2023 is Year of the Water Rabbit

We welcome the Year of the Rabbit from January 22, 2023 to February 9, 2024. If Year of the Ox was about building anew and grounding ourselves in a new reality, with hard work and clear intuition; and Year of the Tiger was about big changes, and risk taking; Year of the Rabbit will be a gentler year, full of hope. The rabbit represents peace, longevity, and prosperity in Chinese culture, and people born in a Rabbit year are thought to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded, and innovative, as well as skillful, kind, and patient. Their refinement further attracts others and makes them want to emulate the rabbit’s grace. In this way, Rabbit can make friends in both high and low places and their positive influence for all who meet them belies its meek appearance.

We have been through exceedingly tumultuous times in recent years and been asked to trust and take risks, as well as to start looking out for more than just ourselves. Now, in Year of the Rabbit, we learn what seeds we have planted will grow. A rabbit year will favor efforts in diplomacy and peace over conflict and will encourage others to join in the peace-making. Peace, after all, must start in each of our own hearts. Rabbit can lead the way. In a Water year, the Rabbit’s empathic powers are extra potent, yielding intuitive insight and stamina to navigate through most any obstacle or conflict without losing its serene composure.

Where Tiger was the ultimate yang energy, Rabbit is the ultimate yin. Supremely intuitive and a natural-born mediator, Rabbit offers us the gift of intuition and persuasive powers, as well, to meet both the opportunities and the trials the year will bring. Guard against the weak side of the Rabbit, which can hesitate or cling to conservative ideas to the point of self-sabotage, leading to missed opportunities; or become cynical, authoritarian, and self-pitying over past perceived wrongs. The best of the Rabbit knows better than that.

My first paintings to kick off Year of the Rabbit are the ones above; Galloping Hare, Cotton Tail, Loping Hare, and Bunny in the Vegetables. Visit Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese Zodiac shop for these and more options.

2022 is Year of the Water Tiger

We welcome the Year of the Tiger from February 1, 2022 to January 21, 2023. If Year of the Rat was about survival through resourcefulness and agility; and Year of the Ox was about building anew and grounding ourselves in a new reality, with hard work and clear intuition; Year of the Tiger will be about big changes, and risk taking. Whether those changes feel like adventure or unsettling chaos depends to some extent on the degree to which you are able to inhabit the Tiger.

What does change look like? On the one hand, we are getting our groove back after exceedingly tumultuous times; we are fired up and ready to go, but no longer interested in striving only for ourselves. Tiger brings the spirit of generosity to an all-time high, and makes social progress seem possible again. That’s because Tigers are loyal and fierce protectors of those entrusted to their care, and are less interested in glory in general than in what can bring the greatest good to the highest number.

On the other hand, expect change to also come in the form of disruptions in marriage/romance, career, home life; as well as aggression and political conflict in the world. Some will thrive in the uncertainty and shifting ground beneath their feet; others may stumble, fall, or feeling themselves burning to ash. Tigers are the ultimate Yang energy - hot, active, divine masculine - and are full of vigor and valor. Imbalanced, the tiger may tip into destructive forms of heat and aggression.

Lucky for all the signs, Tiger is supremely intuitive, and offers us the gift of intuition, as well, to navigate both the opportunities and the trials the year will bring.

People born Year of the Tiger do things their own way, and don’t like to be told what to do. This is often with good reason; they are cautious, but decisive, have high self-esteem and self-efficacy, great ambition, and indominable spirit. They can start from scratch over and over again, undaunted. They are bold and fearless, frequently falling naturally into leadership positions. Logical and determined, they are often successful in helping others to maximize their own potential.

This Year of the Tiger falls under the Water element, the defining characteristic for which will be curiosity in the face of change - change elicited from within or imposed from without. Either way, to be successful in the Year of a Water Tiger, you must remember the old Chinese adage that “ The willing heart is the dojo.” And that “beginner’s mind,” which is a key principle of Zen Buddhism, will serve us well. That means having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and a lack of preconceived notions when studying a subject or executing a task, even at an expert level. The Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki said it best: “in the beginner's mind there are many possibilities, in the expert's mind there are few."

With beginner’s mind, we open ourselves to seeing things with fresh eyes, and tapping in to the curiosity and wonder that brought us here in the first place – just the way a child or a beginner would. The practice of beginner’s mind transforms any activity and gives us better experiences; better relationships; a greater sense of curiosity, peace and gratitude; and less anxiety. The nice thing about beginner’s mind is that you don’t have to be an expert to start doing it right now. What are you waiting for?

Switch careers, get creative, forge new connections, chase your wildest dreams. The Water Tiger will carry you far.

My first paintings to kick off Year of the Tiger are the ones above; Charging Tiger, Prowling Tiger, Crouching Tiger, and Stalking Tiger.

2021 is Year of the Metal Ox!

Ox and Egret. The egret, as part of the Crane family symbolizes purity, Yin energy or intuition (extra potent in a year of the Metal Ox), and connection to the Spirit World. In this one, I have paired it with calligraphy that says “wuwei” or “right action” (perhaps “inspired action”). So bring on 2021. The Ox is in our corner this year!

Welcome to 2021, the Year of the Ox in the Chinese zodiac, and a hopeful bookend to tumultuous times. The Ox brings us very auspicious “energy” for the intractable problems we face as a society. In any normal Year of the Ox, hard work is rewarded, and problems find solutions when approached with discipline. But because it is also a Metal Ox this year, which is associated with the color white, the Yin (intuitive, receptive, inspired) energy that is always with Ox, promises to be extra potent. After the chaotic elements of 2020 - Year of the Rat - the Ox is here to build, or rather, rebuild, something that is better for all.

What do we know about the Ox? The Ox, above all, is HONEST. It is also known for its diligence, dependability, strength and determination. The Ox makes an excellent friend, colleague, and parent. It brings with it the knowledge that while nothing is promised, hard work and consistent effort - uninfluenced and undeterred by the doubts and obstructions of others or external circumstance - WILL result in great success. More importantly, this success will be of a sort that is in alignment with the Ox’s true ideals and capabilities, which are exclusively benevolent and for the highest good of the greatest number.

From February 12, 2021 to January 31, 2022, expect the Metal Ox to bring opportunities for career advancement, success in business, prosperity, and wellness of all kinds (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual) for all of the zodiac signs, so long as they meet it halfway and in good faith. This year, it is okay to put down the anxiety and negative thinking that have burdened you, weighed you down, or held you back. Trust in the Ox, for the Ox is nothing if not trustworthy, and get ready to step out and meet it.

My first painting to kick off Year of the Ox is called Ox and Egret, and it has calligraphy that reads "right action," which is the essence of what this year is to be about.­ Check out other oxen and all of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac in the Zodiac Shop.

2020 is Year of the Metal Rat

With the end of the Year of the Earth Pig, and with it, the full 12-year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac, things feel like they are coming to a natural close. A new cycle is about to begin. From January 25, 2020 to February 11, 2021, we will find ourselves in the Year of the Metal (White) Rat.

Rats are quick-witted, resourceful and versatile, with strong intuitive powers and lightning-quick reflexes. With so many skills, they can easily adapt themselves to new environments., and find success in the unlikeliest of places. Being intuitive and kind, as well as sharply observant, rats can always come up with a plan on the fly. They also have the unwavering courage to follow it, like lab rats in a maze, sniffing and intuiting their way to the end, even if they can’t see around the next corner. And what lies at the end? Reward.

This is a good thing, because 2020 calls for a variety of shocks, chaos, and sudden changes; new responsibilities; and wide uncertainty in the realms of health and economy that will force most zodiac signs to rely on their wits and existing resources - the rat’s seed storage - to get them through the proverbial winter. Although the year’s forecast may sound fearsome, there is good news: the Rat’s energy is perfect for tackling whatever comes, and success is possible, if you can be flexible in how you define it. Rat is relentless and resourceful, and will never become discouraged by failure. Don’t let your mind be clouded by fear; trust the intuition and the Buddha heart of the Rat.

My first paintings to kick off Year of the Rat are the trio above; Rat with Grapes (“Buddha Heart”); Rat with Mushrooms (“Abundance”); and Rat with Onion (“Contentment”), which are the essence of what this year is to be about.

2019 is Year of the Earth Pig!

Boar in a Snowy Wood should help you tap in to a well-deserved rest after two trying years of Rooster and Dog. The boar is the “laughing Buddha” of the Chinese Zodiac.

Well, friends, the last two years of Rooster and Dog have been very trying ones, which is why the Chinese are downright giddy at the coming of the gentle and benevolent Earth Pig. The fat and happy Pig (or Boar) is the laughing Buddha of the Chinese Zodiac, pleased as punch in just about any situation. The story goes that when the Emperor was creating the Zodiac calendar, he hosted a race for all the animals of the realm, promising to award the first 12 with a place in the calendar. Pig came in last because he was just so comfortable where he was.

From February 5, 2019 to January 24, 2020, Pig (or Boar) is expected to reign with a joyous hand, bringing long-needed relief to many, and closing out the full rotation cycle of the 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac. Finishing the calendar cycle is akin to a full exhale; there is a sense of cleansing and completion, as well as a feeling of pregnant pause at the base of the breath – for review, for appreciation, for planning - before the cycle swings back into motion.

Pig is ethical and idealistic and represents both wealth and generosity (giving and receiving) in Chinese culture. Prepare yourselves for a more festive and relaxed atmosphere in 2019, surrounded by creature comforts and friends of the heart. You may find yourself attracting abundance of all kinds, but may also be more prone to spending it too. And why not? It’s been a tough two years. Take a load off. Take time to appreciate where you are and see how far you’ve come. If you think you are not deserving of the little things, then how can you ever receive the bigger ones?

That’s what Year of the Pig is all about – a well-deserved rest for body, mind and spirit. Analysis of the previous years will help you to project yourself more serenely into the next cycle. Although not a great time for wild risk-taking, Pig’s strategic vision and business skills do ensure that passion projects can become a reality through thoughtful and inspired action.

My first painting to kick off Year of the Pig is called Boar in a Snowy Wood, and it has calligraphy that reads "love, peace, and happiness," which is the essence of what this year is to be about.­

Listen to my Interview on the All In with Pauline Hawkins Show!

If you missed it live, you can listen to my interview this past Sunday on the All In with Pauline Hawkins podcast. I’m still buzzing from the free-wheeling, wide-ranging, high-vibing conversation we had. Pure positive energy, folks, and some damn fine music too. Check it out while you’re folding laundry or something. Hear me talk about brush painting, photography, archaeology, writing, and what ties it all together for me, what going "all in" means to me. Enjoy it, it's a wonderful show.

Alexandra Chan has an amazing array of accomplishments under her belt with even more on the horizon. Alexandra Chan Photography was awarded the Best Photographer of 2017 for the Portsmouth region; she has spoken all over the world about her work in archaeology; and she is currently working on her second book.

What's in a Chop?

Two of my own chops - "Tranquility Yields Transcendence" (left); and "Chung Chan" (or Jung/Zhong Chan in today's transliteration), right. See gallery below for my other chops and how they look on paper.

Chinese seals or "chops" first came into use during the Shang Dynasty (1600 - 1046 BCE), and are used to this day to put a person's or a family's, or even a corporation's, name onto documents, artwork and literary writings - to mark authorship. Some believe that this stems from a time when most people couldn't read or write. The distinctive image of each chop would be recognizable as unique and belonging to only one person.

The chop itself is also considered to be a work of art in its own right, since after the carver inscribes the seal script on the stamp end, he often turned it around and carves an animal or other figure on the distal end. Chops might also contain words, phrases, family mottoes, or pictures carved into the sides. Ancient chops could be made from bone, horn, wood, fruit pits, ceramic, gold or brass. Stone has been the material of choice, however, since medieval times. If you look closely, you will also notice that no chop is fully "closed." There are always little white spaces around the edges that are meant to let the energy of the chop - the artist's "soul signature" - flow.

It has been customary for thousands of years for artists, in particular, to mark their work with their chop; but it may interest you to learn that the studio they worked out of, as well as every person who bought the painting down through the years would also put their chops on the work. Depending on who constituted this chain of provenance, all these extra chops might actually increase the value of the original work rather than detract from it.  I have read that some paintings from ancient China might have as many as 20 different chops.

My own chops were custom carved to represent my family name (which was originally Jung or Zhong, before the various circumstances of immigration changed it to Chan), as well as my painting motto: "Tranquility Yields Transcendence." I paint because I believe painting itself, as well as the mere act of contemplating it, quiets the mind and brings focus and clarity to the energies that move you forward in life.

My company "mood seal": "Tranquility Yields Transcendence."