Planting money on the first day of spring

Today is 立春, the first day of spring, according to the Chinese lunar calendar. It probably made more sense to track this date in the agrarian society of the past as the first day to start planting seeds, but here and now in modern city Singapore, we somehow had managed to invent a new folk custom – depositing money into our bank accounts in hope that this auspicious day will help us ‘grow’ more money.

Here’s how it’s supposed to work:

• Google for the right auspicious time slot during the day, based on your animal zodiac sign
• Wear something red before heading out
• Get there and queue just before your time window because the queue will be looong
• Deposit whatever amount you deem worthy of this ritual, with reverence
• Watch money grow (…or not)

It’s supposed a fengshui thing, a fortune teller’s little cultural invention. I’d just cast $20 into the pot and I’d been doing it for a few years now. The years since had been financially comfortable, other than last year when COVID struck. So causation by correlation? LOL.

But I like that this little money ritual came at a month when I’m thinking about money and monetization. Maybe it’s all hocus pocus, but I did it anyway because I can bring my own meaning into it. It’s not much effort frankly, and I’ll take anything that can help me get into the mood for money, to hope, pray, wish and plan for it.

Because the first part of getting money is actually wanting it, isn’t it? For my whole life I have had a strained relationship with money, thinking that it’s dirty, and only dealing with it out of necessity but in distaste. So I can see how this little ceremony can help with my money mindsets and beliefs.

Every drop counts, when you’re trying to drill through stubborn rock with just dripping water.