Photo by Warren R.M. Stuart / Flickr

Please don’t get overwhelmed, just choose a handful of preparations from below that thrill and excite you!

• Do give your home a clear out and deep clean before the evening of February 15 which is the Eve of Chinese New Year’s (February 16 for 2018) — you absolutely want to clear out the old stagnant chi and welcome in fresh new energies! As you clean, imagine you’re sweeping away all illness, obstacles, bad luck, negative attitudes, and anything causing grief, stress, anxiety or frustration to members of your household or business. Dispose of anything broken or with unhappy memories. This is a time for your spaces to SPARKLE! GLIMMER! SHINE!
• Repair and refresh any leaking faucets, squeaky door hinges, broken locks, burnt-out light bulbs, squeaking beds and so on. And toss any broken or cracked china or crockery — they bring bad luck.
• If you have a red front door, give it a fresh coat of glossy vermillion red paint.
• Schedule your hair cut and color, manicure and pedicure before Chinese New Year’s Eve so you don’t “cut” away any luck in the new year.
• Send out your invitations for a special celebratory meal or celebration to occur anytime during the two-week Lunar New Year Festival which begins on February 16th, New Year’s Day. Have a noisy, uplifting and happy party with an abundance of food, music and laughter!
• Make amends with anyone with whom you’ve had a row or falling-out.
• Start to pay down or off all your debts as best you can. And pay your current bills so you go into the New Year feeling debt-free.
• Shop for new clothes for the New Year — ideally some red outfits or even just red accessories for the celebrations.
• Treat your home and business to one piece of new furniture or décor so you’re continually up-leveling and refreshing the energy.
• Start to find fifteen very special gifts, one for each day of the Chinese New Year, to woo your beloved one(s) and expressing your love, cherishing and care.
• Send out some Chinese New Year greeting cards—snail mail, hand-delivered or email.
• Treat yourself to a brand new red purse and wallet and fill it with lots of cash such as 108 or 27 crisp uncirculated bills or 9 or 27 gold one dollar coins. Add money from a wealthy person and 3 Coins on Red Ribbon.

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See Believe greeting card by Duirwaigh Studios. Click image for more info.

Here are five practices to support you in welcoming brand new chi and luck for a brand new year (Lunar New Year, February 8, 2016). Enjoy!

1. This is a Taoist ritual for good luck. Write down your heartfelt dream or wish by hand 49 times for 49 consecutive days. You can then either burn it or tie it to a wishing balloon and send it to the heavens (just make sure to buy the bio-degradable latex kind and cut off the ribbon before you release).

2. Make a Good Fortune cake. Wrap an auspicious symbol such as a Feng Shui coin, gold ingot, ring or gemstone and place in a wee bit of tin foil. When the cake is half baked, place this packet into the batter. When the cake is shared by family and friends, whoever gets the lucky object will have a windfall of prosperity! Continue reading →