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Happy Year of the Snake
Goodbye Dragon—hello Year of the Snake! According to Chinese astrology, the lunar year beginning Feb 10, 2013 and lasting until Jan 30, 2014 belongs to the serpent.
Traditionally, snake years are times of dramatic and historic developments. A time to shed the old and grow into the new. It is a time of learning and growth—and especially good for self development.
Do you have a talent or skill waiting to be developed? This would be a good year to bring it out.
It is a good year to learn new skills and grow professionally as well. Also, it's a good time to take better care of ourselves. Investing in our health and wellness pays large dividends in the long run. There is not time like the present to develop our physical, mental and spiritual well being. Persons who are born in the year of the Snake are born under the sign of wisdom. They tend to be highly intelligent had have active minds. They are said to be deep thinkers and can appear quiet and reserved. They may have difficulty communicating, but have a good sense of humor.
Snakes are determined and hard workers. They often do well in research or writing when they are free to develop their own ideas and plans. They make good teachers, politicians and managers.
Snakes appreciate the finer things in life such as good food and art. They enjoy reading and are drawn to philosophy, politics, religion and even the occult.
While not the most energetic animal in the zodiac, Snakes are persistent and prefer to move at their own pace. They maneuver deftly around obstacles. Snakes are said to get along best with people born under the sign of the Ox, Dragon, Rabbit and Rooster and tend to have trouble with other Snakes, Pigs or Tigers.
Some famous "Snakes" include Mahatma Gandhi, J.F. Kennedy, Mao Tse Tung, Pablo Picasso, James Joyce, Stephen Hawking, Audrey Hepburn, Oprah Winfrey, Virginia Wolfe, Carole King, Bob Dylan, Brad Pitt, Brooke Shields and Mohammed Ali.
Chinese herbal medicine uses a wide variety of plant, mineral and animal substances. Included in the Chinese pharmacopeia are various parts of certain snakes.
For instance, in certain formulas for skin ailments you may find the shed skin from a particular snake as an ingredient. Another useful part of the snake is it's bile, which is used quite effectively in a variety of formulas to treat phlegm. One popular formula is called "San She Dan Chuan Bei Ye". It is a cough elixir especially suited for wet, phlegmy coughs. It is pleasant tasting, inexpensive, easy to take and very safe to use. I prescribe it often for children (including my own) with runny noses and a wet cough. Granted, this formula will not be suitable for vegans or vegetarians—but rest assured that the species of snakes that are used medicinally are not endangered and are bred especially for medical use.
According to chinese philosophy and medical thought "it is better to dig our well before we are thirsty".
The Year of the Snake offers each of us the perfect opportunity to improve our health and prepare for our future. For more information or a brief phone consultation, please call or text (415) 370–3839 or visit forsbergacupuncture.com.
© 2007 Larry Forsberg. All rights reserved.
Articles posted on this Web site are for personal use only and remain the property of Larry Forsberg, L.Ac.
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