“The only way to make sense of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan W. Watts
February 8, 2016 marked the beginning of the year of the Red Fire Monkey. As the explosive nature of the fire element meets the capricious trickery of the monkey, expect a lot of swift change and unpredictable outcomes.
Monkeys are playful and mischievous, full of both creativity and ingenuity. These attributes will come in especially handy in a red, fire year, where challenges can arise rapidly, but also be short-lived. Furthermore, the monkey is a metal element, which can clash with fire, causing conflicts and misunderstandings due to opposing energies. While this energy can feel chaotic or unstable, there is also the potential for profound transformation if we can stay steady in our focus and relinquish some control to the shifting tides.
Like all things disruptive, within the pandemonium lies the potential for wisdom and prosperity. The more creative and imaginative the endeavor we undertake at this time, the better the chance for unexpected success – particularly if we remain flexible and are willing to take risks. We might be feeling more impulsive this year, but equally more intuitive and communicative. The fire element will give our spirit and energy a boost, allowing us to laugh more easily at the monkey’s mischievous ways and perhaps take ourselves less seriously.
Energetically, the spring season aligns with the spirit of the fire monkey, a time for rebirth, growth, expansion, movement, and the re-awakening of the life process. It is the time of year to stretch our limbs, and our minds, and seek emotional equanimity by letting the qi flow freely and uninhibited. While the energy of the season puts us in a position to assert our ambition, it also provides us with the clarity of judgment to know when to let go. The better we modulate our intensity and stay flexible, the smoother the flow of liver qi. The smoother the flow of liver qi, the better we can handle whatever curve ball the monkey throws our way.
Since these rapid fluctuations can leave us feeling a bit scattered or anxious, we will be tested over this year in our ability to yield and greet each new wave with a sense of humor and a willingness to be patient and see where it takes us. Since Spring, as the Huang Di Nei Jing describes it, is a time when “the energy should be kept open and fluid,” by bending to the season, we are also better equipped to handle the greater cosmic challenges that cross our paths at the hands of that cheeky monkey.
To read more about the year of the monkey, check out the following links: