Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 恭喜發財

The Green Girl wants to wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous Chinese Lunar New Year of the Fire Monkey 猴.

According to Chinese astrology, our universe consists of five basic elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. It is said that everything in the universe, including humans, has a relationship with these five elements.

The Chinese believe every element is equally important and powerful. Metal will create Water, Water will create Wood, Wood will create Fire, Fire will create Earth, and Earth will then create Metal. Conversely, there is also a cycle of incompatibility and destruction: Metal will destroy Wood, Wood will destroy the Earth, Earth will destroy Water, Water will destroy Fire, and Fire will then destroy the Metal.

2016 is the year of the Fire Monkey so Fire is the dominant element. Fire shapes Metal and brings energy but it can also destroy metal and this may cause turbulence.

In addition to Fire, Monkey contains Metal and Water. Metal is connected to gold and Water is connected to wisdom and danger. Metal is also connected to the Wind and this means the status of events will change very quickly. Think carefully and cautiously before making financial, career, business, and personal relationship decisions.

One of the keys to success in a Monkey year is to expand your knowledge by taking classes, studying, joining professional groups/organizations, or traveling.

The Year of the Monkey is also a good time to re-think fitness programs, diet, and health plans.

Tao Te Ching verse for Monkey
Thirty spokes join together to make a wheel
but it is the center hole that makes the wagon move.
We shape clay into a vessel
but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want.
We hammer wood for a house
but in the empty space is where we live.
We work with being
but non-being is what we use.

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 恭喜發財

The Green Girl wants to wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe, and prosperous Chinese Lunar New Year.

According to Chinese astrology, our universe consists of five basic elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. It is said that everything in the universe, including humans, has a relationship with these five elements.

The Chinese believe every element is equally important and powerful. Metal will create Water, Water will create Wood, Wood will create Fire, Fire will create Earth, and Earth will then create Metal. Conversely, there is also a cycle of incompatibility and destruction: Metal will destroy Wood, Wood will destroy the Earth, Earth will destroy Water, Water will destroy Fire, and Fire will then destroy the Metal.

2015 is the Year of the Wooden Sheep. It is also referred to as the Year of the Goat or the Year of the Ram. This is because the Chinese character 羊 (yáng) for 'horned animal' is common to these animals. 绵羊 (mián yáng) means sheep, specifically the kind that is raised for wool. 山羊 (shān yáng) means goat. 公羊 (gōng yáng) means ram.

Wood relates to trees which relate to the color green. The Year of the Wood Sheep is therefore also known as the Year of the Green Sheep.

The Year of the Green Sheep brings a slower paced, more relaxed, and introspective time. Creativity and arts flourish during Sheep years.

The Green Sheep encourages you to cultivate the things that make you feel happy and fulfilled. 2015 is an opportunity for you to nurture your inner child by exploring the world with bright-eyed wonder.

The Green Sheep has a reflective, sensitive energy that brings plenty of opportunity to tune into feelings and leverage them for our own growth and awareness. 2015 is a good year to resolve stubborn problems or break free of negative cycles.

The Green Sheep also brings a hint of nostalgia. This is a good time to research your family tree or journey to lands of ancient civilizations.

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 恭喜發財

The Green Girl wants to wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe, and Chinese Lunar New Year.

According to Chinese astrology, our universe consists of five basic elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. It is said that everything in the universe, including humans, has a relationship with these five elements.

The Chinese believe every element is equally important and powerful. Metal will create Water, Water will create Wood, Wood will create Fire, Fire will create Earth, and Earth will then create Metal. Conversely, there is also a cycle of incompatibility and destruction: Metal will destroy Wood, Wood will destroy the Earth, Earth will destroy Water, Water will destroy Fire, and Fire will then destroy the Metal.

2014 is the Year of the Wooden Horse. Wood is related to tree or green. Therefore, 2014 is also known as the Year of the Green Horse.

The Year of the Green Horse is a time to live modestly and be fiscally conservative. 2015 will be the more adventurous and glamorous Year of the Sheep.

In the Year of the Green Horse, it's important to focus on mental and physical strength. If you are out of shape, this is the year to get back in shape.

By tradition, the Year of the Horse is an optimistic time when people are generally more apt to work together in a spirit of community while still enabling independent ideas to help solve problems.

The Year of the Green Horse will be the perfect opportunity for me to focus on learning new technical skills and improving my running and cycling technique.

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 恭喜發財

The Green Girl wants to wish everyone a happy, healthy, safe, and Chinese Lunar New Year.

According to Chinese astrology, our universe consists of five basic elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. It is said that everything in the universe, including humans, has a relationship with these five elements.

The Chinese believe every element is equally important and powerful. Metal will create Water, Water will create Wood, Wood will create Fire, Fire will create Earth, and Earth will then create Metal. Conversely, there is also a cycle of incompatibility and destruction: Metal will destroy Wood, Wood will destroy the Earth, Earth will destroy Water, Water will destroy Fire, and Fire will then destroy the Metal.

The Snake 蛇 is a Fire element but 2013 is a Water year. The conflict between the elements means most of people will experience mix of good and bad fortune.

The Chinese philosophy of Yin-Yang 陰陽 states Yin must follow Yang for the universe to be in balance. The Dragon Yang of 2012, the cycle’s most powerful positive force, must be balanced by the cycle’s most powerful negative force, the Snake Yin of 2013. The 'positive' and 'negative' represent the opposing yet complementary forces and should not be construed in a moral framework as 'good' or 'bad'. Harmony is achieved through this paradoxical balance.

The dynamic elemental relationship between Fire and Water means we should proceed with caution especially when dealing with health, relationships, and finances.

The Water energy will creativity, discovery, and innovation by releasing old thinking that blocked growth and progress. This means 2013 is a good year to expand your horizons by learning new things.

In Chinese metaphysics, the Snake is the Traveling Star and Water is the element of transport and communications so the Water Snake will likely bring opportunities for travel.

The Chinese believe rewards are found in the inner world of spirit during a Water Snake Year.

I believe the Water Snake will favor my renewed focus on personal and professional growth, and I will respect the 'Water will destroy Fire' by approaching things with caution.

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 恭喜發財

The Green Girl wants to wish everyone a happy and prosperous Chinese Lunar New Year.

According to Chinese astrology, our universe consists of five basic elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. It is said that everything in the universe, including humans, has a relationship with these five elements.

The Chinese believe the Dragon is a special zodiac sign because it is a mystical being rather than an earthly animal. The Dragon is karmic sign which means karma will play a big role in our lives this year.

Like last year's sign, the Rabbit 兔, the Dragon 龍 is said to be Wood. Wood rules the Eastern direction, and governs the season of Spring. Ruled by the planet Jupiter, the color of this element is Green.

2012 is a Water year. This means Water will nourish the Dragon's fixed element, Wood. This will bring good luck and make dreams come true.

It is said that more babies are born in Dragon years than any other zodiac sign.

According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, ever since 1996, the year element has been in a destructive relationship with the fixed element of the animal sign. This has been the longest unfavorable period in the 60 year cycle of Chinese Astrology. The year 2012 is considered lucky because it's blessed not only by the lucky Dragon but also the end of that destructive cycle.

This is a significant year for me because I was born in the year of the Dragon. I believe this will be the year that I learn to let go and allow myself to dream.

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year 恭喜發財

The Green Girl wishes everyone a very happy Chinese Lunar New Year.

According to Chinese astrology, our universe consists of five basic elements: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth. It is said that everything in the universe, including humans, has a relationship with these five elements.

The Rabbit 兔 is said to be Wood. Wood rules the Eastern direction, and governs the season of Spring. Ruled by the planet Jupiter, the color of this element is Green.

While the Chinese Zodiac Rabbit represents tranquility and calm, 2011 may be considered an unfavorable year since it is a Metal year ushering in the Wood Rabbit. The Chinese believe the Metal element generally works against the Wood element.

The meeting of the two elements indicates we should be cautious this year and focus on a safe, peaceful lifestyle.

The Rabbit is the symbol of the Moon (the Yin of the Yang) and it is said that in the Year of the Rabbit, the Moon's wish granting powers are multiplied so the next time you see a Full Moon, be sure to make a wish!

Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 5k Run

The Green Girl had a really good time this weekend at the Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 5k with her good friend, Rad Runner Girl.

Rad Runner Girl and I took the Metro Blue Line to the Red Line and then transferred to Gold Line to get to the Chinatown station. It was conveniently located about a block from the Starting Line.

The registration was well organized and efficient. Rad Runner Girl even got a little tiger figurines to commemorate the Chinese Year of the Tiger. I loved that the goodie bags were reusable shopping bags.

Since we took public transportation, we couldn't stash our goodie bags in the car and this race didn't offer a bag check. I offered to carry our bags since I wasn't really planning on running that much.

They started off the race festivities with a warm-up courtesy of the L.A. Laker Girls.

After that, they had a Chinese New Year Dragon Dance complete with lettuce and the lighting of the 1,000 firecrackers that were hanging from the Starting Line.

If you'd like to see what 1,000 firecrackers hanging from a Starting Line looks like, check out The Running Fat Guy's video commentary of the Firecracker Run. I feel like he really captured the essense of the race.

The first half of the 5k was mostly uphill but then the second half looped back down. We went up to the entrance of Dodger Stadium, circled around the parking lot and headed back. The Taiko drummers at the turn-around were a really nice touch. I love the sound of Taiko drums.

Walking with the goodie bags wasn't bad at all but I realized it's really awkward to run with a bag on your shoulder. About as awkward as you'd imagine it to be.

I loved the post-race freebies. We spun the Mahatma Rice wheel and won - you guessed it - free rice.

When I got home and dumped everything out of the goodie bag, I couldn't believe how much cool stuff I got. The little Tiger Balm packet is adorable.

The Green Girl Will Run In The Chinese New Year

The Green Girl will be doing the Los Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 5k Run on Sunday.

And by run, I mean I will be walking and jogging it. I haven't really run this year but I've been wanting to do this race for a few years now.