Southwest Intenders Circle News

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January 2012
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Recent Posts

  1. Aspen Program Free Intro this weekend - Registration Feb 5
    Friday, January 27, 2012
  2. Forgiveness Exercise
    Friday, January 27, 2012
  3. SW Intenders - Ho’oponopono
    Thursday, January 26, 2012
  4. Inspiration
    Thursday, January 26, 2012
  5. Aspen Program Classes / Workshops: Jan-Feb
    Tuesday, January 24, 2012
  6. Introduction to Animal Communication
    Sunday, January 22, 2012
  7. Aspen Program
    Friday, January 20, 2012
  8. SW Intenders
    Friday, January 20, 2012
  9. SW Intenders Circle
    Friday, January 20, 2012
  10. New Moon - Chinese New Year (Water Dragon)
    Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Recent Comments

  1. Sequoia Elisabeth on Intenders Inspiration by Jim Rohn
    11/15/2011
  2. Sequoia Elisabeth on For your consideration
    11/6/2011
  3. pat on New Moon in Scorpio
    10/24/2011
  4. Griff on Inspiring you "Purpose"
    9/12/2011

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Aspen Program Free Intro this weekend - Registration Feb 5

The Aspen Program for Psychic Development
offers 3 locations  (ISIS Books in Englewood, VAST Wellness in Aurora, & the Cloisters in Lakewood),
20 teachers, 80+ classes, 10 different mentor groups, and 5 certifications.  
Please check out the website for a class or workshop that you might be interested in attending in 2012! 

FREE Intro this weekend - Pre-Register at www.PsychicIQ.com

 

Registrations tarts on-line at www.PsychicIQ.com on February 5th, Super Bowl Sunday!

The new system offers automated registration this year, and registrations are handled on-line only. $8 will be charged for each class you register for on Feb 5. This is part payment of the class fee.
Pay the remainder at the class to the instructor.  More details on line: www.PsychicIQ.com

Check out the new:
BusinessIntuitive Certification with Jennifer Garcia
and the
TranspersonalAwareness Certification with Sean MichaelMorris

 

 

  

Forgiveness Exercise

A Forgiveness and Release Exercise  Created and shared by Lisha St.Claire

(Thanks for sharing this Lisha!)


    This exercise can be used for virtually anything:  for the people    you care for AND the ones you’re having trouble with; for money; for    the car you want as well as the car you have [and maybe wish you    didn't, or you wish you could afford to improve it], and especially    for releasing the inner critic who’s hard on yourself.

    Picture the person, item, issue -- whatever -- in front of you,    small enough to hold in your open hand/s.  Spend a moment connecting    with whomever or whatever it is without judgment.

    Then say these words:  [spend time with each set before going on to    the next]

•    I love you. [Even if you’re not sure that you do!]

•    I bless you.

•    I thank you. [Again, even if you’re not sure that you do!]

•    I thank you for the gifts you’ve given me. [There is a gift in    each and every relationship --  even if you have no idea what it    might be.]

•    I thank you for the things I’ve learned in my time with you [or    in my time without you].

•    I forgive you.

•    I forgive me.

•    I release you to your highest soul path

•    As I release me to mine.

    Spend another moment or two, then release the person or item and put    your palms together to come back to yourself.

    Sometimes this exercise is complete with just the one session.  More    than likely, though, it’ll take more time than that.  Repeat it as    often as you like and as often as you need to, and you’ll find that    the release gets easier each time -- until it suddenly feels    complete.

SW Intenders - Ho’oponopono

You are invited to join the SW Intenders Circle

Tuesday, January 31st at 6:30-8:30 PM

Please use the driveway or visitor parking, no street parking
RSVP's always appreciated

Our Topic: Ho’oponopono Prayer
Fran will be sharing some audio or visual Ho’oponopono materials.


Ho’oponopono originated from Hawaii and was originally taught by Morrnah Nalamaku Simeona. Morrnah was a healer and in 1983 she received a great honor by being designated as a living treasure of Hawaii. She was teaching Ho’oponopono to small and large groups of people as well as to hospitals, colleges and even to United Nations personnel. She also founded “The Foundation of I, Self-Identity through Hoʻoponopono” to promote principles of Ho’oponopono around the world.

Historically Ho’oponopono healing system required the presence of mediator – senior qualified practitioner who would guide a healing process for practitioner. It is often that the group of people need be to interacting with each other in a certain way for the process to take place.
Morrnah updated Ho’oponopono in a way that healing and transformation process no longer required presence of any other person but the practitioner himself. Neither any specific interaction is required between practitioner and other people.

The miracle powers of Ho’oponopono self-healing and self-improvement practice would still be unknown to the world at large if not for the works of Joe Vitale, published as “The Attractor Factor” and especially his exceptional quality “Zero Limits” book.

Joe Vitale is best known as internet marketer, writer and speaker on the subject of self improvement. While internet marketing is something that perceived by many (including myself) with a great degree of skepticism – Joe Vitale’s experience on the subject of self improvement as well as his in-depth research about Ho’oponopono deserves the highest marks. It’s from Joe Vitale’s “Zero Limits” book that the world found out about true miracles and powers of Ho’oponopono as well as about Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len.

Dr. Hew Len was the most avid student of Morrnah Simeona and practitioner of updated Ho’oponopono technique. He was the first person who got documented and confirmed proof of the healing miracles initiated by the Ho’oponopono process. Dr. Hew Len observed Hooponopono healing powers himself when Morrnah Simeona healed his daughter from painful bleeding shingles (skin disease) that she suffered from for more than a decade without anyone or anything helping.

Being traditionally educated university-trained physician he decided to look deeper into the process that Morrnah Simeona was using. He signed into her seminar in 1982 and not without certain degree of struggle (“…she was talking to spirits and sounding nuts!…” – ‘Zero Limits’, page 42) managed to complete the training. She was staying and learning from Morrnah all the way till 1992 when she passed away. Paying utmost attention to her teaching and practices Dr Hew Len managed to simplify and improve Ho’oponopono process even more and with amazing results.

From 1984 till 1987 he worked as a staff psychologist for Hawaii State Hospital overseeing high security unit housing male criminally insane patients. Now, to make things clear – these are the type of guys you don’t want to turn your back on. These guys committed murders, rapes, assaults and due to their degree of “insanity” were locked into psychiatric high security facility. Violence against each other and staff members were common.

Fast forward to 1987 (3 years later) wrist and ankle restraints were no longer used in this facility. Violence almost ceased to exist, only involving mostly new patients. New off-site activities were introduced to former violent patients. The spirit and order in the unit was greatly improved and eventually the whole unit was closed because there was no need. People just got improved, healed and released or moved into other non-violent wards.

This all was documented, described my multiple witnesses and personnel.

How did such miraculous change took place in the hospital?

According to Dr. Hew Len:

He did not do any therapy or counseling with patients
He did not attend any staff conferences on patients
He practiced updated Ho’oponopono process on a daily basis that included accepting 100% of responsibility for everything being experienced by him.
(Zero Limits, page 142)

Dr. Hew Len improved and practiced updated Ho’oponopono process every day and this process caused the most miraculous transformation within the most challenging environment.

So what exactly is Ho’oponopono and how does it work?

When Joe Vitale met with Dr. Hew Len and asked him how exactly did he manage to heal these violent patients without actually seeing each of them in person, his answer was:

“I didn’t heal them. I healed part of myself that created them”. To me that was the most fundamental revelation to date. That phrase alone explains the most important presumption of Ho’oponopono:
You are 100% responsible for everything. Everything and everywhere! And it means not only your personal screwups and your personal successes. If means if someone somewhere did something and you became aware of that – you are 100% responsible for that.
Ho’oponopono is not your free ticket to guilt trip. Being 100% responsible is not the same as feeling infinitely guilty for miseries. It’s reminder of your creative powers and gentle welcome to return back to your inner nature. That is to Zero. Joe Vitale wrote a great book on the subject called Zero Limits. When you returning back to your most inner nature – to Zero – everything becomes available to you effortlessly and you are being driven by inspiration from Divinity, not by petty ego wants. Ho’oponopono’s Zero is the same thing that Eckhart Tolle names Unmanifested.
Back to practical reality – let assume that Zero is the next great thing after sliced bread. Or even before sliced bread. Whatever. How do we get to that “magical” state? What exactly needed to be done?

This is achieved by constant cleaning process. Cleaning is the actual Ho’oponopono practice. Cleaning what? You clean yourself from subconscious garbage – programs that run your life without your participation.

Apparently Ho’oponopono process is very simple. Actual Ho’oponopono cleaning process consists of repetitions of the following phrases:

  • I Love You
  • Please forgive me
  • I am sorry
  • Thank you

These phrases repeated will ignite the self transformation process for the practitioner. This is exactly what Dr. Hew Len did to invite divine transformation powers for his surrounding during his work at Hawaiian mental hospital.


The Ho’oponopono has been extrodinarily powerful for me.  I hope you will choose to join us on Tuesday the 31st to experience it for yourself.  RSVP's always appreciated.  Nancy

Inspiration

If you will let your dominant intention be, to revise and improve the content of the story you tell every day of your life, your life will become that ever-improving story. For by the powerful Law of Attraction - the essence of that which is like unto itself is drawn - it must be.

Who and where would you be without your old story?
~ Linda Fallucca

Aspen Program Classes / Workshops: Jan-Feb

Check out what the Aspen Program has to offer in January & February:


Get started early this year with developing your psychic abilities, including some new, unique learning opportunities:  ForKids:   Aura Painting for Kids with psychic artist Lisa Lanyon.  ForAdults:  Flame Readings with Spiritualist Minister Charles Cox, Automatic Writing with channel Sean Michael Morris and
4 Free Intros to the Aspen Program

Register now ~ Pay at the Class:  Visit the Aspen Program webpage for more information and to register:
http://www.psychiciq.com/

January 26       Flame Readings Play Date, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Charles Cox, at ISIS Books inEnglewood, $26

January 28       Free Intro, 9:00 to 11:00,Karen Fox & Teachers, at ISIS Books in Englewood
                           Free Intro, 11:30 to 1:30,Karen Fox & Teachers, at ISIS Books in Englewood

January29       Automatic Writing Play Date, 3:00 to 5:00, Sean Michael Morris, at ISIS Books inEnglewood, $21

February 3         Guidancefor 2012 fromSpirit Guides & Akashic Records, 1:00 to 3:00, Karen Fox, at ISIS Books in Englewood, $20

February  4         Free Intro, 9:00 to 11:00,Karen Fox & Teachers, at the Cloisters in Lakewood
                              Free Intro, 1:00 to 3:00,Karen Fox & Teachers, at VAST Wellness in Aurora

Introduction to Animal Communication

I know we have many animal lovers amongst us!
I am sharing this upcoming event with you.  A friend of mine, Bette Heller is teaching it with her friend Heather.

Enjoy!

SAT 2/18
SAT 3/3
INTRO TO ANIMAL COMMUNICATION 
at Isis Books on Broadway just south of Yale
www.isisbooks.com
1-4pm Bette Heller and Heather Thompson
$25 Do you ever wonder what your animal companions are thinking? Do you talk to your animals and wish that they would respond in kind? Well, they are!!! You just need to learn to "hear" them. In this class, we will learn the basics of how to tap into our innate abilities for telepathic communication and how to "tune into" what your animals are saying.
 
Bette Heller has been communicating with animals since 1998. She offers Psychic Readings for people and animals, living or in spirit. Her goal is to help People and their Animal Companions attain a greater understanding of one another, and live together in peace and harmony.

Heather Thompson has been communicating with animals since 2008. She us an energy worker and does a variety of energy work on animals, in person and remotely. She is a Reiki Master/Teacher, a Medical Intuitive, and a Reflexology Teacher. Students are encouraged (but not required) to bring photograph(s) of living animal(s) that they would like to communicate with.

Questions? Email: BetteSCR@comcast.net or call 303-898-8962 .

 

 

Aspen Program

Intenders and friends,

Please consider joining me for one of my 2012 Classes/Workshops offered as part of The Aspen Program for Psychic Development  (http://www.psychiciq.com)

Free Introductions to the program are offered throughout the year in three locations.  Pre-registration is required. 

Everyone is psychic, and everyone can improve this innate ability. 

Come learn more about what the Aspen Program offers.

Must Pre-Register with Staff@PsychicIQ.com
 
 Free Introductions will be held:
 
 January 28, 9:00 to 11:00, at ISIS Books, Near Broadway & Yale
 
 January 28, 11:30 to 1:30, at ISIS Books, Near Broadway & Yale

 February 4, 9:00 to 11:00, at the Cloisters, in Lakewood
 
 February 4, 1:00 to 3:00, at VAST Wellness, in Aurora
 
 July 14, 10:00 to Noon, at VAST Wellness, in Aurora
 

The classes/workshops that I will be offering are below:

Reading & Shifting Chakra Energy
$66, (Pre-requisites:  How to Psychically Read Body Health)

This interactive class is designed for those enrolled in the Medical Intuitive program with the Aspen Program, but others who meet the pre-requisite requirements are welcome to attend. Chakras are focal points for the reception and transmission of energies; centers that allow conscious and unconscious information to be read.  This class will include history and beliefs of the seven central chakras.  Handouts will be shared, as well as reading recommendations. 

Class participants will partner up and be guided in identifying one another’s chakras.  We will explore, from an intuitive sense, what pictures, feelings, temperatures, movement and stories are held in these subtle energy centers.  You will learn to assist your client with shifting chakra energies to match their conscious desires.   The class is formatted to include lots of practice time, and each participant will have the opportunity to work with several people. 

Various tools will be taught to assist participants with integrating a client's chakra information into Medical Intuitive work.

Sunday, March 25, 11:30 to 4:30, at the Cloisters, in Lakewood

Saturday, July 21, 10:00 to 3:30, at the Cloisters, in Lakewood

Saturday, October 27, 11:30 to 4:30, at VAST Wellness, in Aurora
 
Increasing Psychic Abilities with Self-Transformation:
An Introduction to the Enneagram (I) & Deeper into the Enneagram (II)
Each session fee is $31.00
 
The Enneagram is an intellectual and spiritual pathway that encourages human transformation; it is both gentle and powerful.  The system is also an accepted typology in traditional psychology.  The Enneagram celebrates the diversity of human nature and the freedom that is available through awareness.  When the Enneagram journey is embraced a person learns to understand their personal motivators, feelings, tendencies and actions.  With this knowledge comes choice; you can learn to choose a healthier happy life.   The Enneagram is learned over time, not in one day; join me to begin your journey...
 
I: Saturday, April 21, 10:00 to 12:30  &  II: Sunday, April 29, 11:30 to 2:00,  at ISIS Books, near Broadway & Yale
Saturday, April 21, 10:00 to 12:30    Sunday, April 29, 11:30 to 2:00,  at ISIS Books 

 I: Sunday, September 16, 12:30 to 3:00  &  II: Sunday, September 23, 12:30 to 3:00, at the Cloisters, in Lakewood

Enneagram Mentor Group
Each session fee is $25.00, and is offered as part of The Aspen Program for Psychic Development (http://www.psychiciq.com)
 
Pre-requisites:  Must have already taken both sessions of "Increasing Psychic Abilities with Self-Transformation
Meets 3 times - limited to 6 participants
 
This mentor group will focus on that personal journey through discussion, meditation and self reflection exercises.

1st Meeting Date:  Saturday, May 12, 10:30 to 12:30, at ISIS Books, near Broadway & Yale

2nd Meeting Date:  Saturday, May 19, 10:30 to 12:30

3rd Meeting Date:  Saturday, June 2, 10:30 to 12:30

Play Date:  What's in Your Toolbox?
Each session is $26.00
This play date offers a variety of exercises called "tools."  When mastered and practiced tools build habits that result in a more positive life experience, a higher vibration, increased clarity and overall well being.  Resistance expands whatever it is applied to; tools create a pathway for the gift in any situation to be revealed. 
 
Saturday, June 16, 3:00 to 5:00, at ISIS Books, near Broadway & Yale
 
Play Date: Divination: The Gift of Divine Guidance
Each session is $26.00
The same Infinite Wisdom that comes through in clairvoyance is available in a limited way within the many practices of Divination; muscle testing, pendulum, dowsing, crystal balls, Tarot and more.  Divination has been practiced for thousands of years.   It involves tapping into your connection with Infinite Wisdom, exploring the world of these subtle energies and learning to separate from and integrate with your ego’s logic and learned knowledge. Once mastered, Divination can be a useful tool to use in conjunction with other clairvoyant practices. During this “play date” we will explore the various methods for Divining, learn and practice body dowsing, discuss when and how to use divining and finally how to strengthen your skill.
 
Saturday, July 14, 1:00 to 3:30, at ISIS Books, near Broadway & Yale

Saturday, October 6, 1:30 to 4:00, at VAST, in Aurora

All 2012 Classes with The Aspen Program for Psychic Development available online at www.PsychicIQ.com


Living consciously involves being genuine; it involves listening and responding to others honestly and openly; it involves being in the moment." ~  Sidney Poitier    

I intend to do this with you today!

 

Nancy J. Markow
Connecting You With YourSelf

http://www.connectingyouwithyourself.com

303-525-7091 

SW Intenders

Fran emailed this to me as I was sending out the Intenders notice (we are connected) and after reading it again, I think it fits right into our topic for Tuesday on personal values.  Please add this to the handout for this week!  Thanks Fran.

From Karen Berg, Director of the Kabbalah Centre:
  Often times, we, can fall into forgetfulness. When we go through some difficulty, we may vow that we will never fail to remember where we have been or what we have received. However, once the situation is resolved, we all too often go back to livingand behaving as we did before. We don't keep a notebook, as the Creator does, of all the things that we’ve done or of all the things another has done for us. For example, we may have a friend of many years’standing whom we love. Suddenly, something happens that comes between us and this other person. And what do we do? We forget all the things that happened in the past. We forget the good times. We forget sticking up forone another. We forget what this person did for us. We forget everything and instead become blinded by the immediate pain or injustice.
 
I read a story this week about a woman who didn't forget. Her name is Vicky and she started a charity to house needy families in Illinois in order toremember and appreciate the woman who had housed and hidden her mother awayfrom the Nazis during the Holocaust. In other words, out of gratitude forthis good deed from more than 70 years ago, Vicky is giving her time and energy to help families survive the chaos that exists in our time. She is paying forward the kind action that was done for her mother.
 
You can't imagine how many thousands of people have stood up and said,“It's been three years since I started on the path of spirituality,and my life has changed. I've gotten this and I've gotten that.” But you know what usually happens with these people? A couple of weeks later,they're gone. Why? Because none of us must ever take the consciousness we have received for granted. We need to continually ask the Creator to help us remember the miracles and the transformation we have experienced so that we can stay connected and can look for ways to take action to and sharewhat we have received, to “pay it forward” as Vicky did.

Remember, our true purpose on this path,which is to reveal the true potential of our soul. For if we think we are here just to reach a certain level, or to meet our soul mate, or make a lot of money, then once we reach that goal, we will leave the path.
 

SW Intenders Circle

You are invited to join the SW Intenders Circle

Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30-8:30
11283 West Rice Place, Littleton, 80127
The HOA does not allow street parking - please park in the driveway or visitor parking throughout the complex.  RSVP's are always appreciated!

Topic:  Personal Values / Self Worth

From Psychology Today Magazine:
Self Worth: Not enough self-regard can lead people to become depressed, to fall short of their potential, or to tolerate abusive situations and relationships. Too much self-love, on the other hand, results in an off-putting sense of entitlement and an inability to learn from failures. (And it's occasionally a sign of clinical narcissism.)

Taken from an article by Vaishali:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/vaishali/meaning-of-value_b_1199823.html

Well over 100 years ago, the great spiritual teacher and literary genius Oscar Wilde, after visiting America, wrote, "Americans know the price of everything and the value of nothing."

Oscar Wilde's wisdom, insight and penchant for truth are as accurate and sobering now as they were over 10 decades ago. Okay, so maybe nowadays even the idea that we recognize the "price of everything" seems to be legitimately in question. But the "value" side seems to have deteriorated even more! Do we recognize the value of spending more time with our children or loved ones, or reading a book? We may see the value in personal accomplishments or being productive and "getting things done," but then again, we're talking about ego-based value... not exactly the "value" Oscar had in mind. I suspect that if he were here to visit us now, he would find these same words damning us with faint praise.

So, where and how did our value sensibilities get so polluted, diluted and distorted? Could it be that there is a connection between understanding our own spiritual worth and power and how we perceive the value and power of money? Another Wilde quote that takes us closer to this idea is, "Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you."

How many of us relate to ourselves and value ourselves as infinitely precious? How many of us correlate our power with our spiritual identity, of being pure love and nothing else? I suspect that most of us relate to ourselves in the same way that we would a commodity -- that any value, power and worth we claim is the sum total of our materialistic possessions and our earning potential. From our perspective, if it wasn't earned, deserved and bestowed upon us, it has no value. When the truth of the matter is that as divine love, we do not have value, power and worth, we are value power and worth. And no one and no thing on the planet has the power to change that. Deserving and worthy is not even an issue. It never has been, and never really will be, because we do not have it -- we are it.

If we have not realized our own true authentic oneness with value, power and worth, is it any real surprise that relationships outside ourselves, being less intimate than the one we have with ourselves, lacks clarity and explicitness? If we do not recognize our own value, power and worth, will we not simply project that ignorance out on to everything else in our lives? Then, whatever manifests outside of us, especially that which represents value, power and worth, takes the brunt of that perspective perversion: I barely make enough money to pay my bills... I have no value; I lost my job... I have no power; I didn't get the promotion... I have no worth. Or conversely, I made partner at the firm... I have value; I just bought a new BMW... I have power; I won the lottery... I have worth. What messages are we sending to ourselves about what is infinitely precious, and how does that affect our connection to the other aspects of our lives?

Checklist for Personal Values

By C. Roberts, Fifth Dicsipline Fieldbook

This exercise is designed to help you reach a better understanding of your most significant values.

Step 1: What I Value Most...
From this list of values (both work and personal), select the ten that are most important to you-as guides for how to behave, or as components of a valued way of life. Feel free to add any values of your own to this list.

Achievement Friendships Physical challenge
Advancement and promotion Growth Pleasure
Adventure Having a family Power and authority
Affection (love and caring) Helping other people Privacy
Arts Helping society Public service
Challenging problems Honesty Purity
Change and variety Independence Quality of what I take part in
Close relationships Influencing others Quality relationsihps
Community Inner harmony Recognition (respect from others, status)
Competence Integrity Religion
Competition Intellectual status Reputation
Cooperation Involvement Responsibility and accountability
Country Job tranqulity Security
Creativity Knowledge Self-respect
Decisiveness Leadership Serenity
Democracy Location Sophistication
Ecological awareness Loyalty Stability
Economic security Market position Status
Effectiveness Meaningful work Supervising others
Efficiency Merit Time freedom
Ethical practice Money Truth
Excellence Nature Wealth
Excitement being around people who
are open and honest
Wisdom
Fame Order (tranqulity,
stability, conformity)
Work under pressure
Fast living Personal development Work with others
Financial gain Freedom Working alone

Step 2: Elimination

Now that you have identified ten, imagine that you are only permitted to have five values. Which five would you give up? Cross them off.

Now imagine that you are only permitted four. Which would you give up? Cross it off.

Now cross off another, to bring our list down to three.

And another, to bring our list down to two.

Finally cross off one of your two values. Which is the one item on the lst that you care most about?
See you Tuesday?    

New Moon - Chinese New Year (Water Dragon)

NEW MOON in AQUARIUS

SUSAN LEVITT, Tarot - Astrology - Feng Shui, Answers and Solutions
www.susanlevitt.com, 415.642.8019

Monday, January 23rd is a new Moon in the independent and exciting Air sign Aquarius. Chinese New Year is on the second new Moon after Winter Solstice, and this new Moon begins the year of the Dragon! Magical magnificent Dragon is the most powerful sign of the Chinese zodiac. Anticipate a year that is exciting, creative, and over the top. Dragon's influence inspires passion, drive, and daring. Dragon year is an excellent time to start a business, get married, have a child, travel the world, or take incredible risks. But results can be drastic: undreamed of success or unrealistic fantasies that crash. Either way, life's pace is speedy, dynamic, and anything can happen. On a planetary level, expect extreme earth changes such as earthquakes, tidal waves, and volcanic eruptions.

Traditionally in Chinese astrology, the mighty Dragon year brings luck and good fortune. Powerful, mystical, and magical Dragon is the bringer of spring rain, Dragon grants blessings, and is the symbol of power and the Emperor.

But in 2012, the Dragon is still crawling out of the Recession that began in Rat year 2008. So this Dragon year is not the year when the Recession ends, but the year when it is obvious what works and what does not work. In a Dragon year, there is not much middle ground. The time for middle-ground diplomacy was last year Rabbit 2011. So in this Dragon year, expect extremes in stock markets, fluctuation of prices, and general chaos in all things financial. In Dragon year, it will be Europe's turn to crash. And it won't be over until Sheep year 2015.

On a practical note, Dragon year is a time to be more concerned with image. So if a fine garment or new haircut will impress, do it. Go up a notch with how you dress, your home furnishings, and how you entertain. Nothing sloppy or grungy in Dragon year will do. Save casual and outdoorsy for Horse year 2014.