A Full Fire Dog Moon

   Dogs are often touted as "A man's best friend." Their love is unconditional. Their loyalty is unwavering. It's no wonder why they would say "All dogs go to heaven," because they naturally express all the caring qualities we aspire towards within ourselves. After all, "Dog" spelled backwards is "God."
   In contrast, for devout Muslims, having a dog inside your home will scare away heaven's angels. In the same way, Daoist adepts often avoid dogs too as their loud and jumpy nature can often create an adverse environment for deep, spiritual cultivation. Crazy, right? Sorry, dog.

   As for the poetry of the moment, take a minute to consider what type of canine you are. If you're a pet, are you obedient or wild? As a protector, are you vigilant or loose? In companionship, are you nourishing or needy? As a leader, are you aggressive or gentle. As we make the hard shift into Winter, we should take an equally hard look at the mirror of our living and reflect on the person we see looking back at ourselves.
   To make this make sense, let's all take inventory of our lives. This dark pit of Winter Yin is the perfect place to sit with ourselves and take account for the impact we make on the world - for better or for worse. With a brand new Fire Horse year on the rise, this is the perfect time to make amends, forgive, forget, and accept - lest we're left to carry our own - self-imposed - burden of grudges, resentments, and regrets over the horizon.

✧ The Work of Winter is Within ✧
Within your Work: Show up. Shut up. Add Value. 
Within your Relations: Take the initiative. Forgive first.
Within you Home: Clear the clutter. Make room for peace.
Within your Head: Stop juggling schemes. Be content.
Within your Heart: Be gentle. You only have one.

Me, Myself, and I

Contents

・Shifu Says: A brief word from our head teacher, Shifu David Wei.
・Flavor of the Month: A new month means we get a new tea flavor!
・The Daoist Calendar: Special holidays and how to observe them.
・Learning Courtesy: Hijinks and harmony with Gretchen and Grace.
・Tea Drunk: Back for more astrology and tea with Shifu and Seanan.
・Final Fortune Cookie: Big wit and wisdom from a tiny little idiom.

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