In the Metal Snake year of 2001 I became close friends with Rena who was born in a Pig year. At that time, as mothers of young children and budding entrepreneurs, we had a lot in common. We liked the same music and food. We both really loved to dance. Looking back now I realize she was a lot like another friend I had in the Earth Snake year of 1989.

The thing that was so attractive about Rena is that she had a million great ideas and the energy to carry them out. Having kids didn’t slow her down at all – she would take them everywhere and as she said “let them get used to it”. Rena would buy the rejected cans of paint from the hardware store and spend an entire weekend adding layers of paint to her living room walls to get the shade exactly right. She was an expert at transforming her career, physical self and her look too. She was always starting one new business or another and building her network. Beautiful and talented, Rena seemed capable of doing whatever she set her mind to.

Maybe it was because we became friends in a Snake year that it didn’t last. The thing I came to learn about Rena is that she had a pattern of starting over from scratch. When things went wrong she would try to do a 180° turn but Rena was already too overextended to pull it off. Luckily, Rena’s charm and appearance of helplessness compensated for her lack of a back up plan. Because she was so accomplished and fun to be around, people would volunteer to give her money and other material goods. I was one of those people; not a victim but an enthusiastic participant. This has been a pattern of mine with friendship. You could say I think people will like me more for my resources than myself.

If you are reading this then you already know my last name is Stewart. As Richard Ashworth likes to remind me, my name comes from combining “sti” or “stig”, meaning sty, with “weard”, meaning keeper or ward. I am the Sty Ward. That makes me the pig keeper. I’m Stephanie Stewart so perhaps that makes me a pig keeper who wears a crown. Queen of Pig Keepers?

The Pig is my Sap Gon Luk; my Star of Fame. There’s something about the Pig branch that is linked to what I’m known for. Since I don’t have a Pig in my BaZi, the Pig year has brought good timing for directing my efforts at increasing my audience. Writing the Animal forecasts for the first time, completing a year of providing daily original content and redesigning my web site were all ways to take advantage of the Pig year energy. I’ve worked more hours this year than any other for that very reason. The sign of the Pig has other meanings for my BaZi but I think they all relate to reputation. I will also own up to wanting perfection more this year. Stay away from that stuff – it will kill your creativity.

The position of pig keeper held a certain status in medieval times because pigs were considered to be the most valuable livestock animal. The well being of the pigs was crucial to the community’s future. In Chinese culture, the pigs could be kept under the floor to generate heat in winter. Dreaming of a pig dying on its own (as opposed to being slaughtered I suppose) is an ill omen according to popular Feng Shui man Peter So. It’s not hard to understand why that might be if your winter survival depends on eating one. Winter calls for trust; trusting that you will help those who need it and that they will help you. Winter calls for back up plans.

To some extent I am joking, but this theme of being the Pig keeper plays out in my BaZi and my life: I am trusted to care for other people’s valuables. That includes people. I am responsible for, and trusted with wealth, but it’s not always my wealth. That includes money. I know what it’s like to lack it but I also know what it’s like to have it. I feel responsible.

Recently I corresponded with Iris, a very charming and creative person. Iris reached out with a question (everyone gets a free one) and then backed away when I offered a more personalized answer. That’s legit. Not everyone wants to be “read” and I respect that. But if you ask me a question as Serious Feng Shui I’m assuming you already know what I do.

Through the nuances of our interaction it became clear to me that Iris was born in a Pig year. When she shared her birth data it turned out I was right, and Iris’ question turned out to be about money – how to get it. I could feel her pain and desperation coming through as a demand for me to fix things. That always makes me worry because more than anything else, desperation puts us at risk of making a bad situation worse.

One manifestation of the self clash I’ve seen with the Pig branch is that money is spent as soon as it comes in. I don’t mean to make the Pig sound selfish though. It’s just as likely they are spending on someone else as themselves. I think the Pig is maybe the least likely branch to have a savings account, at least until later in life when lessons have been learned.

The thing about Pigs is that they are possibly too charming and versatile for their own good. That’s how they get stuck doing jobs they are “good at” as Iris was. Often what they mean by that is they stick to what they think others will pay them for, rather than work that is satisfying. The unhappy Pig becomes less and less interested in going along with the program which may lead to self sabotage, i.e. getting fired. Here’s my message to Pigs: you could easily get paid for the work that satisfies you if you pay the dues of training and preparation. It’s that simple.

Or maybe it’s not. I suppose that when you are naturally good at so many things it is difficult to see the value in committing time to preparing for one job or skill. It’s also hard to decide which one to choose.

It’s rare for me to communicate with someone and not care about the outcome so I gave Iris more than a few suggestions as to how to bring the timing for money in early but she continued to ask how she could get “cash today”. My mojo works but not like that. I can’t change your fate but I can help you negotiate with it. I can help you play along.

And just so you know: I don’t have any methods where you can just sit back and do nothing while the money rolls in. If anyone claims to have that ability I’d say it’s a scam. Even magic requires some effort and preparation.