It has been a painfully long and dreary winter for many, from multiple surprise attacks of freezing rains, snows, and even raging blizzards, with yet another powerful snowstorm  descending on the Northeast as we transition into this new trecena. (Manitoba is still digging out from snow up to rooftops last week). But spring is finally making its presence known in many areas, in tandem at this time with the K’an trecena, which is aligned in the Maya Calendar with the young corn god and the general idea of Germination. With the metaphor for this period being the creative young corn god who brings forth bounties of the earth, this is an energetic sequence that holds much potential as it provides the groundwork for the evolutionary push that comes through the trecena that will follow.

Still part of the traditional creation sequence that began 13 days ago, this K’an initiated time period tends to encompass some vigorous energies associated with the inception of new ideas or the forging of new directions. Suggestive of “anything is possible”, this is a period that can often become a time of “testing”, as new possibilities begin to take shape and the process of nurturing new endeavors begins. A metaphor would be a new plant just beginning to sprout. It needs light and air and nutrients, and room to grow.

At this particular time this trecena is also aligning with a Maya month associated with abundance, so it would seem that the stage is set, so to speak, for all sorts of new life, new ideas, and new opportunities to burst forth.

As always with the K’an energy, there is much potential – so much so that it is always good to proceed with some semblance of caution as the patron energy associated with this time frame was seen as a blindfolded sacrificial deity who is sometimes accompanied by another god associated with fate, throwing a certain amount of unpredictability into the mix. But even though these are energies that have the potential to bring surprises, with vigilance and care anything “planted” at this time could easily “sprout” into something strong and robust. Even the alignment of Jupiter and the Moon on the first day of this time frame seems to speak of abundant new possibilities.

The first few days of this K’an trecena are an extension of the creation sequence that began on One Chuwen (on March 1^st). Based on past events that have taken place on One K’an, there is the suggestion that during this time a number of influential energies that are embryonic to major world developments can come into play. This idea of attempting to “germinate” or set the foundations for new ideas can be seen in many key past events that have taken place during this trecena, as when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his prophetic speech about being a “drum major for peace” in 1968.

Other significant developments that have taken place during this trecena include the declaration of Napoléon Bonaparte as Emperor of France (in 1804) and Hitler’s assumption of dictatorial powers (in 1933). In 1978 it was this trecena that brought Cardinal Karol Wojtyla’s election as Pope John Paul II, and in 1985 this trecena saw Mikhail Gorbachev’s election as Secretary General of the Soviet Communist Party. It was the first day of this trecena in 2008 when Barack Obama gave his historic acceptance speech at Mile High Stadium as the Democratic candidate for the U.S. presidency. And two cycles ago it was this trecena that brought a stunning victory for Justin Trudeau and the Liberal party during the Canadian elections.

At the mid point of this trecena, the day that everyone is waiting for will finally arrive – Spring! That day coincides with 7 Ok (“Self-generating Love”), on Nowruz, the Persian New Year. As a festival celebrated by Iranian peoples and many others worldwide to mark the first day of the first month in the Iranian calendar, with the original meaning of Nowruz being “light”, this ties in well with this particular energy which is strongly associated with fire, light, and guidance.

Given our absolute dependence on electricity in today’s world, it is hard to believe that it was only 135 years ago, under this 7 Ok influence, when the lights of Lower Manhattan were switched on for the first time by the Edison Electric Illuminating Company.

Seven Ok is followed by Eight Chuwen (aka 8 Batz’), the most significant festival day for K’iche’ Maya daykeepers as this sacred day is oriented around the renewal of calendar traditions and the initiation of new daykeepers. Eight Chuwen represents a kind of “resurrection” of the type of solar energy that can “weave together” past and future to help the “new entity” gain a foothold on the road of life, with that “road” being represented by the 9 Eb’ energies that come in the following day.

During this time there is often an emphasis on working with “the unseen” or the unknown. Because of this aspect there is always a strong need for prudence and alertness during this period, as the implications of both thought and action could be very, very profound. This is a good time to put intuition into action, as will surely be happening in New York in the context of the 61^st session of the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN (CSW61), which will span most of this time frame. The CSW theme at this time places the focus on “women’s economic empowerment in the changing world of work”.

So as we connect once again with the K’an trecena energy sequence, again we will be germinating (or “planting the seeds”) for what is to follow. It is a time when some sacrifices may be required to make room for new growth and new life – which might take the form of an abandonment of old ideas in favour of something new and fresh. These are the energies that will come into play:

1 K’an (Mar. 14^th) – an “initiating” energy associated with germination (or even the creation of  new abundance), this time coinciding with the 30^th annual Pi Day as Jupiter waltzes with the Moon.

2 Chikchan (Mar. 15th) – “dynamic lifeforce”, on the 6th Gregorian anniversary of the start of the Syrian Uprising. At this time this energy coincides with an International Day Against Police Brutality which could involve protest demonstrations in many areas.

3 Kimi (Mar. 16th) – the “activation of absolute foundations”

4 Manik’ (Mar. 17th) – a “defining” energy associated with reciprocity and the energy of deer – a kind of harmonizing energy connected with the natural world; in combination with the solar energy of the number four this is a “double sun” type of force, coinciding at this time with St. Patrick’s Day

5 Lamat (Mar. 18th) – a “blessing” type of energy associated with Venus, which can serve as a beacon or herald, this time coinciding with a conjunction between Venus and Mercury, just before Venus disappears from the evening sky for a few days before its reemergence as the Morning Star

6 Muluk (Mar. 19th) – the energy of the six directions in conjunction with the purifying or shape- shifting energy of water

7 Ok (Mar. 20th) – translating as “self-generating” love, guidance, and/or loyalty, this time coinciding with the Spring Equinox and Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

This is also World Storytelling Day, when live storytelling events take place worldwide in a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling, and the UN’s International Day of Happiness and French Language Day. There is a suggestion in the ancient Mesoamerican codex called the Chilam Balam that this was the day when “the word of God” was created.

8 Chuwen, aka 8 Batz’ (Mar. 21st) – a highly auspicious day for the Maya, as this is the time when Quiché Maya daykeepers celebrate the renewal of their sacred calendar traditions and initiate new daykeepers. This is also World Poetry Day and the Maya birth energy of Kenny Baker, the English actor who played R2D2 in six Star Wars movies.

9 Eb’ (Mar. 22nd) – “outward projecting stream of consciousness”, or “outward projecting road”, the “pathfinding” energy that was in place two cycles ago when Justin Trudeau was elected. At this time this energy coincides with World Water Day which advocates for the sustainable management of fresh water resources. This day, that could also translate as “immortal refreshment”,  also marks the completion of a nine month renovation of the Edicule, the shrine in Jerusalem where Jesus was buried.

10 B’en (Mar. 23rd) – “foundational personal authority”, symbolic of the full authority of maize, this is the strong “pillar” energy representative of strength, inner power, and self determination, on the 7th Gregorian anniversary of the day when President Obama signed his Affordable Care Act into law. Also on this day the “Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Agenda” event convenes at the United Nations in order to review the current status of this issue in association with the Paris Agreement. Maya birth energy of Nostradamus, the 16th century seer whose predictions helped to fuel speculations about the “end times”.

11 Ix (March 24th) – “inspirational magic” in conjunction with the jaguar and the mysteries of the earth, coinciding at this time with Red Nose Day, a comic relief day in the UK, at which time people wear red noses and raise funds for charity. Possibly (but no guarantees) the day when Congress in the U.S. votes on the revised Health Care Act (postponed from the day before). Last day of the Women’s Economic Empowerment conference at the UN. This day also marks the Calendar Round (New Fire) anniversary of the day in 1965 when the first commercial communications satellite was launched.

Ten years ago under this 11 Ix influence the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued a major warning that due to global warming the world is now facing a crisis that could precipitate “mass starvation”, significant increase in disease, the extinction of large numbers of species, and major problems re food production and the supply of drinking water. Two weeks ago the UN reported that the largest humanitarian crisis since the founding of the UN in 1945 is now unfolding in Africa as some 20 million people are currently facing starvation in 4 countries on that continent.

12 Men (Mar. 25th) – a “gathering together” type of energy associated with the high vision of the Eagle, this time in conjunction with the interior conjunction of Venus with the sun (when Venus cannot be seen), and Earth Hour, when households and businesses around the world are encouraged to switch off non- essential lights for one hour, from 8:30-9:30 pm as a sign of commitment to the planet. Maya birth energy of Elsie May Wheeler, the developer of Sabian symbols in 1925.

13 Kib’ (Mar. 26th) – a transformation-oriented energy aligned with the ability to “fly high”, survey, and ultimately restore order, this time on the last day of the Maya month Kumk’u, on the eve of the Wayeb’, the transitional days at the end of the Maya year, where there are mixed opinions about their nature. Some people see these 5 days as requiring special vigilance and others saw them as transitional “days of rest”. On this eve of the Wayeb’ we can see a rare “World Age” anniverary – a term sometimes used to refer to the 468 years that it takes for a Day/Month/Night Lord realignment in the Maya Long Count. At this time we have an exact return of all these energies that were in place in 1549 at the time of Kett’s rebellion, a revolt in East Anglia, England against the fencing of common land by the wealthy for their own use. This particularly intense energy often works that way – often compelling people to take some kind of direct action, as happened with the Black Lives Matter protest demonstrations across the U.S. during the last appearance of this energy. NASA’s extraordinary Solar Dynamics Observatory was launched under this influence in 2010.

*********************************

[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.]