Gung hey fat choy, everyone! Happy Chinese Lunar New Year!
In Western mythology, a dragon is an evil fire-breathing creature which must be slain by a hero (preferably a knight in shining armour on a white steed). But in Eastern mythology, a dragon is a wonderful creature of dynamic energy, prosperity, wisdom and protection. Dragons get the love and respect they deserve in Asia!
What can we expect in this Dragon year? According to Susan Levitt and Jean Tang in Taoist Astrology:
The year of the Dragon is a time of ambition, power, and daring. Events seem as if they are magnified threefold with increased intensity. The energy and vitality of the Dragon year may make some people overly optimistic. A Dragon year is an excellent time to start a business, marry, have children, and take incredible risks. On a global level, expect extreme earth changes, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tidal waves.
Don't forget to exchange a coin with a friend today to ensure good luck and prosperity for the upcoming year! Click here for details.
Dragons are cool! But earthquakes, volcano eruptions, floods? In the year 2012? Didn't see that one coming!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! Go Dragons, GO!
ReplyDeletehmmm, I'm not getting married, not starting a business and better not have any kids...I'm retired!!! for gawd sake. My new kayak may expose me to risks??? Hope not! Happy New Year!!! :>
ReplyDeleteI love me dragons a lot... I'm a horse in Chinese Zodiac... wish I was a dragon...
ReplyDeleteI live one block away from Brooklyn's Chinatown. Actually, I have to walk through to get to my subway. I'm hoping to see a little excitement when I go home.
ReplyDeleteMary
Happy Chinese New Year to you as well..... May this be a fruitful year.
ReplyDeleteexciting,
ReplyDeleteGung hey fat choy!! I love dragons and it's too bad they get such a bad rap :(
ReplyDeleteI Love dragon energy and dragon spirits! Loved this post! I also love the celtic/druid dragon symbolism and stories too..
ReplyDeletehere's to dragon magic!
Victoria
Gung hey fat choy!!!
ReplyDeleteMay the year bring an abundance of wondrous changes to all!
I just learned that from someone in my office. I miss the year of the rat.
ReplyDeleteHappy Chinese Lunar New Year to you too! I would send you a gold coin but not sure where to insert it in the laptop? My Chinese sihn is the rooster. Imagine a gay man and his sign is the cock!?!
ReplyDeleteMy son was born in the year of the dragon and he's definitely all about da ambition, sigh…I"m born in the Year of the Cat (really) or the rabbit to some cultures and we don't necessarily get along with dragons ; )
ReplyDeleteBut happy new yeat to you and esp. HRH~
Happy Chinese New Year!
ReplyDeleteI find it fascinating that most cultures have dragons in their mythology somewhere (although not all called "dragons"). Maybe somewhere, dragons live. I'm a Chinese Snake, a bit short of a Dragon.
ReplyDeleteGung hey Fat Choi, Debra. I didn't know that business about the coin but now that I do ...
ReplyDeleteShould be an interesting year, time to fasten our seat belts i guess.
Hooray for dragons! I love Chinese astrology. It is very intricate. I read that this year is the year of the Black Dragon.
ReplyDeleteMy sister had a doll house and she loved dragons. I found a lovely tiny one with a crystal ball at its feet and she put it on the captain's walk for the house.
ReplyDeleteEVERY home should have a watch dragon.
Well put.
I find it kind of startling that I've been feeling so optimistic and full of drive for this coming year and that is the story for the year of the dragon. Maybe I had better pay attention to the word "overly?"
I have a friend sleeping over tomorrow night. I think I'll do the coin exchange with her.
Gung hey fat choy! I also love dragons. I have painted a whole bunch of ceramic dragons and they're all sitting on top of my bookshelves. They are magical creatures!
ReplyDeletehappy new year to you and yours, deb!
ReplyDeleteyear of the rabbit [2011] sucked, big time... so will accept even small improvements now :)
If Gaia is taking requests, I'll have all the other stuffs listed, you can keep the earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tidal waves.
ReplyDeleteok :) Thank you.
Gang hay fat choy to you too!
ReplyDeleteMy son-in-law is crazy about dragons....so all I can picture is dusty ornamental ones :/
May we live in peace without weeping
May our joy outline the lives we touch without ceasing
And may our love fill the world angels wings tenderly beating - Irish blessing
the tale tellers did a great Chinese New year for the kids..they had so many great ideas I stole them for our chinese new years..we're having all sorts of decorations(better than last year) I'm making egg drop soup, rice and ??? maybe sweet sour chicken wings. we'll have red money bags, with gold paper covered chocolate coins, and fortune cookies..I'm still trying to find some chinese music..all I can find so far is a few songs from Flower Drum Song..happy new year.
ReplyDeleteHappy Year of the Dragon to you! I happen to have a dragon friend sitting on my dresser looking at me right now. :-)
ReplyDeleteBright blessings,
Bird
Hey, who are you calling fat? :-)
ReplyDeleteAmbition, power and daring - I'm liking.
Earthquakes and volcanoes, not so much.
(and a Happy New Year to you too)
Happy New Year!!!
ReplyDeleteI have always had an affinity for dragons- both western and eastern so maybe this will be ayear of new beginnings for me
One of my favorite quotes is by Rilke and perhaps applies more to western dragons but here it is
"Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses waiting to see us act just once with courage and beauty. Perhaps everything that frieghtens us is, in it's deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love."
Johnina
I recently learned that I was born in a dragon year...cool...maybe that's why I feel they get a really raw deal in this western culture...I always feel for the dragon...
ReplyDelete