Happy Dog Chinese New Year: Mellow Pace and Yin Embrace!

The extreme Fire Rooster crowed out and the mellow Earth Dog barked in!

The Taoist (Chinese) New Year couldn't have started better, as usual in the New Moon with the energies of new beginnings in high, but also with a Solar Eclipse, which reinforce the energy of manifestation, great to set intentions and seed dreams. The Yin of the Moon and the Yang of the Sun, bring in the harmony, let it prevail in our lives!   

An Earth year... yes please! After the intense past two fire years we had, time to slow down yet moving towards your purpose, to nourish and be replenished - let the stability of Mother Earth support you. Embrace the turning point and Welcome the Dog New Year!

The dog qualities are integrity, loyalty, protection, fun, playfulness, honesty. They are mostly known to be friendly, totally dedicated to whom they love:
A reminder for this year to deepen your relationships. Also to surround yourself in a pack, as the dogs do, of like minded people, who support and empower each other for the highest good.

Integrity and honesty are the values that lead to success under Dog’s watchful and just influence. Susan Lewitt

Dogs are sensitive too, have an amazing sense of hearing and smell; and are totally in tune with other feelings. The dog vision though is different from the humans: actually believed their vision to be in black and white, but recent studies showed they see colours, although in limited colour range. For me this aligns with the fact the dogs are straight forward and don't lose time with superficiality.  Perhaps another insight for this year!...

Protect your space, which is sacred.  Defining our energetical boundaries is very important to keep the integrity of your values. Being sensitive, helpful and compassionate, doesn't mean people can take advantage of you. You have to stand your ground and draw the line, for when the time to say 'no', it's clear and sound.
 

Dog is a medicine that embodies the loving gentleness of best friend and the half-wild protector energy of territorial imperative.*

If a dog has been yelled at or paddled, it still returns love to the person who was the source of it's bad treatment. This come not from stupidity, but rather from a deep and compassionate understanding of human shortcomings. It is as if a tolerant spirit dwells in the heart of every canine that asks only to be of service.*
 

Reclaim the power of loyalty to self and self-truths. Become like Dog - your own best friend.*
 

“The Earth element brings a sense of calm to the already steady Dog." Susie Cox
 

The Earth is a feminine element with the virtues of serenity, openness, fairness, grounding and sensuality. But the emotions, as we don't have positive without negative, are worry, anxiety and stress; which also associated with the dog.
The organs are: the Spleen, the nourishing organ, has the energy of nurturing and caring, following the nature of the Earth Element. And the Stomach, where you can find thousands of neurons, why it's named "second brain". The stomach meridian runs through the nipples and ovaries, important connection with your sensuality and sexuality.

The direction is the center. In our Taoist Practices we emphasise the importance of cultivating our centre, our "lower Tan Tien". We have a wide vision upon life when being centered. When we are in our centre we are taking charge of what's going on, no matter what, and not the other way around...
You can cultivate your center by connect with the Earth: simply by walking bare foot on it, and standing for a while, imagine your feet blending with the roots deep in the earth beneath... Also Qigong, Tai Chi, conscious dance and body movement, help you to calm your mind,  feel your body and be present in the moment.

I see this Earth Dog as a yin feminine year: to connect and love our bodies, digest life with ease, embrace our sacred sensuality and being centered in our power!

To support this you have the Jade Egg Holistic Practice, with of course the Jade Egg: a tool, a jewel and a talisman. Jade is a Earth Element crystal, in all aspects: remind us to enjoy the pleasures of being alive, smell the flowers, touch someone you love. Jade and the Earth Element are associated with abundance, actually not only physical abundance, but opens your heart to Divine Abundance and sharing with others in affirmation of plenty.

Some numerology to reinforce these energies:
Dog is the eleventh in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign.
The legend says the Jade Emperor decreed that the earthly calendar would be represented by 12 animals, the first dozen rock up to his palace will be the selected ones.

2018 = 2 + 0 + 1 + 8 = 11
11 is master number (we don't add 1+1). It relates with spirituality, intuition, psychic abilities, illumination, mysticism, align with your soul purpose, and master teacher. So embrace your self-mastery, as everything is inside you! For you to access this, you have to stop and listen from within, embracing like this your yin energy of being.

This can be indeed a year for you embrace your feminine gifts, and therefore trust your intuition, allowing your inner wisdom to be your guide.

Following the mystic 11, we also have a Mystic Dog:

Did you heard about the Anubius?
It is one of the most prominent and mystical Gods of ancient Egypt, being it's protector, with the body of a man and a black jackal head. Anubius was the God of death, the underworld and mummification.

Dog is also known as the guardian of ancient secrets, hidden treasures and babies in certain tribes (while mothers are cooking or in the fields).
 

And what about the wolf?

It could be definitely aligned with the Dog energy, they share the same loyalty (wolves take a mate for life!), although wolves are wild.

The senses of Wolf are very keen, and the Moon is its power ally.*

In the Great Star Nation, Wolf is represented by the Dog Star, Sirius (the brightest star in the night sky), which legend tells was the original home of our teachers in ancient times. Sirius was thought to be home of the gods by the ancient Egyptians, and is still considered so by the Dogan tribe in Africa. It stands to reason that Native American peoples would formulate this same connection and adopt Wolf people as the clan of teachers.*

 
So now I ask you:

How do you relate with Dog?
Take a few minutes to reflect on it. Like this find how you can align with it's energy to make the most of it.

I share the incredible story of my dog:

I had a best friend called Blacky, a street young dog that appeared when I was about 7 years old, and we took him in. He was very independent, intelligent, and a strong character. He used to be free during the day, free to be at home or walk around, as he wished, usually he would walk with me to the school and pick me up (alone). Blacky started to give a very hard time to the postman, and he was terrified and the complains began. One day I hid myself when the postman arrived, as I wanted to understand why Blacky will furiously bark at him and don't allow him in the building. So I just witnessed the postman threatening Blacky with the stick. I knew Blackly will not do such a thing without reason. This created some problems with some neighbours that suggested to send Blackly to a farm in the north of the country, many kilometres away; my family obviously didn't accept and assume to take the responsibility for everything (during the time the postman will come he will be hold). One day Blacky disappeared. We though he found another girlfriend, he was popular within the female dogs, so when they were in heat, he will run there and we will find him after a day or someone will tell us where he was (he was quite popular in the area, everyone knew him, a real character). But this was different, he didn't come back. With my rebellious 11 years old, this just broke my heart, I knew my best friend had been taken away. I looked for him, my friends did it too. And I used to pray, ask for him to come back; I did this for many years. Six years passed, 17 years old now, just a few months before I left my parents home, I received a phone call from them: 'It is a dog outside of our work (which was 10 minutes from our home), is in such bad condition and doesn't allow nobody to come close to him, we think is Blacky, just come here.' I couldn't believe! As I arrived, yes, was him, and just me could come close and hold him. We took him to his doctor, who loved him; and confirmed that dogs always come back to their owners. Blackly was back with his paws worn away because of so much walking, one ear shorter than the other, less two teeth, a shot gun wound in a back leg, his tail cut (he use to have a nice big one, he was a mix of German Shepard and Labrador).

Our sweet warrior, now older and filled with experiences, had happy few years ahead. Twelve years and one month ago, just few months after I moved to London, in old age, and a bit sick, he died. I went to Portugal just for 48h (as I was working), but when I arrived he had passed away; apparently his doctor drove three hours across the country in the middle of the night to assist him in his last breaths. I was devastated. He start to come to my dreams every so often; but I still missed him!... But one year passed and with my Taoist shamanic healing meditations, what a big surprise, Blacky was there waiting for me! And until today, through this meditation, in this place in another dimension, we are together.
Sometimes across the world, happened recently in Mongolia, a black dog out of the blue comes to me, and from his eyes (as with humans, we recognise someone spirit by their eyes), I know his Blacky spirit coming to say hello in the mundane dimension.
Another memorable thing from Blackly: was three people in my life that he clearly didn't like, they will try to stroke him and he will turn his back, and then looked at me. Guess what? Was people that a few years later revealed themselves not good to me and of course stopped to be part of my life.

Another thing to bear in mind, not just for this year of the Dog but for life, trust your first instinct, what you feel is always right!

Be Mellow and Embrace Yellow!
This is my motto for this year, with the light heart of the Dog, but yellow isn't just a joke to get the rhyme. The yellow (or gold) connects with the Earth. So I embrace the golden light, for abundance in all levels, take the time to taste the sweetness of life, be grateful, and ultimately just trust and be!...

And you, what is your motto?

  
 ***Wish you a wonderful Dog Year, may you walk the mellow pace and enjoy the yin embrace!***

 *Adapted by Jamie Sams in Medicine Cards

This article was inspired by the insights shared last Jade Circle®, with powerful inspiring women. Deep gratitude to you dearest Jade Goddesses sisters.

Dog Zen Painting by Kris Deva North  

© Anamarta

Happy Gemini Full Moon ~ The Power of the Mind and Communication!

This powerful Gemini Full Moon relates with our ability to communicate; with all our relations (family, friends, co-workers, colleagues, neighbours); with our mind, logical thought; learning and sharing knowledge.
So for me this brings a very interesting insight about the mind and communication...
The power of mind that can create anything we wish and like this can be delusional as well: the most dangerous thing to believe is what one wants to believe.

Communication, which I remember to learn in my first Public Relations class, when doing my BA (looks like another life, but was part of academic journey) that communication always involves two people, a talker and a listener, so one would listen and respond accordingly...
Very well, then through the spiritual journey in my Healing NLP course, made me realise that what people call communication most of the time is actually a monologue... have you noticed how many times people are talking to themselves or not really listening... And at that time this made me think, do I talk more or do I listen more?
Listening is such a yin, feminine quality, and takes me back to my granny saying the wise ones are the ones who listen, starting from within...

Starting with the Taoist Practice which evolved into my creation of the Jade Egg Holistic Practice, I found a very easy and natural way to work with my mind in a harmonious way.
One of the benefits you get from these practices is harmonisation of the the left and right side of the brain, so I trust intuition to be my guide, and have my logical and rational mind working in balance with the unknown and artistic other side of the mind, and vice-verse...

Regarding communication: to express our creativity (which comes from the sexual centre), to express our truth (which comes from our heart), to express our ideas (which come from our mind), are the three energy centres, or the Taoist call Tan Tiens, or organs if you want: genitals, heart and brain.
Are they all acknowledging each other, listening to each other, and agreeing with each other? Whatever is the way (voice, writing, dance, any art, anything!...) you are expressing these.

Now just stop for a moment and answer yourself:

• How can you improve your ability to communicate based on the above?

Going back to the Full Moon you can use this time of sparkle, bright, ideas, jokes, laughter and repartee to: bring light and life close to you as Yuletide approaches, make arrangements, swap ideas, improve communication, work with impartial and detached thinking, travel short-distances, heal the lung! (arms and hands too - any movement on them as Qigong, Tai Chi, Dance will do!;).

In the Taoist Calendar we are still in the season of the lungs, the Autumn, the Metal Element. 

The lungs negative emotions are sadness and grief. We can look upon them as a process of letting go... And its such perfect time of the year to do so!  Look at Nature, trees getting stripped, everything dumped in the Earth, preparing to enter the dark, the Winter, the Yin peak, time to Be!  
"The Great Void is the place where all solutions and answers live in harmony with the questions that fill our realities." Jamie Sams

To help you in your process of letting go, here is the lungs' Healing Sound: 

• Become aware of your lungs resting within your chest. Take a deep belly breath to slowly fill your lungs, breathe out SSSSSSSSS as you release sadness, grief, loneliness, depression. Allowing the sound to vibrate in your lungs, breath then in the crystalline white light of courage, self-confidence, uprightness, and self-esteem.*

*Adding the lung meridian stretch: as you breathe in, raise your arms overhead, elbows slightly bent outwards, hands palm up and extend your arms above your head. Let your eyes follow the movement.

The Jade Egg Holistic Practice is a continuous invitation to turn inward and get in touch with one's body (and organs), teaches us about the Inner Alchemy, starting with the first practice of the Inner Smile meditation.
Let the moon too inspire you to look within - the Lunar Alchemy.
Alchemy was more than attempt to turn base metal into gold, it was a spiritual quest. The alchemist's power came from the conjunction - the union of the God and the Goddess. The God was symbolised by the Sun, the Goddess the Moon. This is a reminder to look deep within ourselves, to the balance of male and female internal energies, yin and yang. By attuning ourselves with to the needs of our male and female sides, we then can work towards healing the parts of self that need assistance.
Without balance there is no place to creativity, without true awareness of ourselves there is no place for progress. By looking deeply into ourselves we grow.

As in all the Full Moons, you have the opportunity to energize yourself with the power of moon yin energy and unite with women from all over the planet, here my suggestion: let's meditate at 10pm in the moonlight; by your window (or outdoors if is not too cold where you are) or use three candles or one large silver candle as a substitute for the moonlight. (If you don't have any of these, no worries, your intention is what matters, just put your heart into it!) 

 © Anamarta

***Happy Rooster Year: Focus your Power***

With New Moon, the new beginning in the Lunar Calendar the Chinese (Taoist) New Year begins: The Fire Monkey swings away and the Fire Rooster crows in!

Yes, another fire year!... Fire creates, fire destroys, fire connects with the heart the place of love and compassion, impatience and hatred, as light and dark coexist.

"The Fire Rooster, specifically, is an already-intense sign with an extra side of focus and drive. Rooster years are rarely ever boring, so it'll be a year with a lot of action." 

But different from the monkey's unpredictability, the rooster is more predictable, so this brings some stability, indeed wrapped in action, which can be taken to be productive and fulfill accomplishment.   After all rooster is characterised by confidence, optimism, courage, hardworking, being observant, resourceful and talented. The Rooster is also sensitive, so drama can accompany the year; although I believe is not about what is happening but the way we respond to it. So if you make a priority in keeping yourself in a good space, which for me means keeping the inner peace in our heart and mind, feeling the harmony within, which will spread to our outer world, can really support you in managing your life and all the "arrows of outrageous fortune" much smoothly.

"The Rooster favours those who put in the hard work and stick to a plan. Also respects those with strong opinions and a good work ethic. Be thoughtful about what’s in your heart and go with it." Adopted from Chinese Astrologist Laura Lau

This Rooster year according to some Chinese Horoscope is Female Fire Chicken aka Red Chicken year. I'm bringing this up as I would like to mention the feminine, yin importance; as it's great to keep focus and organise to accomplish goals and all that, but that's pure yang, masculine, the rational and doing; so keep a good eye on equally relaxing, to be open without expectation, to cultivate the state of simply being. Otherwise you might find yourself out of balance or totally drained by exhaustion!...

How do you relate with these animals: the rooster and the chicken? Any experiences you have with them? What comes to your mind?

Part of tuning in into the energy of the New Year, is understanding the animal, and knowledge follows understanding, which gives you the support to make the most of it! How do you think Chinese Astrology started?...voilà! And specially when the energy in the air is strong, the better you understand it, the best possibilities you have to deal with it and even end up to ride it for you own advantage. But with misunderstanding and fighting against it, a hard time is guaranteed!...

Before I share some of my relationship with Rooster and Chicken, here some facts and interesting curiosities about them:

"Rooster is almost the epitome of fidelity and punctuality. For ancestors who had no alarm clocks, the crowing was significant, as it could awaken people to get up and start to work. In Chinese culture, another symbolic meaning is exorcising evil spirits."
Well, just not in in Chinese culture they are used to 'magical purpose': in Greek mythology Rooster was thought to have the ability of divining the future. In Africa and Brazilian-Afro cultures they are feared for their use in 'black magic'.

Recently in Bali I learned the feathers of the roosters are used in their sacred rituals, and each part of the island (east, west, north, south and center), uses different colours according the the feather coat of their local roosters. While there, one day my curiosity pulled me to a crowed of men shouting holding money in the air.  As I got closer I just saw a rooster jumping on another.  Shocked, I asked "Did he kill him?" The shock was from the men, as women are not allowed in rooster fights (which I didn't even know about it)! As you can imagine, being an animal lover, I was horrified; but this to say that this animal is indeed courageous, when it does stand for himself it does fiercely! Something to bear in mind (and not to be taken literally) for this coming year. I also had the opportunity to observe some wild roosters, I can definitely confirm that:

"Roosters are happiest when they are surrounded by others. They enjoy the spotlight and will exhibit their charm on any occasion". 

I had a special episode with this rooster you can see below, he was big and strong, and as I came close to him and asked to photograph him, he didn't run away as most of his fellows, but actually posed to the photos.  I chose the best two, but was literally a photo session; he loved it!

In ancient times rooster was regarded as a mascot because they ate harmful insects. 
The "Barcelos Rooster is the unofficial symbol of Portugal" originating from a Medieval legend from the lovely Minho, a region of the north of the country, where this Barcelos city is located. So:
Once upon a time a men was accused wrongly of committing a crime, stealing some silver from a landowner. He was a pilgrim in his way to Santiago de Compostela (still today a route for the "caminho"). He was taken to this landowner who was holding a banquet with some friends, but even after pleading his innocence, he was condemned to death, so he shouted: "It is as certain that I am innocent as it is certain that this rooster will crow when they hang me." Well, with laughter they let him go, but afraid or not nobody ate the rooster. As the pilgrim was being hanged, the roasted rooster stood up on the table and crowed. The lord in panic for his misjudging ran to the gallows, and to his surprise and relief the innocent man had been saved from hanging thanks to a poorly made knot in the rope. The man was immediately freed and sent off in peace.
Besides being Portuguese I confess that I just learned about this symbol of "faith, justice and good luck" last Summer, as this location is just nearby where we hold our annual Qigong and Tai Chi Teacher Training in a manor house belonging to the same feudal family for hundreds of years.

And do you know the shape of China on a map is often likened to a rooster? 

My relationship with rooster and chicken started when I was a baby: we used to spend holidays in my grandfather's small village, a valley in a mountain surrounded by countryside, and he had many animals, including chickens and rare white roosters (they are not afraid to charge into humans if upset), so apparently when I started to crawl I used to disappear and be found in the chicken coop!... The problem was then to take me out of  there, as the roosters won't let it happen easily!...
A few years later I was given an Indian chicken (a small size chicken), which I remember very well to be my companion. I was to carry her everywhere under my arm, feed her and play with her.
Many years later, so just a few years ago, I encountered this same breed of chicken while camping in Hawaii, they lived everyday with us, we shared food with them, but they were really keen on my beloved partner Kris actually, as they always followed him wherever he went.  This was hilarious, and believe me we tested a few times, and they were many, as you can see in the photo below.

Rooster (or Chicken) ranks tenth among the Chinese zodiac animals.  This just reinforces the "1" in this year numerology: 2+0+1+7 =10 is 1+0= 1. The number one is the fresh start, new beginnings, rebirth, is associated with the sun: life force, creation, fire element!

"The most important themes during a “1” year are flexibility and resilience so that we are mentally, emotionally, and physically able to effortlessly accept and adapt to the continuous change that is constantly floating our way." Alex Myles

I wish you an amazing Rooster New Year: Focus your Power, cultivating the energy necessary to do so! Grab the opportunities and make the most of what this Fire Rooster/Chicken and 2017 brings you!***

 © Anamarta

 

***Harvest Powerful Moon***

Today is a very special Full Moon, the Harvest Moon, the one which occurs closest to Autumn (Fall) Equinox, sometimes a few days after or before, depends on the year. It's usually the biggest full moon in the year and more 'pumpkin colour'. Perfect time for an abundance ritual!
The Moon will be in Pisces and comes with a Lunar Eclipse, presenting us the Alchemy of light and dark, yin and yang - Full Power Time!!
"Eclipses are the most powerful transits that you can experience." Kelly Rossano

This Pisces Moon relate with sensitivity, intuition, mysticism and dream power, spiritual evolution, expansion of consciousness and subconscious seeking inner truths.

With your Moon Magic (even if just lighting up any candle: what is important is your intention and focus) you can ask the Grandmother Moon to support you in all the above and anything related with this energy, specially to your dreams come true!...

And what is Moon Magic? Magic is no more than a change of consciousness, and the Moon representing psychic energy, or the unconscious that holds the secrets of wisdom, can be a great ally or supporter in this.
Here a my suggestion:
Light a turquoise (or violet) candle and burn oil or incense of ylang-ylang, or eucalyptus, or sage. Repeat an affirmation three times, facing the moon (if possible) even when indoors. Let the candle burn until the end. 

You can create your own affirmation based on the Pisces virtues, here an idea:
"Moon in Pisces, bright your beam, Bring to me my sweetest dream".

Why not put you Pisces Moon magic with a ritual of Abundance to make the most of this energy in the air!
'Magically speaking' this is indeed a great time to focus on abundance.

You can create your own ritual to connect with your inner self and let this golden moon illuminate and inspire you; be clear and assertive in your requests and be aware of the same (be careful that what you ask the Universe is what you really want...).
Ideas of things you may use in a ritual for abundance:

• Gold (or/and green, orange) candles, oranges, rice, milk, corn, cinnamon, money (big notes and coins), gold. Some crystals relate with abundance: citrine, carnelian, jade; and totems: buffalo (or/and cow) and sardine.

Remember follow your intuition you can never go wrong, and for something to happen, the belief must come, not just from the mind but from the heart and soul.
My Last year Harvest Aries Moon (is why the red candles) Abundance Ritual.

© Anamarta

Sexuality & Spirituality in the Taoist Tradition in Modern Lives

How are sexuality and spirituality bound together in the Taoist tradition, in a way that's relevant to modern women?

In the Taoist Tradition sexuality and spirituality are bound together, as the Taoists focus on harmonising mind, body and spirit.  Spiritual development requires a balance of physical health and mental clarity, and our sexuality plays an important role in that.
Sex is natural and we are sexual beings – women, born with hundreds of eggs, they have the capacity to generate hundreds of lives! (And man with a single ejaculation could repopulate North America!).   The Taoist believes that if we were not to use this energy to create life itself, we can use it to enhance our own life. This happens by internalising the intense sexual energy, all the hormones and nutrients; the ancient secrets of the Art of Bedchamber that can be applied to benefit our modern lives.

In this light sexuality is beyond sex, being the most powerful energy of creation, the expression of our creativity, that can be used for pleasure, healing, to cultivate health, rejuvenation, longevity; to attain goals, to realise dreams, and ultimately, to connect with the Divine, the universal source or ‘Re-Union with the Tao.’ In other words, by using the sexual energy for spiritual development, we come by ‘the short path to enlightenment’.

When we consciously tap into the energy of creation, we have in our hands the power to heal, transform, and create what we want!  Creativity is present throughout our day, from the moment we get out of bed and choose what to wear, what to eat…  And the fact is that when we get up our sexual organs don’t stay in bed: they are always with us! 

Why and how is this energy important for having sex that is spiritual. Is this energy a fusion of body & spirit?

There is no ‘sacred’ focus, all human sex being sacred in the union of Yang, the force of Heaven, with Yin, the power of Earth.
The idea is that by keeping the body – the vehicle to generate, transform and project energy – healthy, we keep mind, soul and spirit healthy too. And to keep the body (also seen as the ‘temple of spirit’) healthy we learn how to avoid losing energy, which women lose through menstruation and childbirth (and men through ejaculation). We also learn to take the most of our energy circulating it through all our being, which includes redirecting the orgasmic energy through the whole body, instead of just staying in the genitals.
These Taoist Healing Love practices are internal alchemical methods to harmonise both right and left sides of the brain, balancing the intuitive and the rational, when to do and when to be. Besides the enhancing of sensation, transcendental pleasure and becoming a more effective lover, the practices bring the benefits of hormonal balance and vitality, empowerment and fulfillment in all levels (physical, emotional and energetical).   Being holistic, merging qigong and meditation, the specific yin (feminine) and shamanic practices, also bring the benefits of grounding, being centred in one’s own power, and unconditional self-love and self-acceptance.
The Taoist holistic practice brings awareness of our infinite inner resources and opens the path of self-healing and self-mastery to live life to the full!

If you want to learn more about these you are welcome to the:

Coming Annual Jade Egg Initiation Workshop: Tao of Feminine Empowerment. 

Questions answered to Angela Kennedy from UK Soul&Spirit magazine I was featured in the beginning of the year. 

© Anamarta

Image of the Taoist Eight Immortals by Shen Quan