Year of the TIGER

The Chinese year of the Tiger, otherwise known as 2010 for some who follow the Western calender, is close to ending. Soon it will be New Year 2011 for some people as the Chinese year of the Tiger continues until February. I've always wondered about the meaning of the Chinese calender. As a child I remember eating in Chinese restaurants where they had the table covered with Chinese calenders for customers to read and learn, and I loved reading about the different animals that corresponds to our birth years. Anything different has been intriguing to me always I guess. But I never was able to keep up with the Chinese calender until I realized this year is the year of the Tiger. Tigers are one of the animals I am quite fond of, to me they represent beauty, power, grace, elegance and freedom all in one. So beautiful. I always wished I was born in the year of the Tiger, but nope I was born in the year of Sheep:) It's said that being born in the year of the Sheep makes me charming, elegant, artistic, a worrier who likes comfort, but with a tendency to complain about things and surprisingly it's true! I asked a friend who knows about the Chinese calender and he said the year of the Tiger represents wealth, power, and because of this most people who follow this calender hope their kids are born in the year of Tiger. Tigers are also said to be adventurous, charming, initiative, risk takers who make good bosses. So, check it out, and if you're born in the year of Tiger, you're quite lucky according to the Chinese calender. The Chinese New Year starts when it's the second New Moon after the winter solstice. In February 3, 2011 we enter the year of Rabbit. There are 12 animal names; so by this system, year names are repeated every 12 years. Traditionally, each new year, people will decorate their homes with many New Year Graphics; the best of which are from the small town called Yangliuqing. Yanliuqing paintings were first produced between 1573 and 1620.

As we enter new years and changes, new events or anything that gives us the feeling of transition, hope, positivity or even fear, it's helpful to take the time to reflect on what we've accomplished, learned, failed in, so that we can plan for some changes that help us come closer to our goals, whether it's personal or work related. The following tips can help you to stay calm and allow transitions, changes or stress of any kind to progress more smoothly while keeping you centered. Feel free to mix and match these exercises to adapt to anything that you encounter.

- Walking meditation: while wondering at the shopping mall, grocery store or streets going to work/school or back home or using a staircase, consider trying to focus on your steps and concentrate on the repetition (counting 1, 2, 1, 2 or left, right, left, right may also help). As you do this let your mind just be, and focus on being mindful of your steps. Try this even if you're walking only for 5 minutes.
- Breathing meditation: Meditation on the go. While waiting in a line, driving or sitting instead of wondering what a waste of time, consider the valuable opportunity to go within. Concentrate on your breath as you inhale and then exhale. Maybe try thinking, out goes negative energy as you exhale, and in comes positive energy as you inhale (this is my fave practice). Try to breathe out more than you inhale to empty the air fully. Each exhalation should aim to be about twice as long as the inhalation. This helps lower blood pressure and works quite instantly. Focus only on your breath and if you can, close your eyes for a bit. This is also a great practice to do at work, especially on a stressful day.
- Simple Meditation: For quick bursts of calmness and relaxation suitable for any situation. Close your eyes, or softly gaze down if you’re not comfortable closing your eyes where you are. Watch your thoughts go by without getting attached to any thought in particular. Let the sounds of the world fade away as you go within. Stay with this practice for a few moments; even just a moment is enough to centre you.
- Mindfulness: Bring your awareness to your actions. Remember we can't change other people and can't change most situations, but we can change our (re)actions to allow a mutual environment to develop. This is probably the most difficult practice to continue awareness in every moment, at least for me, but you can start with small steps. To start, try it while eating, bring your awareness to the food in front of you, notice the aroma, with each bite, notice the flavour and texture of the food. Consciously chew each piece of food on your plate. This easy exercise allows you to slow down as you savour the simple pleasures in life. Making your meals a ritual of awareness allows you stay grounded in preparation for whatever comes next in your day. Eating mindfully, without disturbances such as the TV, can help you lose weight as well.
- Guided Meditation: You have a chance to allow the energy of the universe to guide you to relax. This is best to practice to aid in falling asleep and relax fully. Similar toYogic Sleep (Yoga Nidra), a state of conscious deep sleep. When you’re ready to go to sleep, lay on your back. Find a comfortable position with your arms to your sides and your legs slightly apart as in Shavasana (corpse) pose. You may also try a butterfly pose with your knees bent, let your legs drop out like butterfly wings, keep the base of your feet touching, one hand on your belly, one on your heart. Close your eyes and slowly start to scan your body. Bring your awareness to the top of your head and breathe into that area relaxing that part of your body. Then bring your awareness to your eyes, breathe into that area as your eyes start to totally relax. Repeat this process with every part of your head such as nose, cheeks, mouth, chin, and ears. Continue moving down your body until you reach your toes. By then you’ll probably already be asleep and in bliss. If it's difficult to focus like this you may consider trying to listen to a Guided meditation CD where usually a person softly talks you through meditation and falling asleep. Or try listening to a meditation/chanting CD (my fave now Sanctuary) or only background nature sounds.
Note: In Meditation, you remain in the Waking state of consciousness, and gently focus the mind, while allowing thought patterns, emotions, sensations, and images to arise and go on. However, in Yoga Nidra, you leave the Waking state, go past the Dreaming state, and go to Deep Sleep, yet remain awake.

So, whether you follow the Western calender, or the Chinese or some other calender I hope as we enter a New Year, we all can think positively, see transitions, or transformations as an opportunity to see things differently, maybe change, flow in new directions, try new things or simply continue breathing and hoping to find the peace and happiness within ourselves.

I will be trying a totally new-to-me practice when entering 2011 in Istanbul. I'll be meditating and then chanting with the yoga community to enter 2011 relaxed, happy and in positive moods and will be spreading this energy around the whole world. I hope you'll be able to feel my energy and send me some positivity as well. Let me know if you've had such an experience before and how it was for you or if you're also trying something different to celebrate the new year. I hope as the new year of 2011 and the year of Rabbit enters our lives, some of you will have the courage to share more with me on my blog or in person.

Oh and isn't it so cool that I wrote all of this article while on a super luxurious (and cheap) bus from Ankara to Istanbul with the view of snowy mountains, cute peaceful villages passing by...:)

May the power of peace, beauty, and happiness be with you always...

Happy New Year:)