2021: Year of the Yin White Ox
The year of the Yin White Ox begins with the new moon on Thursday, February 11th. Because the new moon occurs in China on February 12th, many people celebrate the Chinese New Year on 2/12.
METAL
We maintain the energy of metal (white) this year, which means we'll continue to feel drawn towards completing and refining things. Metal urges us to connect with what has core value to us. Hone in on what matters to you, invest your time, energy, and money in those things, and let go of anything that no longer matters, or no longer fits. Metal is a time of pruning, and reshaping. We've all lost and actively trimmed many branches from our lives in 2020 under the influence of the metal rat, but there's still more refining to do in the coming year.
YIN
The shift from Yang to Yin this year indicates a need to put a little less energy out, and let more energy come in. Maintaining the current of metal, create space for receiving what you enjoy, and what matters to you. Invite experiences of grace by letting go of extraneous effort, tuning in through all of your senses, and opening your mind to new possibilities.
OX
The shift from rat to ox dovetails with the shift from Yang to Yin. We are shifting from the scurrying energy of rat to the slow, steady, but strong pace of ox. Rat years are times for being curious, networking, planning, trying things out, replanning, and trying things out again. Last year's Yang rat year was hectic!
But an ox year is when you shoulder a chosen responsibility or two, and once you apply it, your focus can be quite intense. The Yin quality of this year will involve a lot of behind-the-scenes, developmental, and subtle work. Progress in an ox year seems slow while it's happening, but at the end of the year, you'll be surprised at how much you accomplished, and you'll be glad for the bountiful harvest it brings you.
To make the most of the Yin White Ox year -
Establish healthy routines in both your work and your self-care. Set up daily and weekly structures, so you can just get things done, and not have to think so much. Thinking was last year's focus. Steady progress is the aim now.
Tend your lungs and colon. These organs are sensitive during metal years. Focus on steadying and deepening your breath as often as you can remember. Qigong and Yoga are helpful practices for supporting your breath.
Continue to clean out storage spaces. Continue to replace broken things with that which functions well and is aesthetically pleasing to you. This will free up your mind for the deeper concerns of the coming water years (2022 and 2023).
Think like a farmer preparing a field. Make sure you have the right nutrients (resources, including experience and knowledge) in the soil for the crops you want to grow. Make sure the ox (your body and mind) is well cared for, so it can do its work. Make sure the yoke is solid and strong, and the plough is sharp enough to till the soil (maintain the tools you need to accomplish your tasks). Then set a pace that you know your ox can maintain, and put one foot in front of the other.
Wishing you good health, happiness, and prosperity in the coming year. Rae