Lunar New Year - improving your health with the energy of Water Tiger

The 1st February marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year and the year of Water Tiger. For me the real new year does not begin until we have completed both the solar cycle and have received the twelve lunar cycles. There is finally a feeling that the old is left behind and the new is beginning.

We are leaving behind the year of real hard work and hardship, which is what the last year of the Ox symbolised. We had to be patient, enduring as the energy was rather "stubborn". To add to this, the Metal element last year could have added rigidity to the general feeling. Health-wise, you might have had on-going "stubborn" problems and had to work hard to keep yourself fit and well.

This year, that might all be different, as you are likely to feel the fast, furious and energetic Tiger's energy fuelled by the regenerating power of Water. Well, at least if you utilise wisely both Tiger and Water energy in the coming year. To help you benefit from this coming year, the followig are my highlights of the areas of health and wellbeing most favoured in the Water Tiger year.

Most of us know what qualities Tiger animals represent: powerful, courageous, strong and leadership. How did the ancient medicine people see and utilised the energy of that animal for health and wellbeing? There ere two main associations with the Tiger energy. One is related to Metal element (and specifically to Lungs, which is the organ of th Metal element). The other association of Tiger is with the first month of a lunar year (Tiger is the first animal in the Chinese zodiac), February. This is also the first month of Spring (according to the ancients), which is associated with the Wood element.

For some, who already know the cycles of Five Elements, would have realised this means Metal is controlling Wood. Tiger's energy ensures that the growth of new beginnings is not excessive or chaotic. But for starters we will feel that rise in energy we have not felt for a couple of years. It is not going to be shooting up but just as the beginning of Spring, encouraging new life. This is coupled by the element of Water, which symbolises conception and rebirth.

Tiger energy is mostly associated with our Lungs and therefore the skin (known as the third lung). We should get a renewed health with regards to those organs. It will be a good year to open the Lungs, breathe new fresh air and do aerobic exercises to get toxins out of the body through sweating. It will be generally a good year for beauty. Any attempts to make our appearances glowing with health will pay off this year (including nails and teeth).

Another important health aspect that will get a massive renewal this coming year will be sexuality. Tiger is a symbol of sexual power and mating. Coupled with the Water element which uncovers deep and intimate energies, it is very likely our deep sexual desires will get a notable renewal this year. It also bodes well for fertility and conception.

We will generally feel stronger in ourselves and feel more able to extend our concentrated efforts to achieve (Water is our willpower) satisfaction of our needs (Tigers only hunt when hungry). But we will not do it totally alone. Although Tiger likes acting on its own, Water element is about community. Our actions and power will be better off if grounded in our identity within the wider community.

Now, not all of us may easily embrace the energy of Tiger, qualities of a leader, predator and an activist. Some people or communities may feel threatened by powerfull people or communities who are behaving predator-like. In such case it would be a good idea to have a good friend who easily embraces such energies or was born in the year of a Tiger. Tigers are symbols of protection and of chasing away the evil. With a Tiger family member or a friend you will be protected. In addition, it will be good to wear amber jewellery. Amber in Chinese is called "soul of the tiger". In traditional Chinese Medicine amber is used, among others, for healthy functioning of the Lungs, sustaining defensive energy (immunity) and conception vessel.

Another protection we all can utilise this year is that of getting in touch with our essence of being, of who we really are, within ourselves and within the community, and derive our drive and will power from that. It will be a good year to spend time near water, such as streams, rivers and the sea; contemplating the power of Water being flexible, adaptable and changeable.

Wishing you all a good Water Tiger Year!

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The Third Month of Winter - Rebirth

Although we have already passed the darkest days of the Winter, namely the Winter Solstice, and the days are getting longer rather than shorter now, we are still in full Winter season. The 6th of January has marked the beginning of the third month of Winter, according to the ancient Su Wen text.

Although it may not be the darkest month, it is named by the classics as the coldest month of the year. Temperature wise, this month has the opposite effect to the month following the Summer Solstice when the temperatures increase after the Sun passes its peak. Now, following the Winter Solstice, Sun's lowest point, the temperatures are getting colder and colder. There is little to none Yang to warm the Earth up. The temperatures plummet down as Yin energy continues to dominate in the environment. Some animals which are hibernating have their heart rates slowed down for this period. We are not the hibernating species but we still feel the need to go slow. It will be felt more so this year from mid January when Mercury will go retrograde. Mercury is associated with Water and Winter element as well. So, in addition to things feeling Winter-slow, we will have a sensation that Winter is never going to end. That will only be an impression that will be fading away by the end of the first week of February.

What this month is good for is to ponder on our inner world. Again, Mercury retrograde will help us do so. Considering we have just entered the new solar year and will be entering the new lunar year (Chinese New Year) on the 1st of February, there is a lot to reflect upon. In addition, the new lunar year we are about to enter is going to be the year of Water Tiger. Reflection is a Water element quality when we think about looking at ourselves like in a mirror.

The Water qualities I highlighted in my previous month's update, we can continue to cultivate this month. By that I mean behaving like Water, implementing its energetic qualities in our daily life. We might have done quite a lot of gathering, outpouring and diffusing in the past month whilst celebrating the festive season with our nearest and dearest. Now it may be time to concentrate on other Water qualities such as flowing, being present, compressing the energy and going into the most hidden parts of ourselves.

So, when we examine our reflection and face the most hidden parts of ourselves, we may find both the gems we forgot we had and/or old dusty cobwebbed stuff we forgot we still hide inside. This month is the time to uncover just that what will serve us to achieve our 2022 plans and goals. In addition, us being present will be necessary to feel and assess best the situation we are currently in. Finally, compressing the energy during this month will be essential for starting up full steam when the time is ripe and being able to keep the ambition going all the way until our plans and goals are achieved.

In summary, January is the month of great preparedness of ourselves, our position and our strength in order to wake into a new cycle of life which is about to be birthed.

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The Second Month of Winter - watch out for extremes

According to Su Wen classics, the 7th December marks the beginning of the Second Month of Winter, the month of the shortest days of the year. This month marks the "dark" side of the year, hence in many traditions we celebrate light festivals, keeping the light going.

As in nature so for us it is the time for exploring our own dark sides, the most inner parts of us that we rarely look into. The "indwelling power" of Water element (element of Winter) is helping us to dwell into our depths to discover or re-discover our true power, strength and identity. Here the light is needed to explore and face the darkest parts of ourselves. In antiquity, it was actually the Water that was celebrated and revered during this time. It was understood that in Nature it was Water that transported light into the dark depths of the Earth as it was the rain that transported the light of the Sun through the Winter clouds.

Therefore, it was time to give reverence to all aspects of Water, which the ancients listed as: gathering, flowing, outpouring, present, diffusing, compressing and hidden. These are both active and static qualities. It is most appropriate to dwell on these qualities in ourselves during December month, both for psychological and physical wellbeing. And as always, the key is in balancing off these extreme qualities. Living in the extreme part of the year we are more prone to extremes ourselves, so there is a word of precaution in the ancient texts.

To give some examples. We organise friends and/or family gatherings in order to connect with our identity but if we rely too much on that we may loose our own personal identity. We may want to take up running as an activity to boost our strength and stamina but we need to balance it with meditation to practice being present. We make and give presents to outpour our generosity but equally we need to save (compress) our forces and resources to arrive to the end of the Winter. Some days we may just feel like we want to hide from the world and literally go into hibernation whilst other days we may need to diffuse some of our essence to mark our presence in the world. So, just as an erratic nature of Water, so are we erratic during its season.

The prevalence of our activity during this month should be, however, of Yin quality (slow and static). Since we will not receive any external energy, as there is nearly none Yang in the Nature, and we may expose ourselves to consume much of our own reserves.

Diet wise, it is advisable to eat root vegetables and anything that has a compressed amount of nutrients (superfoods, seeds) and aquatic foods and vegetables. For those who eat meat you may notice more requirement for meat and fatty foods in Winter months as they are warming and nutritious. In order to compensate for the cold and humid-cold weather, we need to consume hot meals, soups, stir-fried or oven baked foods. We need to choose warming foods and spices like ginger, garlic, leeks, pepper, coriander, nuts, all pumpkins, to name a few. But again a word of precaution, we often go into nutritious extremes when Christmas time comes ;-)

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