Two Oxen Pulling a Cart. PC: Ana Cernivec
Xīn Nián Kuài Lè! 新年快乐! (Happy New Year!)
This Friday marks the East Asian Lunar New Year and the official start of spring in that calendar system. The 9-day period before the new year is a time for cleaning and clearing out the old. Even with all the snow this week, do you feel the renewed feeling of early spring? We've notice the light returning for slightly longer days in the past few weeks.
This new year is the year of the Yin Metal Ox. The qualities of the ox include being slow and methodical, putting one foot in front of the other to execute a plan. So for those who don't slow down into the Ox's rhythm and pace, the theme of this year may very well be "hurry up and wait". There is a lot of good that can come from slowing down and being more methodical in our plans!
Here is an excerpt from Lillian Pearl Bridges’ Year of the Ox forecast:
Lillian writes: The Farmer stares out across the fallow field and sees mud and downed branches from the storms of winter, knowing that first he must clean up the field and then wait patiently until the land is ready. When it is time, the Farmer puts the yoke on the Ox and slowly plows the field. Then the Farmer plants the seeds and waits for them to grow. Eventually the Farmer brings in a good crop, maybe two if luck is with him. This is the story of this Ox Year.
February 12, 2021 is the start of the Chinese Year of the Golden Ox with February 3rd representing the start of the Spring Festival. The Ox (Cow) is the second animal in the Chinese Zodiac system and is a respected animal valued for its ability to work hard and endure. The Ox is credited with the values of constancy and cooperation. These are usually slow-moving animals that are even-tempered and placid unless they are provoked. The Element for Ox is Yin Earth, as it is an animal long connected to farming.
The element for the year is Yin Metal, which is harmonious with the Earth Element, as Earth generates and feeds Metal. This implies a calmer and more stable year with less anger, less contentious behavior and much less potential for violence. Yang behavior will simply not be supported or be sustainable. Yin Metal is about the future and our hopes and dreams, which can start to inspire us again. The overall outlook for the year is positive, especially towards the latter part of the year. Harvest comes in the summer and fall months, which also correspond to the elements of the year. So there is hope that life will get better in many ways for many people as the year progresses.
Life will feel more peaceful and less stressful, but this year requires patience. Forward movement will be mostly slow going toward desired and more ideal outcomes in the future. There will still be some restrictions on growth and movement, but these will lessen. Yin Metal will make people and governments more efficient and subtly more productive so that by the end of the year there will be incremental achievements that together will amount to something more substantial.
You can read Lillian Pearl Bridges’ full Year of the Ox forecast here.