It is almost the year 2023 completing.
Did you know Mercury retrograde on December 13 (this is 4th time this year)?
When Mercury retrograde occurs, it is said to have a variety of effects on our lives. for example…
Communication is not going well.
Transportation is delayed.
Poor internet connection.
Careless mistakes will increase.
and more. . . .
I am Aries.
Reading “The last Mercury retrograde of 2023 has eye-opening lessons for the zodiac signs” helped me for .
If you feel the walls are closing in on you, Aries, you may need to look sideways to find openings that lead you elsewhere. Creative, yet patient thinking backed with being quick-footed in times of need holds the key to forward movement for you. Watch out for emotional overwhelmedness and breathe through it all.
Anyway, so many things happened to my quiet life: my dog, Nalu, and I got attacked by a neighbor’s dog while we were walking in an alley and had to go to Urgent Care (it was not serious and the injury healed in about 10 days), the laptop crashed (had to go to the Apple Store in Santa Monica twice, and later had to talk to someone in India in order to speak to Santa Monica Apple store technician),
Eric’s van broke down (he had to take the Van to two locations to fixed), Eric and I had arguments, UPS’s package was delivered to the wrong location, somebody used my American Express, and yesterday I could not access my website’s dashboard to post my blog (I called for an hour to get the website fixed and was told it would take about 72 hours.)
Honestly, I got a little tired and was feeling down.
So I meditated with Eric, watched my favorite movie on Netflix, and slept.
This morning, when I refreshed myself and looked at the website, it was fixed! I am grateful that my website was fixed so now I am posting what I had written here.
By the way, Mercury reintegrated till January 1, 2024.
So… it rained a lot last night (December 29) in Santa Monica, where I live, and I was thinking about the middle of the night when I woke up because of the rain sound about what it would be like this morning, but then the beautiful sun came out.
I love the rain that falls in the middle of the night and the smell of “petrichor” from the morning sun.
“Petrichor” gave me the motivation to write about this past year.
According to Nine Star Ki astrology, the year 2023 was the season when I was in the winter-water position. It is the time of hibernation.
I didn’t hibernate in the past few winters, 2014, 2005, and 1996. I decided to take the courage to hibernate.
During hibernation, I set a schedule as floating water, working less, going out less, and teaching fewer classes.
I stayed at home and cherished the time I had with myself.
Grew vegetables, native plants, and medicinal herbs, watercolor, calligraphy, created naturally dyed fabric art, knitted sweaters, and started a draft of a new book.
Also, I decided to take Jung’s psychology monthly class via Zoom in September to understand my inner self, and every month, I have learned so much.
I have learned to enjoy a slow-paced life much more.
My only big trip was to Japan for my niece’s wedding.
I wanted to write about it on my blog someday, but I have yet to be able to do so.
I was sometimes irritated by the hibernation and loneliness.
I know spring is coming, and I look forward to it.
2023 marks an important milestone: 5 years since undergoing Red Devil chemotherapy for stage IV lymphoma cancer. (Confirm that the first goal is one year, the next is three years, and the final goal is five years, so it does not come back.)
My medical oncologist, Dr. Mead, has not seen any severe complications in me since 2017, and I am on only medication for bone, which is due to chemotherapy that I lost bone density. During my checkup, she was pleased to see me receiving A five-year goal.
I told Dr. Mead that I was writing my stage IV lymphoma cancer recovery story and asked her if she could write the foreword. Once I finished writing the book, she agreed to write it for me.
I was happy to hear about it, so I wish I could write more, but I have only written the beginning of chapter 1 and all the chapter’s temporary titles so far.
It will take a long time for me to finish writing, but I stopped aggrandizing myself that I did not write more.
I know deep inside that I will finish it at my own pace and make peace.
I am grateful for my shortcomings as much as my strengths.
I appreciate the gift of my health, my husband, the animal family I live with, and my friends and family.
May 2024 bring you and our health, happiness, and love.
I look forward to creating a new, slow-paced life.
Love,
Sanae❤️