By Qineng Tan, L.Ac., Ph.D. & Xiaomei Cai, L.Ac., Ph.D.
The Chinese New Year of the Tiger is ready to rush right in on February 1st, 2022. The beginning of the lunar new year always brings with it a change of energy as we enter a new sign.
This coming year will be the Year of the Water Tiger, which will really mean a big change in the atmosphere, considering that we will be transitioning out of the Year of the Ox, which we have been in since Chinese New Year 2021.
The Chinese Zodiac is made up of 12 animal signs and also moves through the five elements in 12-year cycles. The 5 elements in Chinese astrology are represented as Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal, just as they are in TCM.
What’s My Sign in Chinese Astrology?
Your sign in the Chinese Zodiac is determined by the year of your birth, according to the Lunar calendar, so if your birthday is in January or February, you should double check when the lunar new year began that year.
- Tiger 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
- Rabbit 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011
- Dragon 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
- Snake 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
- Horse 1942, 1954,1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
- Goat 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
- Monkey 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
- Rooster 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
- Dog 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
- Pig 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
- Rat 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
- Ox 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Learn more about predictions for your Chinese New Year Sign, and how to say the name of your animal sign in Mandarin Chinese.
Lunar New Year Traditions
In China, The New Year is the biggest holiday of the year. This is when people go “home for the holidays,” and many people who have moved to another part of the country travel to their hometowns to see their families, friends, and enjoy some of their favorite neighborhood restaurants and regional specialty foods, dances, and other traditions.
As you might expect, families who are receiving guests go all out to make sure their homes are clean and welcoming. There are many practices that are considered very important to ensuring that your home is well provided for and protected for the year to come. In Chinese culture, it is necessary to prepare your home not only to present it appealingly to your guests, but also to make sure that you are not offending anyone, even spirits.
“Making your own luck” can indicate a bold way of going about things, as the Tiger would. But according to Chinese New Year traditions, it is just as important to ward off bad luck. Special care must be taken so that any of your own sign’s dire predictions for the year can be avoided or ameliorated. Preventive caution is advised if you don’t want to bear the brunt of misfortunes, which must fall to some people each year.
Feng Shui for Chinese New Year 2022
For many people, the practice of Feng Shui is a big part of New Year planning and preparation. Practicing Feng Shui on your own, or calling in a professional to assess your situation, is a popular way to help usher in the new year with thoughtfulness and style.
Changing the order of your surroundings is not only about aesthetics, or even the practical use of space. It is about shifting the energy so that it can flow smoothly, and helping to prevent pockets of stagnation from forming, just as we do with acupuncture treatment for the body!
Your Feng Shui is very personal to you. It depends not only on the physical location and arrangement of your home space, but also your birth element. Look here to find your Gua, or Feng Shui number.
Look here to find the more or less fortunate directions for you in the 8 Mansions system, according to your Gua number.
When people of different elemental energies share a space, their relationships have to be taken into consideration. If you are a Fire sign, and your significant other is Water, and your children are Wood and Metal, your home life depends on these elements finding a way to work in harmony. Arranging your rooms well can help contribute to positive flow without obstructions.
As we mentioned, the Year of the Tiger year calls for action, but also requires plenty of time devoted to rest and recovery. Arranging your bedroom so that it provides you the optimal environment for peaceful leisure time throughout the day, and quality sleep at night, is one way to prepare yourself for the upcoming year.
Top 5 Tips on Feng Shui for the Bedroom:
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Create balance in your bedroom with Feng Shui. Go for symmetry and balance – there is a reason that people like to have matching nightstands and lamps. It’s pleasing to have balance, with equal space given to each partner, and each side of the bed.
- Position your bed so that you face the door – this probably feels naturally right to most people. You can sleep more soundly when you have a deep sense that you can see whatever may be approaching you, and that nothing is sneaking up behind you.
- Do not store things under the bed – this also seems intuitive. We don’t want any monsters hiding under our beds. The space beneath you should be free of objects that could block the flow of air and energy. Also, you don’t want any sorts of negative associations creeping into your dream space.
A healthy morning routine enhances the benefits of a good night’s sleep, so start off your New Year on the right foot!
The doctors and staff at Art of Wellness wish each and every one of our patients and colleagues a happy and healthy new year. As always, we want to remind you that when you take time to care for your health, you make the most important investment of all.
There are many ways to extend your New Year greetings. From Art of Wellness, we wish you longevity and health! 祝财运亨通
