Gung Hai Fat Choi, and Woof Woof

I just received this (unattributed) email and thought it was quite delightful. I made a few editorial comments (in italics!) Wishing you all a prosperous New Year! Happy Chinese New Year!! Gung Hai Fat Choi!! Customs for Chinese New Year include paying off debts, buying new clothes, cleaning the house, and enjoying delicious family feasts. Children receive red envelopes filled with money. Firecrackers are set off to scare aware evil spirits and bring good luck.

The Year Of The Dog
Guidance For Chinese New Year According to the Chinese calendar and zodiac, January 29, 2006 brings us the Year of the Dog. This means that we have the helpful energy of this loyal companion to accomplish much good in the world and in our lives this year. When we think about dogs, we think of their steadfast love, loyalty, friendly companionship, and forgiving nature. Dogs are playful, but work hard and rest well. They create balance in their lives. We no longer need to be envious of a dog's life, because we can incorporate these qualities to our lives this year.

Dog energy emphasizes the defense of our deepest loyalties with honesty and integrity. Dogs thrive in the security of a healthy, happy home. They value personal happiness and comfort more than material wealth. We may want to envision the world's leaders being guided by the values inherent in dog energy. We can also choose thisyear as a time to focus on what's important in our lives and apply a dog's steady efforts to lovingly protect it.

To the Chinese, dogs symbolize justice and equality. We too can utilize this spirit to bark at injustice, right any wrongs, and restore order. Since dogs also enjoy helping people, this can be a good year for humanitarian efforts and the group consciousness energy needed for rallies and protests. Canine qualities like warmth, empathy, and genuine interest in others is beneficial in most situations. The Chinese calendar includes a five-year cycle of elements, and fire is the
element for 2006. This means that this year's dog energy is lit by the fire to get things accomplished. The Year of the Dog takes places every twelve years. With a dog's forthright honesty and true moral integrity to guide this burning enthusiasm, we can look forward to a
truly great year ahead (if only.....listen up, you world leaders!).