Futomaki Sushi (Ehomaki)

Nori rests on a bamboo mat. Rice spreads across it, followed by omelet, cucumber, mushrooms, fish and shrimp. One hand steadies the filling as the other guides the mat forward. Separate ingredients become a firm roll, with every color still visible when sliced.

There is also a way of eating this food that is all about direction. At Setsubun in Japan, people face the year's auspicious direction and quietly eat a whole ehomaki, carrying wishes for the year ahead. Accounts of the custom's origins differ; it later spread across Japan. Everyday futomaki can simply be sliced and enjoyed slowly.

The traditional Chariot shows a charioteer with a black sphinx and a white sphinx before the vehicle. Their different positions suggest the forces that need coordinating when we move: what we want to do, the time available, and the circumstances we actually have.

Rolling sushi takes coordination too. Steady it with one hand and move forward with the other. If it is overfilled, take some out. If the roll slips off course, pause and adjust. A clear direction still needs care at each step.

If you are moving a project forward, decide what matters most for this stretch, then check whether your time and energy support it. Bring the arrangements in your hands into the same direction, and finish the part before you with care.