Being Tiger is an adventure

Tiger Spirit, 2019

In Chinese astrology I am Tiger.

Joey Yap’s reading on YouTube for Tiger in 2020 is:

Think ‘adventure’ not ‘ordeal’
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TIPPING THE GLASS UPRIGHT
I am a glass-half-empty person – tricky for practicing the crucial mindset change I’ve talked about in previous posts, but it has become a pressing priority.

Forging into a new business for a new decade (let’s manifest it correctly here): the change will happen. I am aware that the consistent surge of positive, motivating energy I spent my life feeding to others, I must now feed to myself; I need a dose of my own medicine, if you like.

Is this even possible? I can’t tell you yet, but I’m trying. Report back later.

THOUGHTS OF ADVENTURE
This year is definitely about adventure. The timing is so right. A path has revealed itself and I know I must take it. I am excited to be doing this and passionate about creating art. It’s the first time I’ve actually stood up to show myself, my work, and then stuck around to talk about it without running off to hide.

Interestingly, adventure was the word I used to keep a positive frame of mind when I freelanced…

The mornings I began at a new design studio – preceded by a sleepless night spent worrying and a frantic journey praying to arrive on time if not early – I told myself, ‘It’s an adventure,’ and that it would be okay. Otherwise I went down the spiral thinking about what everyone thought of me and whether I was good enough, and then fretting whether they would they ask me back. It was like being the new girl in the spotlight at school, over and over again. Adventure was how I got to 5:30pm without losing my marbles and feeling it was an ‘ordeal’.

I do fully appreciate that setting up a new business – and this time doing it properly, as in, not by the seat of my pants – is going to be hard work. In my usual mindset this could tip easily into ‘ordeal’, especially in those moments I’m out of my comfort zone and anxiety comes knocking. That’s where Tiger comes in.

SYMBOLISM OF TIGER
Tiger Spirit is not only about courage and strength. Tiger can’t run long distances; she has to concentrate her energy where it will be most fruitful, and conserve it where possible. Tiger is strategic, not just chasing after whatever crosses her path. She knows what she wants or needs, and she has the intensity and willpower to go for it, when the timing is right. In that moment she is fearless and trusts herself implicitly to achieve her target.

I produced the painting shown here, Tiger Spirit, last summer. This was one of the first times Tiger appeared in my meditations.

I was focusing on the Sacral chakra, relating to creativity, security and trust, passion and action. Tiger appeared when I was trying to work out what it was I really wanted from life. It was about appreciating my own stripes, and aligning my own strengths and goals to the future.

I hadn’t dared look to the future with such boldness before, only with fear, projection and worry. But Tiger is a powerful ally to have, one that reminds me I am Tiger too. Change is an adventure I can’t resist – and all those awkward first days of freelancing have proved I'm capable and brave enough to take it on.

Image: Joshua Lee, unsplash.com
Joey Yap's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYUxdK9N2GtTBVTTsBcRxAw