Carpe Diem #849 Yaks

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

We are on a journey through the land of shamanism and tengrism Mongolia and especially the Altia Mountains. A very characteristic scene are the yaks, a kind of cattle, which are used for several goals. As I was preparing this episode I asked my self the question "What is the spiritual meaning of the yak?" To me it seems there is no spiritual meaning, but it turned out otherwise.

Yak is a sign of the primal zodiac and it's about the same as Taurus. So let us take a look at this primal zodiac sign.

Stubborn determination is the hallmark of the Yak. Those born under this sign simply do not accept “no” for an answer. Hard work and dedication to a cause will earn you the highest respect in a Yak’s eyes. Members of this sign tend to see things as “black or white”, meaning that there is rarely a middle ground to any situation. People’s actions are either right or wrong, things are either good or bad, people are either hard workers or lazy slobs. The word “compromise” does not exist in the vocabulary of a Yak. They know how they feel and have no reason to question it.

Yaks hate change. They prefer a steady, dependable routine where they can focus their efforts on moving forward one day at a time. Working is where they feel the most comfortable, whether in their career or on their homes, in their gardens, or on their hobbies. Yaks tend to live for their future goals rather than for the moment, and it can take a lot of convincing to get them to take a break. It’s too bad, too, because a well-rested and serene Yak can be one of the best companions to have around. Finding a balance between work and life, or rather living for the future versus living for the present, should be an important goal for everyone born under this sign.

It is notable that some of history’s most notorious dictators were Yaks. Saddam Hussein, Adolf Hitler, and Niccolo Machiavelli, though all in very different ways, believed passionately and resolutely that fear and force amongst one’s own people were necessary components to creating and maintaining a strong following. This, of course, doesn’t mean that Yaks are evil or inhumane. Rather, comparing these former leaders shows that many Yaks share the trait of having a steadfast and uncompromising world view that they truly believe is best for all others to follow. The otherwise quiet and thoughtful Yak can become quite emphatic in sharing their passionate political viewpoints. One of this sign’s major life purposes is to learn to see past their own point of view and accepting the ideas of others, even if they personally disagree with them.

Yak

Yaks keep a small, but loyal group around them. They don’t like going out much and prefer quiet, familiar places when they do. Yaks don’t do small-talk well, they simply don’t have the time or patience for it. Those who know them well appreciate their ability to cut straight to the point and not sugar-coat conversations. If you can get a Yak friend to relax you will find that they are quite intelligent, loyal, and even fun to have around. If anyone outside the group were to try and cause trouble, the Yak would be the first to put an end to the situation - with force. Yaks will defend their closest friends and family with shocking force, but only when they deem it necessary.

Love is complicated for the Yak. Their difficulty in accepting others points of view can make long-term relationships difficult. Yaks are not rude or dismissive, but they know what they believe and will violate all social rules just to prove that they are right. In time, most members of this sign learn to suppress this trait in social situations, but they still have a hard time making long-term commitments until they have accepted that their way is not the only way or have managed to find a partner that will let them be the boss. Yaks often have admirers, but they are terrible at flirting. Striking up a casual conversation is not the most comfortable task for a Yak, though in time most figure out how to relax enough to be socially graceful. Age and experience do wonders for this side of a Yak’s personality.

The short spiritual meaning and spiritual power of the Yak is Healing stillness or numbness.

As part of our journey we are reading The Zahir by Paulo Coelho and this above mentioned meaning of the Yak is very strongly present in this novel ... that we will discover later on this month.

silence deepens
as the yak comes closer
overwhelming

© Chèvrefeuille

This episode is NOW OPEN for your submissions and will remain open until November 5th at noon (CET). I will (try to) publish our new episode, Tsengel (a vulcano), later on if my PC will stay stable.