2014 The Year
of Heart and Soul
The Year of the Horse/Yang Wood
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| Zonters.com |
The horse is a symbol of the heart and soul. It is
also a symbol of fire, the blood, the Sun, light and other auspicious elements.
As a representative of the blood, the horse signifies the vital fluid that
gallops through the body nourishing all organs and viscera as it races through
the veins.
“Show me your horse, and I will tell
you what you are.” ~
English Proverb
The fire symbolized by the horse, is similar to the
Prajapati agni spoken of in Vedic literature. It is not a destructive fire, but
a subtle blaze, which awakens, expands and lends life to all of the animals,
plants and trees of the world. It is the sublime flame, which supports the Pachak Pitta, Ranjaka Pitta, Aalochaka Pitta,
Sadhaka Pitta, and the Bhrajaka Pitta of the body.
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| Luiz Himenez |
“The outside of a horse is good for the
inside of a man.”
~Winston Churchill
The fire in the heart represented
by the horse, is like the sacrificial fire that pumps life force to the rituals
of the body. Like the sacrificial fire, the year of the horse instructs us to cast
our negative emotions into the embers of our hearts, and allow them to be combusted
and released from the mind, upwards and beyond, into the heavens of the soul.
“A
horse gallops with his lungs, perseveres with his heart, And wins with his
character.” – Tessio
In the Chinese language, the word “ma” is ascribed to
three of the many auspicious entities spoken of in the Vedas – a mother, a
horse and hemp.
According to Taoist astrology, the
ruling planets of the year are the Sun and Jupiter. Thus, scanning the sky to
see where these planets transit throughout the year will allow us to understand
what the influences of the Horse-wood year will have on the different aspects
of our life throughout 2014.
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| Maxim Khytra |
“If your horse says no, you either asked the
wrong question, or asked the question wrong.” ~ Pat Parelli
Aries ascendant: Your courage will
rise to the continuum of your ancestors.
Taurus ascendant: The spirit of
your familial ties will merge into your courage and spirit.
Gemini ascendant: You will
graduate your self - involvement into the world around you.
Cancer ascendant: A secluded life
will give way to a profound sense of self and a reawakening of your core dreams
and aspirations.
Leo ascendant: The previous year
saw profits and interactions with many groups. This year will lead you into a
more introspective climate within, and a return to your ascetic self.
Virgo ascendant: Hard work will
lead to profits and connections.
Libra ascendant: Enlightened
thoughts and spiritual aspirations will be integrated into your dharma and
occupational life.
Scorpio ascendant: Adversity will
lead to spirituality, and awakening of your higher consciousness.
Sagittarius ascendant:
Transformations will occur in your relationships with lovers and partners.
Capricorn ascendant: Disease and
expenses will lead to a highly knowledgeable doctor and rewarding interactions
with good partners.
Aquarius ascendant: Your
creativity will find rhythm and discipline.
Pisces ascendant: Your rhythms
will find and spawn inventive projects and creativity
"I don't mind what Congress does, as
long as they don't do it in the streets
and frighten the horses." ~ Victor Hugo
and frighten the horses." ~ Victor Hugo
VASTU — FENG SHUI
As the Sun represents the Eastern direction, and
Jupiter represents the Northerneastern direction, removing clutter and engaging in the
sanctification of the North, Northeast and Eastern sections of your home or
dwelling is recommended for harmonizing with the influences of the Horse-wood year.
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| The Uffington Horse: Dated somewhere between 1000BC – 100AD 374 feet long |
With the advent of Kali Yuga, many translators
began interpreting the highly symbolic verses of Vedic literature literally, far
outside of the context intended. Descriptions of the Ashvamedha ritual are one
of the many casualties that suffered at the hands of scholars wanting to appear
as if they had cracked the sacred code of many a profound text.
"Horse sense is the thing a horse has, which keeps it from
betting on people."
~
W.C. fields
Countless translators from the classical period have
interpreted the Ashvamedha yajna ritual as a horse sacrifice, culminating in
the sacrificial killing of a horse. But as we go further back in history we can
see that this is not the case. According to Yaska, we find that yajna is a
synonym for adhvara, a term which specifically implies ahimsa, or the
refraining from violence or harm to a living creature.
Adhvara
iti Yajnanaama Dhvaratihimsaakarmaa tatpratishedhah ~ Nirukta 2.7
"Why, I'd horse-whip you if I had a horse!" ~ Groucho Marx
The Mahabharata states, “It is the cunning and greedy who have
introduced meat-eating into the sacrifices” ~ Adhyaaya 263-66
The Avadhuta Upanishad describes the
Asvamedha sacrifice as an internal procedure, which calls upon the manifold
symbolic and auspicious meanings of the horse to attain a profound liberation.
“Through intense devotion, the ascetic
performs internal Asvamedha. This is the greatest sacrifice (mahaa-makha) and
the highest meditative practice" (mahaa-yoga.) ~ Avadhuta Upanishad
"I never encountered a horse in whose
soul there was no harmony to call on." ~ Vicky Hearn
Many texts throughout Vedic literature, seem to attempt to want to keep us on our toes
about the myriad meanings a horse may come to symbolize.
The head of the sacred horse is the
dawn; the eye is the Sun, his breath is the wind, the vaisvanara fire is it’s
open mouth, the body is the year, it’s back is the sky, the belly is the
atmosphere, it’s hoofs are the earth, the sides are the 4 directions, the ribs
are the intermediate directions, the limbs are the seasons, the joints are the
months and fortnights, the feet are the days and nights, it’s bones are the
stars, the clouds are the flesh, the sands are the food in it’s stomach, the
blood vessels are the rivers, the mountains are the liver and lungs, the hairs are the trees and herbs, the rising Sun is the front, while the setting Sun is
the hind part. When he yawns all brightens, when he shakes it thunders, it
rains when he urinates, and his voice, is the great voice. ~
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
“A canter is a cure for every evil.” ~ Benjamin
Disraeli
Haya: A horse, a
mare
Hayaayurveda: Veterinary medicine for horses.
Hayasaastra: Texts relating to horses.
Haya-rupin: Having the shape or appearance of a
horse.
Haya-nirghosha: The noise or clatter of a horse.
Haya-maaraka or Haya-Maarana: The killing of Horses
Haya-medha: Asva-medha
“I've spent most of my life riding horses. The rest I've just
wasted.”
W. Churchill
Haya is a word that means urging or driving
forward, and is also used to describe the zodiacal sign Sagittarius.
Haya can also indicate the ginseng root, or the symbolism of the number 7 (as
in the 7 horses of the Sun).
In Puranic
literature, Uchchaishravas, the seven-headed horse,
is the second auspicious item that emerges from the churning of the sacred
ocean of milk(samudra manthan.) In one version, Indra acquires the divine
steed, in others this mystical flying stallion is claimed by King Bali.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna explains to Arjuna, " Of all the horses, I am Uchchaihshravas born with the Amrita" ~ Vibhuti yoga
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna explains to Arjuna, " Of all the horses, I am Uchchaihshravas born with the Amrita" ~ Vibhuti yoga
"There
is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse."
~
Robert Surtees
Hayagriva
Hayagriva is the horse-headed avatar of lord
Vishnu. Countless texts describe his divine importance, from the Ramayana to
the Upanishads, Puranas and Mahabharata. His relevance endured for thousands of years and
was even fused and imported into Tibetan Buddhism.
In the Brahmanada Puranam, there is a tale of
Agasthya Muni performing severe austerities to the lord at Kanchi.
Pleased with his intense tapasya, Vishnu appears as
the avatar Hayagriva and blesses sage Agastya with the knowledge and text of
the Devi Mahaathmyam.
“It is the horse's gift, to connect us with
Heaven and our own footsteps." ~ Ronnie Sweet
Before he carries out the
Pattabhishekham, Rama wakes early during Brahma muhurtam, performs his
anushtaanam, and worships Lord Hayagriva. ~ Ramayana. 6 sargam.7
"He's not going to look back if you don't …
they're the most forgiving creatures god ever made."
~ Nicholas Evans
Once upon a time, Sage Narada approached Brahma and said: “O Brahma, please teach me the highest spiritual knowledge, knowledge that quickly
removes all sins and brings spiritual glory and divine opulence.”
Brahma said, “One who knows the mantras
glorifying Lord Hayagriva, encompasses the knowledge of all the Srutis, Smrtis, Itihasas, and
Puranas. He becomes glorious with all spiritual fortune.”
~ Shri Hayagriva Upanisad
"The
way to heaven is on a horse’s back."
When Vishnu was roused from his yogic
sleep (yoga nidra,) he took form with the head of a horse. Glowing like the
bright full Moon that illumines the world, his head was the very abode of the
Vedas. Hayagriva's long flowing locks had the brilliance of the rays of
the Sun. The endless expanse of space, stars and constellations became the crown
of his head; the upper and lower lokas became his ears; the Earth became his
forehead; the Ganga and Saraswati rivers became his hips; the two great oceans turned
into his eyebrows; the Sun and Moon became his eyes; the twilight morphed into
his nose; the sound Om became his memory and intelligence; the soma-drinking
celestial ancestors formed into his teeth, Goloka and Brahmaloka manifested as
his lips, and the dark night of the great destruction which dissolves the
entire world became his neck. ~
Mahabharata. Shanti Parva. Vyasa Bharatam
The spirit of the horse overcomes the limitations of the flesh with such dedication, that many stories in American history detail a horse racing at the command of its owner across the plains until death overcame it. The devotion of a horse overcomes all the boundaries of this world. The American Indians were aware of the boundless spirit of the horse, and would be keen to notice when a horse needed to stop and rest; otherwise, it would subsist solely on it's spirit alone.
This spirit of steeds, is the gift available to all in the Year of the Horse; the ability to focus on our goals and destinations, and race to our objectives. The Bible verse, "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" accurately describes the extent to which a horse will surpass, above and beyond the call of limitations to embrace the spirit of any endeavor.
The spirit of the horse overcomes the limitations of the flesh with such dedication, that many stories in American history detail a horse racing at the command of its owner across the plains until death overcame it. The devotion of a horse overcomes all the boundaries of this world. The American Indians were aware of the boundless spirit of the horse, and would be keen to notice when a horse needed to stop and rest; otherwise, it would subsist solely on it's spirit alone.
This spirit of steeds, is the gift available to all in the Year of the Horse; the ability to focus on our goals and destinations, and race to our objectives. The Bible verse, "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak" accurately describes the extent to which a horse will surpass, above and beyond the call of limitations to embrace the spirit of any endeavor.
“A horse, a horse, my
kingdom for a horse!”
~ William Shakespeare
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Lakshmi Hayagriva Stotram
Agním īḷe
puróhitaṃ yajñásya devám ṛtvíjam
hótāraṃ ratnadhâtamam
