Happy New Year!

 

It is the year of the FIRE MONKEY! This symbol of the Chinese Zodiac is highly revered! Monkey is ingenious, sharp, extremely talented, entertaining, very charismatic, and a natural leader and is very quick and versatile to master any skill. Birth rates skyrocket in Asia during this time! The energy of this year brings great passion, play, insight, dynamism and fire to achieving goals! To channel this amazing energy one must maintain focus on the task at hand, or suffer the “Monkey Mind”. A Buddhist concept, where, a monkey jumps to a branch, peels a banana, takes a bite, drops it, then repeats. The energy of Fire can easily become scattered, judgement is clouded on what is realistic and unrealistic in what can be accomplished, consuming passion, drive, priorities, and ultimately leaving one aimless with no joy in their hearts. When consumed by the passions of the fire element, one can become self righteous, amoral, and feeling superior to karmic law. BUT, when a fire is tended properly, it will burn brightly, brining warmth and light to all those that bath in it’s presence. In order to make the most of the year of the Fire Monkey, we must be mindful not to loose focus on what is important and not give in to inclinations of cutting corners. Taking ones time, the cultivation of patience and connecting with peers, teachers and community can tame such foibles. Being heartful and clear with our speech is a must in order to be effective in communicating during this time. Without such care, we can come off sounding angry, bossy, and argumentative. Meditation is key to staying clear on prioritizing goals, and making sure that each task is completed before moving on to the next. Enjoy this marveling time of expressive play, insightful passion, dynamic spirituality and stepping into your power! It’s going to be a hot time!