Steady is my word for this new year. Steady as in constant and purposeful, with balance, clarity and a lightness of being. According to the Nine Star Ki system of ancient astrology, in 2020 I am entering the yearly cycle of late winter, and it’s a time of planning. Energy is stagnant but there is steady, slow growth. A time of clearing out past excesses or obstructions, of feeling cautious and reserved.

At first I was a little disappointed about the prospect of going steady! A new year is usually a time went we want to feel energised and full of fresh ideas to make our next 12 months amazing. But when I thought about it quietly, it actually makes a lot of sense. 2019 was a unusual  and complex year. I was finishing the renovation on my new home, settling into my new town and my new relationship, and getting used to my now empty nest. This was the deepest winter cycle, a time of hibernation and healing…and after the turbulence of 2018, this certainly made sense too. So the fact that  I still need to rest a while longer, and let seeds begin to germinate quietly as I prepare for this next chapter of my life sounds sensible and quite appealing. There is still work to be done on the house and in the garden too, so staying steady seems like a good plan to get me where I want to be.

I shall be like the tortoise in its shell, cosy and safe in my new home but getting ready to venture out into the world again, feeling restored and refreshed. Here’s to steady progress and a simpler, happy life in 2020…