The Chinese New Year arrives with the new moon of Feb 17 at 7:01am USA ET). This is the year of the Fire Horse, explanations of which are above my pay grade, so I’ll stick with noting the following:

The Chinese new year always begins with Hexagram 11, Peace: earth above, heaven below. It’s funny, when you think about it: the “natural order” of things seems reflected in “heaven above and earth below.” But in the I Ching view, true harmony comes when heaven, the creative yang force, places itself voluntarily beneath the receptive yin force, so as to be of service in creating a world of balance and harmony.

The Wilhelm-Baynes reading begins with this:
“The Receptive, which moves downward, stands above; the Creative, which moves upward, is below. Hence their influences meet and are in harmony, so that all living things bloom and prosper. This hexagram belongs to the first month (February-March), at which time the forces of nature prepare the new spring.”

The whole hexagram is worth a deep dive, but for today
I’ll invite your attention to the 2nd and 3rd lines, as there be wisdom here:

Line 2:
Bearing with the uncultured in gentleness,
Fording the river with resolution,
Not neglecting what is distant,
Not regarding one’s companions:
Thus one may manage to walk in the middle.

In times of prosperity it is important and above all to possess enough greatness of soul to bear with imperfect people. For in the hands of a great master no material is unproductive; [they] can find use for everything. But this generosity is by no means laxity or weakness. It is during times of prosperity especially that we must always be ready to risk even dangerous undertakings, such as the crossing of a river, if they are necessary. So too we must not neglect what is distant but must attend scrupulously to everything. Factionalism and the dominance of cliques are especially to be avoided. Even if people of like mind come forward together, they ought not to form a faction by holding together for mutual advantage; instead, each [one] should do [their] duty. These are four ways in which one can overcome the hidden danger of a gradual slackening that always lurks in any time of peace. And that is how one finds the middle way for action.

Line 3:
No plain not followed by a slope.
No going not followed by a return.
He who remains persevering in danger
Is without blame.
Do not complain about this truth;
Enjoy the good fortune you still possess.

Everything on earth is subject to change. Prosperity is followed by decline: this is the eternal law on earth. Evil can indeed be held in check but not permanently abolished. It always returns. This conviction might induce melancholy, but it should not; it ought only to keep us from falling into illusion when good fortune comes to us. If we continue mindful of the danger, we remain persevering and make no mistakes. As long as [one’s] inner nature remains stronger and richer than anything offered by external fortune, as long as [one] remains inwardly superior to fate, fortune will not desert [us].

May the new year bring true blessings of positive transformation and healing to all the human and non-human families on Earth.