2024: Year of the Dragon

 

It’s time to discover your inner fire... Chinese New Year falls on 10 February in 2024, bringing in the Year of the Dragon. Teresa Dellbridge shares what it holds for you.

Are you ready to enter the dragon’s den? If you’ve felt frustrated by Rabbit’s pottering about, hold on to your hat: the pace is about to quicken. Hopefully you’ve had some time to reflect, relax and clarify your life direction, because the next 12 months may take you on a bit of a rollercoaster ride.

  The Dragon is dramatic, flamboyant, and a tad unpredictable. If you’ve been sleepwalking through the Year of the Rabbit, this awakening could be rude, but if you’ve been listening to your dreams, now could be the time to take a chance at making them real. Rabbit years are not without their conflicts, and we certainly saw plenty of those over the past year. As the Dragon enters, though, there are likely to be some significant – and maybe some totally unforeseen – developments. In the past, Dragon has ushered in some exciting innovations. There was the invention of the thermos flask in 1892, and the first public demonstration of the electron microscope in 1940. The last Dragon year in 2012 saw the re-election of America’s first black president, Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth II’s celebration of her Diamond Jubilee, and CERN’s announcement of the discovery of a new particle. The Olympics were held in London, the Curiosity Rover successfully landed on Mars, and Vladimir Putin came to power in Russia. The year ahead should be noteworthy, but fear not: Dragon years are considered, in general, to be very lucky. So, what may we hope for? Look out for flamboyance in art and theatre, lavish events and exhibitions, and fashion innovations. We can also expect exciting discoveries in science. Magnificence and the outlandish will probably characterise many projects. Finances are likely to pick up – which is good news for many people – and there will be a ‘take a chance’ vibe. Fortunes may be won, lost, and won again with a bit of Dragon luck. The feel-good factor will give a push to many plans that have stalled, and the sheer ebullience of the Dragon will bring some surprising successes. This is considered an auspicious year to get married, or to have a child – it has been known for some Chinese couples to delay having children until they can time the birth to fall within a Dragon year. Children born in Dragon years are considered to bring luck to the entire household, as well as having their own charmed life. This is a good year to start up any venture such as a business, public project or any other innovation, from the personal level to the larger scale. Needless to say, the dashing Dragon can be a bit much for quieter souls. If that’s you, there’s always the option to sit back and watch – at least for some of the time. However, don’t miss out. Fortune favours the brave, and the Dragon will have something in its golden hoard just for you. If you do just one thing in the Year of the Dragon, try one of these:

• Dance as if no-one is watching you
• Start a business or side hustle
• Do something that other people might consider out of character
• Defeat a fear. ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’ is your Dragon mantra
• Try a dramatic new look. How about a dragon tattoo?

  Read on for your Chinese zodiac sign forecast in our Winter 2023 issue... This feature was originally published in Kindred Spirit Winter 2023 (Issue 189) available from 23 November, 2023, alongside with a personalised yearly forecast for each sign of the Chinese zodiac. Click here to subscribe and have each new issue of Kindred Spirit delivered directly to your door. Alternatively, you can purchase individual magazines directly from our website.