According to legend, when Buddha lay on his death bed he called for the animals to come for one last visit. To get to his home, the animals had to cross a swiftly flowing river. The current was so fast that some animals could not make it across. As the Ox entered the water, a cat and a rat jumped onto its back seeking passage. Halfway across the cat pawed at the rat and was bitten, causing the cat to fall off the Ox and into the water. When the Ox reached the shore the Rat jumped off and ran ahead, becoming the first animal to visit and therefore becoming the first animal in the Chinese Horoscope.
The ninth animal to visit Buddha was the monkey. The beginning of Chinese New Year is based on a lunar calendar, so the actual date changes every year. On February 8, 2016 we begin the year of the Monkey. 2016 is also a 9 year (2+0+1+6=9) which signifies the completion of a cycle that began in 2008. It will be an intense year, one of challenge and change. It is also a year of great opportunity; when there is chaos there is also potential. We are about to begin a year of shift; the year of the Shifting Monkey.
Monkey is mischievous and various tricks will be played on humanity. For many people, the high energies will bring doubts, fears and anxiety to the surface. These feelings are usually based on habit and memories of past experiences. If this occurs, remember the words of Rafiki, the wise shamanic Mandrill Monkey from the movie Lion King: “Yes, the past can hurt. But from the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it.” You are not slave to your thoughts; maintain your power and focus on staying grounded and balanced; the future is yours to create.
Monkey is recognized for its playfulness, and there are both positive and negative aspects to this behavior. Playful trickery can be disturbing, and the soul of humanity will be toyed with this year. Many different forces with unique agendas will use their power to draw our attention, playing with our stability and monkeying with our minds. In these situations, see yourself as a wise calm adult dealing with an insolent child and remain calm, mature and balanced. We can only be tricked when we allow it. Look deeper into any situation and do not be deceived by the intentions of those trying to weaken your resolve. Remember that when someone tries to put a monkey on your back, you can easily say ‘sorry but that is not my monkey’.
At the same time, playfulness is the ability to set free your inner child, the ability to find joy and happiness in the smallest of things and to see wonder in the beauty of the world. Look around you and perceive beauty in everything, from the birds in the sky to the rocks on the ground. Everything is beautiful in its own way; choose to see that beauty every day and move through the year with a smile on your face. Monkey is a symbol of laughter, happiness and a light-hearted approach to life; apply these characteristics throughout the year and walk with joy.
Searching deeper into aspects of Chinese horoscope to apply color and elemental configurations, 2016 is the year of the Red Fire Monkey. Red is the color of alarm and Fire is a symbol of heat, revealing that this year will offer many challenges. Circumstances and events may lead to fear, chaos and panic. Be prepared in advance for challenges. Keep extra resources within reach; have more than one solution available when the need arises. Remain independent of the structure and confident in your own abilities. Monkey is renowned for its ingenuity and problem-solving capabilities by using creative thought and applying unique solutions. Recognize that you have the ability to get through any challenge.
Red is also the color of the root chakra, and indicates that staying grounded and remaining connected to your source will give you an advantage. Fire is the symbol of transformation and reveals that you are able to rise above chaos and become more than you are today. You have great inner strength if you choose to call on it; recognize that change brings opportunity to become something greater. The year of Red Fire Monkey brings to humanity the possibility of tremendous growth and vast fulfillment; we begin to create our destiny through intention, desire and focus.
As a whole, monkeys are known for their compassion, sense of community and ability to bond with each other. We are stronger together. Seek companions of like mind and also cherish each soul that brings something different to the community. Life would be very boring if we were all the same. An orchestra is strengthened by the variety of instruments that meld together into one harmonic sound. A community thrives when each individual brings something special to the group. Cherish your uniqueness and add to the betterment of the whole; appreciate the uniqueness of others and the gifts that they bring to the human community. The song of humanity is sweeter when voices join in harmony.
In modern legend, the story of the Hundreth Monkey implies that evolutionary concepts can quickly spread among a species. In 1952 on the Japanese island Koshima, scientists observed a young monkey wash sand off a sweet potato before eating it. Meanwhile all the other monkeys were eating dirty potatoes and spitting out the sand. Over the next few years, other young monkeys began to wash their potatoes, along with some of the adults who copied the behavior of their young. Then suddenly in 1958 something changed, and overnight all of the monkeys on the island were washing their potatoes. What was most interesting was at the same time, tribes of monkeys on other islands began washing their potatoes as well. Once a critical mass had been reached, the entire species had the same level of understanding.
Are you one of the hundred monkeys? If so, your prime duty is to continually expand your own sense of enlightenment. Seek the light. Continuously move towards high vibration. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Your challenge this year is to focus on your own growth and shift. Work on enhancing your own glow. While helping others is a blessed task, do not waste your energy trying to awaken others who resist. Trust that they will learn when the time is right. Set an example that others can follow. When you do this, you will attract into your experience more and more awakened souls. When we boost each other, change accelerates. In the year of the Shifting Monkey, you are in control.
©Copyright 2016 Glenn Stewart Coles
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