2014 Year of the Horse

Dear Friends, I could not have imagined 5 years ago when I chose to includde 2014 in my email address that this year would indeed hold so much promise. There were 2 reasons I chose that particular number: (1) it was the address of the former seminary in Chicago, and (2) it would be the earliest date that I could consider attending seminary workshops, when my youngest son graduates from grade 12 this June. So much has changed since then, but this year still is huge for me in terms of possibilities. I mentioned in a previous blog about how the wishes of the consumer are changing, and they will now be looking for “experiences” rather than goods or services. It’s a very fine thing that after 2 years of struggle, I have finally landed a permanent full time job with a structural engineering company. The projects they work on range from private residences to university buildings, to recreation centres and hospitals – the whole gamut. The construction industry now puts a very high value on “sustainable” and “green” buildings, because that is what the consumer is demanding. It’s a very exciting and creative industry, and I hope to be there a long time. The other thing that has happened is, I have attained my first level certification in the healing modality of Reiki. I won’t go into it here, if you are curious there is lots of information on the internet. Suffice it to say that it allows me to be the conduit for loving, healing energy, to anyone and everyone who asks. It’s a whole new world, the seeds of which were planted in 2013. I should mention that these years between 2012 and 2016 have tremendous potential for those who are open, and perhaps it is no coincidence that these particular years also involve the North/South America Conferences for The Christian Community. This particular blog I wanted to talk about the Chinese New Year and the Start of Spring in the Chinese calendar, which are 4 days apart. 2014 is Year of the Horse and it will arrive on February 4, 2014 in China Standard Time. That is the day of the Start of Spring in the Chinese Astrology Calendar. The Start of Spring is the time when the sun enters the 315th degree on the tropical zodiac. The Start of Spring in China Standard Time is at 6:04 A.M. on February 4, 2014. This day is not the Chinese New Year day. 2014 Chinese New Year Day is on January 31, 2014 in China Standard Time. Chinese New Year Day is the new moon day of the first lunar month. The new moon time is at 5:39 A.M. of January 31, 2014 in China Standard Time. The Start of Spring in US Eastern Standard Time is at 17:04 P.M. on February 3, 2014, and in the US Pacific Standard Time is at 14:04 P.M. on February 3, 2014. Therefore, the 2014 Horse year starts on February 3, 2014 in US time zones. Year of 2014 is Wooden Horse. Wood (tree) is connected to the color of Green. Therefore, 2014 is the Year of Green Wood Horse. Again, this seems to me a very special year, because of the company I am working for, where the words “green” and “wood” take on many different kinds of meaning. This year, I like the image of a silver coin put out by the Canadian mint, of a horse with a flowing mane. The edges of the coin is curved in waves, and it is called a silver lotus. If I could figure out how to download the image, I would, but technology fails me. In this image, one could perhaps imagine a more mythical creature such as Pegasus. The consensus is that the word Pegasus means well or spring. Then I thought about the wonderful history of horses in general, and I found this beautiful article about the Arabian horse, coming out of the dream time of Epiphany, and a brief discussion of the Knights Templar by Stephanie Georgieff: By Rob Flemming On Vision.ae website “Admired and desired, immortalized by pen and brush, the Arabian horse has, arguably, had more influence on civilization than any other equine breed. The nomadic Bedouin were the first to ‘tame’ the wild Arabian but treated it as a friend and ally rather than a beast of burden. Fleet of foot, courageous and determined, it was also beautiful and loyal. A lasting relationship formed between man and horse. “An Arabian will take care of its owner as no other horse will, for it has not only been raised to physical perfection but has been instilled with a spirit of loyalty unparalleled by that of any other breed.” (anon) The camel was a means of survival, providing meat, milk, leather and transportation on the long treks across the desert sands. However, the horse’s bravery, endurance, speed and agility were vital for inter-tribal raids and skirmishes. But it would also provide the bridge for momentary truces. The rules of hospitality dictated that even in times of war, the unexpected guest should be welcomed and given nourishment. In token, the warrior’s mare’s bridle would be hung from the pole of the host’s tent where the men would eat together. With the rise of Islam, horses became regarded as a gift from Allah. One Bedouin story tells of how the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) turned his horses loose to drink at a desert oasis, recalling them a mere moment later. Only five faithful mares returned before reaching the precious water. The Al Khamsa, as they are known, are still believed by some to be the genesis of the five strains of the Arabian – Kehilan, Seglawi, Abeyan, Hamdani and Hadban. The Bedouin set a high value on the purity of each strain, breeding horses that maintained all the desired attributes. The antecedents of each horse were tracked through the dam and genealogies passed down orally through the generations. As Islam reached out, the Arabian carried warriors westwards to North Africa, the Mediterranean, Europe and as far east as China. Many of their enemies quickly began to appreciate the qualities of this quicksilver horse. Although they left many dead comrades behind them, the crusaders did take back many Arabians to cross breed with their own horses. Meanwhile in Spain, the Moors crossed their horses with indigenous species to produce the jennet or genet. And it was this new breed that Columbus took to the Americas. The Arabian bloodlines were crossing the oceans.” In the Far East as well, the horse was not used to till the fields, but as a means of transportation. From China, to Arabia, to Europe and finally to the Americas, the horse is perhaps one of the most beautiful and magnificent creatures universally admired and loved – something we can hold in common. Cheers, Sparky