It’s Almost Here Chinese New Year 2012 – The Year of the Yang Water Dragon, 23rd January 2012

Well as its fast approaching, Monday marks the start of the Chinese New Year with many preparations having been made several weeks ago and many areas around the world are already beginning their celebrations it seems fitting to take a look at where we stand already several weeks in to January.

As well as being a colourful, vibrant and magnificent New Year celebration the Chinese calendar allows us to further reflect on where we are, clear our clutter and make way for new beginnings. We will follow up with material solely on the Feng Shui (astrology) calendar later in another post as we are not set to place the new cures until February 4^th.

Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

We will be entering in to the Year of the Yang Black Water Dragon and it always feeling invigorating to be leaving one cycle behind and having the opportunity to enter in to a new one. If you have had a great year then you will want to try and continue with that as much as possible but if your year has been less than desirable then a new blank canvas awaits.

• It is always prudent to spend time creating some balance in your life, clearing out your home and indeed your computer, office and most certainly your mind and anything else you can think of that has amassed some mess! We need to disregard any unwanted items and of course where ever possible re-cycle, give to charity and pass on and where not put them out with the rubbish.
• Going through our ‘stuff’ wherever it may be gives us the chance to reflect on the past, keep what is important and move on with what’s not. We are continually evolving and it helps to give us markers and indicators on where we have been in the last 12 months at least and where we are headed. And importantly is that to our liking or not?
• There is something very satisfactory about creating order and balance for it is in perfect alignment with our spiritual selves it gives us the facility to create an even keel, take a breath and actually be present in the moment. Constant rushing from one thing to another and taking no time to be just be is not conducive to our holistic well being so if needs be we have to use calendar engagements as an aid to instigate a change and I can’t think of one much better than this. But you can incorporate Birthday’s and major holidays too if you want to try make integral small changes over the whole course of a year.
• As it can take a while to actually go through your home it is sometimes easier to break it in to bite size chunks, except for those that are super organized and disciplined and operate on this policy all year round of course. For example in the whole month of December my children and I go through all their toy boxes, drawers and anything else we can find and clear everything out and resume some order. They have learned that they want to give first and receive later. So that any old, unused or unwanted toys and items can go off to charity whilst we make room for a hopeful visit from you know who at the end of December.
• This is inspiring for me so I always incorporate my office clear out once we have completed their room which then naturally leads you on to become fairly committed to completing the task in as many places as possible. This ideally leaves you enough time before the official Chinese New Year when ideally all of the home should be cleared, cleaned and made ready for the New Year.
• In an super organised world we would all be on time and have all that done but in actual fact, the process of beginning and the intention are as important as the completion so really as you long start, try and make an effort being super fastidious and perfect isn’t really that important.

If there is light in the soul, there is beauty in the person.

If there is beauty in the person, there is harmony in the house.

If there is harmony in the house, there is order in the nation.

If there is order in the nation, there will be peace on earth.” – Chinese Proverb

Not everyone is interested in the Chinese Animals and Astrology but I believe in a holistic personal development toolkit you would want to ensure you have as many allies as you can. I was taught when I was little not to criticise what I didn’t understand and whilst there are a good many things that happen in the world that I strongly am against, none of us can hope to find a way to eradicating these things without first immersing ourselves in the issue to gain some perspective and understanding (not agreement) in order to be better equipped.

Pick the right time and things will go well. Miss the right time and things will go awry.” – Lieh Tzu

From the Chinese Astrology and Animals perspective, it is always interesting and prudent to keep an eye on things and whether you wish to plan everything via the most auspicious dates and directions or not, maybe just reading the whole year and the history and meanings may be enough for you. Widened perspectives, deepened knowledge and generally being more in line with our intuition can’t really ever be a bad thing so give it a go.

As an ardent fan and follower of Feng Shui for many years below are some excerpts from my favourite Feng Shui resource and where I get my own yearly Feng Shui cures from. There are many good sites out there but this one is always super packed with content and incredible detail which would help build anyone’s knowledge prior to purchasing anything or embarking in to the world. For those that are already interested or slightly obsessive about their Feng Shui it surely has to be one of the most fascinating, enlightening and rewarding past-times out there.

I wish everyone around the world a stupendous Chinese New Year and hope that the Year of the Dragon proves to be one of great majesty, voyage and treasure for you.

Wishing you copious amounts of health, wealth and happiness.

Those who oppose the flow of Tao end up being called “unlucky”.’ – Lao Tzu

Here are the links to a group of articles which you may find of interest and inspiration from my recommended Feng Shui resource all relating to 2012.

http://www.fengshuistore.co.uk/chinese-new-year-2012/

http://www.fengshuistore.co.uk/2012-flying-star-xuan-kong/

http://www.fengshuistore.co.uk/2012-chinese-animal-predictions/

http://www.fengshuistore.co.uk/2012-annual-cures/