“I am not Chinese, and I live in the US, so why would I celebrate the Chinese New Year?” This question was recently posed to me by a friend who told me she had been asked this by others but didn’t have the answer. I hope this blog post will help the reader understand why it makes sense to do so…even if you’re not Chinese and you live in the US or any country other than China.
The Chinese use a Lunisolar Calendar which is a combination of two calendars: The Lunar Calendar, which syncs with the moon phases, and the Solar Calendar, which accurately tracks the longitude of the Sun. Both calendars are fluid as to when the New Year begins. They don’t use them exclusively, but concomitantly, so the resulting lunisolar calendar is both accurate and in sync with the life force energy of the earth’s two influential planets. The Lunisolar Calendar shares similarities with the Jewish Calendar.
The Lunar Calendar is calculated according to the 12 orbits of the moon around the earth, with the New Year calculated on the New Moon after the Winter Solstice closest to the Spring Equinox. However, since the complete lunar cycle per month is only 29.5 days, there is a deficit of approximately 11 days per year, so in order to get back into sync with the Solar Calendar, approximately every 3 years an extra lunar month is added. The Solar Year generally begins on Feb 3, 4, or 5. This year, the Lunar year begins on 5 February and the Solar year begins on 4 February. It’s considered very auspicious to have these consecutive celebrations, as it brings the energy of both calendars together. So, celebrate both!
There are several recognized calendars in the world, but the universally adopted “civic calendar” is the Gregorian calendar, even where cultural or religious calendars are observed. Both the Julian Calendar (46 BCE, Roman Empire) and the Gregorian Calendar (1582, Pope Gregory XIII) were flawed in their calculations but the Gregorian Calendar adjusted by adding an extra day every 4 years…which, interestingly, over time gains time resulting in the calendar moving ahead of the earth’s solar orbit. The Gregorian Calendar, unlike other calendars, was not shaped to follow the seasons. It was shaped around Christian observances and changed Western Civilization. The convention of choosing 1 January as the beginning of the year was arbitrary, however. It didn’t coincide with how calendars had been devised from the beginning of time, which were centered on the passage of time and the observable cycles of the natural world.
Culturally the 1st of January has a weight, but it has more to do with numerology and cultural conventions. In term of real shift of energies, astronomical events of the lunar and solar cycles are more logical. Simply put, to be in flow with the Universe, your intents and actions must be in synch with the natural flow. We all have the ability as co-creators to affect our lives, but we are also part of something greater. By adapting to the universal flow, you will be supported by the life force of the Universe.
Celebrating the Chinese New Year, even if you are from another culture, makes sense because it is astrologically more accurate and logical. The Chinese adhere to the theory of cyclical time. This theory was observed, tested, and recorded over time and they found specific sets of data could be observed in a cycle. Thus, the Chinese calendar is not numbered infinitely. Instead, each year is assigned a set of markers and characteristics which repeat every 60 years. This complex matrix of time is used in all aspects of Chinese life, including date selection for life events. When one compares the overall character of two years that are 60 years apart, it’s uncanny…and obvious that the Chinese were brilliant! The I Ching (aka Book of Changes) supports this cyclical theory and while it is used as a divination tool, is also the basis of the Chinese Healing Arts, including Feng Shui.
2019 YEAR OF THE YIN EARTH PIG
Of the 12 Chinese animals, the Pig ruling sign of 2019 is the 12th. This year is a Yin Earth Pig, to be exact. This year holds Yin Earth Element, that is akin to a fertile soil; and the Pig, a Water sign that also contains Wood. This is an interesting combination of elements that could result in a quagmire, but the ruling Xuan Kong Earth Energy and Prevailing Earth Cycle provide the stability of Mountain Energy. It’s very stable, very “yin” (feminine, peaceful) but also has some potential for stubbornness or immovability.
In the Chinese culture, Pig is a symbol of happiness and abundance. It’s the most congenial of all the zodiac animals. Everyone loves the Pig! If you haven’t already noticed a shift of the emerging energy of the Yin Earth Pig, this will be very noticeable between the 3rd and 6th of February when it’s most powerful.
So, it doesn’t matter if you are Chinese or not…celebrating the Chinese New Year will give you a greater opportunity to manifest the life you want in 2019, year of the Yin Earth Pig. Happy New Year!
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