Recently I attended Qigong training to learn about the Chinese Lunar New Year of The Earth Pig. I thought you may find it interesting to read what all this Earth Pig stuff means in terms of your own life.
If you’ve been to a Chinese restaurant that has those paper place mats with the Lunar Year animals listed, you already have a clue that the Lunar years run in cycles, dependent on the pattern of the moon. They are named after particular animals because each of those animals represents a different type of energy that will present itself as the moon relates to the Earth.
You probably already know about Yin and Yang energies as well, but here’s a brief reminder. They are two opposing energies that encompass everything in the universe. They both affect and support each other in ever changing levels. Yin represents softness, darkness, the feminine, coolness, flowing, stillness, quiet, night, winter. Yang is just the opposite – hard, light, the masculine, heat, action/movement, summer, daylight and so on.
In China, the pig is a symbol of wealth, good luck, relaxation, caution, bravery, knowledge, faith, being down-to-earth and good at grasping opportunity. In the 5 Elements system, there are actually 5 different types of Pigs. This year, since it is an Earth Pig, there are a lot of Yin energies because Earth is Yin, and also Pigs are related to Water, which is Yin.
But what does this mean in terms of every-day life? Because the cool Yin energy is so strong this year, the hot Yang energy will die down dramatically. Here are some things you may watch out for:
Environmentally
- We may have even more dramatic changing weather patterns
- Expect excessively cold weather including snows and ice storms, more winds, rains and flooding
Physically
- People with weakened liver, lung and/or digestive systems may have more difficulties
- There may be more skin problems
Emotionally
- There may be more wide-scale fear and panic
- More people may have emotional upheavals and breakdowns or strong emotions rise
In my Qigong classes, we will emphasize exercises for the Heart to bring up the Yang energy, and Lung exercises to support the water energies. In this way, with daily practice we harmonize within ourselves so that we may reap the benefits of the Earth Pig year.
If this sounds intriguing, you are welcome to join my Qigong class on Tuesdays at noon, Island Soul Studios (formerly XYZ) on Airport Drive.
For those off island, live on-line classes are a real possibility. Please email me if you are interested in participating, [email protected]. I will follow up with information when classes begin.
