The year of the dragon

I don't think anyone has missed that according to the chinese calendar -- and several other asian ones -- we have recently entered a new year, the year of the dragon. Of cause I love the idea of that, being a dragon lover and all.

The zodiac animal dragon is said to have many positive properties such as power, success, growth, change (to something better) and so on. And thus it's said to be a good thing to start a project or a business in the year of the dragon -- as well as being bort in its year.

This year's dragon is supposedly a water dragon. Water representing things like North, stillness and conservation. According to Wikipedia, "In Chinese Taoist thought, water is representative of intelligence and wisdom, flexibility, softness and pliancy; however, an over-abundance of the element is said to cause difficulty in choosing something and sticking to it. In the same way, Water can be fluid and weak, but can also wield great power when it floods and overwhelms the land." In Feng Shui it often represents wealth and money luck.

I don't believe in astrology -- western nor eastern -- but I do like symbolism so I kind of see it as a motivator, as a good sign that things maybe, maybe might be turning now. That I can get out of this rut and leave my miserable low self esteem behind me. That this is the year. This is the time for change. The time to find my way back again. The time I actually am good enough.

And can it perhaps be a good sign that the last year of the dragon was in 2000, which was a very important and life-changing year for me. It was the year I finished gymnasiet, applied for university, moved out and began my adventures in higher education and an independant life as a young adult. The year I finially decided on my path, that it was the environmental issues, not economy and business administration, that was my true calling. The very path I now worry I might have to give up, not having been able to get a job in that area. You know, the things I whined about here and also moaned about here after having turned 30. But I won't get into self-pitying whine mode now. Try to focus on those positive dragon characteristics.


Anyway, in the spirit of the theme, I thought I'd show you some of my dragons. As a dragon lover I do have a few at home. Not live ones obviously, but beads, pendants, porcelain figurines, books, posters etc. As I've shown some of my beads and pendants before, they won't be the focus here.

This little jug (it fits in the palm of the hand) with a blue-eyed dragon is one I've had since childhood. It might not be an expensive antique, but to me it was and is a treasured piece. In fact, it was one of my first dragons. (A few years ago I also bought two almost paper thing tea cups with similar dragon motifs.)

Like with the red dragon at the top of the post, this metal dragon is one I've bought a few years ago.

This perhaps a bit odd and wingless critter is a sala dragon. I bought it as a souvenir when we visited Sala silver mine. They were made by a local ceramic artist and sold to tourists. Unfortunately, I dropped him in the floor so half his lower jaw is missing...

These two dragons are of the kind you can find many in e.g. new age or gift shops.

One of my newest dragons is this detailed ojime bead. That you can find dragon, bat and cat ojime beads was one of the main reasons I longed to get some of those beads for years.

And that was it. Some of my treasured dragons.