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Chinese New Year 2018 – Year of the Yang Earth Dog

It is Oben’s favorite year in the 12 year cycle of Chinese Astrology; the year of the dog.

General predictions

There will be a lot of change, opportunities, and hard work this year. I mean lots of hard work. Careful not to exhaust yourself. It is a good year to initiate healthy habits and schedule regular relaxation time. This is how you will best take advantage of all the good coming in while avoiding the pitfalls; like adrenal exhaustion.

Many predict issues of security and violent upheavals, but I guess every year on earth is like that.  We have an opportunity to move into alignment with our higher moral character; personally and collectively. The dog, after all, represents loyalty and honesty. We can chose to make our upheavals ones of increased social justice and collective kindness.

There will obstacles, but they can be overcome with wisdom.

Earth (digestion, networks, family, stability) is greatly strengthened if you play your cards right. Wood (liver, stress) and Water (kidneys, adrenals, hormonal balance) elements are weakened if you don’t. More on that below.

Is this a good year for you?

Yes, as long as you position yourself well. Most astrologists would say 1/3 of people are doomed, 1/3 are cautiously lucky, and the rest just get more of the same, but I believe my answer is more Daoist. There is always a way to benefit. It all comes down to understanding the energies coming in and what you need to thrive. Also, the more you work on yourself and evolve, the more the positive opportunities are magnified and the troubles just minor bumps in the road.

Simplified version:

Dog = Yang Earth

It is also a Yang Earth year.

This means a lot of Earth and a lot of Yang energy coming in.

The Good = groundedness, things coming to fruition, loyalty, networking, nurturing, family (a good year for  marriage)

The Bad = stuck, stubborn

  1. Health – protect liver and kidneys (adrenals), especially if these are weak areas for you. Take advantage of strong Earth to build digestion.
  2. Feng Shui – Include Wood and Metal elements in your environment to control the excess Earth; i.e. houseplants, declutter, decorate with green or white.
  3. Lifestyle – set goals and regimens; wear greens, white, gray.

 

Detailed version:

5 Element Interactions

Image result for 5 elements control cycle

The Generating Cycle shows how the 5 elements build and nurture one another. When you can break down something into elements then you know how you can strengthen the part you want. For example, if you want to execute a creative project such as writing a book (a Water element trait), it helps to organize your space and materials and schedule time for the project (Metal activities).

You can also use this cycle to drain an out of control element. For example, if you are very angry (excess Wood), finding humor (Fire) will drain and transform the anger.

The Control Cycle is the natural way that the 5 elements keep each other in check. For example, a spirited motivational speaker (Wood) can mobilize someone who is stuck in a rut (Earth). Too much control is not a good thing. For example, if that motivator crosses the line into a domineering drill sargent bullying someone who doesn’t like confrontation, the control cycle becomes pathological.

In this case we have a lot of Earth energy coming in which can nourish weak Earth (stability, family, digestion) or Metal (order, righteousness, lungs), but also over control Water (movement, creativity, mystery, kidneys, urinary bladder) or drain Fire (spontaneity, fun, humor, heart, small intestine).

10 Heavenly Stems  天干 (tiāngān)

The ancient Chinese calendar was based on a 10 day week: the Yin and Yang of each of the 5 Elements. This evolved into 2 concurrent cycles of the 10 days with the 12 animals to create 60 day cycles.

They are “heavenly” in that they are also the names of the 10 suns, which are believed to have been previous worlds prior to our current one.

Image result for 10 heavenly stems

12 Earthly Branches 地支 (dìzhī)

The 12 animals evolved from observations of Jupiter’s movements and then the 12 months of the year. This was of course translated into the language of Yin and Yang and the 5 Elements.

The 12 animals are a mnemonic (memory) device to remember the 5 element/Yin&Yang pairings with a redundancy of the Earth element.

Image result for 12 earthly branches

This year is Yang Earth + more Yang Earth.

Now that we know the elements and Yin/Yang balance of the year, we need to know where you are weak or strong in your elements so you can thrive this year.

 

4 Pillars of Destiny 四柱命理

This is basically your birth chart. The good news is that in Daoist philosophy, Heaven Luck (or astrology) is only 1/3 of your destiny. 1/3 is your lifestyle and 1/3 is your environment.

Each of us is our own combination of the 5 elements and Yin and Yang. We need to know what energies balance and weaken us to know how to prepare.

Find your 4 Pillar chart or you can contact me for a reading/Feng Shui consult.

Yang Earth controls Water (Kidneys/Adrenals and Urinary Bladder) and can insult Wood (Liver and Gallbladder). It is a good year to strengthen the Earth element (Spleen and Stomach)

If Earth is a harmonizing element for you, take full advantage. But if it is not, you want to strengthen Wood and Metal in your life:

Wood controls Earth

Metal drains Earth and Fuels Water

By |2019-03-26T14:29:30+00:00January 23rd, 2018|Daoism, Feng Shui, Five Elements, Spirituality|Comments Off on Chinese New Year 2018 – Year of the Yang Earth Dog
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How to Heal/Avoid Spiritual Abuse

“Widows, bulls, slippery steps, and holy men. Avoid these, and liberation awaits.”
Quote from the movie “Water”

My mom, Dr. Judith Andrews, is always saying “you don’t need a guru.” She inherited my grandfather’s skepticism of holy men as swindlers. My years in southern California, a seeming epicenter for gurus, has only affirmed this for me.

As the quote above alludes, people who set themselves up as God’s middlemen have always been an issue. The stories are the same across time, cultures, and religious/spiritual orders. Sexual abuse of minors or adults. Taking money from the hands of the desperate. Narcissistic outbursts. Catholic priests, Megastar pastors, Tibetan monks, your local yoga instructor…. there is no safe place for you to hand over your spiritual power.

Most of us have been cut off from our personal connection to the divine within us at an early age. It can happen even before we are born out of the womb if the environment we incarnate into is too dense. The veil drops and we forget who we really are and our connection to the mystery around us.

This works in society’s favor, or at least societies built on hierarchical control. Having a bunch of self-aware, happy, empowered people around would be worse than trying to herd butterflies.

But one day we catch a glimpse. A hardship or abrupt change breaks through the illusion and we can no longer do things as we did before. We are scared. Like standing at the edge of a high cliff…. and there appears this person so full of confidence.

This person is also so confident in us and our greatness. This is all fine and good. We all need teachers and friends after all. There is one caveat, however, we must depend on this confidence man. We only retain this safe, special place as long as we are with him/her. We may not stray on our own.

This is where the grooming and usual mind control come into play to undermine individual identity and create dependency.

I want to add a less talked about aspect, because it holds the key to your empowerment and freedom from these wayward parasites. Something even more sinister may be happening. In many Eastern, African, and Western occult traditions the spiritual expert actually harnesses spiritual powers and gifts from their followers. The imagery and terms vary from tradition to tradition, but the gist is the same.

We all have a connection to the divine through the heart up to the crown and third eye chakras. The spiritual conman will hijack the inner sight and divert that crown connection to themselves. All the divine gifts and power go to the conman. The follower’s psyche has been rewired. It now makes a B-line to the conman when it tries to access spiritual connection. This is how some spiritual conmen are able to attain special powers. They often make great use of magic tricks.

In traditions across Eurasia that understand the power of sexual energy, conmen (and women) emerged who found it much faster to steal sexual energy from others rather than cultivate it themselves. This is known as sexual vampirism. This misuse and hijacking of the sexual-spiritual axis occurs in dark corners of Daoist, Tantric, and Tibetan Tantric traditions. It was smuggled into secret societies in the U.S. by Aleister Crawley. Rasputin was initiated into a sexual cult in Russia…if you dig a little you will find that some of the darkest aspects of our humanity are tied to this inversion of sexual-spiritual connection. These conmen will be the most hypnotic and powerful.

These most serious cases of spiritual abuse require even more intervention than leaving a cult. Victims need help reclaiming their energy and their gifts. The damage to their personal identity will have been even more profound. All these cases have and can be healed, but it is far easier to get the lesson through someone else’s story and avoid all that time and energy it takes to heal.

The Lesson:
There are no certainties in life. There is no one way. It is best to go ahead and make friends with fear now because it will be there every time you are about to grow in some big and magical way. It means you are on to something. I t means you are about to stretch beyond the familiar.

Make sure your spiritual practice includes learning who you are and loving yourself and others. Illusion cannot stand up to Truth and Love.

If you have been conned, forgive yourself. We all go through vulnerable times and all it takes is for a vulture to swoop in at the right moment. It does not mean you are weak, or stupid, or should feel ashamed. That only keeps you from seeking the support that will heal you.

Spiritual conmen are everywhere, but I give an extra caution to associating with Neo-Tantric groups. This is one of the reasons I felt called to share information on sexuality in a spiritual and health context. We need more people bringing this information out in an empowering way.

The purpose of the guru is to teach you that you don’t need one. You are meant to discover your own divinity and power.

By |2019-03-26T14:29:30+00:00December 29th, 2017|Sexual Cultivation, Spirituality|Comments Off on How to Heal/Avoid Spiritual Abuse
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Happy Chinese New Year! Yin Fire Rooster 2017

Time for intense and positive changes and transformation. Time to take advantage of tons of energy coming our way, and get things done. This is a big year for love and romance.

If you want a quick and positive read on what the new year has in store for you, check out this Horoscope.com post.

If you want details you will need to understand a little more. Each year provides a new matchup between the 10 Heavenly Stems and 12 Earthly Branches, and it is the alchemy between those elements, and your own, that predicts how you will fare.

The 10 Heavenly Stems (天干,  tiāngān) are combinations between Yin and Yang and each of the 5 Elements:

Image result for 12 heavenly stems

The 12 Earthly Branches (地支, dìzhī) are the 12 animals that represent further Yin and Yang and 5 Element combinations:

Those combinations then interact with your personal birth chart, called the 4 pillars:

 

By |2019-03-26T14:29:31+00:00January 28th, 2017|Daoism, Feng Shui, Spirituality|Comments Off on Happy Chinese New Year! Yin Fire Rooster 2017
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How to Outsmart Heaven, the Daoist Way

When I would get an astrological reading it felt like I was receiving a sentencing. I was told who I was and what was in store with no chance for negotiation. It wasn’t until I began studying Daoism as part of my Chinese medical training, that I was able to embrace it. Ancient Chinese culture also had its rich history of astrology, but being a culture accustomed to adversity, they figured out how to outsmart heaven down to the percentage point.

Daoist master Mantak Chia, well known in the West for his work on Daoist sexual practices, laid out how to mitigate any undesirable shenanigans of the stars during the introduction during his course on Chinese Astrology. He wanted us to understand what our options were before we could feel confined. There are 3 types of luck: Heaven luck, Human luck, and Earth luck.

Heaven luck pertains to the movement of the stars and planets, all of which are beyond our control but constantly exert influence over our lives. The time we are born sets a certain course for our lives, and it is helpful to time our activities to work with the movements of heaven. But, this is only 33% of what happens to us.

Earth luck our physical environment; things like our geography, the quality of our water, etc. Feng shui is the Daoist system to assess and create the most supportive environment for our who we are and what we want to accomplish. Feng shui takes into account your astrology, the astrology of the home, the climate, the flow of the neighborhood, the materials the home is built out of, etc. and offers ways to play up the good and mitigate the bad. This is the second 33% of what happens to you and it is within your free will.

Finally Human luck is your personal development. It is entirely your choice. This is where nutrition, lifestyle choices and self-care choices come into play. Acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage…all of these build body’s strength. Chinese facial Diagnosis (Mien Shiang) allows us to see our innate gifts and challenges as they evolve in real time. Qigong and tai chi were developed to maximize our Human luck potential. This comprises the final 33%.

So your free will outnumbers your destiny 2 to 1. This is a good thing or a bad thing depending on how proactive you are and how the heavens choose to shine on you.

By |2019-03-26T14:29:31+00:00January 27th, 2017|Daoism, Feng Shui, Nurturing Life Project, Spirituality|Comments Off on How to Outsmart Heaven, the Daoist Way
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Acupuncture to Balance the Root Chakra (Muladhara)

The chakra system is part of the Hindu/yogic/Tantric traditions of India, while acupuncture originated thousands of miles away in China as part of the traditional Chinese medicine system. Chinese medicine has its own distinct system of energetic pathways. It may seem sacrilege to mix the two, however, we as live in a society where we are exposed to multiple systems, it is only natural that we should incorporate pieces of other systems that serve our ultimate goal of increasing health. Many of our patients practice yoga and a focus on the chakras directly assists their progress in that system. One need only shift the intention to access other levels of energy.
Dr. Mikio Sankey, PhD pioneered a system of acupuncture that works on the chakras called Esoteric Acupuncture. Dr. Judith Andrews, DAOM and I studied this system and have adapted the methods to our practice. This month we offer at Cinnabar Acupuncture a focus on the Muladhara (root/base) chakra.
Physically, the base chakra governs the legs, hips, perineum, and coccyx (tailbone). Balancing this chakra helps alleviate low back pain and issues with the lower limbs. Emotionally and mentally, the base chakra relates to our ability to function in the material world; our ability to survive, to make money, provide for ourselves, and to feel grounded and safe. Spiritually, this chakra grounds the energies of the higher chakras allowing us to experience higher levels of consciousness safely. It is also the seat of the kundalini fire that ascends the spine.
The lunar new year is an excellent time to balance the root chakra to assist manifestation of our new year goals.
This begins our monthly chakra series. Every month we will focus on a new chakra.
To book a root chakra balancing treatment please click here.

By |2019-03-26T14:29:38+00:00February 24th, 2015|Acupuncture, Spirituality|Comments Off on Acupuncture to Balance the Root Chakra (Muladhara)
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The Year of the Green Wooden Sheep

by Dr. Judith Andrews, DAOM, L.Ac.

2015 is the Year of the Green Wooden Sheep (or Goat or Ram if someone wants to sound more macho). It is the year 4713 in the Chinese calendar system.

Chinese Stem-Branch Calendar is a cyclic numeral system of 60 combinations of the two basic cycles, the ten Heavenly Stems and the twelve Earthly Branches. This calendar system has been used in China since the second millennium BC, and adopted throughout Asian cultures. Animal names are given to years and days, just like we name our months and days of the week.

To determine the Chinese horoscope sign we look at the start of spring in the Chinese Stem-Branch Calendar. Start of spring is when the sun enters the 315th degree of the tropical zodiac.  In California, for example, a baby born after 8 pm on February 3, 2015 is born on the year of the sheep. If the baby is born at 7:59 pm on February 3, 2015, he or she is still in the year of the horse.

To make things a bit confusing, Chinese New Year Day is February 19, 2015. Chinese New Year Day is determined by the new moon day of the first lunar moon. That is the day Chinese New Year is celebrated.

A practitioner of Chinese acupuncture may include the person’s astrological sign during a health assessment. For the acupuncturist it is just another tool to examine the forces of nature at play within the dynamic of an individual’s personality and life path.

Some of us like to have more fun with this knowledge. What the year of the sheep will bring into our lives. Which signs are compatible, the signs that are not.

Sheep is a yin sign associated with peace, tranquility, and incredible good luck. The wood element in the year of the sheep lends fortitude and steadiness to 2015. If you have been working hard these past 2 years look forward to reaping the rewards. If the last 2 years have been difficult, things will turn around this year.

 

 

 

By |2019-03-26T14:29:39+00:00February 4th, 2015|Acupuncture, Diagnosis, Dr. Judith, Spirituality, Traditional Chinese Medicine|Comments Off on The Year of the Green Wooden Sheep
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A Walk in the Garden; Interview with David King

Plants are our food, our medicine, and our oxygen. They create our climate. More than this, they are our teachers. This is why we chose to feature David King, botanist and plant activist, in our premiere of The Lia Andrews Show (airing this Wed @ 7pm PST).
David King was Judith’s and my botany professor for our masters program at Yo San University. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a plant-based medicine, so the importance of his class was obvious. However, he did far more than teach us about deciduous trees vs evergreens, he introduced my class to their world. Stephen Harrod Buhner’s The Lost Language of Plants and Eliot Cowan’s Plant Spirit Medicine were required reading.
Our distance from nature has allowed the emergence of factory farming, GMOs, and deadly pesticides as acceptable ways to grow our food. There is little thought to the destruction this causes to the soil and water, the suffering to the animals or laborers, or the health risks to consumers. There is also psychological damage. When we are in sync with our electronics we develop a frenzied pace that affects all our relationships and our happiness, whereas a few moments walking in nature can restore us to peace.
As David relays in the interview, life had dealt him a heavy blow, and it was his connection with plants that saved his life. He came back from that experience with the ability to listen; an ability that humankind used to have before the advent of video games and cell phones. I believe, of all his gifts, this is his greatest; to teach us how to listen again. This is a vital lesson for herbalists, gardeners, farmers, and for all of us who share space with plants.

David King is the founding chair of the Los Angeles Seed Library and is garden master of the Learning Garden, where he hosts classes. David is also working on a book for gardeners.

By |2019-03-26T14:29:39+00:00January 27th, 2015|Chinese Herbs, Spirituality, Traditional Chinese Medicine|Comments Off on A Walk in the Garden; Interview with David King
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What if God is Also a Mother?

nossa-senhoraWhat if God is more than a Father? What if God is also a Mother? Then She would give us unexpected gifts, and cover us when we slept, and finish projects we were unable to complete. She would bring us the concept of grace; intervening on our behalf. Mothers do not care if we are deserving, or if is possible. They only care that we are at peace.

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By |2019-03-26T14:29:41+00:00November 6th, 2013|Spirituality, Uncategorized|Comments Off on What if God is Also a Mother?
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Meeting Thich Nhat Hanh

We are here to awaken from our illusion of separateness.
― Thích Nhất Hạnh

I expected nothing today but a walk. My mind had been deeply troubled. I awoke early with these troubles, at first prodding me out of slumber, then pulling me out of my meditation. Suddenly the image of a monk came into my mind. As I looked closer it was Thich Nhat Hanh.

I felt the power of his gentle Presence, and it beckoned me to be present myself. It filled my mind and my breath. I felt him take my hand in the forest. As we walked together a peace settled into my mind, heart, and belly. This vision was so strong that I could feel the morning dew and the shift in my physical body.

I felt so grateful for his visit. I was going to his walking meditation this morning, but I knew I would not meet him there as he would be surrounded by 2,000 adoring fans. It did not matter. He took the time and energy to connect with me this morning, as he no doubt did with the others coming today. That is a feat of Presence.

Thich Nhat Hanh at Deer Park Monastery, Escondido, CA

Thich Nhat Hanh at Deer Park Monastery, Escondido, CA

Later, when I went to the walking meditation it was more of a spectacle than a spiritual moment. There was a great deal of uphill walking just to get to the walking meditation. It was difficult to quiet my mind in the sea of seekers, adherents, and the curious.

Going reminded me more of how I, like so many of us, practice mind-less-ness in the endless scurrying that has become modern life. The genesis of this scurrying is the belief in the illusion as reality. The truth is I connected with Thich Nhat Hanh more deeply in that vision than in participating in an event. In chasing the illusion how often do I skip over the reality?

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By |2019-03-26T14:29:42+00:00October 20th, 2013|Spirituality|Comments Off on Meeting Thich Nhat Hanh
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Intention as the First Step

Intention is everything.

If you ever study Chinese medicine, qigong, or tai chi teacher you will hear this many times. The directive is to learn to harness your attention and to place it on your goal, as this mental focus is what will create changes in your life. Standing in a particular pose can be a deeply transformational event, or it can be just standing in a particular pose. What gives the action power are the thoughts you attach to them.

This concept applies to far more than qigong, tai chi, or acupuncture practice. It applies to every action in your life. The intention you place behind your action will determine the energy you receive back from the universe. For example, you can touch someone in love or anger or in a state of disconnection with markedly different effects. People can use metaphysical principles and healing modalities to heal or manipulate.

The most important practice is to hone our intention, to align it with our heart, and with a higher purpose. When we do this we may still stumble on our path, but we will make sure progress, both for us and those we touch. This is why clarifying intention is the first and the final step.

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By |2019-03-26T14:29:43+00:00July 7th, 2013|Spirituality|Comments Off on Intention as the First Step
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