January 28, 2017 is the start of the Lunar New Year of the Fire Rooster (or chicken), the only bird included in the 12 signs of Chinese Zodiac.
image by Jonathan Taylor via Unsplash
Many of us are still reeling from the Monkey Year’s erratic turbulence. By contrast, the Rooster promises to be somewhat calmer. The Rooster tends to be honest, detail-oriented, assertive, and clear-seeing.
The Rooster’s main jobs are is to crow at dawn, waking others to face the new day, and to protect the flock from danger. Let’s hope that the Rooster’s energy will help us to awaken and to stay safe in the face of the challenges of the upcoming year!
Chickens generally observe strict hierarchy in the flock, but they also demonstrate collaborative harmonious living, and ward off predators by sticking together. This year, gathering in groups to affect change will be the best strategy. The Rooster’s strength is the ability to be steadfast and focus on long-term goals, helping us to be patient and persistent in all efforts.
This year’s combination of Metal and Fire elements is likely to bring some reshuffling of hierarchical structures and institutions, the Fire element adding some dramatic, dynamic energy to the orderly Metal.
We all have had plenty of stress dealing with the chaos of the Monkey year, so the Rooster year is a great time to give more support to our nervous system with rest, meditation, deep breathing, and receiving regular acupuncture. Nourishing ourselves will give us endurance for the work ahead.
This will be a good and productive year for those born in the years of the Ox, Tiger, Dragon, Snake, Sheep, Monkey, and Pig, while those born in the years of the Rat, Rabbit, Horse, Rooster and Dog will find the year more challenging.
This post’s main reference sources offer more details about the Rooster year: one of them is here, another one is here.
Happy New Year!