Chinese New Year of the Dog and NEW Prosperity and Manifestation Rituals

10 Saturday Feb 2018

Posted by Lada Ray in Author Feature, Chinese New Year, Consciousness/ Wisdom/ Spirituality, CULTURE: China, My Updates

≈ Comments Off on Chinese New Year of the Dog and NEW Prosperity and Manifestation Rituals

Tags

Chinese Astrology, Chinese New Year, Earth, Feng Shui, Lada Ray, wisdom, year of the dog

Dear friends,

As many of you know, I am an Internationally Certified Feng Shui Master, who spent quite a bit of time studying Feng Shui and Eastern wisdom in Malaysia and Hong Kong. Every year I post something for Chinese New Year, including interesting facts, advice and more. You can read my previous years’ posts on FT under Feng Shui & Astrology. There are too many great free articles to mention. For example, read this popular article: Ask Feng Shui Master: How to Hang Your Horseshoe for Best Luck?

More links to free LadaRayBlog and LadaRay.com articles that are even more interesting are found on my new FENG SHUI & BEYOND page.

Since I am working simultaneously on many big new projects, I won’t do a major Feng Shui/Chinese New Year feature this year, except to say:

The Chinese New Year of the Brown (Earth) Dog begins on February 16. The celebrations last for 15 days, starting from New Year’s eve, February 15. Usually, the traditional Chinese New Year begins on a new moon, either in January or February, based on the lunar calendar. This year it also coincides with New Moon Solar Eclipse in Aquarius.

The Dog in Chinese astrology rules the North-Western direction. The Earth energizes the big metal of the Dog, which is positive. Generally, metal and earth do mix very well together, so this combo denotes a more harmonious distribution of elements throughout the year than we were used to in preceding years.

HOW TO MANIFEST PROSPERITY AND LUCK:

This year I made sure I’ve finished and made public my very special mini-reports, containing ancient wisdom nuggets and my tutorials. I hold a lot of ancient knowledge and wisdom in my memory, and I just want it to be available to others. It would be such a shame if it simply dies with me. We as humanity have already lost so much knowledge, and we continue either losing or warping available knowledge so it becomes unrecognizable.

I am inviting you to explore these super-affordable rituals, should you like to improve your 3D experience here on earth, and learn a few things.

These rituals are most powerful if performed during the first day, or if not, then during the 15 days of Chinese New Year Celebrations. All rituals are very affordable and they all are on sale, plus the Prayer of St. Francis is free (comes with my mini-prognosis 2018).

MANIFESTATION, HEALTH, SPIRITUAL GROWTH,
PROTECTION & PROSPERITY RITUALS

INTRO:

The rituals below bridge the gap between 3D and 5D. In a world where various dark forces want to prevent the manifestation of light, it is especially important to stack the odds in favor of the good guys. The Eastern wisdom, often expressed through Feng Shui, is invaluable in this regard. No matter how evolved you may be, and whether you are a 4D, 5D or higher-dimension soul, if you’ve come into this existence you must manifest in 3D. You want to live your life to the fullest and you don’t want to be miserable. I designed these rituals to help you manifest in 3D your best aspirations, and to help you live a happier and more abundant life.

UNIQUE, AFFORDABLE & EFFECTIVE WISDOM NUGGETS BY LADA RAY

Especially effective during Chinese New Year celebrations!
They make lovely and affordable gifts, too!

Ancient Eastern magic, Feng Shui secrets & spiritual revelations to help you live a happier, healthier, more harmonious & prosperous life!

Step-by-step tutorials, spectacular pics & case studies in each written report! Super-affordable, easy and effective!

ALL RITUALS & MANIFESTATION REPORTS ON BIG CHINESE NEW YEAR OF THE DOG HOLIDAY SALE!
Starting at $3.69! All under $10!

VISIT! Manifestation Rituals are now located in new LADA RAY SHOP!

~~~~~~~~~~~

EARTH SHIFT WEBINAR SERIES:

FORBIDDEN HISTORY & FORGOTTEN ORIGINS

EARLY BIRD SIGN UP (Feb 6 – Mar 1, 2018)!

Visit LadaRay.com

Follow LADA RAY ON PATREON!

2016 Year of the Fire Monkey Annual Forecast

10 Wednesday Feb 2016

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, CULTURE: World, Feng Shui, PREDICTIONS: 2012 & Beyond

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

2016, 2016 health predictions, 5 elements, 8 aspirations, annual forecast, Chinese Astrology, Chinese New Year, compass school of feng shui, Feng Shui, flying stars, global predictions, growth and prosperity, Lada Ray predictions, monkey people, monkey traits, No. 8 White Star, schools of feng shui, Year of the Fire Monkey, yin yang, Zika virus

Monkey in the Chinese Zodiac

Monkey people are considered sociable, quick, intellectual fast studies, and mischievous tricksters who love practical jokes. They can be quite lucky with money and good as entrepreneurs. They are adaptable and can work in a range of professions. At least, that’s what conventional wisdom tells us. 😉

Strengths: sociable, innovative, enthusiastic, self-assured
Weaknesses: suspicious, cunning, selfish, arrogant, jealous

Fire Monkey: Fire creates passion, but can also produce irritation. Passion, quick wit and irritability are common to fire monkeys, and it will be common for this year in general.

What is Chinese New Year all about?

The Feng Shui new year is derived from the solar calendar and it always changes over February 4th-5th. This date denotes the Annual Flying Star energy change.

Meanwhile, Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is marked by the combined lunisolar Chinese calendar, so the date changes from year to year. The New Year usually begins in the end of January or in the beginning to mid-February, depending on when the new moon falls. There are 15 days of festivities, starting on New Year’s Eve. The culmination is the Lantern Festival, which takes place on the 15th day of the new year.

The Chinese symbol for monkey

Each Chinese New Year is characterised by one of 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese zodiac wheel is a little like the Western astrological Zodiac, except each Chinese animal marks a year, instead of a month.

Feng Shui and the Chinese philosophy significance:

Apart from the fact that in Chinese zodiac each animal marks a year vs. Western zodiac, where each astrological sign marks a calendar month, there are other major differences. The Chinese zodiac also corresponds with the wheel of 8 cardinal and intercardinal subdirections of the compass. In addition, each of the 12 animals corresponds to one of the Five Elements. This energetic correspondence is registered each year twice (called Earthly Branch and Heavenly Stem) within the 60 year cycle of 12 animals multiplied by 5 elements.

Each animal of the zodiac also has a correspondence to a specific Aspiration in the Eight Mansions (Lada Ray’s term: Eight Aspirations) system, as well as in the Chinese Numerology.

I’ve begun the Chinese Zodiac page on LadaRay.info. CLICK HERE for complete Chinese Zodiac wheel and birth years for all 12 animal signs!

Year of the Monkey is always the 9th year of the 12-year cycle. The next Year of the Monkey will be in 2028. Each year of the Monkey is different, depending on the element of the Heavenly Stem. Therefore, this is the Year of the Fire, or Red, Monkey. Such year is only repeated once every 60 years.

Those who turn exactly 60 years of age between February 2016 and January 2017 are Fire Monkeys and they experience a full cycle return this year.

The wheel below shows the Heavenly Stem element and color of each Monkey year:

Popular Chinese New Year Greetings

1. 新年好 / 新年好 (Xīnnián hǎo)

‘New Year goodness!’

In Mandarin: /sshin-nyen haoww/
In Cantonese: /sen-nin haow/

2. 恭喜发财 / 恭喜發財 (Gōngxǐ fācái)

‘Happiness and prosperity!’

In Mandarin: /gong-sshee faa-tseye/
In Cantonese: Kunghei fatchoy /gong-hey faa-chwhy/

3. 步步高升 / 步步高陞 (Bùbù gāoshēng)

A steady rise to high places! — “on the up and up”

In Mandarin: /boo-boo gaoww-shnng /
In Cantonese: /boh-boh goh-sshin /

Lada’s global prognosis for 2016

The Year of the Fire Monkey

First two-thirds of the year will be volatile and confrontational. Clashes and uneasy situation will continue throughout the world. There is a good chance that a more peaceful approach to international conflict resolution will prevail in the last third of the year, most likely starting in October 2016.

I would like to note that this period coincides with the US presidential elections. Those who follow my geopolitical analysis on FuturisTrendcast (FT) will see the direct correlation here. Will USA become more peaceful and inclined to negotiations after the elections? I will discuss it in my new PREDICTIONS on FT – coming later this year!

Due to the #2 Illness Star flying to the center of the chart, this year is low in health energy, and rather sickly. Illnesses and epidemics scares are possible in various parts of the globe. This includes man-made viruses and hoaxes (Zika virus is a good example – I’ll talk about it in a separate article on FT).

Everyone is advised to be careful, both while traveling and while at home!

2016 Annual Feng Shui Forecast

Flying Stars:

2016 will be a sickly year for many people as the Illness Star is now in the center, its energy affecting all. Be careful not to get a flu, protect yourself by eating healthy, boost your energy via healthy supplements, and make sure you get enough rest this year.

Energize your personal health direction and wear you personal health colors, according to Lada Ray’s Personal Feng Shui Empowerment & Success Report – see below!

This year is very empowering for women due to (not to get too technical) No. 8 White Star flying to SW, the place of the woman. Women will greatly benefit from energizing their SW corner with 8 smooth yellow calcite or golden jade spheres and lots of natural crystals.

Five Elements:

The water element is missing in this year’s chart. Therefore, boost the presence of water: wear the color blue. You can also wear black.

Keep in mind that black carries a protective connotation and is yin in nature, symbolizing deep water, while blue is yang in nature and caries the connotation of energetic, moving water.

Display water features, such as fountains, aquariums and ponds. Water plants also work. Make sure you display water features in the beneficial areas, based on Flying Star and 8 Mansions, aka, 8 Aspirations, methods.

Use more blue colors in your decor. Blue crystals, Water drop hangings or wind chimes can be used as well.

More Lada Ray’s articles on Chinese New Year HERE & Feng Shui HERE

Feng Shui Consultations and Empowerment & Success Report HERE

Wishing you a great 2016

The YEAR OF THE FIRE MONKEY!

~~~

During this Chinese New Year and throughout 2016 Lada Ray offers:

PERSONAL FENG SHUI EMPOWERMENT & SUCCESS

Your Report by Lada Ray

It is a well-known and accepted by many fact that the unseen energy affects us in very profound, yet subtle, ways. A specific type of energy is encoded in elements of nature, compass directions, animals, colors and shapes around us. Our home and various corners/rooms in it also carry and vibrate at specific energy patterns, depending on location, surroundings, shape, color, condition, clutter, décor and many other factors.

Harness your untapped hidden reserves of special luck through the right usage of your personalized auspicious colors, power elements & success compass directions! Use this report to turn around OR empower your career, health, abundance, personal growth & relationships this year.

This report is born of Lada Ray’s innovative school of Personal Feng Shui, based on the Classic Compass School. Suitable for beginners through advanced. Great value & fun to work with!

Click for details and to order your personal report!

Check out other

Lada Ray Feng Shui Consultations:

EARTH SHIFT REPORTS

BOOKS

Follow: LadaRay YT FuturisTrendcast LadaRay Blog Twitter @LadaTweets G+

Donate to support Lada’s work!

Lada Ray Consultations

How China Celebrates the New Year of the Fire Monkey

08 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

2016, Chinese music, Chinese New Year, Chinese New Year Spring Festival, Feng Shui, Lada Ray, Year of the Fire Monkey

Today, February 8th, the 15-day celebration of the New Year of the Fire Monkey has begun. It is traditionally celebrated with fireworks and Spring Festival. In case you were wondering, this is how the New Year of the Monkey is celebrated – the Chinese way!

China rings in 2016 Monkey New Year with fireworks:

2016 CCTV Chinese New Year Spring Festival Gala [Monkey] 1/4

2016 CCTV Chinese New Year Spring Festival Gala [Monkey] 2/4

2016 CCTV Chinese New Year Spring Festival Gala [Monkey] 3/4

2016 CCTV Chinese New Year Spring Festival Gala [Monkey] 4/4

.

Happy New Year of the Fire Monkey!

More Lada Ray’s articles on Chinese New Year HERE & Feng Shui HERE

Feng Shui Consultations and Empowerment & Success Report HERE

2015 Chinese New Year of the Sheep and Feng Shui Predictions Special – Lada Ray on Time Monk Radio

24 Tuesday Feb 2015

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, Consciousness/ Wisdom/ Spirituality, CULTURE: China, Feng Shui, PREDICTIONS: 2012 & Beyond

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

auspicious Chinese new Year celebration, Chinese New Year, Chinese New Year of the Horse Predictions by Feng Shui Master Lada Ray, Chinese Zodiac, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Master Lada Ray, feng shui predictions, Lada Ray predictions, New Year of the Wood Sheep, prosperity ritual, red packet, spring festival, Year of the Wood Sheep predictions

Happy Chinese New Year of the Wood Sheep, dear readers! The Chinese new Year started on February 19, 2015. The auspicious New Year celebration period lasts for 15 days.

As we say in Hong Kong, Gong Hei Phat Choi! (Cantonese for Happy New Year!)

Or in Mandarin: Xīn nián kuàilè (meaning, New Year happiness)

Listen to my very special Chinese New Year interview, packed with lots of fun, useful, and interesting information. In this show, Melodi, the host of the Cat’s Eye on the Future, and I discuss: the Chinese New Year of the Wood Sheep and its meaning; the secrets of the Chinese Zodiac and different Chinese zodiac animal affinities; how to celebrate your Chinese New Year auspiciously, what to wear and how to set your table; the red envelope tradition and what to give as gifts; how to energize your home and how to welcome spring.

We also talk about various schools of feng shui and my feng shui practice. For desert, we compare the character of the previous Year of the Wood Horse, with the different energy this new year brings. My Feng Shui Predictions for this year of the Wood Sheep wrap up this very informative and entertaining show, together with some spiritual and personal development advice.

Listen to this show on YouTube:

Lada Ray: 2015 Chinese New Year of the Sheep and Feng Shui Predictions

Cat’s Eye on the Future by TimeMonkRadioNetwork

Please watch, like, comment and share!

This interview is also uploaded on Lada Ray YouTube Channel

Lada Ray, M.A., is internationally certified Feng Shui Master

You can order one of Lada’s Feng Shui consultations

on LadaRay.info

***

check out Lada’s Feng Shui page

read Lada’s Feng Shui articles

********

Subscribe to LADA RAY youtube channel

Follow Lada Ray Blog

FOLLOW FuturisTrendcast

to keep on top of new articles, Earth Shift Reports and videos as they come out!

Follow on Twitter @LadaTweets

Donate – support Lada’s work!

Read Lada’s Books

New Youtube Channel and 2014 Predictions

11 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, Consciousness/ Wisdom/ Spirituality, PREDICTIONS: 2012 & Beyond

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

2014 angel messages and predictions by Doreen Virtue, 2014 predictions, angel card reading by Doreen Virtue, chemtrails, Chinese New Year, Chinese New Year of the Water Horse Predictions, corporate takeover of world governments, de-cluttering, EarthShiftTV, Feng Shui, geoengineering, geopolitics, Indigo, Lada Ray Blog, Lada Ray Youtube channel, Predictions by Lada Ray, whistleblowing

I’ve been known to predict the future, quite accurately as a rule (you can get a taste of my past predictions at the bottom of this post). Some of my fans have been writing to me, asking why I have stopped doing my predictions and whether I’d be doing them again for this year and beyond. The answer is, I haven’t abandoned my predictions; in fact, I continue making them every day, as my close ones would attest, who complain that they know more about the future than they’ve ever wanted to, lol. 😉

The truth is, as my vision continued expanding, I began feeling a pressing need to significantly reshape the format in which I communicated my vision and ideas to the world at large. I am presently re-structuring many things in my life, including how I connect via social media with my fans and readers. One of the things I am working on, is my new Youtube channel, where I will be posting my predictions, among other things. I intend to cover a broad range of subjects, including spirituality, expansion of consciousness, geopolitical, societal & financial restructuring of the world, Earth changes and environment, Feng Shui, and more… Some of these topics and views were covered in my metaphysical fantasy/thriller, THE EARTH SHIFTER. But in all honesty, I can really only consider THE EARTH SHIFTER a primer, as my vision expands well beyond that!

My new Youtube channel has been in development since last year, and its working name is: EarthShiftTV. Dear friends, how do you like it? Please let me know in the comment section, should you feel inspired! And a million THANKS to you all! Continue reading →

Prosperity and My Chinese New Year Spread

25 Monday Feb 2013

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

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

abundance, Auspicious and healthy cousine, Chinese cousine, Chinese New Year, Chinese New Year Celebration, Feng Shui, money, New Year of the Snake, Prosperity

Today, I’m continuing my series on the Chinese New Year of the Snake celebration. As you start the new year, so shall it go. That’s why the Chinese pay so much attention to having a very prosperous and bountiful holiday table. The New Year is similarly celebrated in Russia and many other cultures around the globe, therefore, for me, a beautiful and prosperous holiday table is a norm, as I’d had enough experience as a child helping my mother prepare and decorate our Russian New Year spreads. This year, I started my Chinese New Year celebration in the Catskills, and then, continued it in New York City, including a visit to New York Chinatown and a Buddhist temple. The Chinatown posts are to follow, complete with lots of great pics and a fascinating and educational exchange I had with a Chinatown merchant. But today, I want to share my Chinese New Year prosperity celebration.

The table should be bountiful and include dishes like auspicious fish, rice, lots of colorful and healthy vegetables, fruits & cake, and some high quality tea!

The centerpiece on my table: auspicious pink salmon, a wonderful symbol of prosperity.

Salmon is garnished with green peas for health, growth and money, as well as colorful fresh red peppers for energy.

My two rice dishes: white jasmine and mahogany, both garnished with fresh veggies.

Mahogany vegetable rice, my favorite!Jasmine vegetable rice.

Cabbage and scallion salad (in a large bowl after grapefruit). Due to green color, many leaves or shoots, and excellent nutritional value, both cabbage and scallions are the beloved symbols of prosperity.

Finally, to satisfy my sweet tooth: tea and cake!

My very healthy cake, stuffed with high quality dry fruits and red walnuts and garnished with jumbo dates. It was very moist and delicious. Yum!

Jasmine Dragon Pearl green tea, brewed especially for the New Year of the Snake, in a Tetsubin Snake tea pot, and served in Japanese tea cups.

An appetizing platter of red walnuts, jumbo raisins, and roasted seeds & red peanuts, also symbolizing bounty and abundance.

And of course, chocolate raisins, so the year is extra-sweet & extra-smooth.

Prosperity is said to double, if the bounty on the table is reflected in a large mirror.

Persimmons – another welcome symbol of prosperity.

My persimmon branches decorated for the holiday with auspicious birds, Chinese coins and Laughing Buddha.

The name of the plant below says it all: this is the famous Chinese money tree!

And of course, no self-respecting Chinese would celebrate the New Year without oranges! A huge bowl of oranges and other fruit on my dining table. Oranges are the ultimate symbol of prosperity and abundance, but other fruits are great, too.

Let the feast begin! Happy Chinese New Year of the Snake!

Auspicious Chinese New Year of the Snake Celebration

09 Saturday Feb 2013

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

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

auspicious bamboo, China, Chinese cousine, Chinese New Year, Chinese New Year Celebration, holiday, Laughing Buddha, Moscow, NYC Chinatown, prosperity Chinese coins, Prosperity packets, Tibetan Buddhist ceremony, wealth vase

Chinese New Year of the Water Snake starts on February 10, 2013, at the new moon. As usual, the celebrations last for fifteen days, until the next full moon. Such long celebration period provides many awesome opportunities to welcome the auspicious energy of the year ahead. Chinese New Year Celebration is as different from the Western one as it gets, yet the idea is the same: saying goodbye to the old year and ushering in the new year in style and with good cheer.

A Recipe for a Successful & Auspicious Chinese New Year Celebration:

1. Colors to wear. Traditionally for the Chinese New Year, you should dress in red. Red symbolizes the ultimate color of energy, beauty – and fire. It is the color that energizes everything it touches. Red is especially great for women. Gold jewelry is very good as generally, the New Year colors are red and gold. Men can dress in red, or blue, as blue is the color of water, money and career success.

Princess Lily ready to celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Snake – pretty on red

Chinese lanterns during a New Year Celebration

A fiery Bolshoi Theatre performance, Moscow, Russia. Appropriately – in red and gold

As this is the Year of the Water Snake, and water colors are blue and black, you can also wear one of these colors to usher in the new energy. If wearing black (I personally adore black), try to accessorize with reds, blues and jewelry, to add more yang energy.

2. Celebrate with a wonderful spread and lots of prosperous foods on the table, even if you have a small family or are alone. Such auspicious table is a symbol and a signal to the Universe that you are ready to start the New Year of success and prosperity.

3. Share the joy of the Holiday with family and friends. Friends at the dinner table bring in the yang energy and happiness.

4. Invite symbols of prosperity into your home. These include money trees, auspicious bamboo, persimmons, mandarins and oranges, and of course, Gods of Wealth and Prosperity. I have lots of various symbols of prosperity in my home.

From my personal collection: Laughing Buddha, one of the beloved gods of prosperity. I adore his happy continence 🙂

My auspicious bamboo

5. Creating a wealth vase is always a great idea. If you already have one, be sure to refresh it for the New Year! Interestingly enough, wealth vases are extremely popular not only in China but also in Tibet, where the Buddhist monks conduct very elaborate ceremonies to consecrate them. Pretty fascinating stuff!

6. Fill the red prosperity envelopes (also called red Chinese packets) with auspicious money and Chinese coins, and keep them in your wallet so you never run out of money.

7. Clean up the house and do all of your laundry in advance to get rid of the old energy and free up the space for the new.

8. The above are all the do’s. Ah, and here is the dreaded don’t! Don’t work on the first day of the Chinese New Year, don’t do any cleaning, repairs, or god forbid, vacuuming or sweeping with the broom on that day, as it’s considered extremely inauspicious – akin to sucking out or sweeping away all your wealth and prosperity. (Note, this rule applies only to the first day of the celebrations.)

But what if I have to work on the first day of the Chinese New Year, you ask? Well, if you have to, you have to. Just do your best, perhaps designating a different day for celebration instead. The NYC Chinatown merchants routinely do just that because all of their customers want to celebrate. Restaurants and shops are full and they have to make money while they can. I know some of the Chinatown merchants, and they are telling me that they have to work despite the traditional taboo. But luckily for most of us, this Chinese New Year starts on a Sunday! Yay!

Once, a roof repairman showed up at my house just on the first day of the Chinese New Year despite the fact that I specifically warned him not to come on that date. Alas, as it usually happens in such cases, he mixed up the dates. I had to tell him to leave asap and come back some other day. You can imagine the look on his face!

I am currently at my Catskills residence and my family is in NYC. We will be celebrating together in a week or so, when I join them in the City. But I’m still preparing a cozy little celebration of the New Year’s Eve. I baked a VERY HEALTHY cake and prepared auspicious salmon. I also made some of my Dragon Pearl jasmine tea in my Snake Tetsubin teapot (very appropriate for this year!). Yum! I invited a local friend to help me celebrate, while I finish up my business here before heading to NYC. By the way, I’ve taken some iPhone pics of my little Chinese New Year’s spread and I’ll post them on my blog just as soon as I figure out how to upload them. Or, most likely, I’ll wait for my wiz of a husband to do it for me. 😉

Stay tuned, much more coming your way!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Chinese New Year of the Water Snake!

Gong Hey Fat Choy!

恭禧發財!

Also read: All About the Year of the Water Snake

Lada Ray is the Internationally Certified Feng Shui Master Practitioner and author, including best-selling mystery/thriller GOLD TRAIN (Accidental Spy Russia Adventure) & the new 5* rated metaphysical fantasy/thriller, THE EARTH SHIFTER.

More about Lada’s books About Lada: Bio.

What to Expect from the Chinese New Year of the Snake?

08 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by Lada Ray in Chinese New Year, Consciousness/ Wisdom/ Spirituality, CULTURE: China, CULTURE: World, Earth/ Nature/ Animals, Feng Shui

≈ 21 Comments

Tags

beautiful snake pictures, Chinese New Year, Chinese New Year of the Water Snake, Chinese Zodiac, Dragon dances, Feng Shui, Feng Shui advice, Feng Shui Master Lada Ray, holiday, Kundalini, New Year, Snake, Zhejiang

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR OF THE WATER SNAKE!

Continuing with last year’s successful tradition, this is post 1 of the Chinese New Year of the Snake Extravaganza.

The Chinese New Year of the Water Snake starts on February 10, 2013, at the new moon. As usual, the New Year celebrations last for 15 days, until the next full moon. These celebrations include family get-togethers, wonderful meals with friends, dragon and lion dances, lavish prosperity ceremonies, and much more!

As a classically trained Feng Shui master consultant, I usually carefully examine the Flying Star chart for the year. I was fascinated by this year’s chart! Indeed, this is a very special year, when all the stars, so to speak, align in a very rare way. Such alignment (in a different way every time) only happens every 9 years. It symbolizes the ending of a cycle, and simultaneously, a new beginning.

This is the year when friendships and alliances of all sorts will be especially auspicious, and when people who usually don’t see eye-to-eye can work together, producing marvelous results! The motto for the year: Strengthen all your relationships, rekindle the old, and start the new ones!

Chinese Zodiac – Year of the Snake

I personally have particular affinity with the Year of the Snake as it’s one of my so-called “Chinese Zodiac Friends.” The Year of the Water Snake is doubly auspicious for me, as water is one of my benefic elements. But in truth, whatever your benefic elements are, this is a very special and auspicious year! Make the best of it!

There is often a misplaced fear of snakes in the West, partly steeped in a long-standing patriarchal society tradition of the suppression of the Sacred Feminine. And partly, originating from the irrational fear of a snake bite. In fact, there are very few snakes that bite lethally, and even fewer that would intentionally bite a human, unless their habitat is being threatened by said humans. Meanwhile, snake’s venom in small doses is considered a powerful medicine, and that’s why snakes coiling around a cup or a stick/sword are traditional symbols of pharmacy and medical profession.

In the enlightened traditions, Snake symbolizes wisdom.

Snakes as symbols of wisdom and discernment on Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun‘s head dress

In the Chinese system, the Snake is classified as one of the “thinkers” of the Zodiac.

In various indigenous traditions, Snake is also a symbol of the Mother Earth (hence wisdom), sexual energy, fertility, Kundalini, and Sacred Feminine.

Wonderful green snake. Courtesy www.animalpictures123.org

Many beautiful snakes are becoming an endangered species! The vanishing Garter Snake. Courtesy scienceray.com

However you look at it, Snake energy is very powerful, and should always be used with care and wisdom. And need I point out that, as any part of nature on planet Earth, snakes should be treated with respect and understanding.

I am looking forward to this New Year of the Water Snake from which I expect many great and positive things!

Stay tuned for more awesome, one-of-a-kind Chinese New Year posts!

Read on the first day of the New Year, February 10, 2013: HOW TO CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR OF the SNAKE in STYLE! Including dos and don’ts.

Later, I’ll have a post about HOW TO BRING PROSPERITY INTO YOUR HOME (a perennially popular topic!)

And last, but not least, I am planning on attending the New Year dragon dances in NYC Chinatown and filming them. I will post my vids here and on LadaRay Yutube Channel. I am presently at my Catskills retreat, but my Chinese family’s New Year get-together will be in the City. I’m very excited! Here’s to hoping the roads are not snowed in and I can get through! I’ll keep everyone posted how it goes!