Ox turns Heaven and Earth 牛转乾坤

As this is the year of Ox, a new expression appeared in the Chinese websites in the beginning of the year:
"Ox turns Heaven and Earth" - "Niu zhuan qian kun" 牛转乾坤.

This sentence is a word play. It comes from the Chinese idiom: "Niu zhuan qian kun" 扭转乾坤, which means "to bring about a radical change in the situation; reverse a bad situation or unfavorable condition to one’s advantage". This phrase is also translated as “to turn the tables”, because it derived from the ancient Chinese games. The player that is in a disadvantaged and weak position, turns the situation around and wins the game.

So, now in Chinese there are many wishes such as: "Wish you good luck and let the ox turn the Heaven and Earth!", "Ox turns the universe", etc. ;-)
This shows the hope of people for better changes and better times. 

The Winter Solstice and the energy

December 21st is the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. The Sun is at 270 degree on the ecliptic.

The 3-4 days before and after the Winter Solstice are characterized with very powerful energy in Nature. This is a good time for receiving energy from Nature, important time for more meditation and relaxation. Even when no meditating one can feel the circulation of the energy and blood in the body - so much intense as if in a meditation state.

Now the meditation is of very good quality, it gets easier and faster to enter into the deep levels of subconsciousness. The Daoists and Buddhists give a great importance to meditation during the Winter Solstice. At the this time of the year the Yang energy starts to increase (and the days start to get larger), while the Yin energy gradually starts to decline (the nights become smaller). Slowly and almost unnoticeably the heat in Nature and within us starts to activate from the deeper layers toward the more superficial layers of the body.

To a certain point, all this is related to the lunar month of Rat (Zi), in which we are now. It is represented by the “Fu” 24th hexagram in I Ching:

Lao Zi says "Returning is the movement of Dao". Fu hexagram means “Returning, coming back" and it consists of 1 Yang and 5 Yin. The past month (亥 Hai) was completely Yin (with 6 Yin), but now a new cycle is starting, in which the first rays of the Yang qi start to appear. In Chinese, this is called “Yi yang chu” 一阳出 (“the appearance of first Yang”). That's why it is considered a great time for cultivation.

During the different 24 solar terms of the Chinese calendar, qi is concentrated at different energy points (guan 关, chakra) of the small heavenly orbit 小周天.



During the 15 days of the Winter Solstice period, qi is concentrated at hui yin 会阴 point at the perineum as well as in the lower dantian in the belly. The qi becomes more active on du mai 督脉　(the Yang channel) of the small heavenly orbit. At the same time, the flow of qi can be felt much better and faster throughout the whole body.

In the past times, the Winter Solstice in China was regarded as an official holiday and the New Year's day. The scholars and practitioners of metaphysics have done important forecasts namely on the day of Winter solstice.

Happy December (Winter) solstice to all!