The Monkey in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on January 3, 2025January 2, 2025 by Stephanie Stewart

Make Love, Not War

For the Monkey, all relationships involve Water. This could be a saving grace for Monkeys who experience the Fire penalty in 2025. Only a thorough analysis of your Ba Zi will tell you what the heck this might mean. What I can say without a full analysis is that because the Dragon is followed by the Snake in the Cycle of 60, Monkeys are potentially still in a Water cycle in 2025.

I think the Monkey both loves Water and fears it. The challenge for all Monkeys is to learn to surf, maybe not literally, but metaphorically. Emotions are the ocean, you ride them to get to a new place. Try to avoid the waves and they will knock you around. Ignore your emotions and you might flounder.

To share how the Fire penalty might play out in real life, maybe you remember the Water Tiger year of 2022 when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock? Obviously that wasn’t a good year for Will, being clashed and experiencing the Fire Penalty too. Will Smith was born in 1968, an Earth Monkey year. Chris Rock, the slapee, was born in a Wood Snake year. So all three of the “players”, Tiger, Snake and Monkey, were there at that moment, but one player was unknown. In addition to Chris Rock making a joke that Will Smith thought was wrong, maybe Will was already raw due to the presence of a third party in his marriage.

In 2025, Jada Pinkett-Smith, born in a Metal Pig year, will be clashed. Is Will going to come to her rescue once again? I guess we will see.

When the Monkey is with their friends and associates, meaning the Dragon or Rat, Water, or wisdom, is being produced. Think about this for a moment. How do we gain wisdom? Often, we come to wisdom due to hardship pushing us to look for meaning. What I see is there is usually work involved. To learn is not a comfortable choice.

In the year of the Wood Snake I encourage you to pursue learning anyway Monkey. Pursue the changes you want, knowing that things are going to change regardless. The friends you choose, or no longer choose are a big theme for you this year. The flavor of your Water is dependent on the flavor of people you run with. If you don’t like the taste, make new friends. If you feel like no one understands you, become more articulate.

In more intimate relationships, the pairing of Snake and Monkey can produce Water too. This relationship has two distinct names in a Ba Zi: Secret Friends and Six Destructions. As it sounds, the relationship of Monkey and Snake goes deep and perhaps that’s what makes it feel threatening: the vulnerability that comes with intimacy. 2025 is the year to learn how you might want to change your rules about that – or not.

One possible outcome of the Fire Penalty is that both Snakes and Monkeys may be prone to breakups this year. Fire Monkey Jerry Hall learned this when she experienced the clash of Tiger along with the Fire penalty in 2022, but I don’t think that breakups are inevitable. Communication is the way to keep everyone safe regardless of outcome. Honesty will go a long way in any relationship when it comes to avoiding feelings of betrayal. Be kind too.

I know I’m kind of hammering away on this, but I want to say again that every relationship for Monkeys depends on Water, obviously suggesting that communication is always a live issue for the Monkey. The extreme yin and yang of this would be not talking enough or talking too much; nondisclosure vs info dumping. The challenge is to stay somewhere in the middle.

I’ve mentioned some general meanings of Water…what is Water to the Monkey?

With Monkey having 庚 yang Metal as their main element, Water is what they produce: words, actions, offspring, any creations. Water is a healthy outlet as well as a potential source of fear. This is true for the Rooster too. Since the Water element is very much related to words and emotions, when there is an excess of Water it can be overwhelming for the Metal.

When there is too much Water a Monkey could get lost or drained. A Monkey can be overwhelmingly productive and overwhelmingly emotional, anxious, ill, or depressed all due to the same element. All of these things can happen at the same time. When it does, it’s kind of dramatic. It’s hard to decide what to do to change things.

The Year of the Wood Snake will ask you to make some choices and make relationships a high priority. Healthy and supportive relationships will make the second half of the year smoother. You may have the opportunity to form an alliance with someone in a position to help you with your career in the first half of the year, possibly a mentor or advisor.

Getting more money in this Year of the Wood Snake might seem like the way to fix everything. I think many of us will feel that way in 2025, and I’m not saying you’re wrong, however you (and others) may feel driven to go further than you would normally to make that happen. Be assertive about pursuing wealth but avoid being too aggressive. That usually doesn’t work and I don’t think it’s your style. Don’t let fear drive you.

While it’s true that the Fire Penalty falls on the Monkey this year, know that you are not singled out, there’s enough Fire to go around to affect the Tiger too. Without knowing the role of Fire in your Ba Zi, there’s not much more to say about that except Monkeys may be stressed and/or distracted, so take care with driving and other travel. You could be more accident prone in 2025. If you can commute less, that will be a bonus.

The Fire Penalty may also make it prudent for Monkeys, Tigers and Snakes to watch for situations where, unbeknownst to you, a third party is involved. If this happens, don’t rush to judgement, but do make firm decisions and stick with them. This is the way. If you think the Fire Penalty might apply to a love relationship in your life, you could change the game by improving your communication with your partner now. The same could be said about the Monkey’s family relationships.

The coming energy of the Wood Snake suggests Monkeys might choose loneliness instead of participating in all these absurdities of life. Withdrawal probably won’t change anything other than whether or not you have company. I think Monkeys were lonely in 2024 despite the Dragon’s presence. The Dragon isn’t always the best supporter of the Monkey even though you would think they would be. This could be due partly to the remoteness of the Dragon, and excessive Water again.

In 2025 there’s also good news for Monkeys – of course! You are a Nobleman this year so improve your flexibility. Limber up. Find ways to do your good deeds without overstretching yourself. Remember this advice if financial or other circumstances are making you feel like you are flying by the seat of your pants. Venturing into further risk is not a good solution for your situation. Minimize potential losses. It’s okay not to give out loans.

I’ll say again – much if not all of the potential bad luck a Monkey might have in 2025 can be neutralized by clear communication. Avoid clouding it with sarcasm or too much humor. Make it constant, you will need to do it more than once. Make sure you are understood.

And finally, here’s the best news about 2025 for Monkeys. You are under the influence of the 太陰 Tai Yin or Moon, and the Moon can help you get your life organized, re-organized or even help you to set up a new business. The yin energy of the Moon will help Monkeys get things done that are very useful and practical, but maybe not things you would think of as fun or social media worthy. You might be doing things like filling out an applications, possibly for a business license or opening a bank account. You might not have things to show off yet but you will.

The Sheep go went through this very process last year, step by step. They can tell you there will be lots of things to do that are tedious, and yet they are very important. Remind yourself of this when you might tire of working with so many details. Get help with that if you need it.

When you have the Moon on your side and you’re feeling it, it’s time to break away from the establishment, man. Set up something of your own. Of course, when to do that is your decision. If you want to know how soon you could make money, how a potential new business fits you elementally, or when to open we could address those questions in a reading.

Note to Monkeys: For further revelations, read the 2025 Fortune for the Snake and Tiger too.

The Sheep in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on January 2, 2025January 1, 2025 by Stephanie Stewart

The Caretaker

What the Sheep has going for them in 2025 is much like any other year – the Sheep creates a hospitable beauty out of whatever is available. Having a party but you can’t afford any flowers? Just get creative. The Sheep will go and gather wild flowers from the neighborhood and before you know it you’ve got a bouquet on the table. The Sheep seems to always have a talent for making less look and feel like more because of their ideas about hospitality and beauty. Sheep are often counselors in their work and caring is a big part of what they do.

The main element of the Sheep is yin Earth, fertile and capable of producing 10,000 things. The Sheep month comes at the end of summer, a time of ripening that comes before autumn’s harvest. This is when Earth becomes strong enough to give birth. In the year of the Wood Snake, the Sheep’s already creative nature is about to be enhanced.

Sheep, you might have realized by now that I am conjuring these images because I want you to remember what you are good at. The special talents that you have are what will carry you through 2025.

For Sheep involved with the arts in any way, lean into that this year. If you’re not involved with the arts, get involved! By arts I mean those of all kinds: writing, gardening, sewing, cooking, knitting, crochet, painting, sculpting…the list goes on. Spend time around art or visit museums and craft fairs at the very least. Arts and crafts time isn’t only for children or those who are raising them. Creativity might be your cure for 2025. Incorporate art into your work wherever you can.

To make 2025 more satisfying, you could also lean into this metaphor and apply it to your work which is making people feel warm and welcomed with the so called “little things”. Little things are what life is made of; expressions of affection and joy. The Sheep is meant to call others to join the parade of life, not lead a death march. Realistic optimism is welcome! It’s time to move on from grimness. This advice may be specific to 1955 Wood Sheep Kris Jenner, Kelsey Grammer and Bill Gates.

Being alone is never a happy place for a Sheep, and I mention this because in 2025 you might feel that way. Is it that your work (family?) gets in the way of other relationships that you enjoy more? Remember that you are not alone, you do have a choice about these things, and you can’t be everything for anyone all the time. You are allowed to have needs too. The way to work with this unsettling energy of the Wood Snake year is to be a part of a support network. You may need the support, or you may be called to support others depending on your Ba Zi. Either way, there’s strength in numbers. Don’t neglect your kinships. Not all of them depend on blood.

I know some Sheep who took my 2024 recommendation to work with Snake energy last year and I have to say, they had some good results, especially with job hunting. If you started cultivating your relationship in 2024 with a person you want to be your new boss in 2025, I think you might reap rewards from that. People who began working with AI last year may also find that helpful for finding employment in 2025. I’m not a huge fan of AI – I’m just calling it like I see it.

The Wood Snake year is going to be challenging for the Sheep. The same yin Wood that is on the top of the year pillar has the potential to crack the Sheep open so to speak. When it comes to your own power and agency, you may need to guard against self harm, conscious or unconscious. Before you get too worried, remember that all of these outcomes are potential, which means they are susceptible to being changed by your choices. What did you learn or not learn in 2015? If this is a similar opportunity for you to learn how and when to say no, take it. That will make it easier for all the next times. These patterns keep repeating you know. I know you know how to say no.

The process that Sheep are beginning in 2025 has a completion in 2027. You may not understand 2025 that way until you’re looking back from the perspective of 2028. Since I’m talking to you Sheep, I want to emphasize that I’m not saying this is the beginning of a hell ride. I’m saying this year is the start of many major changes in your life.

It might help to remember that we all have a destiny and what happens is what was meant to be all along. Connect and reconnect to people and places that are important to you. Do the small things. Remind people that you love them. In short, do what you always do – intentionally. If this sounds negative to you, I hope you know that of course life is always a mix of what we want and what we don’t want. It’s our preferences that shape our perspective, therefore if you can let go of them or be more flexible, you will find an easier path. This is how we can work with timing.

For Sheep who are feeling distracted, forgetful or foggy in 2025, you’re in good company. Let’s remove the stigma from that and get practical. Many of us now have different abilities than we had prior to 2020, but we can also take measures ahead of time to help ourselves find misplaced or lost items. You might put an airtag in your wallet or purse, or note where you parked before you leave your car. Establish a place where you keep important items and try to always return them there. Label things. Set reminders for yourself. No solution is one hundred percent effective but try to find one that works most of the time for you if brain fog is a problem.

For those who were born in a Sheep year, it may be one of your elders who needs help with memory and guarding valuables. Make a point to check in with older generations of family and help to support their well being. Visit them when they need help, but also when there is no emergency so that you can simply enjoy each other. Be careful of your health and theirs – avoid opportunistic infections and take precautions.

Check your environment and theirs for trip hazards or things that might fall from a high place. If there are heavy things hanging over the bed, or the head of the bed you might want to change that. Sleeping with your headboard on a wall under a window is another Feng Shui no no. In the case of someone who is spending lots of time in bed due to illness, they may benefit from putting the bed in a different position. Sometimes you might even consider relocating them to a different bedroom temporarily. If you’d like to know more about that, get in touch. I can help.

To make the year go more smoothly, respond rather than react when you can. Your responses (or lack of reaction?) in 2025 can calm difficult situations. In case of conflict, let the energy be spent, rather than trying to block it or counter it. Let the truth settle things. This will put you in a stronger position and you will be able to bring matters to a more satisfying conclusion. This is one of the best assets you have this year so use it unsparingly!

It’s likely the Sheep will be called to travel this year, and it might feel unavoidable. If you don’t want to travel, there are ways to dissipate that energy. In this year especially, I want Sheep to remember that so much of our luck can be changed by our focus.

As for money and investments, the Sheep will do well to avoid financial risks this year. Again, this may apply to other people in your family as well as you. You probably already know who might need your loving supervision with organizing, paperwork and other mundane yet important things. Helping them will make a big difference in their perception of any possible outcome. It will for you too. Remember that time will change everything. I mean, you’re riding the wheel up. This Year of the Wood Snake is part of the ride.

The Horse in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on January 1, 2025December 26, 2024 by Stephanie Stewart

Hephaestus for the Rest of Us

Put your head up Horse. You may get lost at times, but you don’t stay that way do you? A Horse is good at running away, which is probably how they become good at finding their way home when they want to. If you have disappeared, maybe it’s time for you to come back. Back to what is the question!

I’m going to be blunt: envying the dead isn’t going to get you anywhere, but grieving will. That kind of jealousy may beckon again now, but it’s not yours, it belongs to the year. In 2025 you finally have the strength to transform Metal again.

What would you like to make out of your grief? An anchor? A shield? An axe? A sword? A dagger? Or would you like more beauty? Maybe you just want to be able to breathe clean air deeply again. In nature a horse’s sense of smell is crucial for guidance, survival, and emotional wellness. I think this is true for Horses too. Focus on breathing.

What’s new in the wind? Celebrations are still important. Joy is too. A Horse is Fire and the Horse’s work is to perform a joyous rescue. A Horse’s job is to create Earth, meaning a safe place for you to be. The way the Horse goes about this is often by starting over from the ashes as their way to make it back to peak. Yes, the process can be dramatic.

For example, sometimes the sign of Horse can indicate an athlete. Not always – you have to be able to recognize it. One pattern you may see for professional athletes is that when it’s retirement time they reinvent themselves as entrepreneurs, salespeople and/or recommit to partner and family. For better or worse, they start over with things in a big way. Some professional athletes may not make it through this transition, falling into addiction or living a life troubled by injuries. If you need help with your next iteration, get in touch.

The way of starting over that Horses practice is pretty extreme. Starting at over at zero is hard work, not to mention it is not sustainable in the long term. Young Horses will have seemingly endless capacity to start over. It’s only when they get older they may realize that it’s not a strategy you want to use for every instance. Luckily the Horse is capable of learning and redefining success. Finding ways to get things done and still avoid the limits of your endurance is usually a better plan than burning out and starting over. If you use fights as a way of ending things, this year you have a chance to change that.

Horses like to shine wherever they roam. They like to stand out and often that energy is fun for others to experience. Being embarrassed is a natural part of the Horse’s life because they attempt the jumps where others balk. A Horse that is in hiding or doesn’t want to be seen might be unwell, or they might simply be at a low point.

I know a Horse who, due to physical illness, has been making jokes about being dead since 2020. Horses are very much embodied. Maybe this is why they like to play with unconsciousness. They think it’s their only respite. While Rabbits are health conscious and often do the work when it comes to maintaining health, a Horse’s motives around health are mostly about not dying. You know the expression, it’s not a threat, it’s a promise?

If the current climate of burnout is any indication, we have generations of Horses now who have to decide whether or not they are going to make a comeback, one more time. Horses who come to mind immediately include 1942 Water Horses Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell, 1954 Wood Horses Angela Merkel, Sonia Sotomayor and Carly Fiorina as well as 1966 Fire Horse Kirsten Gillibrand.

In the last five years, Horses have experienced a series of jolts in the form of reality checks and disappointments and death, as have we all. Now is the time for Horses to relearn how to put Fire to work. The same Fire of the Horse that can lead to burnout is the Fire that creates Earth, which includes food and safety. A Horses natural energy creates stability through Earth. It moves fast but it is inconstant. It’s at its best in short bursts.

In contrast to the last five years, Horses have no major opposition in 2025. You’re not clashed, you’re not in the San Sha, you’re not particularly on anyone’s radar. Good news! This gives you an advantage and on the dial plate this year the Horse is in the position of Great Advantage. You’re sitting next to power – that’s what gives you the advantage. Consider making friends with power in a way that will fuel your endeavors.

People probably are not expecting what you’re about to come up with in 2025 because maybe you’ve been unusually quiet or they know you’ve been struggling. You will probably surprise yourself too if you commit to fueling your independence. Being a Horse, sometimes opposition and resource are interchangeable. When you don’t have either, you might be wondering where everyone has gone but now is the time for friendship – the thing Horses are not as good at. Time to learn. There is no underlying let down for the Horse in 2025. Push your luck further by making good choices. This is the way.

In 2025 Horses can stand out in the academic environment more easily. This same energy could be applied to any learning situation. If you’re looking to change jobs or offer new products or services, do your homework. It will pay off. It’s likely you’ll be more persuasive than you’ve been in some time so craft your pitch and be clear.

For the Horse, this year of the Snake is made for falling in love again. Start with your current partner if you have one – see how it goes. Get back to sharing your feelings regularly like you used to. Horses have a special charisma this year that will get you more attention but may distract others from what you want them to notice. Be aware that you may be perceived as flirtatious or as someone looking for relationship drama. Are you? Take care with laughing off serious situations that you may have instigated. That’s not cool.

The Horse is granted the blessing of the 太陽 Sun this year, so shine a light on any problems or disease you find and it’s likely you can make great progress. Play with Fire. Bring things to attention. Enact solutions. Move on to the next project! As a Horse, having the Sun might mean being your true self: wild and gentle at the same time. Learn how to be generous as you like to do, without the self-sacrifice. Change the rules to fit each rescue. If you are lonely, seek true connection instead of passing distractions.

A special power for Horses in the Wood Snake year is the ability to create something seemingly out of smoke. Since you do have resources in 2025, this means you might create something quite special. Decide by February what you want to do with that gift and stick to it. Only indecision can get in your way. For Horses who are also cooks or participate in the culinary world, you might find your star rising; leveling up your skills at the least. If Fire isn’t a favorable element for you, this may not apply.

Your luck is still changing Horse, all in all for the better. Your good luck is good enough to outweigh any challenges in 2025 as long as it’s backed by solid choices. Perhaps don’t expect too much financial gain. There are other more sustainable joys for you this year.