Chinese New Year comes early this year. It’s on January 26, 2009 (Yes, that’s coming Monday!) and that day will mark the beginning of the “Year of the Earth Ox”.
Basic Chinese Astrology
In Chinese astrology, there is a sixty-year-cycle that consists of two sub-cycles.
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The first cycle is the cycle of the ‘Heavenly Stem’, which rotates the elements of water, earth, fire, metal and wood, every two years. The first of these two years is yang, the next year is yin.
The second cycle of the ‘Earthly Branch’ rotates the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac signs: i.e. rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar.
What this means is that not all Ox-years are the same. In 2009, it will be a Year of the Ox, an Earth-year and a Yin-year.
The zodiac sign of the Ox (or cow or buffalo) symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work. The major element in Ox is Earth. So it being the “Earth Ox”- year, the major focus in 2009 will be the earth/land/ground-related issues. I would say … root chakra!!! (oh,will I ever get away from this emphasis ….??!! I want to focus on my higher level chakras instead!!… ). And I’d say: WORLD HEALING is VITAL.
Yin represents the feminine principle of the yin/yang balance.
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Earth is the land and the ground under our feet. The ground is very steady. It requires lots of energy to make it move. Certainly, it’s necessary that people put extra efforts and time to work on Earth-related problems.
Chinese astrology says the Earth season is the days between the seasons, i.e. the 18 days before each season. The Earth Cycle will repeat about every two and a half month. The total Earth days in a year is 72. Because Fire is the mother element of Earth, it is said that the strongest period of Earth is the 18-day before the season of Fall.
So, I’d say that we should have an increased focus on ‘We Are One World Healing’, and get more people to work with us to help heal planet Earth. That seems very important.
Our Year of the Ox
OK. Let’s get our minds around a year of hard work, and get set to enjoy it. When I envision an ox, he’s carrying a wagon or a plow breaking new grounds, row after row, in a very organized manner. Single line, straight ahead.
I suggest we embrace the powers of the ox this year: methodical, strong, and focused (i.e. good-flavored ‘stubbornness’). I can be ox-like for a year, can you?
Chinese New Year: a New Moon, a New YOU.
At present we’re between the Western New Year (January 1), and the Chinese New Year (and the New Moon Day, January 26). Now is the time for change to bring more enlightenment and light in your life. And so, we should be ox-like in going for this.
| Chinese Way of Preparing for the New Year Before the New Year: clean the house today: that means a ‘tidy up’ plus a ‘spring clean’. You’re not meant to sweep in the beginning of the new year or you’ll sweep your good luck away. New Year’s Day: Traditionally, one welcomes the Gods from the heaven and earth. Day 2 of the New Year: Prayers to ancestors are added to prayers to the Gods. Day 3-15 are filled with celebrations, food and family. Day 7 is the birthday of all mankind Day 15 closes the festivities with the Lantern Festival on the full moon. |
What do you sense should be your direction & focus? Now is the time to get clarity about what you want and need in your life. What are your plans? Now is the time to finalize them in actionable detail.
It appears that the Year of the Earth Ox won’t allow you to dillydally. When the 26th of January comes around, we will be living in a time of by-passing the ‘I’m going to do it’-phase and plunge straight into ‘this is what I’m doing’-mode (although we do get 2 weeks easing into things…).
We Heal ‘Us’ and Help Eachother
While this is apparently not the ‘sit around and talk about it’- year, I feel that it nonetheless should be a year of helping each other, and encouraging each other, to be true to themselves and to focus on what is best for them.
To kickstart this, share your NEW YOU, New Year or New Moon resolutions, plans and actual endeavors at the forum: http://therapeuticreiki.com/forum *. Every New Moon this year, we will revisit our visions & plans on the forum, so we all stay ‘on target’ with our individual progress. I’d love to hear about your challenges and successes over time.
Plan with Spirit & Angels
Personally, I believe that consulting angels and planning are the things to do in the next 10 days. Consult archangels for spiritual direction as well as practical clues. Ask for their help. Did you know that the word ‘change’ is part of the word ‘archangel’, i.e. Archangels help you change for a living.
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
© Copyright 2009 – Astrid Lee, http://www.TherapeuticReiki.com – All Rights Reserved.
* If you have problems registering for the forums, let me know and I’ll set you up.