High in the sky at this time, not far from the Big Dipper, a comet is streaking across the sky. And at the same time, just as this trecena was coming in, this planet lost a great soul, with the passing of long-serving U.S. Congressman, civil right activist, and “the Conscience of the United States Congress”, John Lewis. Much will be said in tribute to this great warrior, who was born on the dazzling last day of this Kimi trecena in 1940. His passing, which has occurred just three trecenas after the funeral for George Floyd, will be difficult to bear for many, and there will be many commemorative events dedicated to him and his life’s work as this trecena unfolds. And through it all many foundational events associated with the civil rights movement will be brought into focus, and it will all be in keeping with the essential nature of this time frame.

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And while this is happening, the pandemic rages on, with a million more cases being added to the global tally every 4 to 5 days. By this point in the U.S. alone the tally was increasing by over 70,000 new cases every single day.

The last time this trecena was in place, things were quite different. Last November the start of this trecena coincided with Mexico’s Day of the Dead. All of its festive imagery such as sugar skulls, sketetal attire, and Flor de Muerto (Flower of the Dead) floral displays placed the emphasis on the Mexican tradition of “laughing” at death at the same time as commemorating the lives of the deceased. The celebrational aspects of this tradition placed emphasis on the circle of life, with death seen as a “new beginning”. Offerings were often made that included the elements of water, wind, earth, and fire, and symbols of transformation, such as butterflies and flowers, were prominently displayed. Similarly, that same idea can apply to this Kimi trecena, as it often has a way of stripping things down to the foundations, in order to engender new life.

Given that the first day of this time frame is symbolized by a skull, representative of that general “return to Source” idea, it is intriguing to see how often events that take place under this influence can reflect that very idea of going back to “bare bones” foundations. On One Kimi in 2008, for example, Canada’s Prime Minister Harper delivered a formal apology in the House of Commons to former residential school students and their families for the abuses they had suffered over many years with regard to those horrific institutions, admitting that the government had profoundly failed the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. While this apology was being delivered members of the Tseycum tribe were, on that very day, flying home with the remains of their ancestors that had been kept as “artefacts” in the American Museum of Natural History in New York for 100 yrs.

Just one cycle later (in 2009) One Kimi saw the release of Roland Emmerich’s dreadful 2012 disaster movie, designed to feed into people’s fears about the highly erroneous notion of 2012 being the “end of the world”. On that day at least 13 people were killed and 30 wounded when a suicide bomber destroyed an office in Pakistan’s main intelligence agency, feeding into fears about terrorism. So there are times when One Kimi can call attention to very “fundamental” issues that need to be addressed, but can also call attention to critical issues in more dramatic ways. It can also “set the stage” for some fundamental rebuilding, basically “from the ground up”, as seen when the first meeting of the World Anti-Slavery Convention was held under this influence in 1840.

Sometimes the energies associated with this trecena manifest in ways that seem to strip everything right down to the “bare bones”, vividly revealing significant issues that need attention. This can be seen very, very starkly in the horrific Wounded Knee massacre that took place on the third day of this trecena in 1890 when several hundred Lakota people were slaughtered by US soldiers. A traditional Ghost Dance, associated with invoking the dead to assist in encouraging white colonists to leave Aboriginal territories, had touched off the killing, one of the worst in a long line of exceedingly shameful incidents inflicted on Native Americans by the US government.

Four cycles ago, in 2017, it was Puerto Rico that took the brunt of this type of “stripping down” when it suffered the full force of Cat. 4 Hurricane Maria, “the storm of the century” as that hurricane delivered a devastating blow that killed over 3000 people, shattered homes and infrastructure, and completely destroyed the power grid. That was when the world began to get a real sense of how utterly incompetent and outright cruel the current administration in the White House could be as the people of that island, which is supposed to be a protectorate of the US, were left almost devoid of help even during a situation that was clearly a humanitarian emergency.

In the past this trecena has been associated with a number of natural disasters such as extreme wind storms, catastrophic wildfires (as seen in the California and Australia wildfires one cycle ago), and similar knee-buckling events that have resulted in monumental losses that have forced people into positions of such profound loss that the only option was to “start again”, to build new foundations in order to “regenerate”. This can happen on both personal and global levels, and there are times when, ultimately, the new foundations that are being established can have significant long range benefits, as in the signing of the Treaty of Versailles between Germany and the Allies during this trecena, after the conclusion of World War I, and in the signing of the historic climate change accord in 2016 which UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon referred to at the time as “a new covenant with the future”.

And now we have the Kimi trecena coming into place in the middle of a global pandemic, with over 14 million cases in the world and the numbers rapidly escalating in several countries, three of which (India, Brazil, and the US) have well over a million cases (reaching towards four million in the US alone).

At this point it has been just over 100 years since One Kimi saw all 31 of Philadelphia’s hospitals filled to the brim with people who had come down with the Spanish flu in early 1918. This huge influx was attributed to the fact that tens of thousands of people had crowded together to see a Liberty Loan parade three days earlier.

It was estimated that some 200,000 became ill over the next ten days, which would have been through the course of this trecena – a good reminder to keep practicing social distancing, especially at this time. While it has “almost” been two Calendar Rounds (52 years x2) since the inception of the Spanish flu, we won’t be paralleling those exact energies until early in 2022. However, since we don’t know how long this current pandemic is going to last, the parallels are a little too close for comfort, particularly since both of these global events have impacted the planet as a whole. As the Spanish flu was one of the deadliest in history, we certainly don’t want a repeat of that scenario. Nevertheless, not everyone (particularly in the US) seems to be grasping the seriousness of the situation, so it is still anyone’s guess as to how this will ultimately unfold.

As we go through this current Kimi trecena many people are taking a good hard look at many aspects of their lives, reassessing their values and priorities, contemplating changes (and even sacrifices) that may be needed, thinking about the whole issue of restructuring, on multiple levels, including personal, local, national, and international. Huge shifts are happening on a daily basis. And it’s not just physical restructuring, but also mental, emotional, and spiritual. As one UK news outlet noted recently we may be dealing with a global pandemic, but there are other implications as well, as in the profound losses that so many are having to endure, which is precipitating a “grief pandemic” as well.

And in the midst of it all – profound anger, as CNN host Chris Cuomo pointed out the other day. As he outlined the sheer number of incompetencies and insane directives (or lack thereof) on the part of so-called “leaders” in the U.S. he invoked the scene from the movie Network where the lead character called on people to stand up and say that they are “Mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore.” Chris was calling on Americans to channel the force of their anger in the direction of actually DOING something about the widespread corruption at the highest levels of government that is so profoundly and unthinkably adding fuel to the unfolding disaster.

As always, Kimi represents a key genesis point for regeneration, and this is a time frame that can bring things “back to basics” so that restoration and renewal can be addressed. It is for this reason, as difficult as it may seem at times, that this trecena has been associated with “luck” and even good fortune as it presents an opportunity to “pause and regroup”, to review one’s overall “state”, and even to clean out whatever is not wanted or needed in order to set up new foundations for what you want to rejuvenate or bring into your life. The developments that may arise from all of this will be life changing for millions of people, hopefully setting the framework for the restoration and renewal that is so greatly needed. During this time these are the energies that will come into play:

1 Kimi (July 18th) – the “initiation” of “death/return to Source” foundations, marking the 200th day since the warning came from China regarding Covid-19. Many countries began taking immediate action to slow or prevent the spread, but nothing was done by the Trump administration. Instead, as NIAID Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said, “there was a lot of pushback”. Since the warning first came through 200 days ago over 140,000 people have died from it in the U.S., at a rate that has been rapidly increasing. Globally the death total is over 600,000.

At this point is has been two cycles exactly (520 long days) since the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of the highly controversial William Barr as Attorney-General, whom many see as a threat to the US justice system since he has been tampering with many parts of the system, as in slowing the release of information in the Mueller report regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election, and the firing or “neutralizing” of key federal investigators who have been looking into Trump related scandals. Barr is scheduled to appear before the House Judiciary Committee towards the end of this trecena. In 2013 this same One Kimi energy was in place when The Guardian began publishing its first exclusive based on Edward Snowden’s leaking of classified information from the US National Security Agency.

It is 4 Calendar Rounds precisely since the horrific Battle of Borodino on 1 Kimi in 1812, sometimes referred to Napoleon’s Bloodiest Day, the battle against Russia that Napoleon himself called “the most terrible”. The first meeting of the World Anti-Slavery Convention was held under this influence in 1840.

Currently this is Nelson Mandela International Day, on what would have been his 102nd birthday. This is also the Maya birth energy of James Montgomery Flagg, the prolific artist/illustrator who created many iconic images related to American life, including portraits and recruitment posters for the U.S. military. It seems to be long past time to dust off his “Wake Up America” poster, since there are large numbers of Americans who need to wake up to the fact that they have a president who is threatening the world’s health, economic security and social fabric (as Mary Trump has indicated in her new book).  It was his administration who ordered the assassination of Iranian General Soleimani in early January, in violation of international law (according to the UN report). The general was born on One Kimi, and was considered to be the second most powerful person in Iran at the time of his death. The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia was also born under this influence.

2 Manik’ (July 19th) – a dynamic type of energy aligned with the idea of reciprocity, which can sometimes tilt towards “polarization”and it did two cycles ago when Trump declared a National Emergency in order to get the money for his ridiculous border wall idea. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer immediately referred to this as an “unlawful declaration over a crisis that does not exist”, as they pointed out that this move does “great violence” to the constitution and “makes America less safe, stealing from urgently needed defense funds” for the security of the military and nation. It was a declaration that immediately sparked national ire as well as a whole series of lawsuits.

This is the day for the historic launch, from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan, of the United Arab Emirates’s Amal (Arabic for Hope) mission to Mars, its first interplanetary mission. This is the first launch associated with three missions to Mars (by the UAE, the US, and China) that will start their journeys during this trecena, in addition to several other launches.

3 Lamat (July 20th) – the “activation” of the “bright star” heralding energy, coinciding with the New Moon, as Saturn shines brightly, in opposition to the sun, as it makes its closest approach to Earth this year. Jupiter is also shining brilliantly in the night sky at this time.

Three Lamat is an energy often associated with leadership, particularly in a “signalling capacity”, as could be seen in 2013 when The Guardian ran a huge story that alerted people to documents that revealed how the U.S. secretly collected private data from major media sources (information leaked by Edward Snowden that unmasked the pervasiveness of global surveillance programmes run by US and British spy agencies).

4 Muluk (July 21st) – a “defining” day associated with the shape-shifting energy of water, one of the 5 energies at the centre of the Aztec Sun Stone. This is the 51st Gregorian anniversary of the day when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon, and currently the day when NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Bob Behnken will conduct a 7.5-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station. This will take place one day after Chris Cassidy’s Maya Calendar birthday.

5 Ok (July 22nd) – the “blessing of love”, also associated with fire, protection, guidance, and justice, coinciding with Comet NEOWISE’s closest approach to the earth.

It has been six cycles since the Canadian Supreme Court unanimously declared that the federal government has constitutional responsibility for Métis and non-status Indians, thereby giving recognition to their rights (a landmark ruling that constitutionally protects these rights).

6 Chuwen (July 23rd) – a “six directions” type of energy aligned with creativity and play, but sometimes associated with the unexpected; tentative launch date for China’s Tianwen 1 (Questions for Heaven) mission to Mars which will lift off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan, China. Also on this day a Russian Soyuz rocket will launch the 76th Progress cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station, lifting off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

7 Eb’ (July 24th) – a “self-generating stream-of-consciousness” type of energy; a revitalizing force representative of the fertile “mid-point” in this trecena; sometimes a turning point towards the opening up of new possibilities. This was to be the opening day for the Glastonbury Symposium, oriented around sacred mysteries and “new frontiers”, but due to the pandemic a special One Day Online event will be held instead.

On the last appearance of this energy (last November) a judge in New York ordered Trump to pay $2 million in damages for misusing his charitable foundation, referred to as “a shocking pattern of illegality”. Four cycles since Hurricane Maria reached Cat. 5 strength before bearing down on Puerto Rico.

8 B’en (July 25th) – the “resurrection” of personal authority, coinciding at this time with the first of several Celebrations of Life for Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis. On this day there will be services in Troy and Selma, Alabama, including two lying in repose events.

Launch date for the SAOCOM 1B Earth observation satellite for Argentina from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
This marks exactly 4 Calendar Rounds since Napoleon began his retreat from Moscow in 1812 after the the Battle of Borodino, and exactly 3 Calendar Rounds since confederate forces began withdrawing from Atlanta in 1864 prior to its surrender to Union forces the following day (beginning of September in the Gregorian calendar).

In 1971 this was the energy in place when the first excerpt from the 7000 page collection of the Pentagon Papers relating to presidential wrongdoing was published.

9 Ix (July 26th) – an “outwardly projecting” type of energy often associated with deep mysteries; events that take place under this energy influence can have long range consequences, as when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Immigration and Nationality Act under this influence in 1965.

This marks four cycles precisely since Puerto Rico took the full force of Cat. 4 Hurricane Maria, “the storm of the century” in 2017, delivering a devastating blow that killed over 3000 people, shattered homes and infrastructure, and completely destroyed the power grid). Although Puerto Ricas do not have the right to vote in US elections, they are allowed to participate in the Primaries and can vote if they have residency in the US.

This day marks exactly 3 Calendar Rounds since Atlanta surrendered to Sherman’s Army in 1864. “Atlanta is ours, and fairly won,” Sherman telegraphed Lincoln. This day also marks 100 days until the long awaited forthcoming 2020 presidential election.

This is the day for John Lewis’s “Final Crossing” of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, in a processional ceremony that will precede his Lying in State at the Alabama State Capital. (Efforts are now growing to rename this bridge in John Lewis’s honour.)

10 Men (July 27th) – “foundational higher vision” – a Burner Day aligned with “taking the fire” in conjunction with the “high vision” of the Eagle, a strong energy that has the potential to open up far-reaching possibilities. At this time this will be the first of two days for John Lewis’s Lying in State at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

On the last appearance of this energy (last November) a state of emergency was declared across New South Wales and Queensland as catastrophic conditions were in effect due to widespread bushfires, after more than 150 homes has been destroyed over the previous two days.

11 Kib’ (July 28th ) – an energy that can be either change-oriented or “inspirational” (or both), often aligned with Kib’s orientation around shedding a kind of “first light” on things. Maya birth energy of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has been such a strong voice-of-reason as New York and the rest of the US has battled Covid-19.

At this time this energy coincides with the peak of the southern Delta Aquariids meteor shower and the peak of the alpha Capricornids meteor shower (as the Lowell Observatory puts it: Two Meteor Showers: One Fabulous Night . On this same night the Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, will begin. Normally this is when millions of Muslims would travel to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for annual prayers, but this will be significantly restricted this year this year due to the pandemic. At this time there will be another rocket launch – this time the Arianespace launch of the Galaxy 30 communications satellite, the second Mission Extension Vehicle satellite servicing spacecraft and the BSat 4b broadcasting payload. The mission will lift off from the Guiana Space Center near Kourou, French Guiana.

In the Maya calendar this is the last day of the Maya month of Xul, traditionally associated with Kukulcan (known as Quetzalcoatl to the Aztec), the great Feathered Serpent, who was thought to descend from the heavens to collect offerings at the end of this Maya month. At this time this coincides with the second of two days for John Lewis’s Lying in State at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

12 Kab’an (July 29th) – a “dedication” type of energy associated with movement. Aligned specifically with “Earth movement”, this is often a powerful energy associated with moving new ideas forward. Five cycles (1300 days) since U.S. intelligence agencies released the report that described Russia’s sophisticated cybercampaign that was directed towards discrediting Secretary Clinton and undermining the U.S. democratic process during the 2016 election campaign. It also made the case that Trump was the favored candidate of Putin, but the implications didn’t seem to sink in enough for Americans to prevent him from becoming “elected” (make that “stealing the election”).

This is the day for John Lewis’s Lying in State at the Rotunda of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta prior to his Celebration of Life and internment the following day. It is also the Maya birth energy of Viola Desmond, the Black Nova Scotian businesswoman who challenged racial segregation in 1946, helping to start the modern civil rights movement in Canada. She is the first Canadian woman to be featured on a $10 Cdn bill.

Six cycles since the death of super rock star Prince in the spring of 2016.

13 Etz’nab’ (July 30th) – “transformational flint”, a “heavy-duty” (and often “dazzling”) force for change, coinciding at this time with the UN’s International Day of Friendship, and – in the evening – the start of the Muslim celebration of Eid Al-Adha or Qurbani.

This is the opening day for the lively Caribana festival in Toronto. The parade is cancelled this year due to Covid-19), but dozens of events will be open for the festival. Since normally over a million tourists flock to Toronto for this event, this will be a major test for pandemic safety precautions.

This is the scheduled launch day for NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida as it begins its seven month journey to the Red Planet.

One cycle precisely (260 days) since the first public hearings in the impeachment process last November. At that time this day was seen as the most violent day of assault in months by Israel as they carried out more than 50 air raids and 21 artillery attacks that targeted Palestinians homes, farms, and positions belonging to the “resistance”. It was so intense that the president of the Palestinian’s authority called on support from the international community to put pressure on Israel to stop its “continued aggression” and violation of international law.

Back in 1861 this was the Maya calendar energy in place when Abraham Lincoln appointed General McClellan to lead the Union Army forces, at the start of the U.S. Civil War.

Six cycles ago, in 2016, this was in place at the signing, by 175 nations at that time, of the historic global accord to fight climate change (the Paris Climate Change Agreement).

And eighty years ago this is the energy that was in place at the birth of John Lewis, who would go on to become a civil rights icon and long-serving congressman in the U.S. This is the day for John Lewis’s final Celebration of Life, a private ceremony at Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary, followed by his interment, under precisely the same energy influence as was in place at the time of his arrival 80 years ago. This is the final day of tribute for this heroic soul, whose passing occurred just as this trecena was coming in – just three trecenas (39 days) after the funeral of George Floyd. John arrived in this world under the dazzling and transformational influence of 13 Etz’nab’, departed under the high energy influence of 13 Chikchan (transformational lifeforce) just before the start of this Kimi trecena, and is going to his final rest once again under the dazzling and transformational influence of 13 Etz’nab’, hitching a ride on a comet. Considering his enormous influence during those 80 years it seems that even the universe has been cooperating to make this a fitting and memorable way to commemorate his life and his passing. Rest now, John. You have earned it.

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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.]