Welcome the God of Wealth this Lunar New Year 2023!
Li Chun or the beginning of the spring season season for the Year of the Water Rabbit (癸卯) falls on February 4th. However welcoming Cai Shen or the God of Wealth at the Lunar New Year is another particularly important event in the Chinese New Year Festival.
The Chinese believe that welcoming the God of Wealth into your home on the first day of the first lunar month ushers in good wealth luck for the year.
The time and direction varies each year and people whose Zodiac sign happens to be unsuitable should not participate in the ceremony; which this year applies to those born in the Dragon (辰) or Dog (戌).
In 2023 the first day of the first Lunar Month commences on January 22nd, and Cai Shen arrives from the East (90°) in the early hours of the morning between 1.00 am and 3.00 am (LST). The most auspicious time to receive Cai Shen is actually 1.40 am LST or 2.40 am if you live in Australia and observe DST.
If you would like to invite Cai Shen into your home then follow these steps and may you enjoy much happiness, health, success and prosperity in the Year of the Water Rabbit!
The first thing you must do is to clean your home, paying particular attention to all the main ch’i openings (windows and doors) that are located in the East, as this is the direction that Cai Shen arrives from.
Start at the main entrance and work your way around in a clockwise direction. Ideally kaffir lime juice and leaves should be added to your bucket of water for extra cleansing properties, but this is up to you. Alternately you can also use a few drops of Kaffir Lime Essential Oil.
Please note that this type of spring cleaning can be undertaken at any time, but is really best done during auspicious days leading up to the Lunar New Year and these remaining dates are:
- January 8 – Avoid cleaning if born in the Monkey year
- January 11 – Avoid cleaning if born in Pig Year
- January 11 – Avoid cleaning if born in Tiger Year
- January 12 – Avoid cleaning if born in Rat Year
- January 14 – Avoid cleaning if born in Tiger Year
- January 15 – Avoid cleaning if born in Rabbit Year
- January 20 – Avoid cleaning if born in Monkey Year
Just before 1.40 am LST (2.40 am DST) you should shower and change into fresh clothes in order to demonstrate your sincerity. Then open all East facing windows or doors in order to receive the auspicious ch’i into your home.
Following this light 3 tea-light candles and place them on red cloth or paper on a table in the East sector of your home, alongside other offerings such as a cup of rice, a cup of tea and pieces of fruit including a banana, pineapple, orange or pear.
At 1.40 am LST (2.40 am DST) stand or sit next to an open window or in a door way and face towards the East. Inhale the prosperous influences, welcome them into your home and visualize the positive goals you wish to achieve this year in both your professional and personal life.
Alternately you can burn 3 sticks of incense in the East sector of your home, bow three times and sincerely pray for well wishes, whilst inviting Cai Shen to come into your home.
You may even need to take a nap due to the early arrival of Cai Shen; as long as everything is in readiness beforehand and you remember to set your alarm so that you wake up in time!
If you would like to learn more about how to make the most of the opportunities that lay ahead in the Year of the Water Rabbit, then why not join IFSA Australia Chapter for their series of Chinese New webinars which commence on Saturday 4th February. These are complimentary for all global IFSA Members and only AUD $28 for non-members. Full details and tickets are now available via their online shop at www.intfsa.org.au.
So Gong Xi Fa Cai and here’s to new beginnings in 2023!
