West Meets East©

By Caroline Patrick BorNei

Too Busy to Listen?

As The Year of the Earth Rat 2008 begins to wind down, we find ourselves tired, overextended, overdrawn and over it all! Where did we lose our common sense? Why did a family of two feel compelled to buy a 4000-square-foot house and three cars? Why is our need to be busy more important than family togetherness, helping others, loving ourselves, being happy and creating happy hearts? Because The Earth Rat made us do it! Well, that is part of the problem anyway.

This anxious little creature demands activity, loves to be busy, gets things done and then begins more projects than the average person can handle. Ideas bounce around in its pointed head faster than they can be accomplished. The workload of the Chinese Zodiac’s number #1 Rat is ambitious, to say the least. The rest of us mortals chase our tails from morning till night, looking for answers in all the wrong places. Our busyness has blocked the flow of all answers. Just as excess furniture can shut down Chi flow in the house, continued busyness blocks creativity and energy fails to flow to other areas of the body. Rational thinking stops and thoughts run endlessly in circles. As the clock begins ticking down to the New Year, ask yourself some serious questions.

1.Do I really like my job, my life, my house, my relatives, my investments, my president, my country, etc.?

2. Do I want to be on that committee, go to that meeting, teach anymore, be on schedules, take people to the airport, answer the phone, talk to people who are in a funk, be a caregiver, be a peacekeeper or clean a house?

3. How did I get in this mess, why can’t I sleep, why am I sick, why am I getting sued?

4. What happened to me, why don’t I stand up for myself, how do I have time to meditate, exercise, pray and read?

These are some of the situations that can be solved by listening to your heart. Does dread, regret, sadness or depression take over at times? Well, you aren’t alone. It has been quite a year for friends, family and clients, according to the phone calls I’ve received.

Actually, I am quite excited about 2009. When planning goes wrong, at some point surrender is the only answer. The state of the nation reflects what is going right and what is going wrong with people, their thinking, their actions and motives. From surrender come new beginnings, growth and harvest. It is time for the rat race to end and to welcome The Year of the Earth Ox. This friendly, slow-moving creature plows through old stuff and upturns the real problems of past actions, methodically row by row, giving new light to old ideas, preparing the field for planting. Seeds of compassion, good deeds, forgiveness, knowledge and heavenly luck will fill the land. Be sure to sit in stillness and decide what should be planted. Is your garden still full of “bugs” or organically green?

Sitting alone with my Christmas tree the other night, I felt happy, relieved and anxious, wondering what the New Year holds for me. Half closing my eyes in a Yin-Yang meditation, the lights of the tree slowly blurred into spirals of brilliant rainbows. I sat thinking of nothing, emptying all thoughts, while watching the colors dance. Floating to the top of the tree I could see the roundness of the evergreen symbol. The word ‘interesting’ passed through my inner vision. “How beautiful,” I whispered in the silence.

Suddenly the phone rang, jolting the peaceful journey. Habit prevailed as I ran toward the sound. “Hello?” I muttered, not fully cognizant. It was a dear friend from high school days, making her yearly call. “Hi, how are you, what’s up?” she asked. “Oh, it’s good to hear from you. I’ve been soooo busy!” I replied. Yikes, did I really say that? Yes I did. Shame on me! Good-bye Rat, hello Ox. I listened with love and joy to her experiences and began to focus on the real meaning of life.

Note: Caroline Patrick BorNei (pronounced Bornay) is Caroline's Chinese name give to her by her Master Teacher His Holiness Grandmaster Lin Yin.

Caroline lives in the Northwest Region of the US, called The Puget Sound in Washington State. She is a Feng Shui Practitioner, writer, author and artist. She gives workshops in Feng Shui, Elements of Art; private mentoring for serious students lectures and writes for newspapers. She combines teaching and traveling to other locations, here and abroad. Her 2008 schedule includes workshops and classes in Washington State, Oregon, Northern California, Arizona, New Mexico and North Carolina. She is available speaking, teaching and consultations. Currently her illustrations for a children’s book entitled “The Six Paramitas” have been delivered to the client for publication. “It is based on characters designed on the universal prayer OM, MA, NE, PAD, ME, HUM and is the most delightful and precious assignment I have ever done.” If you want to know more about the book or the creations, please contact Caroline.

Please consult your physician for physical problems as this article only gives ideas and suggestions. Caroline is not responsible for anyone using these suggested plants or advice for cures or healing any problem either medical or Feng Shui claims. This column and article is for entertainment only. Please seek help from a qualified physician, naturopath, herbalist or other certified person for treatment.