TCM Week 12
Discussion questions
- Research your Chinese Astrological Animal (You can find your year chart here: http://www.chinesezodiac.com/calculator.php). Discuss what characteristics you possess and what characteristics you feel that you do not. You may want to include some compatibility with your family members.
I’m an Earth Horse, I was born before the Chinese New Year in 1979. This does suit me, I am strong willed, determined, energetic and courageous. I do like to socialise, however I also like my free time to myself, and being able to maintain my Independence.
My Mum (now passed) was an Earth Rat, and my Dad a Monkey (metal or earth I think). I had a closer bond to my Mum, however we didn’t always see eye to eye, and I recognise incompatibility between the two signs. Communication for me was easier in talking to my Dad, however, he was away from home a lot. When he was home he definitely had ‘Monkey’ antics, he either joked around as the centre of attention, or retreated into his own projects and interests. Monkey and Horse compatibility is okay, however it does also have its challenges.
My sisters are Rabbit (middle sister), and Ox (big sister). They’re both true to their signs. My Rabbit sister is friendly, intentional, busy, and caring. My Ox sister is a very hard worker who has worked her way up in her career, she is also caring, and has an strong work focus. I recognise that my compatibility is okay with my sisters, but not the best matches. Good matches for a Horse are Tiger, Pig, Sheep, and Snake.
I have Three children, they’re Rabbit (oldest), Horse (middle child), and Tiger (youngest). I do have some interesting conversations with each of them! I would say that the Tiger (my youngest) and Horse compatibility is correct (as above pairings stated), as the parent child communication is fairly harmonious. I love the the quite determination, caring, communication and ethics of the Horse (my middle), who loves all things sport, and also the organisation, caring ethics’s, humanitarian sense of humour, and outgoingness of the Rabbit (my oldest).
I found a Chinese conception Calendar online once and traced back my approximate conception dates to the moon cycles at the time. I found it to be accurate! It indicated I would probably conceive boys for my age, year and month of conception, and I did! All 3 of them!!!
I follow the Chinese Years, and tuning in I can see auspicious themes to follow. I read the yearly forecasts for my sign, and my family’s signs too. It is helpful to have another opinion on the influences I might face for the year, and it’s something I can keep in mind as I go along and make plans. I see that this is the year of the Ox, a very strong and capable animal. The Rat was last year and I had my challenges! But my Horse forecast was still quite okay for the year.
I have read somewhere that the animals are actually names given to the consolations of Stars in the Sky. In rural communities in China, Chinese Astrology was taught by giving the consolations animal names so that they could be easily remembered and referenced. The 12 animals rotate through the Sky in 12 year cycles. There can be comparisons drawn to both Vedic and Western Astrology as well, for example the 12 houses in a birth chart, the 12 Astrology signs, the 9 Planets, North Node, South Node, and Sun and Moon. These all correspond to the elements, earth, air, water, fire, and the interrelationships created from various aspects are unique to the person’s birth chart.
- Using the Dao, Yin/Yang, 5 elements and 8 conditions describe what you have learned and how you have been able to apply these Chinese Medicine concepts to bring balance and harmony to your life/health.
A person is more Yin or Yang depending on their constitution, current health, main element type – which flows and changes through both the body’s and life’s seasons e.g Wood Yang, Water, Yin, and other factors. The body is Qi, Moisture, and Blood; the organs are Yin and Yang; there is Greater Yang and lesser Yang, Greater Yin and Lesser Yin, and there are Meridians and Channels flowing through the body which can be accessed or influenced through breath, acupressure, acupuncture, exercises, foods, herbs, thoughts and emotions, and being present in nature.
Feng Shui is an important part of well-being and utilising positive qi. Endeavour states, ‘Feng shui means wind and water, and is the Chinese art of focusing on life’s energy and a way of understanding how energy moves in our surroundings and how our buildings, their interiors, and environment affects us all’. A person can improve their energy and wellbeing by enhancing good qi and neutralising negative qi. Qi is in living and nonliving things (Endeavour 2021).
The Flying Star School of Feng Shui, combines traditional and modern practices. It is interesting that it also looks at health hazards in everyday life, such as electromagnetic fields and mould, and the overall health of our surroundings, body, and the food we eat. Form School, analyzes land on the outside of the building, contours, mountains, placement of water etc. Compass School, incorporates the Bagua. I looked at the Bagua from where I sit to study and saw that my house has reasonable design and Feng Shui facing each direction for the most part, however my front door opens to stairs going up and down, which can scatter qi. I read I can put a picture of a bird on the wall to remedy sinking qi in the stairs going down. There are other factors I will look into (Endeavour 2021).
According to Chinese belief, we are born with 3 types of luck, Heaven Luck (astrology), Earth Luck (Surrounding and Influences), and Man Luck, (how you decide to live your life and the actions taken). Feng shui can focus and harmonise these energies in our environment. Beginner Feng Shui can be practiced in the home with a Feng Shui Compass and or a detailed Bagua Map.
Taoism
Dr Irene Bloom, is an educator for the Unit ‘Introduction to Chinese Medicine’ at Asia for Educators (AFE), she has contributed to the article ‘Introduction to Daosim’, which I read for this exercise. AFE states, ‘the dao means a way or a path. Confucians used the term dao to speak of the way human beings ought to behave in society. In other words, dao, for them, was an ethical or moral way’ (AFE 2021).
I found this statement to be inspiring. I read about the Dao briefly in 2005 while going through a difficult life experience, I found it comforting and an invitation to wisdom. AFE, also goes on to describe a different aspect of Dao; Daoists understand ‘the dao as the Way of Nature as a whole’. Both Nature and Right Action are required for man to live harmoniously and in tune with something outside of his own thoughts and feelings. The Dao sensitivity to the way of Nature prompts some to reject human ideas or standards as lesser human desire and the road to the chaos and violence; in contrast however many also understand that it is human nature to exist and have hopes and goals. Acknowledgment of the nature of the Dao is an holistic approach to achieving harmony and balance (Asia for Educators, Columbia University, 2021)
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/special/china_1000bce_daoism.htm