28 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese Year of Dragon

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Celebrating New Year of the Dragon in China! Guest Post By M.G. Edwards

07 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, Chinese Year of Dragon, CULTURE: China, CULTURE: World, Guest Posts

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China Central Television, ChineseNewYear, CULTURE: China, Dragon Year, Maotai, New Year, Shanghai

Celebrating New Year of the Dragon in China!

Guest Post By M.G. Edwards

My wife Jing, son, and I spent the 2012 Chinese New Year with Jing’s family in Shanghai, China. It was a special New Year’s for us, not only because it ushered in the auspicious Year of the Dragon but also because it marked a first for our family—the first time we had been together with Jing’s family in China for the holiday. My wife had not spent New Year’s with her family in almost two decades, and it would be the first time my son and I joined them. The happy hearts and big smiles of my in-laws when we arrived January 21 foretold a joyous reunion.

We arrived in Shanghai the day before New Year’s Eve. We spent some time January 22 getting ready for the evening’s festivities, which promised to be the grandest of a week’s worth of New Year’s celebrations. We went shopping and bought fireworks and red and gold holiday decorations, including the “Come Luck” (fu) symbol, to enhance the festive atmosphere. The weather hovered below freezing in the urban confines of Shanghai, where concrete buildings with ceramic tile façades sucked any vestiges of heat from the air, but the holiday buzz warmed our souls.

We spent New Year Eve’s with family at my in-law’s home. Her father, mother, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew joined us. When we arrived, my brother-in-law, Song, took us outside to blow off a string of firecrackers and light up some sparklers. My son and his cousin had a blast.

My mother-in-law, Ma, prepared a cacophony of Chinese dishes that ranged from fish in sauce for Song to soy sauce meatballs for my son. The meal was delicious. My father-in-law, Ba, Song, and I offered toasts with shots of Maotai baijiu, a 120-proof Chinese liquor, and wished each other and our families health, wealth, and love. The others sipped Changyu, a Chinese brand of red wine.

After dinner, the family moved over to the couches to watch the annual New Year’s variety show broadcast by China Central Television (CCTV). The glitzy show beloved by many Chinese featured over five hours of skits, songs, and other entertainment, a tried-and-true formula used for years. The quality of the production had undoubtedly improved and become more “hip” than it had been when my wife was young.

An hour before midnight the fireworks started in earnest. We took a break from the TV show to give gifts of hong bao (red envelopes with money) to the children. The adults took turns sitting in chairs as my son and his cousin each bowed to us and politely asked for envelopes. My nephew recited a common Chinese New Year phrase, “恭禧發財, 紅包拿來?” (in pinyin, “gongxi fai cai, hong bao na lai”) roughly translated as “Wishing you a prosperous New Year. May I have my red envelope?” I enjoyed the ritual of the hong bao and thought that it trumped Christmas gift giving because the kids had to pay homage to their elders before getting their gifts (not to mention that it’s easier to give cash in an envelope than buy and wrap a gift).

Just before midnight, Ba and Song ignited a long string of firecrackers outside the apartment that exploded with deafening pops, adding to the sound of the fireworks booming around us. Thankfully, they did not blow off the remaining packages of firecrackers until the fifth day of the Chinese New Year.

At midnight, we looked out the bay window of my in-laws’ home and watched the most amazing fireworks display I’ve ever seen. Fireworks were exploding everywhere—on rooftops, out the windows of high-rise buildings, and on the ground in the streets and alleys between buildings—everywhere. It was a beautiful 360-degree, three-dimensional light show unlike any I’d seen in the West. We heard the sounds of pop, pop, pop in all directions! Considering that the Chinese invented gunpowder and fireworks, it’s understandable why they went over the top using pyrotechnics to ring in the New Year. The din of the fireworks died down around 12:30 in the morning. We finally left the in-laws at 1 a.m. and headed back to where we were staying, picking our way carefully in the streets to avoid being hit by stray fireworks.

On New Year’s Day, after we had recuperated from the previous night’s festivities, we visited the Temple of the Town God (Chunghuamiao) to see the lighting of the lanterns that adorned the decorated floats in a pond near the temple. Dedicated to the protector spirits that guard the city, the temple itself lay in the middle of one of Shanghai’s most popular commercial districts. Thousands of visitors, mostly Chinese, had the same idea as we and converged on this popular area to take in the holiday atmosphere. The strings of lights, red lanterns with gold tassels, and traditional Chinese architecture at Chunghuamiao were simply spectacular, but the place was numbingly overcrowded. I had never seen so many people packed into one place — even considering that China had more than 1.2 billion people! The crowds put a damper on my mood.

On January 24, we visited my wife’s childhood home in northeast Shanghai. This fell in line with the Chinese tradition that a married daughter—my wife—spend time with her family on the second day of the New Year. We arrived at the low-rise apartment, which still looked much the same as it did when my wife grew up there, and walked around. Jing and her sister reminisced about growing up there, showing us where they used to play and some of the fun things they liked to do as children.

My young nephew and son weren’t so interested in the family history but enjoyed Yangpu Park, one of Shanghai’s larger parks located across the street from my wife’s former home. The boys had fun doing on some amusement rides and kiddie activities. Jing and her sister revisited a Chinese pavilion near a pond, a picturesque stone bridge, and other places in the park etched in their memories. I enjoyed watching couples ballroom dancing in the frigid cold.

Spending time with family and friends is an important aspect of Chinese New Year and a major reason why we visited Shanghai during winter. We spent the third day of the New Year, January 25, with my wife’s uncle, Xiao Shushu, his wife, and relatives Erhong Jiujiu and his wife. We gathered around the table at my in-laws’ home for another delicious Chinese spread prepared by Ma and listened to the relatives talk about the past. They told touching stories of how difficult it had been for them in the old days. Life was better now.

On the fourth day of the New Year, January 26, we went with family to the self-proclaimed “Venice of Shanghai,” Zhujiajiao, a beautiful village not far from the city. Founded over 1,700 years ago, the village was a smorgasbord of traditional Chinese architecture, including a Buddhist temple and a Temple of the Town God, canals and waterways, stone arch bridges, and wooden oar-powered tour boats. Dragon boats sailed in the canals and red lanterns festooned the streets. While we enjoyed the festive atmosphere, the crowds were horrific. We thought we were going to be crushed in an alleyway but eventually wiggled our way out of town.

Following our tour of Zhujiajiao, we met some cousins for a meal at the Xibei Oat Noodle Restaurant in Shanghai. Influenced by flavors from the Middle East brought to China via the Silk Road, the northeastern Chinese cuisine served was simply delectable. My brother-in-law noted that I enjoyed the roasted lamb, green salad, and pita bread more than the sweeter and seafood-laden Chinese cuisine preferred by Shanghainese.

After dinner, we went to the cousins’ home, where we joined them for a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. The oolong and barley teas were soothing to the tongue and light on the stomach.

On the evening of the fifth day of the Chinese New Year, January 27, the fireworks started again in earnest as the residents of Shanghai welcomed the arrival of the god of wealth and success, Guan Yu. Some believed that making noise would attract his attention and bring them prosperity, so the fireworks continued unabated for the next 24 hours. I did not sleep well that night, tossing and turning as the noise makers rattled outside our window all night long.

We concluded our seventh and final day of the Chinese New Year shopping and spending time with family. My wife bought some nice New Year’s decorations for our home. In the evening, my brother-in-law took us for a family meal at a Korean restaurant that he thought would satisfy my western tastes. The Korean bulgogi, kimchi, and other dishes from the Land of the Morning Calm hit the spot. Jing’s family joined us for one more meal before we headed home.

We returned to Bangkok on January 28 exhausted from a week’s worth of celebrating the Year of the Dragon. The intensity and excitement of the occasion was unforgettable. Through the family gatherings, traditions, foods, fireworks, and trappings of the season, I glimpsed the heart and soul of the Chinese people. The experience was so profound that I spent the next couple of weeks at home in peace and quiet contemplating what it all meant. I will never fully understand this cultural event, but it is now a part of me.

M.G. Edwards is a writer of books and stories in the mystery, thriller and science fiction-fantasy genres. He also writes travel adventures. He recently published a collection of short stories called Real Dreams: Thirty Years of Short Stories available as an ebook and in print on Amazon.com. His upcoming travel novel, Kilimanjaro: One Man’s Quest to Go Over the Hill, will be available in March 2012. He lives in Bangkok, Thailand with his wife Jing and son Alex.

For more books or stories by M.G. Edwards, visit his web site at www.mgedwards.com or his blog, World Adventurers. Contact him at me@mgedwards.com, on Facebook, or @m_g_edwards on Twitter.

Read Lada Ray companion posts:

How My Family Celebrates Chinese New Year of the Dragon! (includes Shanghai New Year Fireworks video by M.G. Edwards)

Feng Shui Master’s Advice: Secret of True Prosperity

Ultimate Energy & Power: Chinese Dragon

Secrets of Effective De-Cluttering: Reclaim the Health of Your Space

Year of the Dragon Extravaganza Complete Schedule

How My Family Celebrates Chinese New Year of the Dragon!

24 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, Chinese Year of Dragon, CULTURE: China, CULTURE: World, Feng Shui

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

ChineseNewYear, CULTURE: China, Dragon, Dragon dance, Dragon Year, Fireworks, Hong Kong, Lion dance, New Year of the Dragon, New York Chinatown, Red Auspicious Packets

I love celebrating Chinese New Year! My husband’s family is from Hong Kong, so Chinese New Year has a special meaning for us. My husband’s parents always have auspicious red Chinese envelopes stuffed with money, waiting for us when we visit.

The family dinner includes fish, shrimp and lots of auspicious vegetables – the symbols of prosperity. The house has to be brimming with red lanterns and envelopes, as well as oranges and mandarins, also symbols of prosperity and abundance.

Whenever we get a chance, we go to New York Chinatown to watch the Dragon and Lion Dances. All Chinatown restaurants are packed, reservations being made well in advance, each restaurant trying to outdo themselves and each other with the most creative and prosperous dishes imaginable. In addition to sharing the New Year’s festivities with family, it is also a fabulous idea to share your New Year’s meal with close and dear friends.

Above: Dragon Dance

During the Chinese New Year Celebration, various ceremonies are conducted to ensure the fortunate year ahead. This includes New Year’s parades, as well as Dragon and Lion dances. My personal favorite is the Prosperity Cart Ceremony, which I learned from my Hong Kong Feng Shui teachers.

Above: Lion Dance

Traditionally, the New Year’s celebrations last 15 days. Therefore, this year, the celebrations will continue from 1/23 through 2/6.

The year 2012 is very special, as it is the year of the Dragon, considered to usher in a very powerful energy of prosperity and renewal.

During the New Year, Chinese people will greet each other with pleasant words like:

Xin nian kuai le – Happy New Year in Mandarin. Simplified Chinese: 新年快乐; trad. Chinese: 新年快樂.

Hao yun – Good Fortune. Simplified Chinese: 好运, trad. Chinese: 好運,

Kung Hei Fat Choi – Happy New Year in Cantonese (Literally: Congratulations and best wishes for a prosperous New Year!)

Cantonese language: shares the written word with Mandarin, but sounds different in its spoken version. It is the #2 dialect of China, spoken in Hong Kong and south of China.

Finally, Gong Xi (or ‘Gong Hei’ in Cantonese) means ‘Congratulations’, derived from the legend of ‘Nian’, congratulating each other to have escaped the harm of the beast.

Also, read my special posts:

‘Ultimate Energy and Power: Chinese Dragon’

‘Feng Shui Master’s Advice: Secret of True Prosperity’

Watch live! January 23 2012 Year of the Dragon Fireworks – Shangahai, China. Courtesy, Michael Edwards, who resides in Bangkok, Thailand and is currently visiting Shanghai for Chinese New Year.

I am very pleased to announce that Michael Edwards will be doing the eyewitness guest blog on 2012 New Year’s Celebrations in China right here, on Lada Ray Blog! His post will appear in the beginning of February! Don’t miss this very special event!

From our family to yours: Have a wonderful and prosperous 2012 – Year of the Water Dragon! Xin nian kuai le! Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Lada Ray

Author and Feng Shui Master

January 24, 2012

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Secrets of Effective De-Cluttering: Reclaim the Health of Your Space

19 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, Chinese Year of Dragon, Feng Shui

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Chi, clutter, de-cluttering, Energy, Feng Shui, Home, South East, your space

Secrets of Effective De-Cluttering:

Reclaim the Health of Your Space

Originally published in Magic Bird Feng Shui, 2005

when several people in one day approached me with the same question: “How do I de-clutter my home? And how do I de-clutter my business space?” I knew the time for this article has come!

In Feng Shui terms, clutter represents stagnant, old, dying energy. It prevents the free flow of Chi, the life giving force that is necessary for us to feel vibrant, positive, successful, and have you guessed? …HAPPY.

It has become a cliche of sorts, everyone knows they need to de-clutter. In our consumer oriented society having many things – some unfortunately useless – is a norm.

We buy things & clothes when we feel down, when we need a boost, when we want to lift our spirits. The logic behind that is correct: new items brought into our space bring fresh energy with it. However, here is a problem: when you buy while feeling sad or depressed, chances are you will buy the wrong item(s). Items you have no use for will reflect your low energy level & your state of mind at the time. It is like eating cake when we feel lonely or depressed – we want to boost our energy, instead we are cluttering our body with waste.

The same happens with our home or office. When feeling lonely, depressed, or wanting to bring a new energy into your space, buy high quality uplifting art, crystals, great music, or acquire high quality & effectiveness Feng Shui remedies & energizers, designed specifically to boost the CHI level! Much like eating fruit instead of cake, and vitamins & minerals instead of beer will strengthen the life force of your body, such items will increase health & vitality of your space!

Going back to the issue of de-cluttering. While you may know you need to de-clutter, you may feel it is too much of an effort. Some get discouraged in the middle of the project & abandon it all together. How to start & what to focus on seem to be the main questions.

Here is some advice I give to my clients when I hear such complaints:

Do your de-cluttering little by little. When you de-clutter, you stir up a ton of wasteful, stagnant energy. Much like when you are cleansing, all those toxins get stirred up in your body and temporarily you feel worse before you start feeling better. Same happens to your house. When you cleanse, if you do too much too fast, you may get sick. When you de-clutter too fast, your life may get worse temporarily as well! That is why sometimes de-cluttering projects get abandoned before completion.

Solution: de-clutter slowly, one room, or corner at a time. Gradual de-cluttering will allow your space & your psyche adjust to the new energy flow. Then rest a little & start a new corner, or a new room. Pace yourself over a course of a few weeks or months. At that time, bring only meaningful items into your space. Use highly effective, thoughtfully acquired Feng Shui remedies & energizers (do not buy cheap trinkets – they are ineffectual & sometimes even harmful).

Another important point: let your space tell you what your de-cluttering priorities are. Do not assume anything. One of my clients, when I told her this, said, “This makes sense! Sometimes, I would start de-cluttering the office, but it is like some kind of force is pulling me to the bedroom instead”. Do not resist that force! Our home, or office, believe it or not, is a living, breathing entity. It has its own mind, its own needs & preferences.

Listen to it, tune into its vibrations. You may be amazed how much it will tell you!

An example I often cite is that of my uncle. It took me several years to convince him to de-clutter the South East corner of his property. The South East in Feng Shui is responsible for wealth & prosperity. I had a hunch that my retired uncle never allowed himself to travel because he felt insecure spending his retirement money & the clutter in the South East corner was a contributing factor. We systematically cleared stacks of old magazines & papers accumulated there for years. The whole project took us a few weeks & in the end we felt exhausted. After it was complete, we uncovered some important missing papers, including cash & some greatly appreciated stock certificates. My uncle thought it was a miracle! Apparently our de-cluttering efforts have liberated the energy of prosperity, as well as my uncle’s wealth luck that has been suffocating in that corner for years. His space literally started breathing. My uncle sold his stocks just on time: right before the crash & at the top! He used that money to boost his energy & horizons through world travel with his newly found sense of prosperity.

Just like with the above example, clutter in any corner of your home or office usually is a sure sign & a contributing factor to all kinds of problems in your life. When I am called on a Feng Shui Consultation, clutter immediately tells me what area of my client’s life is not flowing right. Invariably, my conclusions are confirmed by client’s complaints.

Try to develop mindfulness toward clutter-induced life problems. For example, clutter in the kitchen indicates that residents are overwhelmed by the house maintenance. Clutter in closets indicates unwillingness or inability to deal with hidden issues. And clutter in the attic is a sign of not being able to part with the past.

Word of caution! While de-cluttering, do not inadvertently create the opposite problem. It is important not to get carried away & overdo things. Try not to clutter your space, but do not make it look too bare or clinical either. That applies not only to your living space, but also to your office. Avoid the sterile, impersonal appearance that government offices, hospitals, and military installations are notorious for. Such places possess too much lifeless metal energy. Other examples are computer, machinery or trading rooms.

One of the neatest homes I have ever seen belonged to a financial consultant with a major wirehouse. He was certainly in no danger of clutter! In fact he feared clutter so much, that he would obsessively clean every day. Frankly, I’ve never seen a man’s home so neat. So neat in fact, that you felt uncomfortable staying there. Have you guessed, that the man had no life, except for his job?

So, remember that balance is key in Feng Shui!

Ok, so we have successfully completed our de-cluttering process. Now what?

Exceptionally good compliment to de-cluttering is Space Clearing. There are some very good space clearing methods available on the market. Do your research to come up with the space clearing method that suits your needs.

After all the dust (literally & figuratively speaking) has settled, we have made room for new, fresh energies. So fill it only with positive, life affirming energies of success, prosperity, joy, great relationships & wisdom. Just like filling your body only with good foods will give you more energy, filling your home or office only with high quality meaningful items, music, flowers, Feng Shui symbols & energizers will propel your life to the new exciting levels of accomplishment, peace & happiness.

Good Luck & God Bless!

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Smashwords

GOLD TRAIN paperback is coming on April 25, 2012. More: https://ladaray.wordpress.com/blog-tours/

For descriptions/excerpts/trailers from GOLD TRAIN and other Lada Ray’s books: LadaRay.com

If you liked my posts, please comment, RT, share and follow Lada Ray Blog!

Till next time,

Cheers!

Lada Ray

Feng Shui Master’s Advice: Secret of True Prosperity

16 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, Chinese Year of Dragon, CULTURE: China, CULTURE: World, Feng Shui

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

abundance, Chinese Coins, ChineseNewYear, Energy, Feng Shui, flow of Chi, I ching coins, Kuan Kung, Laughing Buddha, Luck, Lucky bamboo, Prosperity, Red envelope, Symbol, Wealth

First, to answer a question I received from some of my followers: ‘Feng Shui‘ is pronounced: (feung-shway)

This article was originally published in Magic Bird Feng Shui, as well as The World of Feng Shui Magazine, 2004. Copyright Lada Ray.

Feng Shui Master’s Advice: Secret of True Prosperity

I hear many complaints from clients, who despite making big money “have nothing to show for it”. Meanwhile, I also know some other people, who while having much smaller incomes live full, happy and truly prosperous lives.

In observing various cultures from around the world I can’t help but notice that the amount of cash in the bank, or a fat paycheck are not synonymous with prosperity. True prosperity is so much more than that! And alarmingly, a disproportionate number of complaints about lack of it originate from my American clients – some of the highest paid in the world.

What makes life prosperous and abundant is the feeling of life’s fullness, which in turn is generated by balanced enjoyment of fruits of one’s labor. This very positive energy can be attracted into one’s life by certain actions and attitudes, and discouraged by others.

Prosperity likes positive thoughts and dislikes negative ones. It is drawn to bright colors, space, light, and generosity. It doesn’t care for dull, dark and cramped atmosphere. And it certainly hates appearance and mentality of scarcity.

That’s why, no matter how much money you have, you will never have the feeling of prosperity and abundance in your life if your fridge is empty – not full; dining table brimming with papers – not fruit; and your house is dark and cluttered – not bright and tasteful.

So, what is the secret of true prosperity? And what can those, who lack the feeling of security and abundance, do to attract this valuable energy?

The bad news is that if you lack a feeling of true security, abundance and prosperity, the reason may be karmic. Karma belongs to the “Heaven Luck” portion of our trinity of Luck (Heaven – Mankind – Earth), while Feng Shui governs its Earth portion. They seem to belong to different “Universes” of our being.

The good news is that afflicted Feng Shui always seems to come with the territory. And any Feng Shui affliction can usually be minimized or reversed through clever use of specific remedies and enhancers. How exactly does this work?

Well, I like to define karma as “Lessons we must learn in this lifetime”. Therefore, positive intention of change helps overcome karma. If we focus our intention on correcting a Feng Shui affliction, we are on our way to learning our karmic lesson.

So whether your concern is karmic, or plain bad Feng Shui, don’t fret. Just start making positive changes and prosperity will come knocking on your door before you know it!

Some ways to make it happen:

1. Keep the front door into your residence or office brightly lit at all times! Light attracts yang energy, which brings activity, good news and, consequently, prosperity.

2. Keep a prosperous looking bowl of fruit on your dining table! Eat at your dining table as often as possible, and make it look brimming with goodies. Eat only high quality nutritious foods. You’ll rip dual benefits: acquiring better health & sending the right message to the Universe: I am prosperous!

3. Always keep your fridge full of good, nutritious foods! In the old days in China, people kept rice in porcelain rice urns. Since rice was the main food staple in Asia, the family rice urn was considered a depository of family’s prosperity. To ensure a never-ending prosperity, the urn was kept full at all times. Today, we consider the fridge an equivalent of the ancient rice urn. Therefore, even if you live alone or eat out a lot, keep your fridge prosperous!

4. De-clutter your house – who knows what treasures you may uncover, when you do! Last year I finally convinced my Uncle to clean up the Wealth Corner of his house. After removing several years’ worth of papers and rubbish, we recovered several valuables, including $10,000 in cash! My Uncle was pleasantly “shocked” at this miracle, but, his forgetfulness notwithstanding, the simple fact is that de-cluttering liberates energy that has been confined and suffocating, and may bring unexpected wonderful things into your life.

5. Always take good care of the universal Wealth Corner of your home or office. That’s where, according to Feng Shui, the energy of Wealth resides! Located in the Southeast, it is the area of small wood, thus, fill it with healthy, green plants. Plants are synonymous with growth and prosperity. Include here Lucky Bamboo, Money & Orange Trees. Yang, moving water is also a good energizer. (Note: do not keep plants or water in the bedroom.)

6. Take very good care of your Personalized Success Direction. This direction is different for everyone and is determined by calculating you Lucky (KUA) number, based on your year and date of birth.

7. In traditional Feng Shui, it is considered very important to preserve wealth and avoid flushing it away. Therefore, make sure you don’t have a toilet in one or more of the following locations: 1. The Southeast – Universal Wealth Sector; 2.Your Personalized Success Sector; 3. Right next to the main entrance; 4. Facing the door into the kitchen or dining room. Flushing a toilet in these areas symbolically flushes away all your wealth and prosperity.

8. Feng Shui is very symbolic. Keep Good Luck Symbols that attract wealth and prosperity in your house. Some of the preferred symbols are: the Lucky Money Toads, I Ching Coins tied with red ribbon, Laughing Buddha, Kuan Kung (God of Wealth), images of Auspicious Birds, and a Citrine Crystal Money Tree with 9 I Ching Coins tied to the branches.

9. Donate your hard-earned money to charity & give presents to your loved ones. My friend’s mother-in-law often says: “Money has to change hands, otherwise it gets stale”. Every family gathering she gives out envelopes full of money to all four of her grandchildren. This old Russian lady is neither Ph.D. in Economics, nor a Feng Shui Master, but she’s got it right! Instead of fear: “What if I don’t have enough money to last me in retirement?” she confidently declares to the Universe: “The pie is big, there is enough for everyone!” Meanwhile, her grandchildren are taught from an early age the true meaning of abundance. Interestingly enough, this old lady never made more than $30,000 a year, but she always has money. In fact, Feng Shui hates the void, so when you spend money for a good cause or for your loved ones, the Universe rushes in to fill your wallet again.

There are many other powerful ways to bring prosperity into your life. But the above suggestions are a good start. Start the New Year right by making the above changes and by sending your intention to the Universe. Don’t postpone abundance, and don’t skimp on prosperity. Life is short – enjoy it to the fullest here and now!

Original photography: Lada Ray

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Ultimate Energy & Power: Chinese Dragon

12 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, Chinese Year of Dragon, CULTURE: China, CULTURE: World, Feng Shui

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Chi, Chinese Zodiac, ChineseNewYear, Dragon, Dragon dance, Dragon Turtle, Dragon Year, Feng Shui, New Year, New York Chinatown, Year of the Dragon

Unleash the Power of the Dragon!

Original photography by Lada Ray

The Year of the Black, or Water, Dragon starts January 23, 2012. Note, the Chinese New Year Celebration normally lasts 15 days, so, January 23 is referred to as the first day of the New Year. More about how to celebrate Chinese New Year, in my future post.

The New Chinese Year is always celebrated with Dragon Dances. Each store and business in China, Hong Kong, New York’s Chinatown, as well as other Chinatowns around the world will welcome the Dragon and Lion Dancers inside during the 15 day celebration period, as it is believed to usher in the brand new, yang and auspicious energy of prosperity and success for the entire year.

And this goes double for the Year of the Dragon.

The beloved symbol of Chinese folklore and ancient art, Dragon is also considered the most recognized and important Feng Shui symbol to have in one’s home or office.

In the Imperial times, Chinese Emperor‘s robes were always decorated with a number of dragons. Because the power of the dragon was considered so overwhelming, there were restrictions, or even prohibitions on wearing clothes and displaying dragon images on part of Emperor’s subordinates, so that the power of underlings wouldn’t threaten that of the Emperor.

According to the System of 5 Elements, there are 5 types of Dragons. Each type of dragon visits us once every 60 years. Year 2012 is the year of the Water (Black) Dragon.

What to expect in the YEAR OF THE DRAGON? How does it differ from the other years of the Chinese Zodiac?

Year of the Dragon is considered one of the most powerful years for business and innovation. It ushers in more Yang – aggressive, assertive – energy, than almost any other year in the 12-year Chinese Zodiac cycle. Therefore, this year we should expect new developments in various revolutionary and alternative technologies. By the way, fellow Indie authors, this could be the year for you!

In general, starting your business is considered especially auspicious during the Year of the Dragon. This year will also be good for anything alternative.

On the other hand, the Year of the Dragon could signify more turmoil in both social and political spheres, as well as in nature. Sorry to say, natural, as well as man-made disasters won’t subside.

Famous Dragon: Vladimir Putin, who is guaranteed to win this year’s Russian Presidential Elections. For more on that, read my yesterday’s post ‘Year 2012 Predictions.’

Wishing you a Prosperous and Happy Year of the Dragon!

Remember to leave comments and subscribe to my blog!

Also, please read my future posts during THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON EXTRAVAGANZA!

Cheers to All!

Below is another beloved Chinese image, that of the Dragon Turtle, believed to combine the power of the Dragon with the Protection of the Turtle.

Check out GOLD TRAIN ebook on:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble Nook

Smashwords

GOLD TRAIN paperback is coming on April 25, 2012. More: https://ladaray.wordpress.com/blog-tours/

For descriptions/excerpts/trailers from GOLD TRAIN and other Lada Ray’s books: LadaRay.com

If you liked my posts, please comment, RT, share and follow Lada Ray Blog!

Till next time,

Cheers!

Lada Ray

Year 2012 Predictions

11 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, Chinese Year of Dragon, CULTURE: China, CULTURE: Russia, CULTURE: USA, CULTURE: World, Feng Shui, Geopolitics/ Economics, PREDICTIONS: 2012 & Beyond

≈ 27 Comments

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12/21/12, Alternative, Angela Merkel, astrology, Chinese Year of the Dragon, crisis, Democrats, E-Publishing, End of the World, EU, Euro Zone collapse, Europe, Feng Shui, finance, French Presidential Elections, future, Indie Publishing, Kindle, markets, Mayan Calendar, New Year of the Dragon, Obama, Prophecies, Putin, Republicans, Romney, Russian Elections, Sarkozy, Social Media, United Russia, US Elections, world disasters, Year 2012, Year 2012 Predictions, Year of the Elections

Year 2012 Predictions

by Author and Feng Shui Master, Lada Ray

Scroll down to the end for the US Presidential Election prediction

and 10/28 update!

First, a quick announcement: I’ve been planning to write:

BOOK OF PREDICTIONS – AFTER 2012

for some time now, but it’s been on hold due to other priority projects. I hope to write and release it this year, depending on my schedule.

What qualifies me to predict the future? In the past decade, I taught a number of my proprietary Feng Shui courses and did lots of consultations, in addition to writing about Feng Shui and spirituality for various publications around the world. As part of my speaking and writing, I made predictions about certain events in society and our lives, as well as advised clients on various real estate and investment-related matters.

My various predictions usually came true. As a quick example, I sold my own real estate property in 2005 – at the top – and advised my clients to do the same. Those, who followed my advice, cashed in very nicely. To find out more about me, check out my bio.

My predictive methodology is complex and consists of several parts.

As a former financial consultant with Smith Barney (Citigroup,) I understand the market movements.
Having lived in various countries, under various social systems, including socialism and capitalism, and having observed and studied the geopolitical mechanisms that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, as well as those in the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America, I understand the driving forces in the world today.
I also draw on Western Astrology, which, together with other predictive methods, is a great tool.
Feng Shui, especially the Theory of Five Elements, along with Chinese Astrology, is also helpful.
An important element in my predictions is the powerful Oriental System of Long Cycles, very little known, and even less understood today. Feng Shui, in its most profound and true manifestation, shares the same philosophy. I studied this system with revered Hong Kong Masters of Feng Shui. Since space in a blog post is limited, I intend to talk more about it in the upcoming BOOK OF PREDICTIONS.
Last, but not least: While I do not consider myself psychic, although some may beg to differ, in my predictions, I rely heavily on my intuition, which has never let me down.

Without further ado, let’s get to the core of the issue. The Year 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, according to the Chinese system, and it also has been called the Year of Elections. So, what does this year hold in store for us all?

First, something that has been done to death (no pun intended) in books and film: Should we expect the End of the World on 12/21/12?

The short answer is – ABSOLUTELY NOT! The above date, when Earth forms a direct line with the Galactic Center, will be a non-event and will go absolutely unnoticed by most humans. Some may feel more emotional and high strung, but it could be because these people are feeling the nervousness of others around them. However, the world will keep spinning, and life on Earth will go on.

The long answer is more complex. There are very powerful, LONG TERM changes at work. Those of us who are currently involved with, say, Indie Publishing, or Social Media, and some other areas, are actually at the forefront of these changes.

Suffice it to say that humanity is going through a massive transformation of consciousness, which will last for the foreseeable future, and at times, may be painful and confusing.

But these changes are gradual, although some manifestations are visible in cataclysms and events of today. Examples include: Japanese tsunami and Fukushima disaster, Gulf of Mexico oils spill, the Occupy Movement, Egypt Revolution, US/Europe Economic Problems, The BRICS, Kindle and Indie Publishing Revolution and many others.

Please read more about these events and changes in my upcoming books: THE EARTH SHIFTER (a fantasy/thriller) and BOOK OF PREDICTIONS (non-fiction.)

For more about my books, please visit: LadaRay.com

What to expect in the YEAR OF THE DRAGON? How does it differ from the other years of the Chinese Zodiac?

In general, starting your business is considered especially auspicious during the Year of the Dragon. This year will also be good for anything alternative.

On the other hand, the Year of the Dragon could signify more turmoil in both social and political spheres, as well as in nature. Sorry to say, natural, as well as man-made disasters won’t subside.

Read more about the powerful Dragon in my tomorrow’s post, right here, on Lada Ray Blog!

2012 is called THE YEAR of ELECTIONS, with something like 40 countries going to the polls to elect new Heads of State. This includes the big three: Russia, USA and France.

My friends will tell you that I could talk for hours about geopolitics, but due to the confines of the blog space, I’ll be brief and discuss the big three. Also, just to mention, I am a ‘political atheist’ and do not participate in any political party. My analysis is based on logic, facts, intuition, Chinese Astrology and Theory of Long Cycles.

I will go with plus 2, minus 1.

RUSSIA, Presidential Elections, March 4, 2012: Vladimir Putin will win easily enough, although, due to the crowded field and according to the Russian electoral rules, he may only get clear majority in the second round. Protests on part of the Communists and assorted opposition will continue, and electoral fraud will be alleged again, whether it took place, or not.

However, between now and March, Putin and the ruling United Russia Party will make all the right moves, and Putin will end up securing anywhere between 55 – 68% of the votes. 55% may be way too low. Low to mid 60s is probably the right percentage.

While Russians could afford to play around with the results of the Duma elections in 2011, they’ll treat Presidential Elections much more seriously. Putin means stability, and everyone will remember that. Russian social, economic, political, financial, police and army reforms will continue in a controlled fashion during Putin’s Presidency. I will try to discuss Russia’s future in detail in my BOOK OF PREDICTIONS.

There is one more, esoteric, reason for Putin’s win: He is a DRAGON, according to his Chinese Zodiac sign. 2012 will be much better for Putin, than 2011, as the power of the Dragon is fully behind him this year! ;)

USA, Presidential Elections, November 6, 2012: Republicans will pick Romney, who is perceived as the man of the middle, and therefore, appears a safe bet. And Romney will NOT beat Obama. Because, as one rapper said, speaking at Occupy Wall Street, “Obama is ten times the campaigner, as he is the President.” The rapper, whose name I won’t mention here, added, “And I mean it as a compliment, Mr. President!”

In short, USA will remain sharply divided along partisan lines. Obama will narrowly win another 4-year term.

Meanwhile, various protests will continue and intensify. Emergence of a third party is very possible, fueled with disillusionment with the establishment and election results.

What happens during Obama’s second term is another story altogether, and I’ll discuss it later in my BOOK OF PREDICTIONS, as well.

Ah, yes, in case anyone’s wondering, Barack Obama’s Chinese Zodiac sign is the OX, considered along with the Dragon, one of the most powerful signs. Obama is in good company here, as the Ox is the sign of a world leader and can also be rather charismatic. He shares it, infamously, with Saddam Hussein. But also, with Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana and Jane Fonda. ;)

France, Presidential Elections, April 22-May 6, 2012: French President Nicolas Sarkozy, together with Angela Merkel of Germany (whose re-election is not until 2013, and I’ll talk about her chances on another occasion) will do everything in their power to reassure the Europeans and the markets in 2012, and will pull a rabbit out of the hat, if necessary. Watch for various announcements from the Eurozone, directed at flooding the system with cheap money, more bailouts, etc.

However, the Eurozone crisis will deepen, with more countries teetering on the brink of collapse, and French elections will happen at the most inopportune time for Sarkozy. Openly right wing and considered the only neo-con, able to win the election, he’s deeply disliked in his country, and will lose.

Again, in case anyone’s wondering, Sarkozy’s sign is the HORSE. Maybe, that’s why the long face. ;) Just kidding, all you, fabulous Horses, out there! The Horse is a very cool and fortunate sign!

Wishing you a terrific and auspicious Year of the Dragon! Please like and comment to let me know what you think about my predictions!

P.S. On 1/13/12, only two days after I posted my prediction about Sarkozy losing the French elections, S&P downgraded French debt, stripping it of it’s coveted AAA rating. France was downgraded along with 8 other Eurozone countries. This move, as analysts unanimously agree, spells disaster for Sarkozy in the upcoming elections. And it also signals that the Eurozone problems are bound to intensify this year.

Update 10/28/12:

Russia and France voted exactly as I originally predicted on 1/11/12, GOP nominated Romney, and there are clearly 3rd parties emerging in the USA. Two Third Party Presidential debates are being hosted by Larry King and aired by RT America (First debate took place several days ago and is available on Youtube; second – foreign policy – debate will air and be posted on Youtube on 10/30).

Upcoming US Presidential Elections: no change from the original 1/11/12 prediction! Obama wins narrowly, with less than 5%, possibly less than 3% advantage.

It is interesting to note that, while in the USA the vote will be very close, abroad it’s not even a contest. Based on multiple surveys and polls from over 20 countries, Romney gets more support only in Pakistan, which is attributed to the Pakistanis’ irritation with deadly drone strikes, not so much to their preference of a specific candidate. Most countries have Romney in single digits, with Western Europe, especially France, favoring Obama by the widest margin.

My prediction: while Obama is far from ideal, no world leader (except, perhaps Israel’s Netanyahu) wants Romney as US President, in fact he scares everyone with his bellicose posturing. Foreign perception is that his angry rhetoric, lack of reason and restraint would make his presidency into Bush 2.0. By the way, this is also perception of much of the international investment community – and international investment community is seldom wrong.

It is naive to think that American elections happen in a vacuum. In our globalized and interconnected world, it should not be underestimated how much influence other countries and global community hold over any country’s policy and elections. In fact, I noticed that global opinion is the most accurate barometer of presidential election results in any country. For example, the international community at large (excluding USA and UK) wanted Putin to win (of course, there was really no contest anyway). In France, both the country and international perception were against Sarkozy, and sure enough – he lost.

Read my follow up articles/predictions regarding the elections in Russia, France and USA.

1. Russia Votes: Crash Course in Russian Politics

2. 2012 Predictions Update: Russian Elections

3. 2012 Predictions Update: French Elections and Eurozone

4. 2012 Predictions. Year of Elections: Russia, France – USA next!

I will be posting a follow up after the US elections, including my new predictions regarding the very important for the Eurozone German Chancellor Election 2013, including Angela Merkel’s chances.

Many have asked me to expand my predictions and talk about the future of financial markets, economic outlook for various countries and continents, as well as the future of world peace. I will try to post more of my predictions going forward. Stay tuned!

Check out GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure), rip-roaring thrill ride from Moscow to St. Petersburg, based on true historic events. It’s mystery, thriller, magic, and hot romance…

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