One sure thing: as soon as the calendar page turns from December to January, we start to get inquiries about when people will see Narrye Caldwell’s post for the Chinese (Lunar) New Year. Well, here it is! As always, enjoy.
Year of the Metal OxâFebruary 12, 2021
Let me start with a true story. Twenty years ago we had a presidential election that was too close to call. Everything hinged on a razor thin margin in Florida that showed George Bush leading Al Gore by a mere 537 votes. State law required a recount. A month of legal battles ensued, and finally a Supreme Court decision stopped the recount in Florida. This resulted in Bush winning the presidency with 271 electoral votes, one more than required, in spite of losing the popular vote by a significant number.
That winter I attended a Chinese New Yearâs talk by one of my teachers, Lu Ming. Mingâs talks were always sprinkled with stories and clever insights. And this is what he said, with a sardonic
chuckle, about the election I just described: âIf it had been a Rat year, every vote would have been counted.â
Well, here we are. The election we just had is the one Ming foretold. It happened in a Rat year, and yes, every vote got counted. This past Rat year brought much hardship, which there is no need to review here. But the one silver lining is, âin a Rat year, every vote gets counted.â
Overview of the year
First letâs talk about the Metal Ox. Ox qi is associated with the long view. The Ox is a yin Earth sign, so patience, endurance, constancy, and persistence are its superpowers. Remember that, because though there is much to be done and the world is in a frightful state right now, the new qi coming in with the Ox year brings the strength required to shoulder burdens, take on the necessary work, and keep our eyes on long term solutions.
Each yearâs astrological signature is made up of the combination of heaven qiâwhich is Metal this yearâand the Earth qi associated with the animal signâin this case, Earth. From the traditional Five Phase view, Earth nourishes Metal so we have a harmonious energetic quality to the year. Think of it this wayâthe stability and constancy of Earth, when unobstructed, can transform base metal into gold. We have an opportunity now. Through hard work and sound judgment, we can recover what is precious and lies buried deep within us. So, noses to the grindstone, all.
Now for the fun part. Hereâs a quick look at how each animal sign can best utilize this yearâs qi. Continue reading