The Year of the Tiger: A Beauty & A Beast
Updated: May 4, 2022
“Once on a tiger’s back, it is hard to alight.” - Chinese Proverb.
Happy Lunar New Year!
We have now entered into the Chinese zodiac year of the “Water Tiger,” a celebratory occasion of that occurs every 60 years! With it, the Tiger brings in all its magnificent glory, carrying beauty, strength, independence, patience, and courage. Known as the king (王) of all beasts, the Tiger year has been prophesied by Chinese astrologists to be a period of career advancements and prosperity for many. After the two years we’ve had with the pandemic, no matter what you believe, I’d say it sounds nice to go into the new lunar year protected by the fierceness and prowess of the tiger spirit, reviving the world with abundance!
Interestingly, in many cultures and traditions, including that of Western archetypal symbolism, Tigers also hold shadow quality. Tigers represent that which scares you, perhaps a part of yourself that you normally try to hide or reject. At times, Tigers may even show up in your dreams in various ways.
This of course, got me all hyped up, because one, I love anything to do with SIGNS from the universe, and two, I love deep exploration of our hearts through meditative practices.
So, if the Tiger does bring a shadow quality up for you, fear not! Instead, I recommend dropping into a soft mode of contemulation either through meditation or journaling. Explore this moment by asking yourself the following questions, allowing the answers to come through freely, while simply observing your thoughts with no judgement:
What comes up for me when I think of a Tiger? What attributes, thoughts, or fears speak out?
What or whom am I scared of? What is this fear? What is it trying to say?
What do I want to do with this fear? How would I like to feel instead?
How may I face this fear? What resources do I have to overcome this fear?
What is the fear of the Tiger trying to teach me? How may I rise above this fear to meet my confident self? What does that fearless self look like?
Take all the time you need. You can even come back to this prompt several times if need be. There are no wrong answers. And of course, you're always welcome to share or ask questions. I am here to support you!
The tiger, along with everything in life, is associated with both positive and negative meanings. There’s a duality in all that’s perceived. In order to fully grasp your own unique interpretation of the Tiger symbol, pay attention to the behavior and feelings that you have towards this animal, or any signs that pop up, for a matter of fact. Tiger also represents patience and intuition, always waiting upon the perfect time to pounce and go for it! So with the water element as part of this year’s zodiac animal, allow yourself to be guided, with patience. You’d be surprised at what comes through and what this animal is really trying to say !
With patience and self-love, may you allow your inner Tiger/Tigress to stand strong with personal power, physical vitality, and unshaken strength.
Happy Year of the Tiger!