The New Year always brings in a sense of rejuvenation and transformation. We finish with the decadence of the holidays and are ready to start treating ourselves with more discipline to encourage health and growth. I like to think of New Year’s resolutions as promises. We promise ourselves that we will work hard to improve our lives in specific areas. My teacher, Jeffrey Yuen, says that if we continuously break the promises we make to ourselves, our own bodies begin to rebel with distrust. My patients know I’m not a proponent of strict rules or tough love, but there is need for a certain level of restraint and guidelines in order to achieve our goals. The more specific we can be in our resolutions and in asking the universe for help, the more likely we will be to reach our objectives. So adopt an attitude of self-forgiveness and decide to treat yourself with the level of love and respect that your life deserves.
A large-scale goal of mine this year is to work on Jersey Shore Acupuncture’s Internet presence. One specific promise under that umbrella is starting and maintaining a Chinese Medical blog for our website. I’ll be writing monthly newsletters to share love and lots of information. With over 5,000 years of this brilliant medicine, there’s so much to talk about!
We’ll start with celebrating the Chinese New Year, which is on Friday January 31st this year. The Chinese calendar is arranged around the lunar cycles, so the start of the year is during the second new moon after the winter solstice and typically falls somewhere between January 21st and February 19th. If you haven’t been thorough in following your New Year promises so far, you can use this opportunity to start again! We are heading into the Year of the Horse. Like our zodiac calendar, each animal has different attributes. People born in Horse years ((2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954, 1942, 1930) are generally extroverted and enthusiastic. Their free spirit enables a lot of independence and action. For us to get the most out of a Horse year, it’s ideal to adopt a similar nature. Some years are better for conserving energy and encouraging introspection, but this is a year to explore and challenge your strength and creativity. It’s a great time to put the diplomacy and planning of last year to use. 2013 was the Year of the Snake and in some ways was about shedding our skins to prepare for the coming change. Before Friday, try to purge your home of any junk you’ve been accumulating. In 2014, Horse energy will want a lot of open space and freedom so make some room for it. This will be a good year to travel and adventure and spend the time and money you’ve been saving up. Take some chances and let go of fear; you will have ample time to rest next year! 2015 will be a Year of the Sheep, a time for peace and restoration. Chinese medicine is always about balancing yin and yang energies. The last two years and next year are yin years, perfect for rest. This year is full of yang, movement, and activity; hold on to your horses and enjoy the ride!