Do the stars and constellations, heaven and earth have a profound effect to your lived experience? Can this be fate, our collective destiny? Can a swish of tea leaves, a rubble of yarrow stalks or a turn of the tarot tell you your future?

I like the mysterious unknown to remain unknown and mysterious, but I confess, I really like how our feelings can alter on an unplaced phrase, an unusual word, a coincidence or serendipity.

With Mimi Kuo-Deemers permission I reproduce an article she has written to introduce 2023’s year of The Water Rabbit. There’s a link below if you want to learn more of Mimi’s work and teaching which is accessible to all, of the highest quality and deep lineage.

“Dear friends,

 

The Year of the Tiger is officially leaping its way out as the Rabbit year begins hopping its way in! This 4th animal in the Chinese zodiac cycle officially begins this Sunday, January 22. For me, the Tiger definitely clawed, pounced, roared (and occasionally purred) its way through my 2022. After these last 12 months of daring and dramatic adventures, I’m ready for the kind-hearted and gentle rabbit to start.

 

Rabbits are seen as peacemakers who work discretely and skilfully to negotiate and broker compromise whenever possible. They are the ones who turn enemies into friends. A quintessentially chillaxed creature, their natural way is to be quiet, tender and tame. This is not to say that rabbits aren’t social creatures; like the White Rabbit of Alice in Wonderland, they love a bit of tea with friends. And Rabbits can be productive. Once you get a rabbit on the move, it can act swiftly and get a lot done! This is particularly true for this year's more determined Water Rabbit. Getting a Rabbit going, however, is the trick. Left to their own devices, Rabbits can just drift along indecisively, getting lost in the sweet lettuce beds of life.

 

Personally, I’m ready for a more comfortable and leisurely lettuce bed life this year after the mountains of grief this last Tiger year had me climb (for those who may not know, my mother passed away last December 13; she died peacefully at home, surrounded by family, myself included).

 

Here are a few tips on making the most out of this Rabbit-inspired year:

    •    Enjoy lying low in your lettuce bed while remembering to also have your tea parties and accomplish things in your own gentle, Rabbit ways.

    •    Relax around holding strong views and opinions. This is both a core teaching of the Buddha as well as a Han Dynasty-era Daoist precept.  Seems very appropriately Rabbit!

    •    Create points of connection rather than separation. This means finding common ground with people — especially those that cause your foot to thump! Talk about carrots, digging holes, or dodging foxes, things that most Rabbits can relate to.

And finally, a word of caution to Rabbits: In Chinese culture, it’s believed that the zodiac animal year we were born into is called your ben ming nian. Traditionally, your zodiac year is a bad luck year. Difficulties such as illness, heartbreak, and financial hardship are all in the cards! I wouldn’t say I’m very superstitious, but…  If you were born in a Rabbit year and you’d like to protect yourself from misfortune, one suggestion is to wear something red all year long — a red bracelet, scarf, pendant, or belt. It’s a small addition that could just keep the gods of misfortune at bay.

 Wishing you health, happiness and peace in this coming Year of the Rabbit.

 

With love,

 

Mimi”

To find out much more about Mimis online and offline workshops and teaching please visit https://www.mkdeemer.com/ 

For more about our practice and speak to a practitioner click any of the links.

Chris