Author: Stephanie Stewart

The Rooster in 2023 ~ Water Rabbit Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Counting Up the Change

In a Rabbit year, it’s the Rooster’s turn to be clashed, so let’s get clear about what that means. A clash means that things are going to change. Of course, change is happening all the time but when it’s your year to be involved in the clash, it will feel like the changes come thick and fast.

When we humans experience more rapid and focused change, we tend to feel stressed and anxious, even if the changes are good. The feeling I associate most with a clash is stimulation. In most cases, a clash year is bothersome because of the feelings that accompany the events, rather than the events themselves. From the outside, your life may look much the same.

Each year, there is an animal branch that is in charge of the year and one that is opposite of it on the compass. This is how the clash is identified, therefore in 2023, we have a clash of Rabbit in the east and Rooster in the west. In a Rabbit year, the Rabbit is reckoned to have certain advantages over the Rooster but this may not be true in every case. Let’s not forget that Metal controls Wood. That hasn’t changed.

It’s a year for Roosters to rely on relationships even if that’s not their natural way. If you can find it in yourself to trust, this will give you ease. At any time you can choose to make peace. Maybe the best advice I can give you is: don’t fight your success. When a Rooster is clashed, as they are in the Water Rabbit year, that means they are surrounded by the possibility of success. Why not accept some?

Every clash also carries the opportunity to learn but in 2023, this is emphasized for the Rooster. You are given a facility for learning and scholarship so whether that is in a formal or informal setting. Look for the lesson. What are you supposed to learn from these experiences you have in 2023? It’s probably going to have to do with your ideas of success or money. It might have to do with your ideas about romance or partnership. It might be about jealousy – the jealousy that you have and the jealousy you experience from others.

Elementally speaking, we are talking about a clash of the Rabbit’s Wood and the Rooster’s Metal. Metal controls Wood. What I mean is, in a Rabbit year, there are advantages to be had for the Rooster too. Possibly all you have to do is avoid making winning your only goal, and recognize and acknowledge that there are people who are loyal to you. If they’re not nearby, make sure they know you want to be closer, whatever that might mean. Otherwise, in seeking relief from your overstimulation, you might end up damaging yourself.

As the Year Breaker or 歲破 Sui Po, the Rooster can expect big changes. It may take some effort to avoid having a year that is all about winning and losing. What you’ll have to change is your mind. This year you may have some ideas about that greener grass on the other side of the fence and how you’re never allowed to have it. This isn’t really true but your thoughts and memories of that kind of experience will tend to rise to the surface in 2023.

Stick to logic but avoid keeping score. That feeling you have regarding everyone wanting to copy you or compete with you is from your habit of checking and hoping to maintain or reestablish the pecking order. That’s not to say you’re wrong, a Rooster has a certain status that naturally attracts others to emulate them. Cultivate humility and patience. It might be to your advantage to keep plans to yourself or only share with a trusted few. This is something you can control.

A clash year is a year for reinventing yourself and the particular energy of the Water Rabbit carries this specific meaning for the Rooster. You’re due for some kind of rebirth. The position of the Rooster in your Ba Zi will give you a clue about what part of your life is involved.

With Rooster as your year, this reinvention could happen in a more public way and could even involve your physical body so you may want to explore new ways of exercising or nourishing yourself. It may affect your reputation.

If Rooster is in your month, I expect you could get a raise at work. You might also have some turbulence at work in March, so I challenge you to look for ways to take advantage of that ahead of time. It could be that you learn to handle stress better. Alone time may help with that.

If Rooster is in your day and you have a partner, 2023 could bring some mutual irritation or jealousy. There may be a competitive feeling between you and your partner. Whose aspirations will be the priority? Possibly both of you are looking to be “number one” whether that’s in the context of managing the home, or moving to a different city for a job. This energy of the Rabbit year calls for compromise but it’s also difficult to resist its pull to choose victory. It’s funny how you and the Rabbit may have this experience in common in 2023. Then again, in a clash both parties are affected, so maybe it’s to be expected.

If Rooster is your hour, you might be reinventing your own future or it may be your children doing that. I expect you may feel very uncertain about the truth of this possibility. Try it on.

Should it be your choice to avoid change this year, Roosters may find themselves feeling trapped or imprisoned. Unless you are actually in jail, this is just a feeling. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to handle and indeed you may come upon some obstacles that make you feel hopeless or powerless, however, being a Rooster you tend to forget your power on a regular basis. This year is meant to make you learn the power of remembering who you are and acting accordingly. You know there are going to be changes, so you can get free of the “trap” by identifying the changes you want and enacting them. If you are worried or scared, talk about it. You know this helps you shrink problems to their actual size.

When it’s your clash year, it often means spending; spending in a bigger proportion than usual. To work with that kind of energy, I recommend you decide how you want to spend it. You might choose to invest in yourself or make a big purchase. In some years I would recommend remodeling or renovation as a potential investment but not for you Rooster. Spending on travel could be helpful as long as you make sure you are not traveling to a place that is prone to fire, flood or earthquake. That trip to California might be off for this year.

Being one of the four Self Clash signs, Roosters generally don’t enjoy each other’s company.* That said, if you need assistance, look for people who share your interests or with whom you have a common background such as Snake and Ox. The three of you make a powerful Metal team that can challenge the Wood of the Rabbit if needed. The Dragon, your Secret Friend, is always on call for you and this year they can help you solve whatever problems you might have.

Should you need a rescue in March, or feel that you do, call on the Horse who often has a strange sort of crush on you. You might think they come on too strong most of the time, but the Horse is capable of turning anger to joy. The Horse sees your shininess and wants to help you maintain your sparkle. The Horse and Rooster have an uneasy relationship, but when they team up, great things can happen out of humble beginnings; successes that no one would have expected. Above all, seek joy Rooster. Take it wherever you find it.

Job Title: Peacemaker
Allies: Snake, Ox, Dragon
Best Months: April, May, August, January
Romance: Winning isn’t everything.

Timing for all signs: Whatever you want to accomplish this year will need to be started no later than March. Plan on finishing by July ideally, but no later than the end of August.

*Did you hear about that proposed collaboration between 1981 Metal Roosters Beyoncé and Britney that didn’t pan out?

The Monkey in 2023 – Water Rabbit Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Driver’s Seat

Monkey, what I can tell you for sure is that 2023 is going to be better than 2022. In fact, it’s likely that you will easily solve any problems that are still hanging on from last year.

Monkeys can fly under the radar in 2023, at least after February is over. This will give you plenty of space to do your thing without interference. The flip side is, you might feel like no one is paying attention to you. If you want assistance, you will probably need to be the one driving it. It seems like the biggest danger for you this year is getting stuck in your own head so direct your attention outward.

Monkeys are not part of the Wood Trio of Pig, Rabbit and Sheep. If you know your Five Elements, then you understand that the Monkey’s relationship with Wood is a clash. Within this clash relationship, the Wood is the Monkey’s prize or booty.

To take this a step further, seemingly against the rules, the Monkey is capable of forming a special bond with the Sheep and Rabbit. This means Monkeys could have a special relationship with the “emperor” and one of their advisors in 2023. Are you capable of guiding power? Would you wield power for someone who would prefer to avoid confrontation or is not accustomed to it? Could you do it in a loving way?

For many a Monkey, a Tiger year problem is that more money goes out than comes in. This may be why inflation hit the Monkey harder than others last year, however, now you have a chance to stem the outflow of cash. You’ll still be spending a little more than usual in 2023, possibly on behalf of others. It’s possible you’ll be spending to get free of something. Try to stick to a budget anyway. If you have the means, consider making a small donation to a cause you support. Otherwise, the money you spend this year is best spent on you, that is, for health, education or self development. Spend on taking the opportunities that you want. Plenty will be offered.

This is a year for risk management. There are risks but you can manage them by way of information and investigation because in 2023 you have the ability to take in a bigger reality, it’s almost like you have an omniscient perspective. This is a great gift when it comes to solving your own problems, and other people will also be asking you for advice.

You’ll want to be very clear in your communications if you’re going to share your visions with others. People are used to your jokes and silliness so you might have to make it clear that you are serious when sharing what you see coming. Deliver your message first. If you want to use humor to release the tension, wait until understanding has been achieved. Don’t sell your knowledge short.

In 2023, use preventive measures to take care of your health. If you’re visiting/assisting sick people, or working in a health care or science related field make sure you are taking the necessary measures to protect yourself from infection. Take precautions in crowded areas, especially those that are poorly ventilated.

As is the case for the Sheep in 2023, people may want what you have, Monkey. I’d recommend you avoid showing off this year, but also learn how to share. This will be a lesson we all need to learn in 2023 when so many are in need of the most basic sustenance: food, housing, physical assistance, healthcare.

On the compass at SW3 this year we have Robbery Sha. This means the Monkey is at risk of material losses. Be careful of scams, scammers and robbers. Trust your instincts and be aware of your surroundings. Lock up doors and windows. Pay special attention to those that are located between 232.5-247.5 degrees. If you’re a Monkey who enjoys the nightlife, go in the company of friends and keep your wits about you. Don’t leave your drink unattended. It’s probably best not to go out alone.

One of the best things about 2023 for the Monkey is that people are apt to trust you. Maybe this suits your mischievous nature? You like your reputation for being unpredictable. That’s easier when people want trust you, isn’t it? Maybe it’s okay to let people know what you are thinking whether they are going to try to talk you out of it or not. You know you always do what you want anyway.

People’s trust might not sound like much until you think about it. What could you achieve with that kind of support? You can get financial assistance, borrow tools, find a place to stay, or anything else you might like. Just remember, for best results, whatever you borrow will need to be returned, probably by December. If people are giving you trust, hopefully you will honor that by being trustworthy.

Monkeys will do well to look to their associates Rat and Dragon should they want to team up. Rats may be the one to float you a loan while the Dragon can help you solve your problems. Your Secret Friend the Snake has a higher perspective this year, as do you. For this reason, the Rabbit year might be a time that the two of you can work together heartbreak free, that is, if you can avoid being swept away by the dramatic potential.

It seems that 2022 has set you adrift. Maybe you’re feeling like you’ve lost important attachments or that people who should be supporting you are not. I know this is a painful feeling and I want you to know that a big part of it is timing. It will pass.

While you’re waiting for that to happen, you may need to ask people for help if they aren’t noticing that you need it. If you’re feeling like just letting things go wrong because no one cares, get your self together. That kind of behavior creates a self fulfilling prophecy. The same people who loved you last year love you now and want to include you. If you’re feeling left out, do something about it.

Lastly, for Monkeys who lost a partner last year, or any Monkey who is looking for partnership, I hope you know that it’s okay to love again and there are potential romantic partnerships available for you this year. If you are recently widowed or already partnered, it looks like you may have some concerns about what people might have to say about that should your new love interest become public knowledge. Don’t worry about it, life is too short to wait until everyone tells you you’re right. I don’t think anyone could live that long, do you? So explore a new relationship if you want to. Be open and honest and it will be fine.

In that context, look for someone gentle who will understand your need for companionship and will respect that you want to be friends first. Let them provide some coziness and consistency that lifts your days. In return, offer your skills in fixing mundane things as well as your authority in executing. Don’t worry about defining your feelings about this, especially if you are waking up with more interest in what the day holds. If happiness comes, let it.

Above all, in 2023 I want you to remember that you can mitigate or offset any possible bad luck by doing good deeds. I know people say this all the time, and it does seem to be true, but it happens that this year’s Rabbit actually favors you in particular that way.

Job Title: Rebooter*
Allies: Monkey, Rat, Dragon, Snake
Best Months: April, May(?), August, December
Romance: If you want it.

Timing for all signs: Whatever you want to accomplish this year will need to be started no later than March. Plan on finishing by July ideally, but no later than the end of August.

*Watch for 1980 Metal Monkey Kim Kardashian to come out of hiding.

The Sheep in 2023 ~ Water Rabbit Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

A Seat at the Table

It’s going to be a good year for the Sheep. You have a seat at the table in 2023 and can use your power and artfulness to follow your dreams. There may be some ups and downs, but know that your mistakes will be forgiven this year. Partner that gift with prudent behavior and rise. Given the Sheep’s association with the Rabbit who is this year’s boss, you are in a position to make contact with people you’ve admired from afar; people you look up to or would like to emulate. Approach people that have authority over you or have the knowledge or experience that you are looking for. They are open to it this year.

The Water Rabbit brings a range of experiences that have to do with promotion, increasing status and being invited to some kind of inner circle. Finally! Isn’t it funny that in a year where you could be included in everything, you find you may not want to be?

Much like their Secret Friend the Horse, Sheep have found it hard to execute since the end of 2019. Sheep and Horse are neighbors and Secret Friends; their experiences are often linked or similar. I often wonder who this relationship benefits more and I have to say, I don’t think it’s the Sheep. But the Sheep is used to that and knows how to stick with their connections and friends even when they are “high strung”. This is a funny thing to say about the yin earth of the Sheep, but the Sheep is flexible enough to adapt to most timing. Perhaps this is what makes them good at hospitality and hosting. They’re kind of ready no matter what or who shows up.

No year is perfect, but overall, in 2023 the Sheep’s good luck outweighs any bad luck they might encounter. Get clear on your purpose or mission for the year now and stick with it. It’s going to be a dynamic year for you. If things are on a down, just wait a moment for them to go back up. Taking precautions will make for a much smoother year if you want that. I’ll say more about that later.

As for money, the Rabbit tends to reinforce your ability to take it in, so as long as you continue to manage it well, money likely won’t be a problem. In fact, Sheep will be among some of the best money managers. This is a good thing when budgets are tight.

The same energy that brings you power in 2023 may also make you accident prone, therefore, this probably isn’t the year to use power tools. Maybe being distracted by things you can’t change is the root cause of your clumsiness, so sort out your concerns. What are you afraid of? Slow down. Remember what matters to you. To offset potential accidents or injuries, give blood, catch up on dental procedures, and trim nails and hair regularly.

In a Rabbit year, as part of the Wood Triple Combination which consists of Pig, Rabbit and Sheep, the Sheep has special permissions in the context of power and new shapes to try out. To describe the nature of 2023 as defined by this combination, I’d say the Rabbit is concerned with housing and health, the Sheep wants to provide food and hospitality, and the Pig will take care of arts, entertainment, errands and supplies. These will be the most needed services of the year.

If Sheep is your day, the year’s changes may involve the place where you live. Is it time to move? Maybe you will have new neighbors, new house mates, or family will come to stay with you. If Sheep is in your month, you may have a chance to relocate for study or work at a more prestigious venue or position than you expected this year. Apply now if you haven’t already.

If you’re a Sheep who has been craving more authority and looking to break out of old expectations, you’re going to like 2023. This is your time to show off those elegant ideas you’ve been working on.* You may have come up with them in 2019. There are forces at work to help you get noticed in the context of your talents.

If Sheep is your year, your invitation to meet with power may be issued in a very public way, where everyone can see it. If Sheep is your hour, the Rabbit pulls you into your future. Your inner life, hopes and dreams merge with the energy of the year to increase your autonomy. You’ll need to go deep for that. It could apply to your children or other people you are charged to nurture or support, including employees.

In 2023, people are going to be talking about what they perceive as your sudden ascent. Maybe it wasn’t sudden for you, but this is how it may be perceived. The Water Rabbit year is going to bring a lot of talk about who deserves what and why – for everyone, not just you. But if people don’t realize how much you’ve worked for what you have, that’s probably because it’s not something you show off. I hope you don’t feel like you have to explain why you should be so lucky now, not to anyone.

The reason I’m telling you these unpleasant things is not to make you worry more, but to encourage you to worry less. This isn’t a new problem. You know how people are when they feel jealous. Sometimes it means they want to take what you have, so make sure your property is secure and sleep better. Put your name on your work so people know it’s yours.

A Sheep is more prone than others to acknowledge that they can’t control the nature of the year, but maybe you handle that better because you are used to having your gravitas questioned. Maybe it’s your advantage that people often think the Sheep has a child-like nature. A Sheep can have a certain air of innocence that makes people feel invited to take advantage. Let that be their problem.

Ask a Sheep and they will tell you they have their reasons to be suspicious of most everyone, but in 2023, you may find that trait is magnified. It could be a response to the haters, however, it has the added value of protecting you. Don’t let excessive worry hold you back. All you need do is stay aware.

This is a year to make sure your work is ready for presentation. Make it as impeccable as possible. Make sure your taxes or other legal paperwork are in order. If you’re signing contracts, understand the terms well in advance so you know what to expect. If there are surprises you didn’t expect when it comes time to sign, don’t do it. In the context of travel documents, check that you have everything up to date and backed up before it’s time to go. You can avoid the kind of events that might take up your time unnecessarily.

Do your best work, but also know that you can be pardoned for your errors. Whatever glitches may occur, while they may cause stress, they likely won’t really matter in the long run. As I said before, no need to be paranoid, just take precautions.

You may have noticed that in the context of all the power and successes, moving, new jobs and such, I haven’t mentioned romantic relationship. While the Sheep always has room for another friend, this year, they may not “have room” for a new lover. I think this is a matter of your choice, not your fate, but certainly you can reunite with old friends, and make new alliances where you share a common background or interest. You have your friends and your work to enjoy, and maybe in 2023 that feels like enough.

Job Title: Invited
Allies: Pig, Rabbit, Sheep, Horse
Best Months: March, June, July, November
Romance: Make room if you want it. Who/what is taking up the space?

Timing for all signs: Whatever you want to accomplish this year will need to be started no later than March. Plan on finishing by July ideally, but no later than the end of August.

*Looks like we’ll see new music from 1979 Earth Sheep Brandy in 2023!

The Horse in 2023 ~ Water Rabbit Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Moon Era

So you thought that the Water Tiger was going to help you out, did you? And all you had to show for it was a big soggy smoking log. Every piece of Wood you gathered in 2022 was a little damp, no? At least you can blame the smoke for those watery eyes. You’re out of captivity now, so learn to be wild again. By this time, your perspective has shifted enough to survey the damage that has been done in your vicinity since 2020. Maybe you’ve got some anger fueling your creativity and you’re no longer willing to tolerate the status quo. That’s what I’m hoping.

There’s been plenty of talk about how the Horse was the recipient of good luck in 2022. And this turned out to be true, but not in a reaping the rewards kind of way. It was more of a survival kind of way. In 2022 there was just enough encouragement to persuade you to keep going even at those moments when you were ready to chuck everything you have worked for.

Maybe you’ve figured out that simply because you’re still here, you’re special. You made it through the wash, rinse, repeat cycle without being snuffed out. The ways that this has changed your perspective might make others think you are no fun any more. Sobering isn’t it? This year you can play again, that is, if you actively continue to take care of your health.

You’re going to be glad you didn’t give up. Horses who have made it this far have learned some lessons about what independence means and how support and responsibility are part of it. If you are still feeling stuck in 2020, I want you to ask yourself if this has to do with your lifestyle or mindset. Have you come to think of yourself as lacking support? Or how about not needing it? These are probably both in error. The meaning of dependency is always under consideration for the Horse. Accept friends and be a good friend anyway.

In 2023, you finally have some ideas of your own about how to fix your situation, along with the resources to do it. Phew. It’s been hard to recover your forward motion. Hang on Horse, something new is kindling. This is a year for you to take a position. That might involve revealing your politics, getting a new role at work or creating one for yourself.

One of the most exciting things for the Horse this year is that you have the Moon on your horizon. Horse is a yang sign (so very yang) which makes having the power of yin a big deal. Instead of coming at problems head on, running away, or dragging things into the light, you’re empowered to take a more subtle approach. This may temper some of the “right now” energy that leads you into trouble at times.

With the power of the Moon at your side, you’re going to be busy, just like you like it. Horses like to work hard and sometimes this is their addiction, a problematic one like any other. A healthy Horse learns how to bring the appropriate level of intensity to the project, that is, to not push themselves to burnout every single time. Not every contest or task merits that. The cost of your addiction impacts people that love you too, not just you. If I told you that in 2023 there’s a better than usual pay off for your efforts, would you remember what I said about moderating intensity – or knock yourself out? Learn the power of regulation and natural cycles. Read this paragraph again.

The Moon will tend to benefit women most but it’s helpful for men too. If you’re an entrepreneur, the Water Rabbit year will bring you opportunities to apply the energy of the Moon when it comes to networking or organizing your own business. This is a special timing for the Horse. In a year where you will naturally attract attention and admirers, what you need to remember is your most important work happens behind the scenes, on the personal level. Expand your soft skill set. Learn to let your influence go deep.

This is a good year for the Horse to learn to keep some things under wraps. You don’t need to advertise everything or share all your advice. Keep things on a need to know basis for a change. You might find it more relaxing. Remember, you can’t control how your advice is implemented or even understood. Do your best to be articulate, clear and specific.

Despite your love of showing off, the most important things the Horse will do this year will probably not be for public consumption. Get back in touch with the most powerful foundation of your work: it’s personal. Joy is personal. Fame is a secondary consideration and not a necessary condition of your happiness.

Some masters are advising the Horse to stay away from the Rat, Rabbit and Rooster but this year I think contact and interaction are unavoidable. When you feel bold, seek them out instead. All three of them could use your help, and believe it or not you could use theirs too. In this year where you can be more by being subtle, if they do let you help them, keep it to yourself. That’s part of the deal.

Horses can make the most of the Water Rabbit year by acknowledging that there are some things that are simply over and they’re not coming back. You can’t change what already happened, so no point in dwelling on it. Find a way to let yourself stand down. You’ve been on guard for too long. If 2022 made this a live issue for you in the context of family, know that it’s time to forgive and let go, even if you can’t forget. Listen, communicate, repeat. Remember what you want.

Should you think you need a body guard or enforcer, question that. I don’t think you do. You could try to enlist the Dog, but they are probably already working for the Rabbit. Tigers may be more interested in alliance with you than usual because you’re lucky – for now. They tend not to appreciate you but you might change that this year. Your friend the Sheep has big prospects so it may be your turn to pick up your own pieces. No problem!

Money is attracted to you, and might tempt you to be over aggressive in your pursuit of wealth. This is the kind of mistake that will alienate people in positions of authority as well as those whose opinions and alliances you value. You know, those people you want backing you up in times of trouble.

Relationships are easier this year than they’ve been in some time. Seek joy and spread it. In case of difficult relationships that you’d like to improve or at least maintain, jump back in now while you can get more for those efforts. Some of your avoidance is just a bad habit; not based on your current feels is it?

If Horse is your day branch, you have an opportunity to meet someone this year with whom you could have a long term romantic relationship. There are also new alliances you can make with powerful people, more so if your day is Metal Horse.

Those with a Metal Horse year (1990 roughly) have a good outlook too. The Seattle Seahawks would do well to let quarterback Geno Smith continue to do his magic. He’s a great example of the kind of career reversal Horses can experience in this timing of Tiger and Rabbit.

The Horse has good advice to give in 2023. If your Horse is in the day or year pillar, your parents, you or your spouse will be advising. If you have a Horse in your hour pillar, it might be your children who have the good advice. If the Horse is in your month pillar, it will probably be someone at work who can help, or possibly an ex or sibling. Wherever the Horse appears in your chart will tell you who the advisor is.

In 2023, Horses have solutions to offer. The emphasis this year is in helping others. Most of the problems you encounter may not seem to be yours, and yet, there they are in front of you.

Job Title: Whisperer
Allies: Tiger, Dog, Sheep
Best months: February, March (powerfully personal), July, October.
Romance: Oh yes.

Timing for all signs: Whatever you want to accomplish this year will need to be started no later than March. Plan on finishing by July ideally, but no later than the end of August.

The Snake in 2023 ~ Water Rabbit Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Traveling Salvation Show

For the Snake, 2022 was quite…dynamic? Maybe your world has been shaken up; a reshuffling of the deck so to speak. What’s next? Is it time to for you to hit the road?

It is the Snake’s job to solve problems and give advice in 2023, and travel is somehow related to that. Although you may not be traveling to distant lands, travel is calling your name. Commuting is travel too.

Therefore, Snakes, what I want you to do this Water Rabbit year is pay attention to what’s around you. I don’t see you needing much assistance as long as you stay aware of your surroundings. Be present in time and space wherever you are. Using your enhanced powers of observation will keep you safe from harm. Trust that even if it sounds weird.

You may have a bigger view than usual, by which I mean a loftier perspective, so don’t forget to pay attention to small things too. We really need you to keep solving those mysteries. Some of them are medical. Hint hint. Can you help us get the facts straight?

The Snake in a Water Rabbit year is a Nobleman. For a Snake, this is something like being a consultant, again. You have a big level perspective and the skills to deal with bigger issues, however, most Snakes will find that their talents are needed on a more local, smaller level; in multiple locations. Throughout the year you’ll want to keep taking your big perspective and applying it in focused ways, on behalf of yourself and others. This year there could be more repetition than you’d like.

If Snake is in your month, you may be traveling for work. If Snake is in your year, maybe your parents will visit you or you will visit them. If Snake is in your day, you may be traveling for love or self development. If Snake is in your hour, maybe travel is your inner life – or maybe you have children who will travel.

Whatever the case, I know Snakes appreciate and enjoy travel and it appears to be available for you in 2023. It may be easier for you than for other signs in a year where we will see travel systems undergo a major overhaul. Travel is probably more likely in the first half of the year unless the itch runs deep for you. Can travel satisfy the longing you have now for friends and associates who are gone or far away?

It’s hard to be away from your roots, the feeling of touching them, and the people who embody them. The separation from what we knew as safety makes us all feel like we are just just barely hanging on to sanity, no matter what your belief system.

But wait, what if you’re not crazy? Maybe you’re just tired of waiting. You can feel time slipping away. Are you over it? Over everything? I hear a lot of people these days saying “I’m done”. Who even knows exactly what they are referring to, but frankly, I’m done too. What I mean is, I’m ready to move on but I’m flailing like everyone else. Let’s reorient together in 2023 for goodness sake.

Maybe a better way to describe the feeling that I’m talking about is calling it the simmering dissatisfaction that comes with having endured a situation for too long. It can turn to anger even when you’ve explored other outlets. This kind of energy can allow us to think of violence as a potential solution; anything is permissible in the interest of making change happen. If that’s where you are, I want you to consider how you can use that energy in a way that doesn’t hurt you or anyone else.

To channel that wild impatience, remember that distinguishing facts from misinformation and disinformation are very much in your wheelhouse. Present your findings. Use up this tension to fight back against the injustice that comes from lies – without killing anyone or ruining your life. Maybe it’s time to think about teaching? Maybe you should run for office. What better way to foil the bad guys? Maybe it’s time for a change of career. Has it become apparent that your values are no longer in line with your employer?

I would even suggest that directing your dissatisfaction to benefit a good cause might make you less accident prone this year. Otherwise that could be an issue. To offset potential injury, you can give blood, catch up on dental procedures and trim nails and hair regularly. If you are a cook, slow down and focus on what you are doing in the kitchen or ask someone else to do the chopping. This year you might realize that alone is not always the safe place you imagine it to be.

Your loneliness over these past few years may have been your choice. Maybe you chose it for the peace. It’s probably best to acknowledge that, if you haven’t already. And why wouldn’t you? Maybe it was just time for that in your life. That doesn’t mean you have to like being lonely. If being alone is not your preference, find a way to meet more people. Hiding out doesn’t really help with that, does it? And let’s not forget, avoiding intimacy is another way of hiding and by intimacy, yes, I do mean more than sex.

Career in 2023 may be more satisfying than relationship, probably due to the choices you are making. Are you sure you want closeness, or is it something less deep? For the masculine Snake, it appears to be a year of possibly sleeping alone. If you don’t want that, as you probably already know, this is not something that’s appropriately managed by force.* You can manage it by asking yourself what it is you’re supposed to learn from this time, or you could ask a Rabbit about intimacy. I think they will have unfamiliar, and therefore fresh, ideas for you.

While your associate the Rooster may be having a difficult year, your elemental nature means there’s a potential boost of income or at least, maybe an upgrade to your home or job. Among your associates and friends, you have the most to gain financially this year. There will be some peaks in 2023, but they may be lonely unless you’re interested in changing that. Regarding health, take some extra care not to get exhausted.

A downside of the year may be illness or loss of elders, other family members or friends. In that context, these days it’s probably best to get up to date with the people we care about on a regular basis. You never know what’s going to happen. If that kind of loss hasn’t touched your life in these last three years, you’ve been lucky. Cherish all those you love and make sure they know you do.

No matter what is going on, take your time with decisions, contracts, mergers and the like. You may be a bit prone to misjudgment so, even if it’s not like you to trust someone else over yourself, get a second opinion in case of important matters. You don’t have to follow the advice, just listen. Maybe there will be something useful.

Being a Nobleman in 2023, you can help people and there will be people ready to help you too. Snakes have advice to give about practical matters and money, but probably not about romance. It seems like that’s not your area of expertise at this time, however, Snakes who have healthy and happy partnerships will surely have some helpful tips to offer about how they got there.

Lastly, and maybe most important, Snakes have second chances that they didn’t have last year. You might apply that to anything where you want a do over or just use it to be more daring this year. Maybe apply that luck to a second chance with the one who got away, that is, if you’re still interested.

Job Title: Wandering Star
Allies: Snake, Rooster, Ox, Monkey
Best Months: May, August, September
Romance: Intimacy means you’re not afraid of committing to a position. Wait until you’re ready. June might make you think about it.

Timing for all signs: Whatever you want to accomplish this year will need to be started no later than March. Plan on finishing by July ideally, but no later than the end of August.

*It seems 1965 Wood Snake Brett Kavanaugh never learned this.

The Dragon in 2023 ~ Water Rabbit Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Fortunate Sun

Much of what the Water Rabbit year has to offer the Dragon is a clear vision. Trust in that and remember you don’t have anything to prove. Becoming known is a process so let people get to know you. Take some risks with problem solving but be patient, knowing that accolades will add up for later. With the kind of power you have this year, should you mess up, the most powerful thing you can do is tell the truth. Just get it out in the open where it can be dealt with and everything will be resolved. Poof!

In a Rabbit year, here’s what might be a nagging question: if your alliances became public knowledge, what kind of effect would that have on your career and reputation? Maybe a good one, maybe not, but know the answer to this question.

Be aware that potential trip ups this year come from associations that you fail to distance yourself from at the right time. I’m not recommending you abandon anyone, but your best friend Rooster is in the crosshairs of the year and may be willing to win at any cost. Your friend the Rat may be making harmful mistakes in the context of family or power. Take care with being an enabler. Can you be a friend and potentially let a friend make a mistake on their own, standing by to help pick up the pieces? Some people call that support. You don’t have to agree, just protect your neck.

The strongest impact of this Water Rabbit year will be psychological for you. The problems of a Dragon are the things that get in their head; it’s usually not external events. A typical problem is feeling misunderstood, and that may be magnified this year. You may even feel like people are mean to you. In each situation where this comes up, consider whether or not it’s true. Start thinking now about what you might want to do about it if it is. Maybe just let it go. What’s timely now is moving on.

With the 太陽 Tai Yang (Sun) on their side, Dragon is the go to person for problem solving in 2023. You can solve yours too, Dragon, though you might be more involved in others’ affairs than you’d like, possibly taking the role of whistle blower.* Some say that if you see a problem, that implies some responsibility on your part for solving it. Maybe that’s why it’s often your preference to ignore mundane things.

2023 may heighten that tendency. It may be difficult for you to see the point of what you’re working on because it may not be what you expected at this point in your life, or what you think you want. Your past experiences of feeling unrecognized or unappreciated may resurface. “Death by a thousand pokes to the ego”.

Jokes aside, take care of your health. A run of Wood years can wear a Dragon down or shape them to take power. It’s always your choice.

After these last few years, maybe you too are feeling like you’re seeking something that is always just out of reach. Can you extend yourself more in order to grasp it? We’re all due for stretching our capacity to help others. Should your employment make you feel like you’ve passed some peak of potential and achievement, that may be boredom speaking. This is a temporary situation if you will allow it to be. For certain.

In the Water Rabbit year, it’s normal for some endings to happen. Like you, most of us would benefit greatly by moving on from wherever we think we were, whether we’re talking about 2019 or 2022. If there’s meant to some kind of ending for you this year, remember you are the facilitator. In every case, this ending will be an event necessary to make way for a beginning. Don’t try to pretend you are pushed out or held back. You’re a Dragon after all.

So don’t give up, but do move on. Dragons can benefit from travel and movement this year, and can improve their luck by getting out of their usual haunts. That will help you get noticed, probably by those people you have been looking for in the context of work.

Dragons will benefit from exploring a new field or topic that is related to what they already do. Find other ways to shake yourself up intellectually. Seek change and the minor discomfort that comes with it unless you’re okay with missing out on the goodies the Rabbit year has to offer. If you’re having a hard time getting started, look for a Monkey to help you get moving.

Now that the Rabbit has shown up, the Dragon may want cultivate a money saving mind set. If you know your Five Elements, you’ll have some insight as to why, however, the potential financial losses the Dragon faces can be mitigated by staying in their own lane. It’s big enough! Know your friends. Know their friends. Know your enemies and their friends. Defend yourself as needed but don’t pick fights.

Maybe a Dragon’s only weakness is that they shun the supporting role. What the Dragon needs most in 2023 is grace: to give it, to get it, and to be graceful. The yin Wood of the Rabbit is in you and though you may find it annoying, or even think it’s overrated at times, you do know how to be kind. That’s the way to go if you want to support. Nice isn’t your way but kindness can be. I’m sure you know the difference.

Dragons like to play people off of each other. They like to be the one that knows the most about everyone in the room, and during these past few years Dragons may have intentionally or unintentionally hurt others who, this year, are forming their own alliances, potentially without you. Judgements will be made, so make sure your actions generate the approval or disapproval you are looking for. That’s all you can do.

If people are talking about you behind your back in 2023, give them good things to say. I wonder if you’ve noticed how lately your force might be working against you. There are times when it does. While it’s true you are a catalyst, you don’t have to prove it, however much you enjoy that. People are going to find out anyway, based on what you do and what happens around you. Bring your magic gently. That might save you some money and frustration too.

If Dragon is in your day pillar, you’ll want to find out how things are going in your relationship, unless you already know. I say this because Dragons seem to have the super power of ignoring things they find uninteresting or offensive, that is, until they decide not to. A Dragon can negate the existence of rules and things that hold other people back. This is a Dragon’s magic and sometimes, their folly.

If you do have concerns about your partnership, don’t forget that every successful one has weathered stormy times and other hardships – that’s how you know it’s successful. Find out how your partner is feeling about you and the life you share. The most persistent unhappinesses can be worn down by good communication and sharing truth. This is a delicate operation and must be approached with care, because there’s always a way to share the truth without being mean and it usually has to do with wording and timing. If there’s something you need to say, find the right words first. Let the words create a place to go with the discussion rather than ending it.

Lastly, if you’re a Dragon who hasn’t yet learned how to network, in 2023 consider directing most of your exchanges with people toward that idea. Demonstrate and acknowledge to yourself that your time with them is important to you. Do the small talk. Ask about the kids or the parents. Remember people’s names. Take notes if you need to. Take some interest. Before you know it, caring will reinforce your soft skills. You don’t have to like everyone, but you can’t exist without helpers, just like the rest of us.

Until the next episode, that is 甲辰 Wood Dragon 2024!

Job Title: Responsible Party
Allies: Monkey, Rat, Rooster
Best Months: August, September, December
Romance: Requires communication and attention.

Timing for all signs: Whatever you want to accomplish this year will need to be started no later than March. Plan on finishing by July ideally, but no later than the end of August.

*Is that you 1964 Wood Dragon Kamala Harris?

The Rabbit in 2023 ~ Water Rabbit Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Great Hare!

In the year of the Water Rabbit, the Rabbit is the 太歲 Tai Sui or year boss. The Rabbit’s element is Wood, yin Wood that is, a gentle but unceasing movement like the wind can be when it’s friendly. This means you can go wherever you want, Rabbits, wherever you dare. Be clear on facts, priorities, and alliances: yours and others’. You are being asked to take the role of a leader, in a more public way than usual this time. Conflict and competition are out in the open. Perhaps this will make it easier for you to learn about confrontation and how to handle it in a way that works well for you.

Fertility is a form of currency in 2023, and the Rabbit’s attitudes, thoughts, and values about fertility, creativity and procreation will be discussed all year. The Rabbit is often associated with health, alternative medicine, the freedom to be natural, freedom of sexual expression, and sexuality. When I think of the Rabbit, I often think of Anaïs Nin who was born in 1903, a Water Rabbit year.

You know what your values are: home, health, children, animals, security, family, love, inhabiting your body. You can learn to balance all of these things with what you want for yourself. Rabbits have career luck in 2023.

We need your emphasis on the power of meeting basic needs as the first solution for every problem. In 2023, Rabbits feel motivated to set things right, to correct what is unacceptable, and this year they can. Your projects may have to do with reproductive rights and workers’ rights. These issues will hit you on both a public/political level and a very personal level.

Being a Rabbit, it’s you who probably coined the term “soft life”. It may be the Rabbit’s nature to be more passive, and they make it work. The Rabbit prefers a quiet and often domestic life where they spend time on growing and nurturing, relationships, friends and healthy activities. If you live with the Rabbit your basic needs are provided for, seemingly without too much struggle. Maybe that’s what we all want most in 2023 – to live the soft life we think you embody.

This is the myth of the Rabbit’s soft life: that they make no effort. Maybe people have that impression because your work is usually done in private. In 2023, some will be jealous of what they think you have that they don’t or can’t. That might have to do with peace or a safe place to live, fertility or beauty, health and wellness, or sexuality and sex. There may be envy regarding your way of evading rules and regulations. Maybe it’s just that you don’t seek them out. In 2023, you may be told your natural tendencies make you dangerous to others, and there could be some truth in this.

A major challenge for the Rabbit this year is the privacy deprivation. You may be used to dealing with that at home, but in this Water Rabbit year, your life will tend to be more public than you’re used to. Get used to being questioned, invited, and asked. This isn’t inherently negative. You might call more attention to yourself by hiding away, so play that card only as needed. It could be hard to avoid this new experience, a better strategy is to make it what you want.

Rabbits will be asked to learn this year, mostly to change your perspective about yourself. This might involve formal study or training, but more likely it involves learning to exercise your authority. It’s time to learn things that will forever change how you think. Your main mission this year is to get out of your comfort zone in the pursuit of fixing “the situation”. I know you know what I mean. Fixing the situation will call for making many decisions, possibly more than you feel comfortable with, but you can do it!

If Rabbit is in your day pillar, 2023 could raise the question of whose job should take priority, yours or your partner’s. Traditionally we determine this by earning capacity. Are you sticking with that? Get comfortable switching roles or seeking a role that is usually not yours. If it’s your lesson this year to learn to take turns, it might because you keep giving yours up. Take a chance on going for that lofty goal, whatever that means to you. Seek the compensation that is commensurate with your efforts. Timing is on your side.

Rabbits have access to power, money and other high value things in the Water Rabbit year. Even if you’re not driven by that, you might want to take some on behalf of yourself, those you love, or whoever is in need in your network. Your favors will spread and multiply like grass.

If you accept it, your other big role is to provide a place for people to go for advice and/or shelter. Many people are in need of a safe place to stay in 2023 and they may think you have the capacity to connect them with it. Whether or not you agree, they know that keeping your loved ones safe is a Rabbit’s priority. And so, in a Rabbit year, Rabbits (and the rest of us), may find themselves in closer quarters with youngers and elders coming to stay. For managing this kind of assistance work, team up with Pig and Sheep. With so much on your plate, consider that you need help to make the most of the year for yourself. Accept assistance. Make it a family affair.

Much of the action of the year will be generated by you and your peers, that is Rat, Horse and Rooster. I suggest you accept that these charming and annoying people will be more involved in your life in 2023, and look for ways to make that work. You might be very surprised by the changes that could come out of these uneasy and demanding partnerships. Taking on new alliances like these will require a certain amount of fortitude to succeed, so choose carefully.

In 2020, Rabbits were on the receiving end of the Ingratitude Punishment delivered by the Rat. In 2021, Roosters were the main problem for the Rabbit. In 2022, Rabbits were overshadowed. After a cycle like that, in 2023, I suppose Rabbits might be tempted to seek revenge because the Ingratitude Penalty has come around again. This time, Rat is on the receiving end. Relationships (and conflicts) of ancestors and descendants, and of bosses and employees, are emphasized. Where power inequities exist and may have been exploited, healing is needed mainly by way of forgiveness, appreciation and support. If you want these things, it requires your participation.

For intrepid Rabbits who are ready to explore sensitive issues with family or other people who have had authority over you, I want you to keep in mind that in 2023 you’ve got the upper hand. It might not feel that way because you’re used to it not being that way. Consider taking a chance on reaching out first to end the standoff. It’s safe.

I know that health is often on a Rabbit’s mind more than it may be for others and they are often pursuing it. This year that habit will serve you well. I don’t want you to have to experience illness to shape your understanding of it, but that’s a possibility in 2023. It’s likely an old problem returning, but whatever the source, do address it with a knowledgeable health care practitioner. Open up your mind now to the possibility that you are probably not right about everything (who is?!). It’s not in your best interest to completely ignore science however limiting it might be. Not all science is western by the way.

One last thing, you’re not the only Nobleman this year so it’s okay to turn people down. You can’t help everyone. If things get to the point where you need a defender, look to your secret friend the Dog who will gladly be your henchman.

Job Title: Velvet General
Allies: Pig, Rabbit, Sheep, Dog
Best months: March (demanding!), June, July, November, October
Romance: Possible break up in March or June. Irresistible attraction in December. Vet thoroughly. Careful of matchmakers.

Timing for all signs: Whatever you want to accomplish this year will need to be started no later than March. Plan on finishing by July ideally, but no later than the end of August.

12 Animal Fortunes for the Water Ox Month

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Water Ox 癸丑 Month
January 5 2023 23:35-February 4 10:47

Here are the Animal Fortunes for the month of the Water Ox. To get the most out of the fortunes you’ll want to know all four of your pillars which are based on your birth date and time.

If you don’t know them just ask! Each of the four animals of your BaZi correlates with an aspect of your life.

Year Pillar
Has to do with your physical body and what you do with it, ancestors, family traits. In terms of luck the year pillar is said to take the first “hit” of any event, good or bad.

Month Pillar
Relates to career, work environment, training, age mates and peers, siblings, exes and your modus operandi

Day Pillar
Yourself and true partner; your immediate environment and home life.

Hour Pillar
Your innermost self, your children, future, hopes and dreams.

The Fortunes

丑 Ox
Years: 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Month: January roughly.
I bet you can keep that momentum going enough to set up for the entire year now. If you’re worried about having enough time to fulfill all the goals, don’t. Make yourself a timeline. Cultivate flexibility.
Hint: This time of year is where you live. In the possibilities most can’t see. Use it.

寅 Tiger
Years: 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Month: February roughly.
Could be some stuckness that you’ll need to chip away. Travel plans may have to go on the back burner for now. You’re not the boss you were but that’s okay. It’s unsustainable.
Hint: Your good deeds in 2022 will pay off should you need to disengage.

卯 Rabbit
Years: 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Month: March roughly.
This is a month for your success so take a look around if you’re not seeing it. Look to lay in supplies and recruit resources you would like to support you in 2023. Who can you depend on besides you?
Hint: Set up freeing routines. You’ve got a lot to do.

辰 Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly.
Ground shifts. Restabilize now. I imagine you’ve been looking around at some new possibilities, but do you need to be broken up with to feel free to go? Or can you do the breaking up?
Hint: As a Dragon, you might forego the whole break up thing altogether if you want. Don’t take that as advice.

巳 Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly.
You’re a Snake, so this is often the time of year you find yourself finishing up things from the previous year. You’re on the beat now, but the rhythm is about to change. Align with neighbors.
Hint: Get ready to pick up the pace.

午 Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly.
How to avoid the false start: wait for the signal. Learn to pace yourself. Be patient with others’ routines and sensitivities. Adjust your level of intensity to the situation.
Hint: Make your actions useful. Warm and develop.

未 Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly.
Another clash among friends this month. The position of the Sheep would tell you if this happens in public or at home. At work? Or maybe with a sibling, ex friend or lover.
Hint: It could be mostly happening in your head. That’s real to you.

申 Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly.
A focus on mothers, grandmothers, and/or mothering this month. That kind of energy cherishes you so remember, you are not the only one at risk from your potential naughty behavior.
Hint: Be your yang self. Cultivate your sensitive side.

酉 Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly.
Whatever you need to accomplish in the context of this coming year will be easier this month. This calm and quiet is an intermission. The action starts in about a month.
Hint: Get annual plans in place. And back up plans.

戌 Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly.
Is the enemy of your enemy your friend? No. But I can see how this month that could get confusing. This is an opportunity for you to learn to discern competitors from friends. Aren’t you a protector?
Hint: With great power, responsibility will eventually come home to roost.

亥 Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1994, 2007, 2018, 2030
Month: November roughly.
At this time of year you might be feeling a little – dispersed. Time to get that energy focused and directed. Chart your course. Arrange for a soft launch. Make sure everything is in its right place.
Hint: Last call to get set up for the Water Rabbit year.

子 Rat
Years: 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Month: December roughly.
Flow interrupted but not for long. Just accept a few blockages. Easy when you know that big creativity is up next. Stay behind the drapes for now. Plan and plot. Make announcements.
Hint: Whatever is holding you back might be what someone else calls love. What’s your call?

12 Animal Fortunes for the Water Rat Month

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Water Rat 壬子 Month
December 7 2022 12:49-January 5 2023 23:35

Here are the Animal Fortunes for the month of the Water Rat. To get the most out of the fortunes you’ll want to know all four of your pillars which are based on your birth date and time.

If you don’t know them just ask! Each of the four animals of your BaZi correlates with an aspect of your life.

Year Pillar
Has to do with your physical body and what you do with it, ancestors, family traits. In terms of luck the year pillar is said to take the first “hit” of any event, good or bad.

Month Pillar
Relates to career, work environment, training, age mates and peers, siblings, exes and your modus operandi

Day Pillar
Yourself and true partner; your immediate environment and home life.

Hour Pillar
Your innermost self, your children, future, hopes and dreams.

The Fortunes

子 Rat
Years: 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Month: December roughly.
For best results in 2023, give many a thought to what you’re setting up this month. Are there apologies to be made? Regrets to be expressed? Emote but don’t dump. Only tyrants dump.
Hint: Unhappy relationships consist of two unhappy people, not just one.

丑 Ox
Years: 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Month: January roughly.
So much success is available this month. Are you in a position to receive it? There may be things you’re going to have to move out of the way. One might be you. It’s all in the open.
Hint: If you bag it up, get it off of the property. Don’t leave it in the car.

寅 Tiger
Years: 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Month: February roughly.
A good month to take care of health matters, call in debts, sign contracts. These actions will probably relate to the big plan you’ve been working on all year. When will you pull the trigger?
Hint: I know you’re craving a different life. Time to go off duty for a bit.

卯 Rabbit
Years: 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Month: March roughly.
Your year is coming, and as Thom Yorke says, “When I am King you will be first against the wall”. Events this month might make you feel that way, however, unlike Thom, you’re a Rabbit.
Hint: Let others’ lack of recognition inspire you to new acts of freeing yet harmless rebellion.

辰 Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly.
You’re in the current now where you can be carried along more quickly, speeded by your associates. This month may be good for profits. Set some aside in savings if you can.
Hint: If you’ve been feeling a low level of constant irritation, this month brings a release.

巳 Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly.
Find the sunny rock and stay until a learning opportunity beckons. There will be fewer as we get further into the month. No worries though, it will be Ox month before you know it.
Hint: Get in and get out. No lingering off the rock.

午 Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly.
Your way of living in the future certainly does help you through some hard times, however, these feelings you don’t want to have now have a purpose too. Your delays may be due to avoidance.
Hint: You can’t put off now forever.

未 Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly.
I know you may be back to feeling left out and unsure as to how you might get in to those special places again. Here’s how: wait be invited. The invitation is coming (not this month, but soon!)
Hint: You will also need to accept the invitation.

申 Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly.
Seek the company of old friends and associates to close out this demanding and difficult year. They may not be exactly who you wanted, but most any companionship is helpful for you right now.
Hint: Nobody owes you anything but people do love you. Can you accept that?

酉 Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly.
The drain is real. Careful of respiratory issues, don’t let them linger. If you have a feeling that some breakup or ending is imminent, talk about it. What is your fear based on? Reality check!
Hint: Your words will influence and shape if you use them.

戌 Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly.
A mistake that you made with boundaries in August may require another apology. Or – would it be the first apology? If there are errors you made in trying to protect or defend this year, now’s the time for remedy.
Hint: Emotions are running high. Don’t pretend you don’t know. Sensitivity does matter.

亥 Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1994, 2007, 2018, 2030
Month: November roughly.
You are not so much shorted as worrying about shortage. You feel overshadowed but have you ever considered that feeling leaves you the space to explore your vibrant creativity unhindered? The future will take care of itself, and you. All you have to do is be prepared
Hint: I wouldn’t say that if I didn’t see it coming.

Ba Zi : The Fate of Twitter

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Let’s take a look at the Ba Zi of Twitter.

Jack Dorsey sent the first tweet on March 21, 2006 in the Horse hour. We’ll use this as the birthday of Twitter. The day of birth is of special interest as it contains a moment where yin and yang are considered to be balanced: 春分 Chun Fen (vernal equinox). That second ideograph, 分 means minute and as you know, minutes are small and fleeting, like a tweet. 分 looks like it’s flying away, don’t you think?

Ba Zi of Twitter

b. March 21, 2006 at 12:50

Hour Day Month Year Big Fate
Yang Metal Yin Earth Yin Metal Yang Fire Yin Water
庚 己 辛 丙 癸
午 酉 卯 戌 巳
Horse Rooster Rabbit Dog Snake

 

On the most fundamental level, looking at this chart, I see that timing is bringing an uncomfortable change. If you can read Ba Zi, you will see the signs right away. If you can’t see the signs but you want to, come and study with me!

The day stem of Twitter is 己 (yin Earth). Yin Earth is the self element. Elementally speaking, 己 is literally 10,000 things. 己 is everywhere. It describes Twitter very well. I say this because there are people on Twitter from many different countries and walks of life. The interests of people on Twitter cover an infinite range. People use Twitter for many purposes. Anything you are looking for can be found by using Twitter.

As is fitting with its nature, in terms of Ba Zi, Twitter is defined by Water: communication, planning and strategy. Whatever your purpose is on Twitter, it will involve at least two of these things. Prove me wrong. 🙂

Water is Twitter’s success element. The power element, Wood, is void. Twitter is a pretty even playing field as long as it’s moderated, however, that’s a Sisyphean task.

There’s a paradox here regarding Water. I don’t know if I would call Water a helpful element in the traditional sense, but I don’t think Twitter can flourish without the Water element. Without Water it would be difficult for Twitter to exist – how does it function without everyone being willing to communicate there? If too many people leave, maybe that is what will kill it. Caring keeps many things going past their physical prime. If enough people wait it out together, who knows what could happen?

The Earth in this Ba Zi is not as weak as you might think. An inexperienced reader might get this wrong. If you’re unsure, look at the history of Twitter and the timing of elements for the Big Fate (10 year luck cycle) and annual luck. Maybe the problem now has to do with power and self discipline or lack of it; making mistakes due to perceived rivalries of power.

Twitter started when Fire was on a down cycle. So does Twitter need Fire to survive? Does it need Earth? These are the kinds of questions I ask my students.

Twitter came of age in 2011, a 辛卯 Metal Rabbit year. That 辛卯 matches the month pillar (modus operandi in this case) of the natal chart. I imagine that when Jack was putting it together he had two ideas: make a lot of money, let people network for their causes (i.e. he helps to save the world). In 2011, it was possible. Twitter doesn’t make its owners big money but I don’t doubt it has saved the world a couple of times. I know it has saved people too, because that’s what communication does.

My main point is, Twitter has already dealt with plenty of Water and it didn’t break. Twitter’s first Big Fate, starting in March 2011, was 壬辰 Water Dragon. We’re coming out of a Water cycle of years, we are currently in the Water season. Twitter’s current Big Fate is Water Snake. That’s a lot of Water. Twitter is still going. People don’t want to leave.

In 2016, a 丙申 Fire Monkey year, Twitter was changed forever due to the US Presidential election – not for the better. In 2017, a 丁酉 Fire Rooster year, it was impossible to completely avoid the gaslighting on Twitter. Misinformation and disinformation became common. Would you say that Fire is helpful? Metal?

In 2018, more people started to approach Twitter as if it was a job: to make money. That was a 戊戌 Earth Dog year. That’s a lot of Earth.

Twitter peaked in influence from 2019-2021 in the election cycle and its aftermath. Twitter became indispensable for some when we were all at home in 2020. 2020 was a special year for Twitter, no one was going anywhere. Twitter was vibrant and attractive. These were Water years: 己亥 Earth Pig, 庚子 Metal Rat, 辛丑 Metal Ox.

The Big Fate of Twitter changed in 辛卯 month and 辛丑 year: March of 2021. At the same time, Covid vaccines became widely available. The Metal Ox year has some correlation to disability and how it is stigmatized. The awareness of Long Covid starts here. The Metal Rabbit month is correlated with both disability and wellness perhaps in this context. Think about that. Disability and Wellness.

This is how we can use common sense understand the impact of elements in real life. How did vaccines change Twitter? Or not change it? How has that affected our communication since then?

The Water element is waning now given the twelve year cycle we’re in. What is happening with Twitter now? Things are not so good. I suspect this has to do with the relationship of Water and Wood.

The big question right now is whether Twitter will continue to exist or not. It’s going to take a lot of money to own and care for it. I don’t think we will know the outcome until December but, as is the case with so many things these days, there’s no going back. Don’t expect it to be the Twitter of yore.

If you want Twitter to continue, I would suggest you keep using it. The day pillar of this Ba Zi, 己酉 Earth Rooster, is called a promotional pillar* so perhaps Twitter will evolve into a different kind of platform. It couldn’t hurt to make a back up plan though. I can’t forecast whether or not you’ll like it.

After I wrote that last sentence I saw that today Elon is tweeting and asking people what they want out of/from Twitter. What do you know.

*Hat tip to Master Lily Chung.