Happy Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, marks the arrival of spring and is a time of joy, tradition, and family togetherness. This 15-day celebration is the most significant holiday in China, South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and many other Asian countries with a rich Chinese heritage.

At home, families prepare by decorating doors and windows with red paper couplets bearing auspicious wishes for the year ahead. The highlight of Lunar New Year’s Eve is the family reunion dinner—a grand feast featuring symbolic dishes like whole fish, which is believed to bring good luck and fortune.

The celebration concludes on the fifteenth day with the Lantern Festival, a magical evening when children carry lanterns through their neighborhoods, and families enjoy tangyuan—sweet glutinous rice balls symbolizing unity and wholeness.

For more insights into the Lunar New Year, check out these resources:

• Explore the Year of the Snake and Lunar New Year traditions

• A touching first-person account of the Lunar New Year

Welcoming the Year of the Snake

Tomorrow, January 29, we bid farewell to the Year of the Dragon and welcome the Year of the Snake. In the Chinese Zodiac, the snake symbolizes harvest, spirituality, and good fortune. Curious about your zodiac sign? Find it here: 12 Chinese Zodiac Signs.

The Year of the Snake brings mindful energy, heightened intuition, and a call for self-reflection. It’s a time to pause, reassess what’s working in your life, and release what no longer serves you. Once you find clarity, embrace the new with purpose and confidence.

A Special Qigong Routine for the New Year

In the spirit of renewal, here is a short Qigong routine to help you start the year with balance, vitality, and inner peace. This gentle practice aligns perfectly with the introspective energy of the snake—helping you ground yourself and release the old to welcome the new.

I hope you can take some time to visit a local Lunar New Year festival and immerse yourself in the vibrant traditions and joyous atmosphere of this special celebration.

I wish you and your loved ones health, happiness, and good fortune during this year of transformation and growth.