Year of the Purple Fire Rooster

The Year of the Purple Fire Rooster begins today, January 28, 2017. "Since ancient times, the Rooster announces the dawn and is a representative of new beginnings." I for one am ever so happy for the end of the Purple Year of the Fire Monkey, for having been born in the Year of the Wood Monkey this past year has been full of unpredictable events, unsettling health issues for my family, and letting go of connections I once thought valuable for my well BEing but realized they were not.

This elegant rooster sits atop the sign for Food For Thought's
local thrift store in Sonoma County.

With Liu Ming's passing several years ago, I miss his insights into the qi of the coming year and his predictions based on that knowledge of that all encompassing energy. 

Interestingly I am finding with space created by the letting go, awesome people and interests to be passionate about are coming my way. Susan Levitt, whose Feng Shui book sits on a bookshelf in our library, also does Chinese Astrology with an annual overview much like Liu Ming did. I was delighted to find her predictions for the new year beginning today online. And you too can read them by clicking on her name that contains a link to reading her overview for the year.

Some predict the Year of the Fire Rooster will be a "powerful one, with no middle of the road when it comes to moving forward." Well, are we not here in the United States of America now faced with the powerfully divided factions in our country with seemingly no middle of the road for compromise and working together for the whole of our nation? Our recently inaugurated President is "in your face," uncovering beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, and ways of life that heretofore have been conveniently swept under the rug for way too many years. Will the widening chasm in our country widen further or we will be able listen to the opposition and begin to hear one another's opposing views?

According to Chinese astrology the Year of the Rooster is filled with integrity and efficiency, and success comes to those who work hard in any endeavor. This year, like the last one, is a "Purple Fire" year which means the yin fire element still rules as it did last year. It is said that "yin" years are a good time to spend "in solitude and harmony with friends and family whenever possible."

Some more traditional adherents see this "earthly branch" as Phoenix rather than Rooster since the Greek mythological Phoenix more aptly depicts the qi readily available for spiritual and personal transformation during this Chinese year. So perhaps by each and everyone of us harnessing the qi of this mythological creature attributed with carrying out hard work with quickness and flexibility, and wanting to do a great job, we may initiate conversation and listen carefully to bring about change and deep healing for each other and for our country.

As we make the transition from the Year of the Purple Fire Monkey to the Year of the Purple Fire Rooster/Phoenix, may each of us repeatedly

There Are No Accidents

This morning as the tail end of the storm played out and the clouds slowly cleared for the moon, Saturn and Jupiter to appear, at first for short intermittent periods, then for longer and longer periods of time. This in and of itself allowed for an awesome morning sitting.

A while later when it was fully light and Shasta was out for her morning checking of her territory, she ran to the South fence. I was amidst a standing qi gong set by then and I could see nothing in the field. But wait . . . as Shasta was waiting by the fence looking Southward, not one, but a pair of foxes appeared, sitting still. I wondered what message this pair was bringing??

From Animal Teachings: Enhancing Our Lives Through the Wisdom of Animals,(2012) by Dawn Brunke:

"Integration helps us to bring together that which has been separated, segregated, forgotten, or lost. It exposes us to contrasting points of view, especially those that differ from our own. In order to reconcile opposites, such as the dark and light within ourselves, we must integrate.

Through integration, we gather subconscious fragments, pieces of ourselves that have been hidden away due to trauma, emotional distress, or denial and repression. As we acknowledge, accept, and reclaim these vulnerable facets of ourselves, we realize their important essential nature. Thus, we begin to see the unseen....

Fox teaches the art of detachment - how to be cool and not jump to conclusions. From Fox, we learn the value of waiting for opportunity. Fox shows us how to anticipate, make informed decisions, and use situations to our advantage.... Too much Fox energy encourages us to show off, which leads to disaster. . . .

Master of agility and finely tuned senses, Fox teaches us how to travel between worlds and integrate that which exist beyond ordinary reality into everyday consciousness. . . .

Foxes say ~ Much of our work with humans involves opening up your senses, helping you to observe life more keenly, and to experience the world more fully. To those who are patient and alert, we reveal passageways to different dimensions. We can help you to find such openings within yourself. We are guides to a special form of integration. But we can only lead you so far.

We experience deep peace through observing life, although we also know when to participate with gusto and delight. We value the art of timing and moving with precision. We find pleasure in knowing when to freeze and when to leap, sliding between moments to catch prey or escape predators.

We are foxy - skilled, finely tuned, agile, sly. If you need help in seeing more clearly, moving more deftly, or finding the way you fit into the world, come sit with a fox. We observe the world with alert agility."

On the day before our next president's inauguration, may we let go of our fear  for what might happen and anger that we did not get our way. May we go forward with an open heart and open mind, using the Fox integration message for guidance to heal and make our nation whole.

To support the process of discharging our fear and anger may we often