The Lunar New Year is an ancient and long-lived celebration meant to celebrate community. During the events focus is placed on gratitude felt for blessings during the past year, through all the struggles that one may share with others. This past year has been one where we have had to redefine community, we have certainly had our fair share of collective turmoil and independently mourned and pivoted more times than we thought manageable. We got to know our households well, we implemented new “normal” and picked up new narratives.  The Lunar New Year is heavily influenced by storytelling and traditions, which I would like to share with you here as we could all use a bit of blessings and fortune telling.  

We entered the Year of the Metal Ox on February 12, the onset of the Spring Festival. The Ox is a symbol of hard work, discipline, loyalty and fairness. This is a time to welcome Hard Work through diligence, dependability, strength and determination. The Chinese Zodiac follows a twelve-year cycle, and the order comes from an ancient folktale about the Jade Emperor and a Great Race. Legend has it that the rat got to the river first and could not cross, so he hitched a ride on the Ox’s back. As they approached the finish line, the Rat jumped off and dashed across making itself the first animal, Ox was second. This is the same transition that we have just ushered and practiced, just like 2020 Year of the Rat to deceitfully blindside. The order then follows with a strong Tiger, nimble Rabbit, majestic Dragon, sly Snake edging out the galloping Horse last minute, teamwork Goat and monkey, resourceful Rooster, frolicking Dog and lazy Pig. The Chinese Zodiac plays a very influential part of culture and superstitions and I encourage you to find your origin of life potential and what that has meant and can mean for you. 

The Lantern Festival marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Lunar New Year Spring Celebration. The festival aims to promote reconciliation, peace and forgiveness. This year it will fall on Friday, February 26 and is a time to usher in wholeness and unity within the family. The folklore again points to the Jade Emperor You Di who became angered at a town for killing his goose, planning to destroy the town with fire. By the grace of a fairy sending a message to the townsfolk, people lit lanterns across the town fooling the emperor that the town had already been engulfed in flames. This festival continues to commemorate the livelihood and sparing of the town to this day with red decorations and the lighting of lanterns and fireworks.