hip hop your way into the new year
Haha get it? It’s the year of the rabbit.
Image by Lea Quinlivan.
Happy 2023!
More to celebrate… as the second new moon after Solstice marks the Chinese New Year!
Six weeks before the Gregorian calendar, January 21st inaugurates Spring in the East. Traditionally celebrated for 2 weeks (until Feb 4th this year) until the moon is ripe. A time of storing our energy. As the seedlings under frozen soil, we too must consolidate our qi. Nature will indicate with melting snows and thawing Earth when our sprouts are time to burst forth towards the light.
A wonderful time to practice yin yoga, qi gong, eating black/dark foods to fortify energy, preparing warm cooked nourishing foods, drink plenty of water/ broths/ teas, get lots of rest while limiting output for activity both socialization and those that induce sweating. Again, it is a time of storing the energy, not exerting it.
The element of Water governs adrenals, urinary bladder, kidneys, bones, knees and low back. Take special care of your lower sacral region and support your lower dan tian, a storehouse of vitality. If you are interested in bringing more balance, check out my video on the microcosmic orbit.
A little bit about the Yin Water Hare:
Another year to add to our living story as we welcome the wise alchemical Rabbit to the stage. Known in mythological folklore, as a totem for longevity, fertility and gentility. Its harmonizing energy and keen perceptivity is more likely to flee than fight. As they are charming and elegant, the Rabbit is fond of romance and relating, and enjoys finer affairs of the heart. Being naturally friendly, sensitive, and amiable, Hare teaches all of us to take heed and tend your fires sweetly.
This year's polarity is Yin with the Wu Xing (5 Elements) being Water which pairs beautifully with Rabbit's soft feminine nature. Think of this year being akin to a gentle river flowing steadily, still strong enough to dissolve stone over time but a consistent strength that one day will greet the great mother ocean. A reprieve for some after the turbulent Yang Water Tiger year of 22’.
The broader collective can anticipate it to be a diplomatic peacemaking time with political compromise, not all tensions are gone, but we can look towards the middle in our dealings with others and use those bunny ears for attentive listening. Always remember to be kind to others, as it boosts serotonin and dopamine which promote well-being, alleviates pain and spreads joy!
Personally, it is to be a more inward time, drawing us towards our creative side. Express your artistry and allow for play to beckon in calm energy, healing and tending to what matters most. The past year brought fierce clarity in what our truth and focus is. Keeping that still in your mind's eye, move gracefully as Rabbit would. Use your instinctual centers to support your highest self, avoiding hypervigilance. Proper scanning of the horizon, self awareness, and integration of that vision will aid you on your path.
Imagine if your sense of smell was 20x that of a human?! Rabbit’s got it and gives full permission to take leisure strolls with ample stops to smell the roses <3
Rabbits born in
1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Compatible with
other Rabbits, Sheep, Pig and Dogs.
Minerals to carry/wear to support the nervous system, quell anxiety, courage to face fears and transmute negative energy:
volcanic lava/ black agate, tiger’s eye and hematite.
Food suggestions:
Winter squash and warm soups.
Nourish yourself with forbidden rice, bone broths and dark colored foods.