Lunar New Year - Year of the Snake

SeaBreeze

Endlessly Groovin'
Location
USA
Info and links about the Chinese New Year...looks like I'm a Snake. :)

This is the beginning of the new lunar calendar. In celebration of
the Chinese New Year, I will be discussing the many wonderful
contributions the Asian cultures have given the world in relation to
alternative medicine this week.

Celebrating the Lunar New Year: The Year of the Snake

We just got back from Chinatown in New York City. What a wonderful celebration
in the streets! Alive with music, drumming and festive people in costumes. It is
tradition for the local businesses to give a donation to the local community
groups in a red envelope. On Mott street, where we were, there was a parade of
brightly colored dragons, in a group of three, that would then pass by each
business who offered a red envelope and bless that business with good fortune by
doing a ritual dance at their front door.

At another point in the day, a very long paper and cloth dragon made an
appearance, dancing through the streets to the sounds of beating drums and
musical gongs. At one point they would battle with the three dragons, who were
making their rounds to local businesses. Of course, the dragon would win the
battle (as it is his year) and then, both animals would go on with their
business! They sky was a wash with beautiful rainbow colors of streamers that
pedestrians would send up with a pop from a cardboard hand cannon of red and
gold.

We stopped at one of my favorite local restaurants and had a great feast of
chicken and vegetable rice, sauteed beef and orange sauce, delicate baby bok
choy, green beans, delicious fish and seaweed soup and fresh fruit.


Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the Lunar new year
and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called
the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and
children carrying lanterns in a parade. You can learn more about the lunar new
year:

http://www.peacefulmind.com/moonsigns.htm

Prior to New Year's Day, Chinese families decorate their living rooms with vases
of pretty blossoms, platters of oranges and tangerines and a candy tray with
eight varieties of dried sweet fruit. On walls and doors are poetic couplets,
happy wishes written on red paper. These messages sound better than the typical
fortune cookie messages.


The Year of the Snake - begins on February 10, 2013

The lunar calendar has a sixty year cycle. In Chinese Astrology, the
five basic elements of Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth, which make
up all matter, are combined with the twelve animal signs of Rat, Ox,
Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Lamb, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and
Pig to form the sixty year cycle. One's Chinese horoscope is based on
which lunar year in this sixty year cycle one was born.

The Snake

Snakes are romantic and deep-thinking, wise and charming. Usually say little and
possess great wisdom. They are often selfish and a bit stingy, but they have a
lot of sympathy for others and will go to great length to try to help those less
fortunate. Their intuition guides them strongly. They keep a sense of humor
about life. They have a mystic, graceful, soft-spoken, sensual, creative,
prudent, shrewd, ambitious side to them. They are elegant, cautious,
responsible, calm, strong, constant, purposeful. They can also sometimes be a
loner, bad communicator, possessive, hedonistic, controlling, ruthless,
distrustful and vengeful. The Snake can pursue goals ruthlessly and with
calculation, striving for control through power.

Virtues: Wisdom, Intuitive
Nature: Yin
Trine: 2nd
Sign: Power
Hour: 9am - 11am
Organ: Spleen
Color: Red
Element: Fire
Direction: South/Southeast
Season: Summer
Gemstone: Opal
Outer Persona: Your Birth Year
Inner Persona: Your Birth Month
Secret Persona: Your Time of Birth
Compatibility: Oxen and Rooster
Lucky Numbers: 1, 2, 4, 6, 13, 24, 42 and 46.


Learn more about your Chinese horoscope and determine which animal
you were born under:

http://www.peacefulmind.com/feng_shui.htm


Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.
 

I'd better stay out of your way then 'cos I'm a rat :playful: you had a great time by the 'sound' of it, every Sunday morning at about 9am we hear the drums from a neighbours house and over the last weekend there've been lots of parties etc as we live in an area popular with the Asian community, great people ( most of them ) and most of them grow their own veggies etc and give any spare to us and others around here.
btw I think my OH is a pig, but I don't know his Chinese sign. :eek: only joking!
 
Maggis, I didn't experience the celebration in the article, it was Andrew (at bottom), and the links are to his site. I like Chinese food too! :D I think that horoscopes are many times for amusements, but my sign in the usual horoscope rings true on many things.
 
I'm an ox and hubby is a snake...did I ever mention that I hate snakes (the ones with no legs)...Love that Chinese food too. We used to get great stuff in Portland, and haven't had anything outstanding since we left.
 
Looks like I'm a pig !:chargrined: Not sure how I feel about that, haha.

That is what I am as well. I looked up the definition; I don't think we're all that bad - lol lol

Personality Traits of the Pig:
You are happy, good-natured, outspoken, but a little too trusting. Pigs are the nicest people to know. A pig will remain your friend for life. You might do well as a craftsperson, art collector, or comedian.
Famous People born in the Year of the Pig:
Ted Danson, Al Capone, Hillary Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Lucille Ball, Glenn Close, Woody Allen, Alfred Hitchcok, Randy Travis, Winona Ryder, Kevin Kline

I went a bit further with this and the moon was in Capricorn when I was born. I fit about 98% of that profile. I'd like to know how "they" figured all this stuff out.
 

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