of the claims made in court by the dumpster and his supporters over the 2020 election results. The report, put together by a group of conservatives, including prominent lawyers and retired federal judges, looked at more than 60 court cases the dumpster and his supporters filed and lost in six key battleground states, and reached the “unequivocal” conclusion that all their claims were unsupportable – the election had been Lost, not “Stolen”.

If people had been attentive to these events, and had followed through with rational
actions, the current chaotic and destructive state of affairs in the US could well have been averted. But the same old toxic lies continued to be repeated again and again and again, ultimately leading to the election that brought forth the totally inept and destructive administration that is currently causing immense pain, uncertainty, instability, chaos, and destruction on multiple levels within the US, and in the world at large. But now there are more and more calls for the dumpster’s removal, one way or another, possibly via a third impeachment or through the 25th Amendment. Note the next day (13 B’en) re events that were associated with his first and second impeachments.

13 B’en (Feb. 4th) – “transformational personal authority”, an energy under which many highly 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, the election of Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006, and the arrival of China’s Tianwen-1 mission at Mars in early 2021.

In 2019, this was the energy in place when the House Judiciary committee laid out its procedures for their first impeachment investigation of the dumpster. Then again, in February of 2021, this same energy was in place at the time of his second impeachment trial, for “incitement of insurrection”. As this is an intensive, transformation-oriented, force that is also associated with self determination, events at this time can be quite consequential, as seen nine cycles ago (in May of 2020) when the U.S. erupted with widespread protests and rioting after the horrific death of George Floyd the evening before during his arrest by a police officer. This marked a major “turning point” that rapidly escalated the Black Lives Matter protest movement for racial equality and justice.

Currently this is the opening day for the 76th Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan that runs through to Feb. 11th. It is also World Cancer Day, dedicated to raising awareness and promoting positive action, with the theme of “United by Unique” continuing as part of a three year campaign.

This is the start of Zona Maco2026 in Mexico City, one of Latin America’s largest and most important art fairs, and the largest contemporary art fair in Mexico (to Feb. 8th).

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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.]