As we were going through our regular early Sunday morning training session in the Ba Me Da Xuan tradition in a misty Clissold Park I couldn’t help my mind wandering to the turbulent year ahead. I’ve long been a fan of Ted Mancuso and Debbie Shayne at Santa Cruz based Plum Publications and their comprehensive annual Chinese Astrological analysis by Narrye Caldwell is always a splendid read. As this year looks particularly volatile and we could all do with a little guidance I couldn’t resist reprinting it here, making it available to all those who feel that Ancient To Future connection – despite it saying that, as a rabbit, I should basically run for cover and hide in 2017!
YEAR OF THE FIRE ROOSTER – January 28, 2017. All Chinese wisdom traditions, including medicine, divination, astrology, and feng shui, are systems of pattern identification that guide us in adapting gracefully to change. A world in flux is assumed; it is the one constant feature of life. Astrology is best viewed as a tool to discern where we are in the shifting cycles of time so we can adjust our expectations accordingly and therefore, from the Chinese point of view, cultivate longevity by not wasting our qi trying to swim against the current.
Last year’s current schooled us all in crisis management as the Fire Monkey’s erratic impulsiveness and dramatic flare produced an unprecedented bit of theater in American politics.
(Yes, Monkeys love to play spin doctor in the political arena.) But as writer Isak Dinesen once said, “Anything in life can be born, as long as it can be seen as part of a story.” Fortunately, a new chapter of the story is about to begin with the arrival of the Fire Rooster on January 28, 2017. This chapter might be titled: “Application: how to walk your talk and follow through.”
In the Chinese zodiac the Rooster is the tenth of the 12 animals. It is associated with the Metal element which correlates to the time in autumn when qi condenses and the life force turns inward, right before sinking into the stillness of winter. So Metal expresses the essence of a thing with perfect clarity. Think of a tree in autumn, stripped of its foliage, its true shape so cleanly visible. People born in the year of the Rooster tend to be focused, task oriented, ambitious, confident, and very clear. This latter quality is what gives Rooster people their reputation for being abrupt and tactless. But it’s a mistake to consider them rude. Rather, Roosters just see things clearly and are decisive in their assessments. They are what we might call “plain speaking.” They also can be incorrigible critics, lacking the patience required to wait for others to come around to the clarity which comes so readily to them.
When you couple these qualities with the Fire element, you have an interesting potential for drama. Fire is erratic, intense, passionate, expressive, and dynamic. Fire embodies the warrior archetype. Fire Roosters tend to be brave, powerful, unyielding, opinionated, and determined. And in the Chinese Five Element cycle, Fire controls Metal. So the image here is of a sword tempered in a forge—sharp, strong, and dangerous in the wrong hands.
… or dangerous in the right hands?
That brings us to the possibilities for 2017. This year’s theme is “application.” The Rooster has one special super power—the ability to delay gratification and focus on the long term goal. Roosters can actually separate the reward from the work required to get it, and they can do this over long periods of time….like years. So whatever feelings you may have about the upheaval created in the Monkey year, the qi will now support you to focus and apply yourself to the task at hand with discipline and diligence. Set aside your emotions and focus on long term goals. Stay focused. That’s right, see beyond the current situation and keep your eye on whatever it is that you value in the long run; just keep chipping away without wavering. Apply yourself. That’s what this year is all about.
How each of you will be able to digest this type of qi depends on your animal sign with its particular characteristics and nature. Below is a brief comment on how each of the 12 animals can best use this year’s qi.
RAT: You have a talent for research. In your world, every detail counts. During the Monkey year you were valued and rewarded for your obsession with ferreting out every angle, then selecting the precise pathway to the cheese. But Rooster arrives at clarity without your help, and your careful research may even be dismissed as perseveration. Pay no mind and don’t lower your standards. Devote yourself to personal creative projects. Conserve your energy. You’re not in a position of power this year, so apply yourself to private endeavors that are totally within your purview. This will fulfill you, keep your considerable skills honed, and ready you for the Pig year (2019) when you are likely to be tapped for an important advisory position.
OX: Though you may have been annoyed by the irreverent escapades that marked the Monkey year (which you viewed as undisciplined folly,) you have a thick skin and a penchant for the long view. Now this perspective is given the respect it deserves and you will be able to partner with Rooster to accomplish your long term agenda. Finally, someone who understands! The energy of this year is perfectly suited to support hard work in the service of long term goals. Roosters excel at this. You are in perfect accord here. The only difference between you and Rooster is that you actually like to apply yourself every day (putting one foot in front of the other to plow a nice straight furrow,) while Roosters, though valuing achievement, can get irritable about the daily work required to accomplish it. So have at it. The qi is running smoothly at your back. Just keep going.
TIGER: Well, the best I can say is, bravo for you if you are still standing after the Fire Monkey year. You must have been doing something right. Now, I’d love to tell you to take a year off and lie around on the riverbank. But unfortunately the Rooster requires you to shake off your near hysteria and focus now. The trick here is to get back in the game but with one clear agenda. Doesn’t really matter what it is, just make it one (OK, maybe two) things that you can skillfully apply yourself to. The qi this year supports deft application in a clearly articulated area. It’s sort of like being the kicker on a football team. You know, the guy who only knows how to kick, but does it perfectly every time. For most of the game he just sits on the bench, but when needed, he walks out on the field and, with perfect clarity and grace, sends that ball right over the goalposts to win the game. That’s you.
RABBIT: Two words: run away. You, being the psychics of the zodiac, are WAY too sensitive for this Fire Rooster. The Rooster is your opposite sign. What other people see as candor, will feel like attack to you. There will be conflict all around this year, partly because of the Fire/Metal tension inherent in the year, and partly because of this Rooster’s “take no prisoners” approach to holding power and moving its agenda forward. Though you are a warrior in your own right (a trait that can come out in a staggering display of fierceness when cornered,) you dislike conflict and are better off retreating to the sensual luxury of your cozy home. In other words, stay out of it. Conserve your qi until the Pig year, when you will be in charge of seating arrangements at the party.
DRAGON: OK yes, you are special. After a stellar Monkey year playing politics, with Monkey as your spin doctor, you now get to continue your alchemy during the Rooster year. Rooster appreciates your power and flare for leadership and daring. You appreciate Rooster’s laser focus and ability to apply itself to the task at hand. Together you can actually create magic. But skillful means are required. Now is not the time for hubris and rash impulse. I suggest you read the first hexagram of the I Ching. This hexagram should be your talisman for the year. It perfectly describes the transformations of the celestial dragon from quiescence to exuberance. Heed the wisdom here. Dragons can either be blustering egotists, or agents of celestial wisdom. This year you get to choose which path to embrace.
SNAKE: You and Ox are the Rooster’s natural partners. I call this trio the “achievement” team. Rooster supplies the ambition, Ox the endurance, and Snake the knowledge and philosophical frame. Together these three can deliver results. This year you will feel valued. People will consult you on important matters and heed your sage advice. You are in a unique position of power and able to operate from behind the scenes (your preferred introverted strategy,) rather than suffering the exposure of center stage. Hint—Bernie Sanders is a Metal Snake. Had the election been held in the Rooster year instead of the Monkey year, we may have been looking at a very different scenario. Just saying.
HORSE: You share some traits with Rooster so you may get caught up in the current of achievement this year. Horses are ambitious, courageous, active, love to work, and have the noble heart of a warrior. So this should, in theory, be an ideal year for you to succeed beyond your wildest dreams. But here’s the caveat: Horses are easily distracted. And remember, this year is all about focus and application. The minute you shy away from the plan and skitter off in another direction, you will get nailed by that critical Rooster qi; you risk being dismissed as unreliable and unpredictable. The best strategy for success this year is to collaborate with a steady friend, which you can think of as an experienced rider with calm hands. Let’s see…..not Dog (who is in conflict with Rooster,) not Tiger (too erratic and exhausted,) and not Ox (you can’t bear the stubborn traditionalism.) So I think that leaves Sheep, the Horse’s natural stable mate!
SHEEP: Your artistic sensibilities and collaborative management style are at odds with the Rooster’s singular focus on achievement. The Rooster’s pride, self-confidence, and keen abilities just look like arrogance to you. Relationships and diplomacy are central to your world view but of little importance to the Rooster, whose only concern is “what will get us to the goal most efficiently?” So, this is a good year to keep your head down and stay out of the argument. You are way more sensitive to criticism then you let on, and this year you’re wearing a target on your back. Since the annual qi supports focused application of your skills, consider cooking, crafts, hobbies, woodworking—just please don’t attempt to apply your considerable management skills to the prideful Rooster. You can do it, but the stress and hurt feelings will shorten your life.
MONKEY: Time’s up, you’re done. The Rooster is now stepping on to the stage to clean up all the broken china from last year’s shenanigans. Now is the time you get to show up as the true magician you actually are. People who don’t know you well, may suspect that you are only interested in chaos. We know that’s not true. We know that you have a true heart and are capable of being a loyal friend. Your natural element is Metal, so you do know how to see through the confusion and discern the underlying order of things. Use that talent now, and apply it to compassionate service. This is the essence of magic.
ROOSTER: Not everyone benefits from the qi of their own year. It’s like being in the front row of the classroom. You’re always the one who gets called on—no coming to class unprepared and hiding out in the back hoping to avoid getting noticed. But Roosters are perfectly suited to this command position. It’s an opportunity to shine! So have at it. You are now the one who holds all the cards, has all the answers, and can finally move the whole class forward. No slackers allowed. No need to hold back and feel frustrated by the clueless masses. This promises to be a successful year for you in all ways. No need to tell you to stay focused; just be yourself. Eyes on the prize!
DOG: You and Rooster both have a strong work ethic, but don’t mistake this for compatibility. You have very different motivations. Dogs are willing to work hard out of a sense of loyalty and guardianship, while Rooster qi is all about achievement for its own sake. This fundamental misalignment will make you grumpy and exhausted if you try to join up with Rooster and press forward with your goals. So, since focus and application are supported this year, best use of this qi for Dogs is to clear away everything you no longer need, release old habits that don’t serve you, and simplify your life in preparation for the Earth Dog year in 2018 which promises to be a time of renewal for you. Use this upcoming Rooster year to prepare, so you aren’t burdened by excess baggage when your time comes.
PIG: Though your nerves are understandably a little frayed from coping with the mind boggling twists and turns of the Monkey year, it’s important now to maintain your calm and forgiving nature. The qi this year has a sharp edge to it; it may seem to you like the world has gone slightly insane with ambition and overwork. Your job is to rise above it all. Remember that no amount of money or status means anything without the warm glow of family and friends, elegant food, a glass of wine, and an evening of good conversation. Your job is to be a constant reminder of this for the rest of us. Focus on balance; apply yourself to hospitality. Good manners are your super power.
Narrye Caldwell is a Licensed acupuncturist with a private practice specializing in pole star astrology, classical feng shui, and shamanic healing methods. She teaches Tai Chi and Qigong at the Academy of Martial Arts in Santa Cruz, is on the faculty at Five Branches University, and teaches workshops in core shamanism for the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. Narrye’s Pole Star astrology readings are available via Skype or at her office in Santa Cruz. See her website for information about how to schedule a consultation.
If you are interested in Chinese martial arts and philosophy the PLUM PUBLICATIONS website is a treasure trove of books, vcds and dvds along with Ted Mancuso’s own thoughts and insights into the arts.
PLUM PUBLICATIONS CAN FOUND HERE: http://www.plumpub.com/
Footnote: I’m sat in my yard live steaming the new Tribe Called Quest LP: ‘We Got It From Here… Thank You 4 Your Service’ and I’m feelin’ it. It’s right on the button. A blast of deep’n’fresh NYC creativity rising phoenix like above the rotten stench of that US presidential election. But anyway, more on that in the future when I’ve had time to soak up the lyricsm of post Phife Dawg Tribe.
The Afro-Haitian Experimental Orchestra‘s album is a meeting of minds and deep rhythmic connections. Seven-and-a-half thousand kilometres of cold ocean separate West Africa from Haiti. But music can cover that distance in a heartbeat, crossing the Atlantic to reunite the rhythms and religion of people torn from their homes to be sold into slavery.
Once you’ve checked out the unfettered sounds of the Afro-Haitian Experimental Orchestra may want to get a taste of more traditional but modern Haitian sounds and for that you need to look no further than Lakou Mizik’s ‘Wa Di Yo’ on Cumbancha. Lakou Mizik is a multigenerational collective of Haitian musicians formed in the aftermath of the devastating 2010 earthquake. The group includes elder legends and rising young talents, united in a mission to honour the healing spirit of their collective culture and communicate a message of pride, strength and hope to their countrymen and to the world. This ensemble have produced a warm rootical 12 song set propelled along by uplifting vocals that take you deep into the heart of the community. Expect to be transported to yard on a balmy star lit Caribbean night and be lifted gently by layers of percussion, a racy snare, fluid bass lines, a sensual accordion and guitar and volleys of life affirming blasts from those Haitian Rara cornets.
Just as President Obama has relaxed relations between Cuba and the US we seem to be experiencing a steady flow of musical collaborations. Since arriving on the NYC scene in 1998 the 25 year old percussionist/corista Pedrito Martinez has established a powerful rep. On this ‘homecoming’ album – ‘Habana Dreams’ – he pulls together 3 sets of collaborators. There’s the Pedrito Martinez Group, then there’s the honoured guests – Wynton Marsalis, Ruben Blades, Isaac Delgado, Angelique Kidjo, and finally, Pedrito’s Cuban family. As Ned Sublette puts it in his excellent sleeve notes this album is Pedrito’s return to “the dense urban world – of santeros, paleros, ecobios, rumberos, professional musicians, and strivers of all kinds, to say nothing of ancestral spirits – that is the Cayo Hueso neighbourhood, part of the teeming, treeless sprawl of Centro Habana.” This CD is musically diverse but well grounded. It’s a test of Martinez’s songwriting skills and amazingly his quartet have mastered how to play timba – a tough, modern, cutting edge dance style normally restricted to big bands. Well worth a listen.
Finally, on a more “straight ahead” jazz tip we touch down on the masterclass offered up by saxophonist David Murray, pianist Geri Allen and drummer Terri Lynne Carrington. ‘Perfection’ is a moving homage to their friends and mentors like Ornette Coleman (‘Perfection’), Wayne Shorter (‘Samsara’), Marcus Belgrave (‘The Nurturer’), Charlie Haden (Barbara Allen)and Mary Lou Williams (For Fr. Peter O’Brian). As to be expected this a trio at the top of their game – inspired, uplifting and powerful. 
What a splendid way to spend your birthday – taking in a few readings and a discussion with five nominees from this year’s Caine Prize for African Writing. As I passed through the subterranean corridors of London University’s School of African, Asian and Middle Eastern Studies in search Khalili lecture theatre the sound of drums transported me back the Adriano Adewale’s pandeiro class at a previous SOAS summer school. It felt good. Outside the theatre I was able to purchase a copy of the book we had come to discuss – The Daily Assortment Of Astonishing Things – and sip on a couple of glasses of red wine while awaiting the arrival of the writers and panel host Dr Gus Casely-Hayford. This was the first of a series of London based events aimed at connecting the writers with potential readers and there was a warm sense of anticipation in the room. Hearing people talk about the context and the process of how they work and experiences of writing is always illuminating.
When I came across a review copy of Kate Tempest’s debut novel in my local second hand bookshop I was both happy and nervous. I’ve long sung the praises of this South London poet having been mesmerised by the riveting delivery of her one woman play ‘Brand New Ancients’. Her self published book of poetry/CD – Everything Speaks In It’s Own Way – is little gem and the ‘Mouse In The Lion’s Hair’ is a poem that I love to bits. I am less of a fan of the Mercury nominated LP, ‘Everybody Down’, which she dropped via Ninja Tunes, but that’s just my finely tuned – sometimes wrong – musical sensibilities kicking in. ‘Everybody Down’ definitely has it’s moments and, in reality, I should be giving thanks that the LP and the live gigs have carried her words to audiences who would never have handed over a few quid to check a poetry reading.
‘Space Echo – The Mystery Behind the Cosmic Sound of Cabo Verde Finally Revealed!’ is the latest offering from the most excellent Analog Africa imprint and it’s compiled by the Celeste / Matisposa Crew – a Lisbon Based Sound System, Mexico-based producer Deni Shain, and label founder Samy Ben Redjeb. When the first track kicked in on the hi-fi I wasn’t sure if the CD was fucked up and jumping… I stopped it, re-pressed play and turned up the volume. Wow… different stylee… and then the voice of Antonio Sanches, it has echoes raw Paranda, kicks in over a galloping riddim. All I knew of Cabo Verdean music was the smokey, melancholy vocals of the Barefoot Queen Of Morna – Cesaria Evora and what will filling my kitchen was from another dimension. 
Finally, a team of welders arrived to open the containers and the whole village waited impatiently. It is said that charismatic anti-colonial leader Amílcar Cabral ordered for the instruments to be distributed equally in places that had access to electricity, which placed them mainly in schools. This distribution was best thing that could have happened – keyboards found fertile grounds in the hands of curious children, born with an innate sense of rhythm who picked up the ready-to-use instruments. They modernised local rhythms such as Mornas, Coladeras and the highly danceable Funaná, which had been banned by the Portuguese colonial rulers until 1975 due to its sensuality! One of those kids was Paulino Vieira, who by the end of the 70s would become the country’s most important music arranger.
Coinciding with the Cosmic Sound Of Cabo Verde we have another Cabo Verdean classic. It also arrives courtesy of Analog Africa and ‘BITORI – Legend Of Funaná ‘ explores the sensual, forbidden music of these remote islands. Recorded in the Netherlands in 1997, this album features accordion master Victor Tavares aka ‘Bitori’ alongside singer Chando Graciosa and the flawless rhythm section of drummer Grace Evora and bass-man Danilo Tavares. This is roots music – the music of Cabo Verde’s so called “uneducated peasants” which became synonymous with the armed struggle for independence from their Portuguese colonial masters. While the Cosmic Sound album gave us a revised take on traditional Funaná this album gives us a taste of raw, passionate, undiluted Funaná where the music underpins lyrics rooted in the harsh daily lives of the working people of the the seemingly idyllic Cape Verde archipelago. During the 60s and early 70s singing these lyrics and playing the music of Funaná could get you arrested and tortured. It was 22 years after the islands gained independence from Portugal that Bitori’s album was first heard in the urban dancehalls of the Cape Verdean islands. Many of the songs became local classics and thanks to Analog Africa they finally get to travel to other people around the globe.
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