Chinese New Year (2011)

By Peter Allsop

Rabbit Year 2011 is considered with regard to the characteristics of those born during Rabbit Years. Influences of the 5 Elements upon these individuals are outlined and some general recommendations made before well-known links between longevity, Rabbits and this fourth Sign of the Chinese Zodiac are discussed

Year of The Rabbit (2011)

Your birth year, the Fourth Sign of the Chinese Zodiac? If you become 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 (and so-on in 12-year increments). between 3rd February 2011 and 23rd January 2012 (when Rabbit Year ends) or know of a baby due during this period, this article might interest you and, similarly, those with partners, friends, relatives or colleagues in this category. Others might wish, in general, to discover what Chinese Culture and Tradition has to say about those born in The Year of The Rabbit.

Animal Games

Once, the animal Olympics were held to determine which animal should start the cycle via a race ending with crossing a raging river before a sprint home. Smart rat gave the cat the wrong start time, sneaked a ride on Ox's back over the river and dashed over the finish line first (Ox came second). The cat (Tiger) arriving late for the race came third, was furious, and consequently has been chasing the rat ever since! Lucky Rabbit (see below) found some stepping-stones and arrived next.

Rabbit Resume

Essentially Rabbits are relaxed, laid back and into various forms of cultivation. They are considered the most fortunate of the 12 Animal signs of the Chinese Ganzhi System.They rarely gamble (being conservative at heart and risk-averse) but do so skillfully when tempted. They are reliable and trustworthy and the last to renege on contractual commitments but can be a little too easy-going at times. Fond of gossip they are articulate, virtuous and well-liked. In relationship terms, Rabbits, who enjoy secure comfortable home-life, are most 'at-home' with those born under the Signs of the Sheep, Dog and Pig and least with those born under the Signs of the Rooster and Rat

Animals in Their Element

Underpinning the continuing 12 Year Animal Cycles is a 10-Year Elemental Cycle (5 Elements repeating sequentially in first Big Yang and then Small Yin Mode) with the Year Element (Yin Metal in the case of Rabbit Year 2011) modifying both Year Energies and Rabbit individual natures as shown below, So far, in this new 12-Year Cycle (beginning in 2008) Year Animals and Year Elements have been: 2008 Yang Earth Rat; 2009 Yin Earth Ox; 2010 Yang Metal Tiger and 2011 Yin Metal Rabbit. These will be followed in 2012 and 2013 by a Yang Water Dragon and Yin Water Snake respectively.

Rabbit Retrospective

Those born this Rabbit Year will be Yin Metal Rabbits but in earlier 12-Year Cycles this necessarily varied and their 'resume' requires modification as follows.

2011 and 1951 Metal Rabbit: Metal gives these strength and endurance (elemental colour white);

1999 and 1939 Earth Rabbit: Earth ensures the are well- grounded-- sometimes materialists (elemental colour yellow);

1987 and 1927 Fire Rabbit: Fired-up these can be Impatient, unpredictable and outgoing (elemental colour red);

1975 and 1915 Wood Rabbit: generous dreamers often versatile but introspective (elemental colour green);

1963 and 1903 Water Rabbit: Water makes these sensitive, emotional and eloquent (elemental colours blue/black).

Rabbit! Rabbit!

What does this mean for Rabbits? Well,becoming 12, 24, 36, 48 or 60 etc., in 2011, the Chinese believe one should spend time quietly meditating over the last 12 years and planning for the next 12--the exact opposite of the Western notion of wild birthdate celebrations-- instead a very quiet year spent focusing on self-review is indicated. You should avoid/put-off digging trenches, building foundations or laying drains i.e. major undertakings such as moving house (which would distract from this). I'm an Ox did this in Ox Year 2009, finding it a most useful experience.

Combining the 12 Animal and 5 Elemental Cycles gives 60 as a figure to consider and Rabbits reaching this key age in 2011 may be particularly well-advised to undergo this rewarding exercise. Year Animal/ Element birth combinations repeat after 60 years (hence the importance of self-review at this time) and if we add in the Yin/Yang dimensions of these calculations we get 120 asa figure to contemplate. The Chinese believe living in harmony with nature and the universe enables such lifespans and the 12 Animals and 5 Elements plus their Yin/Yang attributions represent these forces.

Rabbits gazing at the next full Moon should (like the Chinese) see themselves, (a Rabbit), there, standing under a tree, paw holding the elixir of life. From their reproduction rate, there's never going to be a world rabbit shortage! Thus the rabbit is a Chinese longevity symbol-- its lunar location emphasises this via links to the reproductive cycle. The 5 Elements, the 12 Animals.their Yin/Yang associations and longevity are all good subjects to meditate on during Rabbit Year 2011.

Sifu Peter Allsop M.Ed. teaches Shaolin Kung Fu and Qigong in Yorkshire and Derbyshire U.K. with almost 40 years experience and is Shaolin Fists International Area Instructor for this region. A Senior Student of Grandmaster Yap Leong, he is also Area Coach for his HYL (Health, Youth and Longevity) Energise Qigong Programme.

Trained in the U.K. and China, Sifu Allsop teaches Changquan ('Longfist') Wu Xing (5 Animals) and Wu Tzu (5 Ancestors) Kung Fu plus 5 Elements Qigong. Member of Sheffield Chinese Lion Dance Team and a Feng Shui Consultant, his interests include Iron Shirt, LongevityTraining and Chinese Culture. He also publishes 'Red Dragon Martial Arts Ezine'.

Discover more at http://sheffieldkungfu.com [http://hylenergiser.com]http://hylenergiser.coma

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