Celebrating the Year of the Rabbit

Chinese New Year in 2011 is celebrated from Feb. 3 until Feb. 17. This most important of traditional Chinese holidays is set by the lunar year rather than the more typical calendar year.

Feasts and festivals kick off the celebration, but important rituals are carried out at this time. The house is thoroughly cleaned, sweeping out bad luck and encouraging good fortune.

Doors are decorated red to encourage longevity, wealth and happiness. This is a time to let go of grudges aand wish happiness upon everyone.

An animal represents each year. There are 12 animals total, so this "Year of the Rabbit" occurs only every dozen years. Without getting too confusing, this runs alongside a 10-year cycle of heavenly stems, each year being associated with one of the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, or -- as is the case this year -- metal.

For clarification on what this year means, think  in terms of "feng shui," an ancient Chinese system developed to improve ones life through home orientation.

Sewickley resident Fawn Chang, an interior designer and feng shui expert, offered helpful tips on making simple changes in the home to increase positive change.

The "Year of the Metal Rabbit" embodies home, family, kitchen and happiness at the forefront, bringing lasting effects as long as you tend to detail, stay organized and be creative.

This year will be about style and compassion, creativity and organization, beauty and core values, all simultaneously.

See Chang’s advice below, and look for her upcoming interview for more about feng shui as well as an ongoing column featuring feng shui tips.

This year we get a breather from the frantic pace of last year and the expansion of next year.

What we bring into our lives this year will carry on deep into the future, so it will be important to be clear, kind, compassionate and creative. Beauty, color, creativity, home and family, especially “gathering” areas will seem much more important to us.

Just as a large and nourishing meal requires organization and creativity, it is important that we maintain a strong footing grounded in those attributes.

Because this is a “metal” Rabbit, it’s important to spend wisely and speak kindly.

First question: Is it beautiful? Consider your words and responses carefully this year. Remain cool, calm and collected, rather than fight fire with fire.

A few Feng Shui tips for 2011:

• Promote positive energy. Place something beautiful around you wherever you are. Stop and smell the roses.
• Bless your surroundings. Make your kitchen a beautiful, well-organized place. Bless your food. Stay happy while preparing. Hide the knives. Place something yellow in the center of the table to bring happiness to your meals. Stove and plumbing are associated with nourishment and wealth, so be sure they are clean and working perfectly.
• Listen. What do you hear? Bring joyful, peaceful and happy sounds to support you. Sing more. Use your voice for loving communication.
• Organize your goals. Write a “to do” and a “want to do” list. Choose the three most important things that will bring you greatest and lasting joy in each categoryof home, family, love, career, community.
• Organize one drawer each day. When things are clean and clutter-free, your life flows endlessly better.
• Beautify your bedroom. This is the year! “Rabbits” are joyful, organized and creative. Remove clutter and everything that doesn’t make you feel nourished and warmly relaxed. You want to make sure the most important room in your home is supporting your beautiful life. Clean everything, especially your windows to bring clarity and vision to your goals. Use your front door and your back door, make them beautiful, sweep them with a new broom. Place a new welcome mat and place something red on or near these doors. Turn the light on and ring the bell.

All this welcomes the "New Life Force" into your home and life.