04/02/2024
Today marks the beginning of the Li Chun [Spring Begins] solar fortnight, or qi node.
Spring is still mostly theoretical, but there is a palpable sense of yang building under the surface. Where I am, spring bulbs are colonising the verges and woodlands, the first sparks of the Fire cycle which will carry us through until October. Those who follow the Chinese calendar are preparing for the Lunar New Year celebrations, as if to feed the nascent fire and catalyse renewal.
We are this energy. The ghosts of winter are slowly beginning to fade - although they haven't completely vanished. Cautious, tentative steps are more appropriate than rushing headlong into new projects (don’t do as the pictured gentleman ... !)
For nei gong practitioners - or self-cultivators of any kind - it is advised to do a gentle stretch and sitting practice before dawn, facing Northeast. During the day, it is generally timely to hook up with friends and family on their way out of hibernation. Reconnect, share a warm drink or simple meal …
Here are a couple of highlights from the fortnight, one auspicious, one not so much -
Monday, February 5th, is a day whose shen [spirit] is ripe for celebration, cooking, or any activity that fortifies connections—familial, romantic, or professional. Given its a Monday, professional or business relationships might be more the thing - and its a great time to begin new projects and ventures. Not so appropriate to be solitary, to withdraw, or turn down invitations. Practice tips - work strongly with your soft tissues, jin gong, qi gong, stretching. Technically, it is an Earth Pig, combining with the new Fire Tiger month. The Solar Index is a Harvest day, and the Lunar Mansion is the Bow. The accompanying animal totem is the deer. These particular indicators (symbolising feasting in one way or another) don’t combine very often - and give the day its unique energetic flavour.
Conversely, Friday, February 16th, is a day for austerity, withdrawal, and reflection. Do less, want less, show less, seek nothing. By modern standards, the auspices are very negative, as the qi is generally unproductive. “Bad luck” can easily be avoided by surrendering to the yin energy of the day. If work is unavoidable, keep expectations low, don’t try to be proactive or innovative, and keep your head down! Practice tips - meditation, zuowang, fasting. Technically, this is a Metal Dog, the tomb of the nascent Fire energy of the month, and so a Complete day in the Solar Index. The Lunar Mansion is The Ox Boy - the star Altair forever separated from his beloved Maidan (Vega), stranded across the Milky Way. All omens hint at a certain futility and instability if you try to push ahead with anything.
These reflections are derived from the Tong Shu or traditional Chinese Almanac, the most commonly and consistently published book of all time. Its symbolic indicators reference a vast system of cosmology, calendrical science, culture, wisdom, folklore, farming practice, maths, and astronomy - all honed over several millennia. These observations reflect the universal qi, rather than your own personal qi, and life path. (Of course, no such distinction actually exists, but as a concession to easy understanding, let's say they are separate.) If you would like some insights on your personal astrology, I have opened up another week of insight sessions - bookable here.
https://calendly.com/lifehousefengshui/wood-dragon-insight-session?month=2024-02
The usual Ba Zi, Feng Shui, and Divination sessions are open as well, and can be booked via the website.
https://www.lifehousefengshui.com/consult/
