…and this benefits your family as well.
From a traditional perspective, today is the turning point when Yin energy is at its absolute peak — yet Yang energy begins to quietly stir and take root beneath the surface.
So if you’re running around recklessly today, it will almost certainly affect your state and fortunes for the entire year ahead.
Master Chi hopes you’ll take care of the following details as best you can:
1 — Avoid coming home late or traveling far. If you’re visiting ancestral graves, try to finish before 2 PM — before the Hour of the Horse (Wu Shi, around noon) ends. Don’t let excessive Yin energy cling to you.
If work requires you to travel and return home at night, stop by a lively, bustling hot pot or barbecue place on the way — let some of that smoke and fireside energy settle on you before you walk through the door.
2 — Keep your home ventilated and well-lit. Don’t let laziness keep the curtains drawn all day. Play some happy, bright, uplifting music indoors — let the whole atmosphere feel fresh and energizing.
And if there are any wilted plants or spoiled, expired food in the house, deal with them promptly. Don’t put it off.
3 — Avoid heavy physical exertion. Master Chi did exercise yesterday — but today I’ll keep it to simple stretches, nothing strenuous.
On Winter Solstice, if you “burn through” your reserves, it can easily produce unfavorable long-term effects. By the same logic: hold off on any major spending today. Save the big purchases for tomorrow or the day after.
4 — Indulge in a little sweetness today. I’m not asking you to throw caution to the wind with your blood sugar — but it’s perfectly fine to enjoy a bit more of the sweet things: red bean paste, sesame, chocolate, and the like.
And just as your food should be sweet, so should your words. Offer more praise, more encouragement, more appreciation — and absolutely no arguing or bickering.
Finally — Master Chi won’t be accepting tips today. Even if you’d like to treat me to a bowl of sweet rice balls (tang yuan, the traditional Winter Solstice treat), I can’t let you “spend” anything on my behalf today. [Grinning] If you’re feeling generous, leave a blessing in the comments instead.
Best if it covers yourself, Master Chi, and all the fellow readers here.
Master Chi will go first: “May your Winter Solstice be peaceful and smooth. May I myself stay healthy and steady. And may all brothers and sisters here find everything going their way.” [Hands together in blessing]