Around 2PM Eastern today, the sun and moon will hit the heavenly dancefloor and show off in a stunning, astronomical exhibition. A swath across parts of Mexico, the Midwest, and eastern United States will be treated to a total solar eclipse, a tango in the sky, where the moon will temporarily block out the sun and thrust us into midday darkness.

It's not the first time humanity has witnessed such a sublime wonder--one that evokes exhilaration, curiosity, awe, and woe--and it definitely won't be the last. Although, one should note that this is a particularly spectacular eclipse for those in the USA because it will cover numerous states. While another total eclipse is due in 2044, it's only going to cover a fraction of the states in the US--about three. The country won't see another total eclipse comparable to today until 2045, cutting a swath along the southern US, and then 2078 and 2099.

So, for many of us up in years, this may very well be the last total solar eclipse we witness. If you can pull away from work for a few minutes, you might want to join the millions whom already have bought lawn chairs and specially-made glasses for viewing eclipses. Grab your lunch or some popcorn and enjoy the afternoon for the last total solar eclipse of a lifetime for many.

I'm sorry, did that sound morbid or nihilistic? "Last total solar eclipse of a lifetime?" Well, unless you're a healthy Millennial, Gen Z or Gen Alpha (or a vampire planning to travel the world in search of one), this is it. 

And maybe, just maybe, that's a cause for pause, Boomers and Gen X (of which I'm a member of the latter).

The above quote, made popular by actor Brandon Lee--son of martial artist Bruce Lee, has been a particular favorite of mine. It's so easy for many of us to assume tomorrow will come, to assume someone--or some thing--will always be in our lives.

This eclipse is a reminder that for as plentiful as these encounters and experiences seem, they are--indeed--finite. In that, I hope Heaven has an end-of-life summary, like Spotify or Twitch's year-end summary, that tells you how many times you listened to a particular song. How many times did you watch your favorite film, how many ice cream cones did you eat, or how many miles did you walk in your favorite park? As someone with a rigorous--yet monotonous--routine, I think about such things all the time. Up at 6AM, check the day's schedule, read and answer emails, doom-scroll Reddit, wash dishes, eat breakfast, work on projects, annoy the angels, eat lunch, do chores, work on projects, eat dinner, bug the angels s'more, watch something on Kanopy or listen to a book on Libby, doom-scroll Reddit once again for good measure, sleep. That's it, that's the routine, but for how much longer? Thirty more years? Ten? Three months? Two days?

Hold tight. I'm going to circle back around to this thought in a bit. For now, let's move on.

Gong hei fat choy!

February 10 through February 24, regions of East Asia will be ushering in the year of the Wood (green) Dragon, the most powerful sign of the Chinese zodiac!

The Dragon brings with it life and vitality. Falling in the fifth year of the twelve-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, the Dragon grants us the endurance, and often a much-needed boost, to continue along our life's path through the latter half of the astrological cycle. While the Dragon can be unpredictable, it is seen as the luckiest, most benevolent sign of the zodiac, one that can bestow great blessings beyond one's wildest dreams.

Those lucky enough to be born under the Dragon sign are said to be dominating, charismatic, alluring, powerful, intelligent and successful. In this, the Dragon seems very similar to the sign of Leo in Western astrology.

This Lunar New Year, you can harness the Dragon's power with "lucky" colors of green, red and gold. Entice the Dragon's favor by placing offerings of oranges, pomegranates and pears on your altar along with tea and incense.

Celebrate with your favorite Asian dishes or try something new from this selection of Chinese recipes from Woks of Life.

Know that you don't have to break the bank on Lunar New Year, however. Ramyeon (ramen), popular in Korea, will do just fine. Make it as basic or as fancy as you wish. Luckily for us here in the West, ramen noodles are ubiquitous and easily accessible.

Luckier still are those that live near Asian markets or restaurants that serve Longevity Noodles (Woks of Life), which are long noodles meant to be eaten without breaking or biting. This dish is served during the New Year and at birthdays because of the widely held belief throughout the Asian continent that long noodles bring long life. So, if noodles are the dish du jour this New Year, don't break them. This isn't just a tenet staunchly defended by Italian mothers; in the Far East, superstitions abound that broken noodles mean broken (bad) luck.

I suppose this is where I should remind you to be careful and celebrate responsibly. Don't drink and drive. And don't break your noodles!

Archangel Cassiel: Patron of the Far East and Keeper of Dragons

Still, I wouldn't worry too much. If you break a noodle, it's fine. There's no such thing as "bad luck" with the angels around. As Archangel Cassiel once expounded: 

Archangel Cassiel is patron of the Far East, and the dragons are tightly connected to him in that he breeds and raises the mercurial beasts. In his heavenly mansion, tucked away in the deep, rocky caldera of a dormant volcano, live the dragonkin we humans know in this world as "Asian dragons," "Chinese dragons," or "cloud serpents." I've dubbed this type of dragon in spirit as the "Cassielian dragon" since it's not the only type of dragon in Heaven. The Cassielian dragon is slender and serpentine and comes in a myriad of colors. Some have wings, some don't, but they all choose to reside solely in the archangel's mansion when they're not out exploring.

Cassiel deeply loves these creatures, and the feelings are mutual. Wherever the archangel lands in a world, the dragons happily follow, hence why they are so deeply embedded within Asian cultures, albeit in a limited capacity.

The shy and quiet angel revealed that unlike here on Earth where every twelve years the Chinese dragon manifests within one of the five Chinese elements--earth, metal, water, wood and fire--the Cassielian actually manifests within countless elements! There are plasma, wind, rain, thunder dragons. Mineral dragons, such as ruby, emerald, amethyst, and diamond. There is also a rainbow dragon, so named for the way it bends light through its crystal scales. And while we have the dragon that can manifest as a metal dragon in Chinese astrology, a Cassielian can take that a step further into gold, silver, and iron, just to name a few.

According to the archangel, these dragons are their own species of spirit--intelligent and wise. In a category all their own, neither animal nor human, dragons are sentient observers of the Cosmos. When they aren't roosting in Cassiel's mansion, they reside on the edge of the veil between Heaven and Earth. They exist as angels and human souls exist, beyond the confines of time and space.

Dragons souls can even incarnate as human in human worlds if they wish.

The dragon souls among us are here for the same reason all other souls are, to experience the illusion, the construct. They are here to be a tourist in the most touristy place ever created--Earth (and countless worlds like it).

These souls are no different from that of humans. They have their trials and tribulations, they have their strengths and weaknesses, their advantages and their flaws. Dragons that become self aware while incarnated can learn to harness their spiritual strengths. They can use those strengths as a springboard toward great achievements. But to be fair, so can humans!

Remember, the point of incarnating as human is simply to have an experience--to grow and learn. In this, dragon souls aren't here to be gods among men. Most dragons write for themselves quite the mundane life just to see what it's like to be human. And following in the footsteps of all manner of souls that venture into these worlds, dragons will even write particularly challenging scripts in order to push their mental and emotional fortitude to the limit.

This, in order to return Home with a better sense of what it means to simply exist. To be. It's a quest we all accept in one manner or another, so regardless of whether you're a dragon soul incarnated human, or a human born in the year of the Dragon, or you simply love dragons, Archangel Cassiel is the perfect guide to help you navigate a deeper connection with the wise and dynamic dragonkin. From them is much to be learned and understood. They've unique perspectives of the Cosmos and our place within it, perspectives that I believe are grossly underexplored and underutilized by humans both here and in Heaven.

Still, in the meantime, celebrating the Year of the Dragon and bringing the festivities into your home can help you better connect with Archangel Cassiel himself, which would be the first step to getting to know the dragons.

Have a beautiful and most auspicious Lunar New Year. I wish you many blessings in 2024.

Gong hei fat choi! (Learn to pronounce it here on YouTube.)