Welcome to the Year of the Green Wood Snake, a year I am certain will be a year to remember! The snake is a controversial creature in Western culture representing everything from betrayal and fear to the symbol of medicine with the twin snakes called the Caduceus wrapped around a staff beneath the wings of Mercury/Hermes, who, Greek legend has it, threw the staff to break up a fight between warring snakes who slithered up the staff bringing conflict resolution. Interestingly the American Army Medics use this symbol on their uniforms as a symbol of neutrality on the battlefield.
As regular readers of this column will know, at the beginning of each year I take a month off the practical physical health focus of my column to present an overview of the year of the Chinese Zodiac. Just a note on Chinese Astrology, unlike Western Astrology it is not predictive and does not follow the planetary alignments. Instead, it looks more at the ‘climate’ or flow/feel of the year, depending on the animal sign that you correspond to according to your year of birth (look up Chinese zodiac online to find your animal). They follow 12 a year cycle based on Jupiter’s 12 year journey around the sun.
As we leave the fiery Yang Wood Dragon behind with cinders in its wake, this snake year is a Yin Green Wood Snake that in eastern astrology suggests a less frenetic year. An opportunity to reflect, examine our past and all that brought us here, and to look inside ourselves for the insights we have gleaned about our deeper natures. No matter what culture you look at, the shedding of the skin of the snake represents renewal, cleansing and discarding what was appropriate in the past but no longer serves us. Even the word ‘hygiene’ comes from the daughter {Hygenia} of Asclepius, the Greek physician. Asclepius was depicted with a staff with a single snake wrapped around it. Hygenia, who worked with her father, was depicted with a snake drinking from a chalice, suggesting cleansing and renewal.
Other key aspects of this year include flexibility, patience, wisdom, observation and timely action. The snake will patiently wait, warming itself in the sun, waiting for it’s opportunity to strike and only when the time is right, it will spring into action. Don’t rush into any long-term decisions this year. Plan ahead and begin to carve a new path for your future while staying flexible like the snake, ready to weave and change as new circumstances present themselves. No use banging your head against a rock, better to simply adjust your path.
Change is absolutely certain this year so like a young green sapling, remain adaptable. Draw from internal sources to fortify you when times are difficult and cultivate your self-awareness. When the snake tempted Adam and Eve to eat of the tree of knowledge, humanity became self-aware and thus given free will, this free will came with consequences of our actions and this plays out in our lives. Deep reflection is a tool for self-awareness and can allow us to see more clearly what no longer serves us so we can shed these ‘coping mechanisms’ and forge a new path.
Culture and the arts will feature this year as creatives blossom with the calmer Yin energy. There is a spark of inspiration in all of us, and in a Yin year the light becomes dimmer, so we
need to cultivate our own spark through music and other creativity forms to shine that light for ourselves and all around you. Nourish yourself with wholesome food, cut out all chemicals and ultra-processed foods. They are simply poison.
Balance Yin and Yang, action with rest and progress with reflection, fun times with contemplation and do not fear change. Plan ahead and be strategic with your plans and stay flexible. The only way to evolve is to face life’s challenges and learn from our mistakes. Journal, learn to meditate, take up Tai Ji, Qi Gong or Yoga. Exercise for pleasure and get outside in nature daily even if it’s just a walk around the block. Most of all be patient and observant and enjoy your year.
Stay well
Dr Angela Palmer
Kinglake Chinese Medicine
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