Five hundred years ago a monumental event unfolded in North America that changed the course of history. It happened in early August of 1521, when a ruthless mercenary and hundreds of his allies savagely beat a once-powerful empire into submission and took over control. But wait – was that 500 years ago or was that last Jan. 6th?  While it does have a familiar ring to it (as in the travesty of Jan. 6th) the event of 500 years ago was the fall of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital now known as Mexico City, to the conquistador Hernán Cortés and hundreds of Spaniards, aided by thousands of local allies gleaned from groups that had been enemies of the Aztecs. The smallpox that the Spaniards brought with them also played a large role in weakening Tenochtitlán’s beseiged inhabitants.

As this Kib’ trecena returns we find that it is bringing reminders about that and other key events. Firstly it is marking 500 Gregorian years since that fateful day that ended a 93 day seige and initiated 300 years of domination under Spanish Colonial rule. Secondly, it is marking (at the end of this time frame) the 200th Gregorian anniversary of Mexico’s Independence from Spain.

Click here for the Podcast to accompany this trecena.

And the indigenous peoples of that embattled corner of this continent have not forgotten what Spain did to their ancestors, as the beginning of this trecena brings a symbolic “turnaround” as this is when a small group of indigenous Zapatistas are planning to “invade” Spain, to make a statement about colonial and capitalist oppression, after journeying eastward across the Atlantic, following the same route that the Spanish took for their westward journey 500 years earlier. It’s all symbolic, of course, but ties in well with this trecena’s emphasis on “setting things right” or “restoring order”. The stated purpose of this eastward journey is “to sow life”, the complete opposite of the Spanish intent 500 years earlier.

This is the Kib’ trecena, aligned symbolically with the Vulture, who is able to survey large areas from a distance before swooping in to “clean things up”. And the things that need to be sorted out are often things that were brought into the open during the previous trecena, which is often related to the exposure of deep secrets. And certainly much WAS exposed – including a considerable amount of “Smoking Gun” evidence about the dumpster’s role in what is now being referred to as a definite “coup attempt” in the US, much of which started in earnest one cycle ago – shortly after the 2020 election.

The trecena begins with One Kib’, a day representive of the “initiation of the restoration of order”. This marks the beginning of a time frame often oriented around the idea of “getting down to business” in order to resolve problems. Kib’ is often symbolized by a vulture that is tasked with “cleaning things up” after some kind of carnage. The emphasis during this period tends to be on fomenting “new thought” and shifting towards “new kinds of action” in order to find solutions. As always, this Kib’ trecena has its work cut out for it, but traditionally there has been a strong emphasis on ingenuity, industriousness, practicality, and learning to “think differently” during this period. This can be a time when important transmutations take place, often triggered by dramatic events that demand change.

During this energy sequence there is often an emphasis on duality, sometimes involving paired events or paired ideas struggling to maintain equilibrium or overcome obstacles. Often there is a kind of “teetering” between two polarities, reflective of the “sun close to the earth” or “fire in the earth” kinds of forces associated with the patron energies of this period, energies that have been known to foment havoc for the purpose of transmutation, often as part of a push towards the birthing of a new type of order.

In the past one of the most vivid manifestations of this duality in action was the destruction of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in 2001 when hit by two planes. That world-shifting event brought massive changes in terms of national and international security practices.

Currently the paired issues that are crying out for attention are those related to both the pandemic and to climate change, both of which are highly complex matters that require cooperation and commitment on the part of everyone living (or dying) on this planet.

We have been dealing with the pandemic on a global basis for two full cycles now. It was the second day of this trecena in March of 2020 when the WHO declared a global pandemic over the coronavirus and called for governments to take “urgent action”. Immediately thereafter countries around the world began going into lockdown, some completely, and some only partially. By the middle of the trecena the director of the US Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy was calling it the beginning of a “coronavirus winter”, and life did seem, indeed, to be going into suspension or hibernation as people retreated and hunkered down, often with their large stashes of toilet paper and non-perishables, in efforts to wait it out, in hopes that things would soon “transmute” and they would be able to re-emerge before too long.

When this trecena returned one cycle later (last November) it was clear that much more needed to be done, as the number of covid cases in the US was increasing by over a million a week. On the first day of this trecena at that time there were over 180,000 new cases in the US on that day alone! And that daily number continued to escalate to over 235,000 new cases a day within the span of just over a week. But during that period a great deal was being done to try to develop viable vaccines to tackle the problem, and by the middle of the trecena the UK became the first Western country to approve a Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, so there was some hope of the horizon.

Similarly, this is the trecena where major developments have taken place with regard to climate change issues. In 2015 this was in place when 196 nations worked to develop and approve an historic global accord to fight climate change, signalling an end to the fossil fuel era. This was seen as a decisive point in time as they committed, for the first time, to a universal agreement that has the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and limiting temperature rises. Then, when the UN climate change talks resumed again in 2017, for the purpose of working out how to implement the Paris Agreement, the US commitment to this was kiboshed by the dumpster era, so there was a delay until the Biden administration took over and that commitment was resumed.

But despite the delay, process was still being made, and the first day of this trecena in 2018 brought the release of the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel’s “final call” Climate Change report, when the most extensive warning yet was published on the risks of global warming. The message was that unprecedented political commitment is needed to slash the use of coal, oil, and natural gas, and to rapidly deploy technology that can remove carbon dioxide from the air. At that time the need to limit global warming to no more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels was strongly emphasized, which would require “rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”. The warning was that unless this was adhered to, the consequences would be dire.

That was four cycles ago, and now, as this trecena comes into place again, we are attempting to process the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 3000+ page “Code Red for Humanity” Climate Change report (released 2 days before the start of this trecena) that emphasizes that since humanity itself is to blame for the fact that climate change is severely impacting every part of the planet, it’s everyone’s responsibility to do something about it.

As happened in 2018, it is often One Kib’, the first day of this trecena, that signals the need to get down to business in terms of “restoring order”. This could be seen in 1987 when President Reagan challenged President Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, and again in 2009 when the US and Russia mutually agreed to reduce nuclear arsenals, which set the course to replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. In 2010 it was the first day of this time frame that brought the signing into law of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by President Obama.

So now, here we are again, with many great needs staring us in the face and the Kib’ trecena back in place to help us deal with transmutations. Fortunately this trecena often holds strong potential for illumination, pathfinding, and for the development of practical approaches towards finding solutions to even the most challenging problems, with some of those problems centering around the need to regain some personal stability in order to move forward with the largest issues. Note that there are a number of opportunities to help with that during this period, in the context of festivals and other special events, which (hopefully) will be approached with caution and common sense so that the pandemic will not be exacerbated. Here are the associated energies:

One Kib’ (Aug. 12th) – the “initiation” of the transmutation force that leads towards the restoration of order, coinciding with the UN’s International Youth Day, with this year’s theme being “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health” .

This is the 10th anniversary of World Elephant Day, a good day to remember that these amazing beings are in need of help in many places on this planet. The World Elephant Day website lists many ways in which people can help. A list of specific things that can be done are shown on their How to Help Elephants  page. Their Press Room page lists other ways to become involved. Click here for a glimpse of “When Elephants Were Young”.

This is the opening day for WorldPride and EuroGames, “a celebration of equality and
diversity”, which will be hosted, for the first time in history, by two cities in two
countries from Aug. 12th-22nd – in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, and in the neighboring city of Malmö, Swedish, on the other side of the Øresund Bridge.

In Kerala, India this is the start of the colourful 10-day Onam Harvest Festival, which begins with the creation of wonderful floral carpets called pookkalams in the front of homes.

In the spring of 2010 this was the energy in place when The Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law in the US by President Obama.

As of this day it has been four cycles (4 x 260 days) since the release of the UN’s “final call” Climate Change report (in 2018) that gave that extensive warning on the need to limit global warming to no more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, which would require “rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”. At that time, of course, there was NO ONE in the White House competent enough to address this, and several years were lost due to sheer ignorance and avarice at the highest levels in the US. There was not a glimmer of hope in this regard until that significant “turning point” day in March of 2020 (the first day of this trecena) when Joe Biden won several state primaries as it became clear that he would become the Democrat’s presidential nominee. As soon as he became president earlier this year he began taking steps to address climate change needs.

2 Kab’an (Aug. 13th) – a “dynamic” type of energy related to the earth, or “earth
movement”, coinciding with the 500th Gregorian anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital now known as Mexico City, to Cortés and his hundreds of Spaniards, aided by thousands of Indigenous allies. That event in 1521, that included the capture of the Aztec emperor, was seen as the start of 300 years of domination under Spanish Colonial rule. (See 13 Lamat, on Aug. 24th, the last day of this period, re the declaration of Mexican Independence in 1821)

Two Kab’an was the planned date for the arrival of a group of indigenous Zapatistas in Spain, where they plan to symbolically “invade” Spain, and make a statement about capitalist oppression, after making a return journey eastward across the Atlantic, following the Spanish westward route 500 years earlier. They actually disembarked from their Atlantic crossing a few weeks earlier, and are now on a campaign to tell the people of Spain that they are still resisting being “conquered”.

This marks two cycles exactly since the WHO declared a global pandemic in 2020 and called for governments to take “urgent action” against the coronavirus.

This is the first of three days of Obon, the Japanese Buddhist Festival of Souls during which rituals and celebrations are performed to honour the spirits of ancestors.

On this first day fires and lanterns are lit to guide spirits home, and altars of fruit, incense, and flowers are set up. Ancestral tombs are cleaned and decorated, prayer services are held at temples, and special meals are prepared. With Covid-19 case numbers soaring in Japan this festival this year will be particularly meaningful.
In China this is still part of Ghost month.

3 Etz’nab’ (Aug. 14th) – the “activation” of a sparkling, “knife-edged” type of energy that can dazzle, shock, and/or begin a separation process, two cycles exactly (520 days) since “America shut down”, as theatres, museums, restaurants, entertainment venues, and colleges and school districts across the US closed up; and many other events were cancelled or postponed indefinitely due to the pandemic.

Currently this energy coincides with the 74th Gregorian anniversary of Pakistan’s independence.

In Japan this is the second day of Obon in Japan, referred to as Bon Odori, a day
dedicated to dance and performances related to the ancestors. This is also the day of China’s Double Seventh Festival (aka the Qixi or Qiqiao festival), also seen as “Young Girls’ Festival” or “Chinese Valentine’s Day” based on an ancient love legend.

4 Kawak (Aug. 15th) – a “defining” type of energy aligned with “storm”, representative of the sun working together with the energy of intense rain, which can sometimes manifest as a “storm of compassion”. This is one of the five key energies identified at the centre of the Aztec Sun Stone. Two cycles ago this was in place when PM Justin Trudeau announced sweeping steps to tackle the coronavirus outbreak in Canada, and Canada began going into lockdown.

Currently this is considered to be the most auspicious day within India’s Onam festival sequence, and is the final day of Japan’s Obon Festival, with the lighting of bonfires and the floating of lanterns to bid spirits farewell.

This is also India’s 75th Independence Day, the National Liberation Day of Korea (the only Korean public holiday celebrated by both North and South Korea), and the 76th Gregorian anniversary of VJ Day, the great celebration of Victory at the end of World War II after the unconditional surrender of Imperial Japan in 1945.

This was the energy in place when the UN climate change talks resumed in 2017, with
a focus on how to implement the Paris Agreement, but with a much-reduced US
presence. However, now that John Kerry has taken over as President Biden’s “climate
tsar”, the US is again taking a leading role in addressing climate change issues.

5 Ajaw (Aug. 16th) – the “blessing of enlightenment”, but also a “full sun” day, as was in place three cycles ago (in 2019) during a sweltering heatwave in Europe when southern France was on emergency red alert as temperatures reached an historic high of 45.9C, and Spain hit a new record of 43C as hundreds of firefighters battled wildfires in Catalonia. This year a similar heatwave is fueling catastrophic wildfires in Greece, Turkey, Algeria, and elsewhere.

On a more positive note, in ancient Mesoamerican mythology this is the energy associated with Xochipilli’s birthday – a deity associated with the arts and beauty and games. This energy, aligned with the sun, often manifests as “enlightenment breaking through” in some way, as in 1972 when North and South Korea signed a Joint Statement that established principles of working towards peaceful reunification, and in 2017 when Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to protect the Paris Climate Change agreement.

6 Imix (Aug. 17th) – an “everywhere” type of energy associated with “birth”, which can often bring chaos as some new order of being is manifested. At this point it has been 28 Tzolk’in cycles exactly since the terrorist attack on, and demolition of, the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.

This is the release day for Mary Trump’s The Reckoning: Our Nation’s Trauma and
Finding a Way to Heal which examines America’s national trauma, with Mary
pointing out that “America is suffering from PTSD” – a condition that seems to be
global at this time, given the on-going pandemic, the extreme climate change events,
and many other things, including the issues coming into the light regarding past
atrocities inflicted upon indigenous nations

7 Ik’ (Aug. 18th) – “self-generating” wind/breath/spirit, coinciding at this time with the 101st Gregorian anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment in the US, women’s right to vote.  This marks one cycle exactly since former US Attorney-General Barr said that there was no evidence of fraud in the 2020 election, a statement that preceded his resignation, and the concoction of the BIG Lie on the part of the dumpster and his allies that led to the Jan. 6th insurrection and its aftermath. At that time Georgia’s voting systems implementation manager angrily admonished Republicans for spreading these lies, and specifically called upon the dumpster to “stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence. Someone’s going to get hurt, someone’s going to get shot, someone’s going to get killed.” How right he was!

8 Ak’b’al (Aug. 19th) – a “resurrection” type of energy associated with “temple” or
“house”, “darkness”, and deep esoteric mysteries, coinciding at this time with the UN’s World Humanitarian Day and the 77th Gregorian anniversary of the beginning of the Liberation of Paris in 1944. In 1909 this was the energy in place when the first National Women’s Day was celebrated in the U.S.

Two cycles exactly since Dr. Michael Osterholm (Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy, and author of Deadliest Enemy) said (in March of 2020) that that was the first day of a “coronavirus winter” – which, he said, could last for months (a “slight” underestimate!)

9 K’an (Aug. 20th) – representative of “outwardly-projecting” longevity in association with germination, as when the Hubble Space Telescope was deployed in 1990 after its launch the day before. This is Leonard Nimoy’s Maya birth energy – and he will always be remembered as Star Trek’s iconic “Mr. Spock”. Nine K’an could also translate as “Live Long and Prosper”, Spock’s famous Vulcan salute, that has now become a meme.

It was two cycles ago when it was reported that the lockdown in Italy was actually having some environmental benefits, as residents of Venice were noticing a vast improvement in the quality of the water in its famous canals, which was running clear for the first time in years.

10 Chikchan (Aug. 21st) – a Burner Day associated with “Foundational Lifeforce,
Liberation, and Higher Consciousness” that is often quite intense, currently coinciding with the “We Love NYC – The Homecoming Concert” to be held at Central Park.

Why this is a “good idea” is anyone’s guess, since coronavirus numbers are again rising  rapidly in New York state, with almost 3,600 new cases registered the day before this trecena began, and the overall number at over 2,250,000 cases. The US now has a total case load of over 37 million, averaging well over 100,000 new cases every day, with case numbers out of control and hospitals “near calamity” in many different areas.

Note that 10 Chikchan is a kind of “seesaw” force that represents a balancing between Death (10) and Life (Chikchan), so the choices made at this time can be highly consequential.

Two cycles ago the dumpster in the White House told journalist Bob Woodward that
his first instinct regarding the coronavirus was to “always play it down” – which he did . . . . . which resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, as confirmed a few days ago by Dr. Rick Bright, the former vaccine director who was ousted by the dumpster’s administration after filing a whistleblower complaint about the promotion of questionable “cures” that did not follow the science.

Currently this is International Homeless Animals’ Day (IHAD), a good time to transform a homeless animal’s life for the better by giving them a furever home.

11 Kimi (Aug. 22nd) – “inspirational” death/new foundations, coinciding at this time with the Full Sturgeon Moon, aka the Grain Moon, the Red Moon, and the Green Corn Moon , at the time of China’s Hungry Ghost festival, in the middle of the Ghost month, when many people carry protective amulets.

At this point it has been 8 cycles since 196 nations involved in the COP21 (Climate Change Conference) in Paris voted to approve an historic global accord to fight climate change, signalling an end to the fossil fuel era, as they committed for the first time to a universal agreement that has the goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and limiting temperature rises. At that time (2015) French president François Hollande indicated that “We are at a decisive point in time”. Despite the fact that this agreement became international law in 2016, it is now clear that the planet has been moving much too slowly in terms of preventive climate related disasters.

12 Manik’ (Aug. 23rd) – a “gathering together” type of energy associated with reciprocity, on the day when the House of Representatives reconvenes in Washington to take up the sweeping $550 billion infrastructure bill that was just passed by the Senate. This was the energy in place in the spring of 1968 when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his memorable “I’ve been to the mountain” speech the day before his assassination.

This is the final day of the Onam Harvest festival in India.

13 Lamat (Aug. 24th) – “transformational star”, an intense and often highly consequential “heralding” type of force, as was in place at the time of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.

The last time this was in place the sun released a huge CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) that hurled plasma and magnetic fields towards Earth, causing an increase in auroras about 3 days later. That was when it was announced that Solar Cyle 25, due to peak in 2025, could be one of the strongest on record.

Currently this is the 200th Gregorian anniversary of Mexico’s Independence from Spain, and the opening day for the Paralympic games in Tokyo, again without international visitors.

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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.]