“In the cycles of nature and life, the end of one cycle signifies the beginning of another.”
For 20 years, I’ve been going to Dr. Angela Wu’s clinic for acupuncture, cupping and other treatments. The first time I went to her 20 years ago, she was able to help me with my asthma symptoms, by strengthening my immune system. Now, I see her quarterly for preventative measures. She keeps me from getting sick, and saves me a lot of money. I leave her clinic with a dose of herbs, which I take three times a day, and follow her recommendations religiously. On my most recent visit this week, I also received instructions on how to start the first day (Friday) of the Chinese New Year.
According to the Chinese Zodiac, it is going to be the “Year of the Horse”. Like the Jewish calendar, the Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar. According to a legend, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on the Chinese New Year. Twelve came and Buddha named a year after each one. It is believed that those who are born on the year represented by a specific animal adapt its characteristics. Thus, those born on the year of the horse are thought to be cheerful, have money, are perceptive, witty, talented, and good with their hands.
Many famous people were born in the Year of The Horse. I was born in the year of the Pig and was very curious to find out the description of my personality. According to this site, those born in the year of the pig, are honest, straightforward, and patient people. The other qualities are close to the way I perceive myself. Have fun! Google your profile.
San Francisco has a very strong historical connection with China. According to Wikipedia, Chinese Americans in San Francisco represent 21.4%. Chinese New Year—also known as the Spring Festival (look at the beauty of the blooming trees), lasts for 15 days and includes many different kinds of celebrations and traditions. One of them is gifting red envelopes with money. They represent luck, happiness, and prosperity in the New Year for the receiver.
P.S.
In 2012, we were invited to an office party of our mortgage bank in Downtown, San Francisco to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We somehow managed to park our car and had to push ourselves through the crowd, which was waiting for the parade to start. Luckily, I was able to catch some images. Enjoy!
A HAPPY YEAR OF THE HORSE TO ALL OF US!
DO NOT KEEP ME AS A SECRET.
SMILE AND PLEASE SHARE IT WITH A FRIEND