Oh boy, this was fun to write !  There is a lot to share about this Chinese New Year, and it’s interesting to explain things in more detail through Chinese medicine and the Five Elements.  For example, two

consecutive years are spent in the same element; there are five elements:  fire, earth, metal, water and wood.  The last two years were spent in the Water Element, which corresponds to the season of winter, and the organs Kidney and Urinary Bladder.  We will spend the next two years in the Wood Element, which corresponds to the season of spring, and the organs Liver and Gall Bladder.   

 

The fun superficiality of the Chinese calendar actually runs deeply from observations made thousands of years ago that still apply to life today.  Like Chinese medicine, the calendar is pervasive throughout all aspects of being human, affecting day to day living, farming, health care, etc.  As we strive to live in harmony with our environment, we also notice how we change and respond to each season.  Each season corresponds to the Five Elements; fire/summer, metal/autumn, water/winter, wood/spring, and earth/transitions between seasons, as well as internal organs, sound, direction, etc.  And like everything you can possibly think of, each element also has Yin/still or Yang/active aspects.  We begin this two year Wood Element cycle with Yang;  yang wood

represents the more rigid aspect of wood such as sturdy trees, the opposite of grasses and bamboo, which is more flexible / yin.  The deep roots of yang wood helps to keep the earth element stabilized, just as we notice along river banks.  However, wood can also over-control the earth element, and for people that manifests as digestive concerns.  It’s a good year to pay close attention to eating consciously.  Wood’s corresponding season is spring, the associated environment is wind, the direction is east, the color green, the taste is sour, the corresponding organs are the Liver and Gall Bladder, the emotions anger and forgiveness, and the wood element manifests in the nails, tendons and eyes.  In addition to vision, the wood element is also responsible for creative vision.  A harmonious wood element (Liver) listens to intuition and remains flexible enough to make changes to their creative idea when necessary, and (Gall Bladder) delegates responsibility to others in order to help carry out their plan.  The Gall Bladder is the more yang aspect of the wood element, providing the yang/activity to accomplish the goals set by the Liver, which is more yin/stable and still.

 

Each Chinese new year welcomes the next animal in the cycle, there are twelve animals; 2022 was the year of the Water Tiger http://daisylear.com/2022-year-of-the-water-tiger/  and 2023 was the year of the Water Rabbit http://daisylear.com/2023-year-of-the-water-rabbit/ .  The Year of the Yang Wood Dragon begins February 10, 2024 and ends January 28, 2025.  People born in the year of the Dragon :  1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024.

 

Dragon is the only mythical animal of the twelve, so this was an interesting dive into Chinese thoughts about dragons.  Previous to this dive, I was more familiar with northern European dragon lore, and was surprised to discover the sharp differences between the two.  In China, there are five types of dragons, each guarding the four directions and the center.  The Chinese regard them as bearers of abundance, transformative energy and good fortune.  Dragons are highly respected and thought of as weather lords, and as such people would ask Dragon to bring water for their crops.  Instead of breathing fire, “when exhaling its breath changes into clouds from which can come either fire or rain”.  Also, Chinese artwork commonly shows Dragon with a pearl, and this pearl typically

represents universal qi and the search for truth  :  “The dragon’s pearl can also be thought of as a

symbol for universal Qi, the progenitor of all energy and creation. The dragons seem to be depicted

in attitudes of pursuit. He is seen to be reaching out eagerly to clutch at the elusive object, mouth

open in anticipation and eyes bulging with anticipation of achieving the prize afforded by clutching the pearl”.  Dragon also has the power to shape-shift :  “As an animal possessed of magical abilities, the Chinese dragon is able to shrink to the size of a silk worm; and then swell up to fill the entire space between heaven and earth. It can make itself visible or invisible, as it so chooses. It can take on human form or that of another animal to carry out some secret mission.”  https://jiulongbaguazhang.com/history/the-dragons-of-china/

 

Dragons have whiskers, and like cats these whiskers provide enhanced sensory perception and balance.  By playing with the idea of ‘creating’ whiskers for ourselves, we can cultivate a connection with our “whiskers”.  This can provide us with the ability to more accurately read a situation / event / people;  using your fingertips, feel the length of the silky yet firm whiskers, they can be short or long, whatever you need at the moment. Considering that Dragons can shape-shift, deliberately cultivating our whiskers may come in handy.

 

Putting it all together, since the Wood element is associated with spring / growth / transformation and the Dragon is also associated with transformational energy, we can expect major shifts within

ourselves and perhaps the earth itself.  Whether these moments of transition are deliberately chosen personal choices or unwelcome changes, they can still be intense transformations.  Considering that this is a yang Wood year, (yang being the more active and rigid aspect of the Wood element) we may encounter situations where we either need to maintain a strong stance in our beliefs or come up against rigid thinking or impassable situations.  During these moments, we can use the creative visionary Wood element and have fun with the Dragon’s ability to change shape to navigate these transitions and transformations to assist us in living up to our human potential.  

 

“…he who is not busy being born is busy dying”  – Bob Dylan