Saturday, January 24, 2009

2009: Mineral Year, Earth Ox Year and Remembrance of Purpose


This is the year that we have been waiting for.

This is the year when we will have great opportunities for remembering our original and spiritual purpose for being on the physical Earthplane. We are now just three years away from the prophesized 2012 shift into higher consciousness, and 2008 brought us so much closer to the realization that we truly are a global family and that all animals and plants are integral to the delicate organic balance of our existence.

Below is a link to a short video montage of the major destructive and constructive events of the past year. Check it out when you're in a safe place to have a good cry.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28192685

From the many horrific storm realities of global warming and the increasingly destructive earthquakes and fires, to global economic collapse, unthinkable home & job loss, unthinkable wars, forced immigration due to genocide and civil unrest, as well as the heightened awareness of global child and adult slavery as China hosted their first Olympics and the first African-American male was elected president of the United States – 2008 was truly a Nature Year. It was the promised more intense time than 2007 for major transformations away from life as we have known it.

The wisdom statement for 2008 was, "Do not put new wine in an old skin (bottle)," and many of us were able to heed that advice and experienced more of the new consciousness we developed in 2007. Many of us have moved to a new living environment, taken a new job, discovered or created a new way to work, discovered new people that enhance our lives, and decided to experience marriage as the opportunity for sacred union versus survival of the fittest. We were able to take risks in 2008 that we couldn't have taken before and there was much shadow revelation to support our new decisions. It's difficult to remain in mess when everyone can see it and is telling you that you are messy!! And as we gain more and more personal sovereignty consciousness (Thank you Eckhart Tolle for your webcast of "The New Earth"!), it is no longer easy to blame others for our victim consciousness.

So, enter the Mineral Year of 2009, which will bring a multitude of opportunities for us to remember and align with our Higher Purpose, and to organize our personal lives in accordance with our sacred contracts and cosmic promises. And for those who are already consciously aligned with Higher Purpose, this year promises more support and much success.

Mineral People in a Mineral Year

"Mineral is the elemental energy that allows us to remember, to communicate with one another, to express our feelings, to receive messages from the Other World, and to remember our origins and purpose in life."

–Malidoma Somé from The Healing Wisdom of Africa

Ancient indigenous wisdom from the Dagara Tribe of West Africa teaches that persons born in years ending with the numbers 4 or 9 (i.e. 1964 or 1959) are MINERAL People. The Mineral portal sits on the West side of the Dagara five-portal medicine wheel, and the power color is white. Minerals are considered bones, stones, rocks, shells, and crystal. The essential nature of Mineral people includes communication -- the ability to translate things and the ability to converse.

The life purpose activities of Mineral people have lots to do with social connections. Most Mineral people are relatively talkative, love history, and support others in remembering their higher purpose. They are also good organizers of ideas and processes, as well as people. In the indigenous world of the Dagara, the Mineral people are the Storytellers, the Great Communicators. They know how to praise and how to warn. The Mineral Element is also something that we must see in terms of the conveying of energy. Mineral people, just like the stones, bones, crystal and shells they evolved through, inherently know how to convey energy that comes through them onto other people, animals, places and things.

If you or someone you know was born in a Mineral year, then this year will be one of intense personal growth and spiritual development as the Cosmos works it's magic to bring you/them more into alignment with your essential nature and highest purpose.

Challenges for Water People in a Mineral Year

Persons born in years ending in a 1 or 6 are Water people. Their Dagara medicine wheel direction is north and their power colors are Blue and Black. The essential task of the Water people is indeed to do the most difficult task of reconciliation —reconciling people or reconciling things, and bringing peace to themselves and others. Water people help us to consciously reconcile the invisible, unseen, unacknowledged, and unloved parts of our Self with what we have created as our personality.

Barack Obama is a Water person – born in 1961, and his first proclamation as the 44th President of the United States was to declare his inaugural day of January 20th, 2009 as a national day of Renewal and Reconciliation. How blessed we are to finally have a functional, self-actualized Water person in the Oval Office. George W. Bush is also a Water person but he illustrated what happens when a Water person doesn't do their work to heal those internal wounds.

As the energetics of this Mineral Year reveals more of our true purpose within our individual, collective and cosmic spheres, there will be much "wailing and gnashing of teeth!" Fortunately for non-Water folks, but very challenging for Water People, will be their call to serve as filters and sifts for the old, dead energy that is leaving the planet. I was blessed to watch Obama's inauguration with a Water Woman who experienced chills and cold in my 75 degrees apartment as the ghosts of America-past were swept away from the White House. Teddy Kennedy's seizure was also evidence of the toxic dense energy leaving out of our nation's capitol.

So I want to publicly acknowledge and thank all of you Water People for your important service to humanity this year as we all work to loose ourselves from dead and oppressive belief systems that have no future in the 21st Century.

The Earth Ox Year: January 26th, 2009 to February 13th, 2010 (Chinese New Year 4706)

The information below was sourced from the following three websites:

http://astrology.about.com/od/chineseastrology/a/YearEarthOx09.htm

http://tarot.com/chinese-astrology/chinese-horoscopes-2009

http://www.earthyfamily.com/year-of-ox.htm

Year Ahead:
The OX year is a conservative year, one of traditions and values. This is not a year to be outrageous -- a slow but steady year. This OX year will bring stability and growth where patience and diligence pays off. This is a year of Harvest - when we reap what we have sown. Take care of business this year, do not let things slide.

The year 2009 will be a period of lasting accomplishments. This is true for individuals, societies and the human race in general. There may be times when motivation appears to be lacking. In fact the big challenge everyone faces is to generate the enthusiasm and desire to act. Those individuals and organizations that do will create enduring benefits for themselves and the world.

The Ox is the second sign of the Chinese zodiac. Like its predecessor and complement, the Rat, it signifies new beginnings. The main difference is the Ox is associated with building to last and slow but sure action. Even more so than last year we all have to make good choices, as that which is begun now is likely to have long term consequences.

As with last year, this is an Earth year. The difference is this one is yin rather than yang. It is thus likely to be less tumultuous. On a personal level, better results are more likely to be achieved by reacting to circumstances and going with the flow rather than aggressively charging forward and initiating a lot of action.

Unfortunately Earth has a destructive relationship with the Ox's fixed element, Water. In fact this is the fourth in a run of six years governed by an unlucky conflict of elements. This fact should come as no surprise to those who have followed US and world financial markets or the unspeakable horror that has persisted in Iraq.

The combination of Earth and Ox, however, is not at all a negative combination. Its primary characteristic is durability. It suggests an environment dominated by cautious pragmatism rather than quixotic dreaming. Things will get done.

Furthermore, they will generally be successful if done in harmony with the spirit of the Earth Ox. This applies both to the type and amount of new projects as well as the approach to accomplishing them. That means focusing on just a few, long term projects. It also suggests proceeding in a cautious yet determined manner. Finally, it counsels avoiding taking unnecessary risks and yielding to the temptation to seek short term gains.

People Born in the Year of the OX:

Characteristics:
People Born in the Year of the OX are stable, strong, dutiful, reliable, tenacious, practical, industrious, determined, honest, loyal, sincere, persevering and down to earth and tolerant. They can sometimes be lonely but they form firm bonds with home and family. The OX people cherish their private lives and are not usually very adventurous. They can be loners. They know the way to succeed is by a slow, steady, sustained effort. OX people are great traditionalists, they like the familiar.

Love in the Year of the Ox

With regard to romance, the Year of the Earth Ox is time to get serious. The Ox doesn't favor careless flings -- remember, this animal favors work over play. In fact, playing fast and loose with somebody's heart could get you in deep trouble. This is a fabulous year to get engaged or married, provided you're with someone you love. If you're not ready to make a commitment to a casual love interest, you're better off breaking up. Hold out for the real thing -- a relationship that will withstand poverty, illness and any other challenges that lie ahead.

Remembrance of Purpose and the Story of the Ugly Duckling

Ancient Dagara wisdom teaches that individuals who forget their life purpose put the whole community at risk. This is because they look outside themselves for their purpose and society often responds to their demands by creating artificial and temporal goals Рlike amassing wealth or trying to avoid aging and death. So, to enable us to know the difference between that which is life-giving versus life-taking there will be much chaos and confusion experienced during 2009. To withstand the insanity of such moments and periods, remembering the story of the ugly duckling will be very comforting. It will remind us that the people, things and lifestyles against which we have been measuring ourselves can have no real bearing because we're not ducks! We're swans! I recommend reading the version of this story found in "Women Who Run with the Wolves," by Clarissa Pinkola Est̩. It really tells of the full journey of the transformation from duckling to swan and she also provides marvelous Jungian analysis regarding the healing aspects of the story.

So I encourage you to go out and find your true spiritual kin this year, and let go of any and all attempts to fit in where you don't need to belong. Free yourself from the oppression of being tolerated. Go find your true pack and experience belonging as a blessing –finally.

And many Blessings to you all in this wondrous year of remembering origins and true Life Purpose!