My (second) New Year

My New Year began on 11/11/11.  I loved the symbolism of it.  "One" being the beginning - and on that day, we got 6 of that auspicious number (10 if you managed to be present when it turned 11:11am). Just look at the way that date looks. Clean, simple, yet something powerful and strong in there too.   Powerful in a stars coming into alignment way.  So,  I decided that 11/11/11 would be the first day of my New Year - My Year of (Re)Alignment.


I never have felt any affinity with what would be my traditional New Year's Day, January 1st. So not surprisingly when it came this year, I felt no surging ahead of my 11/11/11 New Year.   But today, the Year of the Water Dragon begins and it is speaking to me.

To get a better hold on it, I watched someone's video blog where he explained some of the significance of this year.  According to him, last year, the Year of the Rabbit, was a year to hole up, put things in place, get ready, but not be too out there.  This year, the Year of the  Dragon, is the culmination of the Chinese lunar 12 year cycle; so as he said, it is like graduation.  A year for BIG things to happen, what we've been building toward.

Some words this blogger used to describe what is ahead if we choose it:  powerful, emotions, passion, explode, big vision, creative, painful, love.  





The Year of the Water Dragon only comes around once every 60 years.  I did the math and this is the only Year of the Water Dragon I get.  I'm so ready, and I'm so not ready.   On Saturday, I asked a Buddhist monk to make me a good luck Chinese New Year sign with the words Courage and Faith on them.   Instead he made me one that says something like not 1 good thing, but 10,000 good things will happen.  Okay, not what I asked for but believe me, I'll take it.

At the temple, I also pulled a tiny Buddhist Chinese New Year Words of Wisdom scroll from the jar.   "Determination to Succeed Brings Good Fortune." True enough in that fortune cookie kind of way.   But the second half is so right, so mine.  "Courage to Fail Brings Hope of Success."  Happy New Year!