Chinese Nodes: December 2020

大雪 Da Xue

‘Major Snow’

Da Xue: 7sth Solar Term

‘Major Snow’ November 7, 2020

Sun = 225°

Da Xue occurs this year on December 7 and is known as ‘Major Snow’. It is the twenty-first of the 24 Solar Terms which divide the year into 24 ‘terms’ or seasonal markers. Based on the 360° passage of the Earth around the Sun, each term is 15° which translates into 15 days per term.

Da Xue means the times of snowfalls increase, and the quantity of snow becomes large. In ancient China, this phase can be divided into three sections, that is, gulls and cuckoo stop singing, the tiger begins searching for a partner and the small Chinese iris (荔) comes out. It is a time of dryness so be sure to keep moist, internally, and externally. Ice is the spirit of water in a state of repose

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冬至 Dong Zhi

‘Winter Extreme’

Dong Zhi: 22th Solar Term

‘WinterExtreme’

November 21, 2020

Sun = 270°

Dong Zhi occurs this year on December 21st and is known as ‘Winter Extreme’. It is the twenty-second of the 24 Solar Terms which divide the year into 24 ‘terms’ or seasonal markers. Based on the 360° passage of the Earth around the Sun, each term is 15° which translates into 15 days per term.

Dong Zhi, ‘Winter Extreme’, more commonly known as the ‘Winter Solstice’, is the moment Yin (陰), having achieved its maximum, pauses for a moment before the spark of Yang (陽) ignites and begins its ascent. This Sacred Silence is the birth of life. Take a moment, align yourself with heaven and earth, settle your breath, pause your breath and reside in the emptiness and silence from which all things originate.