Cleaning Up 2020
Hope for the Future
RAT YEAR RETROSPECTIVE: a year that tried to break us
Only ONE week left of the Lunar Rat Year. Thank God!
I think we’ve all had enough of those big, sharp teeth chewing away at the foundation of our lives. And I believe we needed all this destruction in order to build anew. Destruction needed. Not wanted. Because it’s been tough. So tough. Trying every emotional nerve, survival and personal growth skill we’ve ever learned.
A year ago, I fondly titled the Yearly Tong Shu, 2020: Year of Heavenly Rat. HA!
Thinking about this last year, I’m not sure how heavenly it has felt… although there were many spiritual lessons learned.
This crazy year that just kept serving the insufferable to wade and chew through. (I really don’t need to repeat the list of tumultuous challenges… we know them too well, don’t we?!)
Let’s just say it was FATED BREAKDOWN.
Breakdown in order for us to break the rutted bad-habits that have had us stuck for decades... for centuries. Breakdown in order for us to enter the discomfort of change and begin transforming for the better (individually, and as a society). Breakdown to create Breakthrough.
As humans most of us are change-resistant, especially those of us with privilege. We don’t want to give up our comforts and routines and beautiful things. So, how else would we have come to really see and feel the need for change if not through the battling, debilitating, discomforting destruction pushed upon us by Nature Itself? Destruction that has upturned all the pressed-down ills of our worn-out, mistaken beliefs and nasty habits harming ourselves, our family, our communities, our nation, our world, our planet.
And how else could we have come to see and feel how truly similar we all are? That Oneness thing.
No matter our skin color, our economic status, our religious beliefs, or even our politics. We are the same in human fear, and need. Our shared desire for good health and wellbeing; love and connection; opportunity to work and be of purpose; to know safety and support; to experience happiness and fulfillment… and an honest belly laugh every now and again for the added bonus.
If not for the hardship and destruction in our own lives, would we have been cracked open enough to see and feel the power of this palpable connection between us all? Would we have been willing to be honest about the effects our individual actions have upon other’s lives?
The simple life-protecting actions of wearing a mask, washing our hands, keeping safe distance. Showing each other respect and honor and care this way. Being a stand for the wellbeing of all human beings through our conscious, caring actions. Or not... and witnessing the consequences.
In concept alone, our brilliant, powerful, human connection across this globe is meaningless—just another idea in our too-full, striving for better and sometimes simply trying to survive minds.
Yet, FEELING the effects of our connectedness, this is what changes how we move forward.
Feeling compassion (not thinking compassion). Feeling the effects of our actions, and non-actions, through the pain and hardship or the peace and relief caused. And feeling hope for the future in order to heal. In order lead a new and better way—lead with inner-wisdom and compassion. In order to LIFT OURSELVES and EACH OTHER UP!
THIS is what the destruction of Heavenly Rat was for, to set the stage for what is to come. The clean up of 2021. To Heal and Lead our individual lives, and our country, with inner-wisdom and compassion.
2021: YEAR of NURTURING OX
(Yin Metal Ox year begins on the Lunar New Year, Friday, February 12, 2021)
I look forward to returning to your inbox next week with more description about the energies of the coming year to guide and benefit us all.
xo Piper