April 2023 Month of the Fire Dragon – Bing Chen 丙⾠ – Dragons, Flow and Choke Points

The month of April is always ruled by the dragon and this year it is the Fire Dragon. He (yang) represents good luck, strength, health and is unique because he is the only mythical creature of all the animals in the Chinese zodiac. The dragon is a composite of deer antlers, a camel head, ghostly eyes, a snake body, a crab belly, carp scales, hawk claws, tiger palms and cow ears. Its power lies in a large, luminous pearl concealed under its chin, with 81 of its scales infused with benevolent essence (yang) whilst 36 contain a malign essence (yin). He can assume any dimension.

Ancient Chinese people didn’t blame dragons for natural catastrophes and other disasters. Instead, they saw them as benevolent, wise, and powerful. They believed the dragon’s breath became clouds from which rain poured down and lightning flashed. You frequently see the dragon portrayed with their undulating form weaving in and out of eddies of water and swirls of clouds embodying the coveted Feng Shui concept of “Flow.”

Thinking about the concept of flow and how vital it is for a healthy prosperous life, brought me back to the ancient Chinese masters who discovered that qi (etheric energy) exists everywhere and is the basic foundation of life and substance. They realized that qi follows spiral and vorticular pathways (water and air), just like the dragon, and if its flow is compromised or distorted, it affects not only the health of the planet, but all other life forms that exist on earth.

The concept of flow can be both virtual and real. Points where it is compromised or restricted are called “ choke points.” Geographically, choke points are strategic, narrow passages that connect two larger areas to one another. When it comes to maritime trade, these are typically straits or canals that provide risky shortcuts that are essential to keep the global supply chains flowing, since approximately 80% of global world trade flows through them.

In many instances, alternate routes are nonexistent or impractical. There are eight primary choke points and 5 secondary ones in the world (see below) with extremely high traffic volume due to their strategic geographical location, Each one is particularly vulnerable to accidents, blockades or deliberate disruptions during times of political global unrest like we are witnessing now.

Interestingly, we see two countries, Iran and Yemen. which border two of the choke points, constantly under siege. Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz) The Strait of Hormuz links the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman It’s a primary vein for the world’s oil supply, transporting approximately 21 million barrels per day. Yemen borders the strait of Bab-el-Mandeb which is just 12 mies wide. This strait separates Yemen and Djibouti, and Asia from Africa, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Many see The frantic conflicts among countries involved in Yemen’s conflict as the direct result of greed and regional ambitions to control the choke point.

There are also virtual choke points on the internet! “We understand the real-world geography of countries and the routes across their borders very well, but we don’t have a full understanding of the routes data can take between the roughly 60,000 networks that make up the internet. — or the potential for and practice of government-placed controls when that traffic crosses national borders.

Any network node that internet traffic passes through when it enters or exits a country’s internal networks is called a choke point, and these can have big implications for internet freedom, censorship and cybersecurity.

The number of potential network choke points in a country reflects how easily a government can tamper with internet traffic either for cybersecurity or for repressing the freedom of communication for a country’s citizens.”
https://ui.asu.edu/content/choke-points-and-censorship-protecting-free-flow-information-internet

It all comes back to the concept of flow. We can see the myriad of consequences that may happen by impeding flow, both geographically and virtually – think banking here also. Choke points, which was originally a military term, are very real and deeply affect our lives daily. Most are beyond our control, but we can apply the concept to our homes and businesses. Take a fresh look around at your surroundings, both indoors – kitchens, bedrooms etc, and outdoors to make sure there aren’t any choke points!

Red Fire Dragons are always seen to attract good fortune and good luck. Maybe its a good month to have a red dragon with you or in your home. Their favored location is the SE.

Wishing you a Blessed Month, Carol