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Slash and Burn! Take Flight and Fight Fear

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Ray Au outlines what we can expect from 2024, the Year of the Wood Dragon [ILLUSTRATION BY Dorothy Veitch]

According to Chinese astrology, each year corresponds to one of 12 zodiac animals (Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig), in a cycle that repeats every 12 years. To complicate things a little, each year also corresponds to one of five zodiac elements (Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood), in a cycle that repeats every five years. 2024 is the Year of the Dragon (the last one was in 2012). More specifically, it is the Year of the Wood Dragon (the last one was in 1964). So, what does that mean for you?

The first thing you need to know is that the Dragon is the only mythical animal in the Chinese zodiac. The most majestic beast in the lineup, the Dragon has super powers. He’s a supreme being, who can control the elements, soar through the skies and quite literally move Heaven and Earth. This means that we can expect big things from a Dragon Year: a fiery 12 months full of potential and adventure.

THE DRAGON’S FIERY INFLUENCE
In predicting what 2024 will bring, we need to take a good look at the Dragon’s characteristics. First and foremost, we know him to be synonymous with yang energy — vitality, vision and vigour. Gifted with innate courage, tenacity and intelligence, Dragons are charismatic, enthusiastic, confident and ambitious. Fearless risk-takers, they are not afraid to pursue their dreams and goals. Consequently, 2024 is forecast to bring us opportunities, changes and challenges in equal measure. We can look forward to dramatic turnarounds, intense emotions and big decisions.

Dragon years, like 2024, are all about action, ambition and achievement – very different from 2023’s playful and laid-back Year of the Rabbit. Dragons are innovators and problem solvers; they are also loyal and fiercely protective: they make great leaders. They strive to break with tradition and pave the way for a brighter future. Therefore, 2024 is predicted to be a good year to start new projects, explore new opportunities and find yourself a mentor or mentee.

2024 is also an auspicious year to have a baby, and for good reason. Unparalleled in power and ability, Dragons symbolise nobility, honour and, wait for it, prosperity. They are seen as benevolent money-bringers, (their ability to control wind and rain, and provide farmers with plentiful harvests has been celebrated for centuries). 2024 should therefore be a positive year for all of us financially – filled with promising career changes and developments. March and April are the best months to change jobs or cash in on all that Dragon-year energy by starting new, independent projects.

Now a word of caution: Dragons have a tendency towards recklessness, instability, dominance and hot temper. You’re dealing with a fire-breathing, scale-clad supernatural beast: he can be aggressive, and when he’s angry or his pride has been hurt, he can do terrifying things. Dragon years, therefore, can be very explosive: tempers will flare and there’ll be plenty of drama. This can apply to personal relationships and, on a larger scale, the world around us. Be sure to calm down, relax and think before you speak (or act) in 2024.

And what of the Dragon’s relatively poor showing in the Great Race? The competition was held by the Jade Emperor to decide the order of the animals in the Chinese zodiac, and the Dragon, with his ability to fly high, was the predicted winner. Surprisingly, the Dragon placed fifth, crossing the finish line after the Rat, Ox, Tiger and Rabbit. Why was this and what does it tell us about the year ahead?

As it turns out, the Dragon was delayed by a series of kind-hearted detours that reveal his caring side – his soft underbelly. On his way to the finish line, he saw a village stricken by drought and famine, so he flew across the clouds to make rain and ease the villagers’ suffering. Back in the race, the Dragon soon caught up with the Rabbit who was being chased by a wolf. He allowed the Rabbit to go on ahead, while he dealt with the wolf, thereby coming in fifth, after the Rabbit, and before the Snake. Within this story lies the true message of a Dragon Year – strength is a gift to be lent, not a power to be wielded.

ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE
The Year of the Wood Dragon is special because it is a rare combination of the power of the Dragon and the creativity brought by the Wood element. The Wood Dragon is the most creative and visionary of the dragons. Optimistic, ambitious and adventurous, Wood Dragons like to explore new ideas and challenge themselves. 2024 is therefore a year to pursue our dreams, express our ideas and expand our horizons. Best advice for 2024: control that Dragon-year pride, while drawing on his drive and determination.

The Wood element also represents compassion, loyalty and honesty, something that sits well with the Dragon’s benevolent, humanitarian side. 2024 is therefore a year to be generous and empathic, just as the Dragon was to the Rabbit during the Jade Emperor’s Great Race.

Looked at another way, the Wood element can be seen to add fuel to the fire, enhancing the Dragon’s innate intensity and instability. If change is what you’re after, get ready to be happy, courtesy of a slash-and-burn path to newness. In a global context, a Wood Dragon Year could equate to unrest and upheaval – progress at a price. The lesson the Dragon is here to teach is not compromise, wherein someone or everyone loses something, but creative solution, in which everyone gains more than they ever expected. To take it back to the Great Race, when we help others get to the proverbial shore, we earn not just respect, but our own place in the circle.

LUCK AND COMPATIBILITY
How we will fare in the Year of the Dragon also depends on the year we were born – on how well our “birth animal” gets on with the Dragon. The Chinese zodiac animals most compatible with the Dragon are the Monkey, Rooster, Ram and Pig, which is fantastic news for all Monkeys, Roosters, Rams and Pigs heading into 2024. The Monkey’s love of the limelight, the Rooster’s readiness for a fight, the Ram’s idealism and the Pig’s perseverance all vibe well with the power-hungry Dragon. These are the advisors he wants by his side.

Likewise, Tigers, Rabbits and Snakes should do well in 2024, since they also have a lot to offer the Dragon. The Tiger’s courage and flamboyance appeals, as does the Rabbit’s plucky vulnerability and the Snake’s sly intelligence. However, if you’re born in the Year of the Rat, Ox, Horse, Goat or Dog, you should brace yourself for a bumpy 2024, with some power struggles and financial challenges ahead.

Meanwhile, those born in a Dragon Year are not in as powerful a position as you might think. According to Chinese astrology, we offend the Tai Sui gods in a year that is governed by our birth animal, meaning we can expect many challenges and unexpected changes. In 2024, Dragons are advised to tread with caution, and invest in some tried-and-tested feng shui remedies. Be sure to carry a lucky rooster trinket… and wear red underwear. Gong Hei Fat Choy!

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