Year of Golden Dragon may be full of conflict

By Mauro Rahardjo

BANDUNG (JP): On Feb. 5, 2000, the year of Rabbit will end and we will enter the year of the Golden Dragon. This year is not only a year of the Dragon, but a year of the Golden (Metal) Dragon.

What is special about the year of the Golden Dragon? This question is often heard in public.

First, it is because unlike other animals that symbolize the years of the Chinese calendar, the Dragon is a mythical creature that no one has ever seen. Second, a Dragon is a symbol of success, leadership, and authority. In the past, Chinese kings generally had Dragon horoscopes. By chance, President Gus Dur (Abdurrahman Wahid) also has a Golden Dragon horoscope. Therefore, it is proper to expect the President's leadership to be successful in bringing Indonesia out of the present crisis.

In Feng Shui, a Dragon is believed to be able to bring forth C'hi, a cosmic energy. When C'hi circulates well on the surface of the earth and into buildings, it may bring luck to the inhabitants. In China, temples and palaces are decorated with dragons -- in the entrance, on terraces, on steps, on walls and ceilings, even edges of rooftops are decorated with dragons. Indeed the dragon is very special and this coming lunar year is a year of metal (or gold). The dragon in Feng Shui is often called the "green dragon". The term 'green' indicates that its character is wood and is located on the east side of the compass.

Realizing that there will be two elements, gold (metal) and wood identified with the coming year, a sense of conflict may strike. This is because, according to Feng Shui, metal cuts wood. Therefore, the year may be full of potential conflict; conflicts on a broad scale, and smaller, localized conflicts. Localized conflict may arise within a family, in an office, or in the neighborhood; whereas on a large scale, conflict may occur in a party, in an organization, or even a state.

How can we compromise gold/metal and wood? Can the two elements not be pacified in themselves? With positive thinking, it is possible for the two conflicting elements to be united. Take a look at some domestic tools like a knife and a saw; their parts consist of wooden handles and metal blades. The unity of the two elements combine into very useful utilities. This unity is similar to a Taichi circle; it is half black and half white, in each half there is a small dot, white in the black part and black in the white part.

By being aware of the possibility for conflict, there is opportunity to adopt an attitude to neutralize it. By understanding a phenomena, it is possible to see the negative and the positive side. In its negative sense, the two opposing elements can be explained as follows: wood is an element of a tree that can live and grow; metal is very sharp and can be solid. Since metal cuts wood, it is possible that everything that has the characteristic of wood, i.e. something growing, like democracy and other good things, may be stopped by metal. This is what we have to understand. On the other hand, something that has already grown for a long time, like corruption, collusion, and nepotism, are like big trees, and they are too strong for a small metal blade to cut down. Thus, a large tree may be hindering our way out of the crisis.

Now we look at the positive side; when the two elements are united. Conflicting interaction between the two elements may be neutralized by introducing a third element. What element is it? If we consider the two conflicting elements; one as the threatening agent (metal), and the other as the victim (wood); then, in principle we have to support the victim. Wood must be allowed to grow.

In this sense, the element which supports wood is water; because water nourishes wood. On the other hand, metal produces water; therefore this third element is able to exhaust metal. Whenever metal strengthens and threatens, water comes to support wood, and it becomes useless for metal to increase its threats. In Feng Shui, this situation is called controlled balance.

What useful message can we gain from this in the Year of the Golden Dragon? It is now understood that water is the answer. Therefore, the message is the water. Attitudes that resemble water will be the way for us to avoid conflict, small or large. What are characteristics of water? Water is transparent, fluid, flexible, and flowing.

To stop conflicts from becoming large, it is necessary for us to be transparent, open and not concealing anything from the public. It is also necessary to be flexible in our decisions. Since any possible phenomena may occur, and as we may be uncertain how to tackle a problem, a flexible attitude that accommodates the situation is very important. The fourth characteristic, "flowing" is vital also. We need to let things run their course, not stopping and preventing any conflict from subsiding.

The writer is a Feng Shui consultant.