Year of the Water Dragon
Posted on July 11, 2012 by Beth Siragusa, One of Thousands of Business Coaches on Noomii.
What is the deeper, ancient meaning – and what hidden gem could this unlock for me within my own self?
The tradition of assigning a particular theme to the new year is popular in many cultures around the world. The year 2012 has been much anticipated, much speculation surrounds it, and the mystery of 2012 is drawing to a close with each passing day. I find it thrilling to be living in such an exciting time on the planet. Looking back a mere 100 years shows us that the human mind has made greater strides in wide-scale science and technology than in the past 1,000!
In this article I want to dive into and explore the Chinese theme for this year – the Water Dragon. The Chinese follow the lunisolar calendar and thus their new year began on January 23, 2012. There are 12 zodiacal animals which cycle through every 12 years, and the dragon is the most lucky! It is associated with the Earth, and has Yang force – it’s moto is “I conquor”. But in it’s partner of water the dragon meets it’s match and is balanced. For the Chinese, water is the most introspective of the elements and has the greatest degree of Yin force. At first blush water appears to be flighty and hard to get a grasp on, but it’s tendency is to go down and in and can wield great power over time if used properly.
With everything in life, I am curious to know how this can relate to my own life. What is the deeper, ancient meaning – and what hidden gem could this unlock for me within my own self? I have to admit that I can relate very personally with the images, feelings & emotions behind the Water Dragon.
I close my eyes – in my mind’s eye the dragon is fiery red with soft grey tendrils of smoke roiling up from it’s nostrils as from a stick of incense, and a tongue of flame pouring from it’s mouth when it opens wide. The creature resting on a smooth white rock in the center of an expansive lake of gently rippling water and misty tree lined shores. Every once in a while it snorts and shifts it’s weight, balancing itself by folding & unfolding it’s expansive wings. Turning it’s head about, it scans the horizon – and in one huge leap, suddenly rises up and ascends upward into the clear sky. It was only pausing here a moment, to remind me of the power latent in even the most seemingly transitory of experiences.
For me the Water Dragon holds a promise and is a harbinger for a very powerful year filled with transformation, motion and depth. In my own life I continually strive to push my boundaries in order to have a broader foundation. A foundation tested by choosing experiences which will show me where the weak points are so that I may fix them. In the year 2012, whenever I might begin to feel overwhelmed, I will think of the Water Dragon – the balance between the severe and the merciful – and find the courage to do the work that I know is so important on this planet. Empowering myself so that I may empower others!
Namaste~~
Beth Siragusa
Life Coach + Life Enthusiast
