February 1st marks Lunar New Year this year, celebrated as one of the most culturally important holidays in China, parts of Asia, and Asian diaspora communities throughout the world. While the day itself is particularly special, honored with family reunions and gatherings, many communities celebrate with festivals, parades, and traditions throughout the month. It is also a time of spiritual significance for those who celebrate, providing the opportunity to reflect on the past year, contemplate closure on personal struggles, cleanse for a fresh start, and to set meaningful intentions for the year ahead. (Unfamiliar with Lunar New Year? Here is a good place to start to learn more about the history and traditions of this holiday.)
The start date of each lunar new year is determined by the sun’s position and corresponds to one of the twelve zodiac signs. In Chinese, these are represented by animals, each of which has symbolic meaning. 2022 is Year of the Tiger, an animal that is associated with bravery, optimism, enthusiasm, independence, and power – qualities we could all use a little more of as we charge into this year.
Healing crystals are excellent tools in helping you channel your inner tiger this month and beyond. Here are our top picks for celebrating the new beginnings, bravely and boldly:
More than just a serendipitous name, Tiger’s Eye is the perfect crystal to summon your inner strength, determination, and focus. In tumbled form, its smooth exterior and soothing natural swirls make it ideal as a palm stone to quell your nerves when you are navigating a tricky personal moment such as a difficult conversation or a job interview. We are huge fans of keeping a Tiger’s Eye point near our workspaces to keep our procrastination at bay and as a reminder for us to keep our eye on the prize no matter the distractions.
Citrine –
New years often mean fresh starts, symbolically and spiritually. The Lunar Year is traditionally honored with a physical cleanse of the entire living space to make room for positive and affirming energy (although importantly, not on the actual day, which is thought to be bad luck – many celebrants consider the mere sight of a broom to be forbidden on the first day of the new Lunar Year). Citrine, a crystal of optimism and light, is useful for channeling your energy in the right direction. A gift of a Citrine stone to somebody you love – or even a stranger to help brighten their day! – is a lovely way to share the good energy you want to feel and see in your community.
One of the most profound ways to honor the Lunar New Year here in the United States is to take action to connect to and lift up the Asian American community who have historically and currently been subject to discrimination, inequity, and violence. You can do this by donating your money to a nonprofit such as Asian Americans Advancing Justice, support Asian-owend businesses (here is a list to get you started), and be vigilant in watching and reporting incidents of hate against Asian Americans (you can report incidents here). If you need an energy boost to keep yourself motivated, keep Red Jasper by your side. Renowned for its ability to motivate and induce action, it’s a great stone to help you set an intention each day to help Asian Americans in meaningful and tangible ways.
In order to live a life that feels authentically brave and bold, it helps to take time to gain clarity on what your priorities are, what you want to accomplish, and what you want your personal purpose to be. To aid you in this process of self-reflection, look no further than Clear Quartz, a healing crystal associated with its ability to help you hone in on exactly who you are. Lunar New Year, traditionally a time for looking inward, is a great time to engage in some Clear Quartz-aided intention-setting exercises or a morning meditation ritual. We also have been known to sleep with some Clear Quartz under our pillows to get the dream juices flowing.
Jade –
Revered in Asian communities for centuries for good reason, Jade is a power stone believed to bring good luck, healing, and strength. Connected with the Heart Chakra and bringing those who have it courage, Jade is most often found on bracelets or other jewelry – it is a crystal to keep as close to you as possible! During Lunar New Year, Jade is often given as a gift to signify hope and optimism, as well as ward off bad luck. In this Year of the Tiger, there is perhaps no better stone to help you manifest the qualities associated with this brave and bold Chinese Zodiac sign.
