The Year of the Wood Sheep or Yi Wei, also known as the year of the Blue Wood Sheep, Green Wood Sheep or Serious Sheep*, will begin on February 4th, 2015. If you have a Horse in your chart this will probably come as a welcome relief. It should be easier to let go of things that don’t really matter.

General Qualities of the Yin Wood Sheep

• Creative
• Artistic
• Good team mate
• Gentle
• Generous with family and friends
• Worries too much about their children
• Hard work = good luck = more money
• Wants to make sure everything is provided for and then some
• Career and business are important
• Appreciates the good life and a nice home

The Sheep is one of four earth branches in the zodiac and clashes with Ox. If you have Ox in your chart you should get ready to roll with the changes. There will be more than usual. The relationship of the Sheep and Ox is one of bullying. One may either become the bully or encounter overly dominating people. Maybe that is why some parents avoid having a child in a sheep year. They feel that their children will be taken advantage of too easily. This is a misconception based on a generalization.

For children born between February 4, 2015 and February 3, 2016 the year animal (or year pillar) will be Wood Sheep. From the time that they are born until around age 18 the energy of the Wood Sheep will be a guiding force in their charts. After that it will always be relevant as to their inner self, but the month pillar and other elements may have more influence. You are not just your year animal.

Another way to look at the year animal is as a representative of a generation. As infants we have the most in common with our peers that we will ever have in our lives. We have the same basic needs, we learn to walk and talk, then we all go to school together and grow up together. We listen to the music of the time and go through the world events of that time. Around age 18 we become more separate and distinct from our peers but until then our lives have the most experiences in common that we will ever have.

Bottom line: Does your year animal matter? Yes! Does it influence your life? Yes! Does it define you? NO!

Wood Sheep in the Garden

It’s going to be another tough year for the wood element. It could be a great year for your garden if you are able to water frequently.

You may remember in my forecast for 2014 I mentioned that I expected to be watering more than usual. I expect 2015 to be similar in the sense that we will have a warmer and longer than usual summer here in the Pacific Northwest. If you missed out on planting tomatoes in 2014 you have another chance for a bumper crop in 2015. People were still harvesting their ripe tomatoes in October here in Seattle.

It’s going to be dry, maybe not as dry as last year but if you are willing to provide the water you can expect another year of prolific blooms and even re-blooms. My flowering quince was blooming for a third time when the first frost hit in November. After I thought their season had ended, my gardenias bloomed again in October. Blooms will come earlier and stay later. In general you can expect an extended growing season. Just add water and watch it go.

Now on to the usual stuff…

Year God, Year Breaker, Three Killings (Tai Sui, Sui Po and San Sha)

For 2015 the Wood Sheep in the SW is the Year God. The year god determines the energy that will dominate the year. Sitting opposite from the Wood Sheep in the Zodiac is the Ox (year breaker) in the NE. The Three Killings or San Sha will be in the west this year.

Guidelines to Follow Starting on February 4, 2015

• Do not dig, renovate or otherwise disturb the southwest, northeast or west of the house or lot.
• Do not face southwest. Avoid sitting with your back to the northeast or west. Facing west is okay.
• If your head points southwest or northeast when you sleep consider moving the bed.

*From Derek Walters The Chinese Astrology Bible, 2008, p.246-247