2024 Year of the Dragon

On February 10th, we celebrate the Lunar New Year. Many cultures around the world use the moon cycle to keep track of the year, but typically in Western society we use the Gregorian calendar- which is based off of the sun instead. Some cultures and regions will ever use a lunisolar calendar which is a combination of both.

In China, the Lunar New Year is one of the most widely celebrated holidays and we find influence of that in the West as well. They have shared their own zodiac wheel that is based off of the year rather than the month which is what we can find in many different zodiac wheels across the globe. 

If you were born in 1952, 1964, 1988, 2000, 2012 or 2024, it is your lucky year because it is your season: Year of the Dragon! So what does that mean? 

In general, all people will experience the luck of the Dragon which brings new opportunities, adventure and change. With change and opportunity of course comes challenges. These challenges are all sent by the Dragon and sent to push us in the direction of self growth and improvement.

Those who are born in the Dragon year will find these amplified but with the fire and confidence that comes with a Dragon, they will come out of the year stronger and mindful. It will be a year of self-reflection, self-evaluation and movement.

In Chinese culture, the Dragon is a sacred symbol which holds a significant place as an extraordinary creature that is unparalleled in talent, excellence and honour. The Dragon symbolizes power, nobility, luck and success.

Chinese New Year can be celebrated in many different ways but oftentimes it includes spending time with family, eating lots of food and exchanging a Red Envelope with money inside to loved ones. It is a time to not just prepare ourselves for change but also to focus gratitude on our families.

In large populated cities in China, you can often find parades and parties to honour the special day as well.

The Dragon

Dragons are creatures that can be found in almost every cultural region in the world. In China, Dragons are spirits to be honoured and respected as benevolent beings. Yet, we can find similar characteristics for them all the way in the west as well.

One example of this is in Norse and Celtic mythologies, Dragons were seen as the keepers of balance in the universe. They were believed to be interdimensional beings who travel from plane to plane to keep balance and guard portals to other worlds. 

Though depicted through media often as a scary monster, most ancient civilizations honoured and respected these elemental creatures and whether we look to the West or the East, we can find attributes to inspire us on our own journeys. 

2024 is the perfect year to find balance, honour and enter this time of change with confidence.