In this conversation, I sit down with my friend and colleague, Paul Arellano, to explore the Year of the Fire Horse. We examine the Horse as a symbol of desire and drive, and Fire as an element of sovereignty and spirit. Paul unfolds the ecological and astrological dimensions, which I infuse with psychoanalytic and medical reflections. Together, we traverse a symbolic terrain of correspondences to better grasp the cautions and catalysts stirring this year.
00:00 - 09:23 The Ecology of the Fire Horse
Energetics of the Fire Horse, Chinese astrology, and cycles of change.
09:24 - 13:39 Heart, Fire, and Consciousness
The Heart as the seat of shen; fire element as warmth and relationality; centers of cognition in Eastern and Western medicine.
13:40 - 18:09 Horse Power
Horse as symbol of speed and power; horse power as amplification of energy.
18:10 - 27:20 Desire, the Unconscious, and the Libidinal Horse
Ethics of desire; the unconscious repression of desire; the horse as libidinal symbol.
27:21 - 30:57 Equestrian Therapy and Heart Fields
The heart field of horses; equestrian therapy and autism; horse as symbol of relational attunement.
30:58 - 38:42 The Sacrificial Horse
Vedic and Upanishadic conceptions of the horse.
38:43 - 42:17 The Heart as Sovereign
Horse as sovereign; Heart as Emperor.
42:18 - 49:08 Sublimated Sexuality
Reining in Fire Horse energy; Daoist deity Wen Zhe as general of negotiation.
49:10 - 54:38 Relational Conflict and Pericardium Gate
Potential for conflict; forgiveness and community; Pericardium as Heart Protector.
54:39 - 1:00:10 Tones of Excess Water
Fear; Water controlling Fire; freezing desire.
1:00:11 - 1:03:40 The Alchemy of Liberated Desire
Fire and Water as alchemical pair; nirvana as extinguished desire; moksha as liberated desire.
1:03:41 - 1:09:51 Historical Shifts
Fire Horse as solar fire; avoiding burnout; retrospectives on the previous Fire Horse year (1966).
1:09:52 - 1:13:18 Heart as Yin Fire
The wisdom of allowing; embodied speech.
1:13:19 - 1:20:24 Crystallizing Destiny
Forging fire; deepening connections.
About Paul Arellano
Paul Arellano is an acupuncturist and herbalist working in Portland, OR. He studies the interplay of climate and human health through the Wuyun Liuqi system of ecological health science. In addition to studying and writing about seasonal dynamics in nature and health, Paul offers BaZi natal chart readings, which uses the 5-Element system to create a “landscape map” of personal constitution and character. In these readings, Paul explores how each individual can harmonize with their own inner nature and enter into resonant, healthy relationship with the living forces of our world.
https://www.willamettevalleyacupuncture.com
