2013 Year of The Water Snake

over 11 years ago

This February 10th marked the first of 15 days celebrating Chinese New Year, culminating in the famed Lantern Festival on the first full moon of the new lunisolar calendar, a celebration traditionally associated with good fortune and the lighting of thousands of glowing lanterns, often painted with designs of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. Popular games during this festival include match-making games (sometimes called “Chinese Valentine’s day”) and solving riddles affixed to the beautiful lanterns at riddle-solving parties. These riddles often include messages about family fortune, abundance and good luck for the coming year.

During the new year people embrace symbolism of “NEW” and before the first day of Chinese New Year, people thoroughly clean house to sweep out the old and make room for the new, wear new clothes, and set out new decorations. Red paper cut outs are hung up which symbolize good luck, fortune, prosperity, long-life. Ancestors and links with the past are honoured and celebrated at this time as well. This is a great reminder for all of us that we can embrace our past but at the same time not abandon our “New Year” feeling of change now that the year is underway and to make ROOM in our lives for things, people and opportunities which may be unfamiliar or new.

This year marks the year of the Snake, the 6th of the Chinese zodiac, and this year is a water year (Water Snake) —which symbolizes the traditional elements of water and the associations of Snake; – this is a year of transformation and change (even if those changes are under the surface) – the fluid and intuitive/spiritual nature of our emotional selves. The water element connects in Chinese astrology to research, learning and study as well so this is a time to look beneath the surface and examine things carefully before taking action. This is a time for thinking and reflecting on our realities instead of just reacting on whatever our emotions or ego throws up at us. Water favours expanding our communication and networking channels and going where we’ve not gone before (whether this is in our personal relationships or more literally) so it’s a good year for “NEW GROWTH” and ending old chapters. This is a year in which great change and progress is also possible so it’s not “all thought and no action”. Snake, already intuitive, enigmatic and refined, is enhanced by the water element. One watchword for Snake year, however, is greed or overspending our resources. Lavish style must be balanced with frugality and common sense.

Those born in the year of the snake appreciate beauty and are refined, elegant, thoughtful, discerning, intellectual and prosperous but they can be brooding and take disappointments or setbacks especially hard. (Other Snake years: 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, and 2001) Water Snakes (1953 and 2013) are especially influential and full of insight and make great business organizers and leaders and a great business mind.

Happy Year of the Snake!