It's the Year of the Dog
Gung Hay Fat Choy! It's Chinese New Year - The Year of the Dog. Since the Chinese base their calendar on lunar cycles, their New Year's Day is not a fixed date. You now have a second fresh start! Get out those res-olutions. It is not too late. The Year of the Dog begins Jan 29th, 2006 and takes us through Feb 17th, 2007.
If you were born in 1910 (2-10 to 1-29-11), 1922 (1-28 to 2-15-23), 1934 (2-14 to 2-3-35), 1946 (2-2 to 1-21-47), 1958 (2-18 to 2-7-59), 1970 (2-6 to 1-26-71), 1982 ( 1-25 to 2-12-83), 1994 (2-10 to 1-30-95), or find you are expecting a little arrival (or two) in between January 29th of this year to Feb 17, 2007, you (and the new arrival) are Dogs according to Chinese astrology.
Just as astrologers check rising signs and moon signs for a more complete personal profile, Chinese astrology has its fine tuning techniques. The time of day one was born determines your outer temperament according to the animal who is ruling that particular time period. Also, one of the five elements of earth, air, fire, metal and water, each ruling for a two year period, will add its special touch to your make up. A little research on the Web or in your local library will help you fine tune your particular profile. 2006 is a Fire and a Yang year in addition to being the Year of the Dog. Think strong.
If you are a Dog, you are loyal, faithful and true--attributes that the world loves. You are the world's best friend and anyone's best partner, for you mate for life. You are forgiving, nonjudgmental, true to your word and devoted to those you care for. You will give until you have nothing left to give. You are the listening ear and warm shoulder to all, the one with the smile and hug at just the right time, or the perfect saying that helps the world makes sense. You don't mind holding someone's tears and often sense before they do that they need some attention and care. You stop what you are doing to give help.
The Chinese name is GU, and is the sign of fidelity. You will follow your master or mate across continents without complaint. You make time for the people in your life who need it and are a rock of support. Your honesty, firm morals and high principles make you immensely trustworthy. Your friends are as loyal to you because of those traits as you are to them. You really, really care about others and want to help, to be there for them.
On the other side, some may (mis)interpret your desire to help as an intrusion. Because you hold such high ideals, and feel you know what is needed, others may think you tend to take over and run the entire production yourself. You can be quite protective of those you love, sometimes to the point of aggressiveness towards others in shielding them from harm.
As a Dog, you are rarely misled. You will not be fooled easily, if at all. You are straightforward speakers, movers and shakers with X-ray vision to see through any affectations. You get to the point, and expect others to do the same. The best meetings to attend are the ones conducted by you, for you don't waste time.
For all your help toward others, you can be easily hurt when you are not treated as well as you treat others. You can lick your wounds a long time. For this reason, helpful though you are, you tend to hold back a bit in letting others know your deepest feelings until you know them a bit better. Your anger tends to be quick and your memory long. You rarely attack the person, but zero in instead on something he has said, on a principle or an action you disagree with.
You love keeping yourself, family and home spotless, but your environment is never cold or sterile. Family heirlooms are preferred over stark modern surroundings. Having your family and special friends around you means more to you than earthly trappings and wealth. You will spend to your limits to make the event warm, welcoming and wonderful for family and lucky guests.
Since families are your most precious possession, you make an excellent, devoted parent. You stand by your children, encouraging them to explore and be themselves, with full support from you. If you are the parent of a little dog-child, you have a happy, cute, adorable babe who loves home and all the wonders in it. This little one is not particularly demanding or fussy, and can find more things to keep happy and occupied than other children.
Unlike other signs, you get along well all but the Sheep and Dragon. You do tend to categorize those around you in terms of "yes" and "no," of those you'll go to the ends of your endurance for, and those you will leave to their own devices.
Your health tends to be good, since your take on life is less judgmental than many, and your personal philosophy and high ideals carry you through whatever you face. Your best career is one in which you can help others as a teacher, psychiatrist, psychologist, lawyer, judge, anything in the medical field, or in home decorating, building or design. Your co-workers respect and appreciate your work ethics, enthusiasm, and outright delightful winning personality. You are loyal to your team and often work harder for them than most realize.
You are not afraid of hard work and will do what it takes to get what you want. Not a spendthrift, you take care of your hard-earned money wisely.
Good Dog stones are warm stones such as jaspers and glowing moonstones. Your personality is a golden yellow. That color, and any other with warmth, frames your personality well.
Give your favorite Dogs home oriented gifts such as food hampers from exclusive shops, gift certificates to home and food emporiums, nostalgic items, and a good book. Free time is spent reading, sailing, doing favorite crafts and anything that involves family and special friends. Vacations are family time first and foremost.
Notable Dogs include ballet dancer and dance teacher to the world's children Jacques d'Amboise, Mother Teresa, Golda Meir, Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Disraeli, Winston Churchill and Shirley Maclaine.
If you are not a Dog, this new year will still affect you. You will find, not surprisingly, that human and humane issues will be the focus of a Dog Year. People will tend to focus on home improvements and security, locally and nationally. So, gather your cherished family and friends around and choose the Chinese New Year customs you want to try for a second fresh-or-otherwise start.
• Clean up your act. And your house. Sweep out the old so the new can enter. The very careful put away knives and scissors so they don't risk 'cutting their luck.'
• Resolutions are not de rigueur, but if you have any leftovers from the beginning of the year, you might try them again. This is a good year to focus on home, family and domestic issues.
• Have oranges and tangerines to enjoy. The Chinese word for orange sounds like 'wealth' and the one for tangerine sounds like 'good fortune.' There isn't a fruit that sounds like the word for 'luck,' which is pronounced 'fook.'
• Decorate with plum blossoms for longevity and courage, or use water narcissus. Green thumbs will probably grow their own. If it blooms on New Year's Day, good luck will be yours the next twelve months. Gangrene thumbs can try silk imitations.
• Make an offering to your Kitchen God with a special dinner. He leaves before the New Year and returns New Year's Day. Welcome him back January 29th with a fine feast.
• Get your hair cut and washed for luck in the coming year. Buy new clothes for a fresh start. (And you thought you were running out of reasons to go shopping?)
• Pay your bills. Debts hanging over into the new year are considered as bad as beginning a new year hung over.
• Have a grand party. All are welcome. Better than Alice's Un-Birthday tea party, all traditional Chinese treat this as a communal birthday. One's age is taken from how many New Years one has seen pass. The emphasis on family is strong. If someone cannot be present, set a place anyway.
• Although it is the Year of the Dog, no matter whose year it is, red, accented with gold, is the favored festive color. Red is for happiness. Parades with dancing lions and firecrackers, to chase off bad luck and evil spirits, are the favored festive show.
• Children and unmarried adults are given red envelopes with paper money as good luck (Lai-See) gifts. Loose change is considered bad luck.
• On New Year's Day, be at your best and on your best behavior. Pay attention to what you do that day - it is said to determine your luck for the rest of the year.
• If you can't cook Chinese, do what many Chinese do. Support your local Chinese restaurant and order in. Remember to eat the low fattening Chinese way by going heavy on the rice. The recent exposes of the hidden fat in Chinese foods failed to emphasize that the problem is one of operator error. Westerners tend to stock up on sauces, OD'ing on main dishes.
Gung Hay Fat Choy! Wishing you good fortune and happiness.