Gung Hay Fat Choy!Saturday January 28th marks the beginning of the Lunar and Chinese New Year! It is a time to celebrate and it is when we see more shifts happen than January 1st, which is the time most of us are celebrating the New Year.February 8, 2016 - January 27, 2016 has been the year of the monkey, fast paced, mischievous and a bit hard to understand. The year of the rooster is going to bring a very different pace of life. While the issues we have don't just melt away on New Year's Eve, or at the turn of the Lunar New Year, the tempo and mood about them can. Last year felt like a runaway bus for many of us, challenge after challenge. I know I, and many others got blind-sighted by a diagnosis, death of a loved one or another big transition. While all of these surprises shifted internal change, they were external forces. What we are seeing as we shift into rooster energy is a higher consciousness and waking up. There are many personal transitions that have been ready to happen and we needed the monkey to disrupt us in order to make the changes. *I am by NO means saying this is easy, or necessary to make changes, but it is happening this way right now.The rooster is the animal of waking up. It likes routine, and likes others to know about it. We will, personally and societally be waking up to things that we previously had blinders on for. As I mentioned above, it is not as if problems and challenges melt away this year. It is more that, routine, and a more ready awake-ness will help us to see things coming and be prepared for them.It is more important than ever to find the routines that suit your well-being.The basics - self-care showers + baths (I'm talking candles, fancy soap, and time alone)eating 3-5 meals a daysleep (7 or more hours, we think 8 is standard, but with transition, people do better with 9-10)Stepping up your self-care - cooking healthy food at home for meals at home and on the gobringing healthy snacks with youdecreasing caffeineregular exerciseSaying no to things going to bed on time and getting up on time (cutting screen time, caffeine and supporting your body to get to sleep when you're ready)Asking for help -acupuncturemassagetherapyspa daysretreatsbuying healthy already made foodAs always taking care of yourself is vital to this year! Happy Rooster Year!
