Welcoming Year of the Wood Dragon

Welcoming Year of the Yang Wood Dragon

As the cycles of sun and moon converged upon the second new moon after Winter Solstice, thusly we began a New Year in the Daoist Calendar. Buckle up, because this next circle around the sun promises to be a wild ride.

The Wood element (or to translate a bit more accurately: the resonance and vibrational state of Qi known as Wood) is the phase associated with Spring. Think sprouting seeds, growing plants, buds getting ready to burst open into bloom, the sap rising in the trees and the expansive, outward moving force of burgeoning Life. Fresh perspectives, impatience, impulsivity, inquisitiveness, innocence, spontaneity, playfulness, lightness… It is sheer creative vision and potential, as well as the direct actions towards manifesting that creative force into the world.

The Dragon is known as the most powerful and auspicious of the animals in the Daoist Zodiac.. renowned for its strength, wisdom and higher perspective (as well as its temper and reactivity). It’s often considered to be an amalgamation of the other 11 animals into one, combining their characteristics and creating something greater than the sum.. something magical and wondrous.. something that can FLY!

Dragon energy symbolizes our infinite potential, and the power and confidence of the Dragon can be quite assertive, dedicated, and demanding. It’s a force that is wild, unbridled and even potentially explosive, though may be harnessed for great good. Dragons were traditionally considered the greatest leaders (associated with the ancient Emperors of China), capable of sublimating their selfishness into enormous compassion and holding the broadest, most inclusive view of the world. 

So here we’ve got the Wood Dragon, bringing energies of youthful excitement, expansive potential and raw, unbridled potency to the world. This is a year of enormous possibilities, deep renewal and great change. As unpredictable as each and every year is, this one is especially a wild card. While we can’t know HOW things will change, we can say with assuredness that lots of things will change.

Given the huge issues currently facing the world, from environmental extremes to war to the rise of AI with its enormous uncertainties and potential dangers… this seems to make sense, right? There’s unfortunately a lot of immature children out there positioning themselves as leaders while wielding weapons, tools and technologies of immense power. 

Well, there’s definitely good news as well.. This is a GREAT year for new beginnings, initiating projects (maybe that thing you’ve been thinking about doing for years now?) and for shifting old patterns, habits and ruts! The Wood Dragon brings fresh perspectives and expanded horizons, breaking out of the shell of the confining egg which was an old reality and taking flight to see the world with new eyes and visionary potential. Wood Dragon energy is extremely creative, innovative and adventurous, bringing the excitement and joy of youth to the exploration of new ideas, new projects and new opportunities!

In fact, the Wood Dragon is sometimes called the Laughing Dragon. So this might just be a great year to have a lot of FUN as well. With fresh eyes we can take a more optimistic perspective on our lives and the somewhat rather ridiculous and absurd state of the world. This should be a year of groundbreaking shifts and a time for visionaries and changemakers (and the rest of us too!) to pursue passions, ambitions and dreams. This is a year to believe in ourselves, face our insecurities head-on and embrace the confidence of the Dragon! Find some joy doing it too, please.

The last two years have been Water Element.. both Tiger and Rabbit. This has been a symbolic time of facing death and uncertainty, as Water energy involves self reflection and facing deep fears. Water also nourishes Wood, and this emergence of Wood’s creativity and growth in the lucky and prosperous sign of the Dragon makes for a splendid explosion of light and potential bursting into the sky. It really is a perfect time to start over, allow ourselves and our institutions to be renewed and to embrace change on all levels. 

So let’s do our best to stay flexible, inspired and creative in the face of all which will shift, trusting in the renewal, refresh and regrowth which comes from clearing away the old. This is likely a year that could be influenced by powerful forces which are out of our control, and in the midst of this dynamic transformation and change it can sure help to let go the illusion of control and trust the wild ride of Life.

Let’s let our roots expand deeper into the Earth so we can spread our dragon wings and fly higher, remembering the magical beings that we are and the great potency of potential we each carry. The sky’s the limit this year, so let’s enjoy the emergence and resurgence of new beginnings and ride the crazy waves of change with courage, determination and the greatest grace we can.

With Big Love and Expansive Qi,

Sean T