Understanding the year’s current events and the challenges of the Metal Rat Year
Is it just me or you are also starting to buy into the fear and panic nowadays? Im not sure how are you feeling right now and what sort of thoughts are running in your head. When can you go back to work or will you ever get back your job, no savings for the rainy days or what can I use this downtime for? Do you think that the current situation will ever go back to «normal», and if so when?
For a moment, Id like you to suspend your feelings of fear. Breathe. Take sometime to ruminate on the current events. Many countries are on lockdown. The movement control and quarantine measures has caused chaos in many parts of the world, Mexico being a prime example. People lost jobs and are collectively feeling helpless having to depend for food ration and social security. To top it all the IMF have recently announced that we have officially entered a Global Economic Recession— and that means it can only get worse from here.
The way I see it now is that many are still in denial of how the world is fast changing in front of our eyes. I am starting to recognise the fact that even our governments are struggling to deliver the support and protection as promised by the systems we have religiously followed and paid taxes for. Are we supposed to blindly depend on something where control is hardly achievable?
My intention here is not to sound like «adding more fear» by stating what is already obvious. But what Im curious about is what’s your plan? Or do you have one in the first place. Are you gonna be by-standing waiting for the world to conclude its new standards or are you gonna wake up to your power to help direct the change?
This time more than ever that people are seeking more enlightenment outside what is supposed to be a dependable system, but is now proving to be as vulnerable as we are. And in this regard that I am sharing my insights deduced from the lens of Chinese Metaphysics.
Note: For those of you who are new to the concept of metaphysics and has no background idea of where my shared insights are grounded, please make time to furnish yourself with the missing link. my insights stands as a deduction from what I know and beleive and is certainly not a conclusion. My fascination and great curiosity in Metaphysics, new Age and Eastern Wisdom are what I find interesting to share with you to demonstrate its logic and predictive power. This post is my attempt to look into current events through a different lens, sleuthing for possible connections and patterns to arrive at a logical explanation for the happenings in the world at large. Approach it with an open heart and be awaken.
Change is unfolding whether you like it or not
The Metal Rat Year is what the Chinese zodiac assigned to the current year of 2020 as shown below and has four pillars, each representing a theme.
Rat being the first animal sign in the Chinese Zodiac represents the beginning of a new cycle. This marks renewal. New beginnings, opportunities, radical mind set and brand new societal approaches, perhaps anything that is avant-garde are definitely making itself known as we experience it right now.
Photo: Courtesy of wofs.com
To add, Chinese astrology is grounded on the principles of nature and natural order, which is why there are five elements that also affect your zodiac sign: Wood, Earth, Water, Fire, and Metal. This interaction between the astrological signs and elements also influence the unfolding events of a given year.
You are in a unique position to affect change
The Year of the Metal Rat is a special time because we only get it every 60 years. The next time we will have a rat year is in 12 years, but the element associated with it is water. Thus, Water Rat Year in 2032. If you realise what I see here, this means that you in a unique position right now to be involved in go for new possibilities, consider different perspectives in mind, emotions, body and spirit. Co- create is our key leverage during this unprecedented times.
The interaction of yearly components
Furthermore, we can look into how the influence of the 5 Elements Theory are translated to industries , what emotions are symbolic of each element and corresponding body parts in a way that would bring sense to our current times. I have summarised below points:
The interaction of the inherent characteristics of the Rat Astrological Sign determines the nature of events for 2020 and is further influenced by the abundance or scarcity of the 5 elements.
As mentioned the rat year is all about beginning a new cycle. A new order of things are shaping up as we know it. So, a big NO— to answer that, on whether we will ever go back to the normal we are use to.
Now if you refer back to the year pillar, we see the two governing elements of the year are Metal on top and Water at the bottom.
Water wears out metal
As Metal produces Water in the Creative Cycle of Elements, and water being at the bottom of the pillar indicates an exhaustive interaction. Water uses up the metal resources too much. We can see this manifest as our own income generation and savings are being challenged right now and on the current status of our banking and financial system as we enter into an economic recession due to the pandemic.
Travel (related to water element= fluid movements and actions), has been instrumental in the spread of the virus and likely had been spreading before it was identified and named as Covid19.
metal year favours travel
Metal producing water translate to possible increase in travel and tourism. Prior to lockdown and quarantine measures we experience massive travel and tourism esp at the beginning of the year towards the Chinese New Year. Massive movement of people particularly in and out of China to celebrate their much awaited Chinese New Year possibly facilitated the transport of the virus to various parts of the world. The virus as documented has been detected as early as December 2019 in Wuhan (the epicentre of the outbreak) and the information was suppressed and delayed to be known to mainstream.
Lungs and Nose:metal related organs
In Traditional Chinese Medicine each of the 5 elements is represented by a yin and a yang organ in the human body. Metal is related to the lungs and to state the obvious, the lungs is the primary organ infected by Covid19 virus.
Moreover, the contagion is through coughing out tiny or microscopic water droplets from an infected person and is then taken in through the metal sense organ— the nose.
To clarify, Lungs (Metal) as the infected organ show “coughing” as a symptom and through coughing microscopic (Water) droplets carrying the virus are spewed out and thereby transferred though the mucuous membrane when inhaled primarily through the nose.
The metal producing water combo is clearly demonstrated here.
water fosters fear and panic
While the water element favours travel, its draining nature this year brings out general feelings of fear and panic during this unprecedented times. This exhaustive property of the water element this year was clearly demonstrated by the travel anxiety just before the lockdown (Wuhan in particular). Further, the destructive effect of water element is currently manifested by the strain inflicted on the travel and tourism industry where we have witnessed big airlines stop operating and at the brink of bankruptcy.
Fire and earth:
The controlling elements that bring balance
The controlling cycle in the 5 Elements system simply means that each element has a counter element that balances it. It prevents it to spread or creates itself in an excessive manner, to keep it in check but not suppress it. It is a helpful cycle that brings balance and supports the natural order of things.
Lockdown and Movement Control Measures grounded people
Earth Controlling Water
Earth is the controlling element of water. It signifies nourishment and grounding.The fluidity of travel and transport in our modern day society has made fluidity of human flow from one place to another, thereby increasing human to human contact exponentially.
The current measures to arrest people proved to have slowed down the infectious spread of Covid19. Therefore much effort for people to take the measures seriously is highly important.
While tourism and movement (water) is kept in checked by suspending travel and ordering them to stay home (Movement Control) are helping to mitigate the contagion, I reckon that using Earth element can also mean that we have to make efforts in “grounding” ourselves not just physically, but in increasing our connectivity to Earth. I find that the simplest way to do this is to have your feet on the ground (soil or sand) and feel the Earth underneath. Tune into it and allow it to nourish you with spiritual food.
Inevitable change calls us to embrace it and adapt
Fire Controlling Metal
Fire is the controlling agent for Metal. If you think of it, most metal (if not all) need fire to melt its stubborn, forceful nature to be able mold it into something useful. It is through fire that the metal properties become vulnerable to follow a shape that is beneficial and will be of value.
We have been so divided in our ways, beliefs and motivation as a society. Our individual and collective drivers has gone so far to foster fleeting possessions, superficial rewards of lifestyle, travel, social media. So the energies of the year is forcing to reset us to balance, perhaps in recalling what truly matters in our lives, Health being in the centerstage does not only mean physical and bodily health, but in my opinion covers the whole spectrum of our existence— emotional, mental, spiritual.
The way I translate this is that the strong metal year brings us inevitable changes and that we can take it as an opportunity to begin a new cycle in our lives, both individually and as a community. Understand the changes and re create yourself around it. The current lockdown is challenging not just our global economy to reset but our society and its constructs..
The warmth from the fire element can also be beneficial to mitigate the fast spreading virus of Covid19. It was stated in a report that the virus can thrive longer in colder climates while it easily dies in warmer environments. See the study here.
Here we see how fire element insults or can potentially evaporate water droplets carrying the virus.
Moreover, the fire element is much needed during this uncertain times as fire not only forge the strong metal element to make the changes beneficial for us and slow down the effects of water element —- but is also symbolic of “enlightenment and spirituality.” Fire fosters reckoning and discernment. So it in my opinion that through fire related actions of seeking light (clarity& knowledge) and working on our spiritual connection that we will be able to lead who are kept in the dark. Fire can be our “guiding light” to recognising the silver lining amidst the chaos that we are in.
“Re design your life and goals to thrive in the changing times.”
The actions to take
The actions to take can slightly vary from one place to another but we all have the generic protocol of:
- Washing hands thoroughly and more often
- Use alcohol (70%), alcohol wipes and anticbacterial gel
- Social Distancing
- Stay at home
- Eat healthy
- Take supplements (vitamin c , zinc, antioxidansts)
- Avoid/minimise travel
- Order food online (if possible)
- Work from home
To add to the list, here’s what I suggest:
- Stop feeding or reacting to fear and panic
- Learn grounding exercise (be with Earth)
- Reconnect to your network (lost friendships, repair severed ties, forgive)
- Improve family dynamics
- Seek knowledge (find a teacher you feel you can resonate with, research)
- Enlighten others ( be the fire or the guiding light; share but dont force info and beliefs; respect if they are not ready to join you)
- Reflect (use a journal) and get to know yourself deeper
- Declutter to make space for inspiration (to flow in your mind and space)
- Meditate
- Acquire new skill
- Learn something that you can monetise later
- Be flexible and learn to adjust to the changes
Be guided by your internal compass
It is truly a challenging time for us to be on top of our game and be the useful and inspiring human beings we are prior to the outbreak. Many of us are now starting to feel the uncertainty of our times and the instability of our current system. It is therefore in my opinion, important to increase our efforts to really go deeper into ourselves and discover our power in order to be more resilient. This time around your best investment and safest bet is to bet on yourself. Knowing thyself is the best defense we can hold onto in times of a crisis like this.
Calibrating your compass is an internal work and once correctly done, you know that its pointing you to the right direction, to the right people and you are receiving impulses on what is the next right move. If you feel it or hear it inside you, you can consider this as a call for you to associate with the people who can show you possibilities or shine a light on which path to take. It is me saying that our meeting through this relevant post is not random. You can discover your life purpose and be on a path of least resistance through a Life Purpose Analysis reading where you can be lead to knowing yourself, understanding your blockages and current life theme and leverage on this knowledge to create a thriving strategy.
