Author: Stephanie Stewart

The Rooster in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Rooster?

Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005.
Month*: September
Hour: 17.00-19.00
Day: Ask Us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th & as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Rooster?

The Rooster is yin Metal, the night bird, glamorous and with an eye for detail. She appreciates an argument and likes to win but has little patience for causes that drag on. She will appreciate jewellery, fine art and good living and create wealth easily; she can spend it as easily too. Conversely of course a wide-awake Rooster like Aung San Suu Kyi can reject such distractions in order to serve a cause that has indeed dragged on for decades. And like Aung San Suu Kyi can suddenly and mysteriously change their mind. This is yin and yang. The Rooster’s moral compass is often a learned thing.

The rule this illustrates is that a typical Rooster is suited to work such as that of an advocate which involves short decisive arguments. Her brief passion is the perfect support for a client. She can defend with enormous commitment and then move on to the next one. That commitment is 100% but it is short lived. If she is in a job that involves holding her peace she may fret and become ill.

Osama bin Laden may be a good example of a typical 1957 fire Rooster: one big splash and he was off. A car must be fast, a partner challenging and life full of twists and turns. The Rooster is likely to be quick witted rather than profound and his attention span is short.

Her allies the Snake and the Ox are sometimes impatient with her because she can digress so widely and so easily but she brings to the Metal alliance the pure competitiveness that the Ox might otherwise misuse and the Snake misunderstand. She is pure Metal – that is determined to prevail at all costs – and they are not. They will not win many cases or many contracts without her and they would do well to pay and respect her appropriately despite the fact that she needs longer holidays and better remuneration. Conversely if she fails to respect a support system that dots t’s and attends to punctuation and provides the intuitive flashes that the Rooster can exploit but seldom generates, she will not prosper.

Your pitfalls are sex drugs and rock’n’roll. You probably like to party and your personality may be addictive. You are likely to prefer dusk to dawn and also to the small hours.

The Rooster enjoys a powerful alliance with the Dragon in which they may hold the whip hand. This may be unique in the Dragon’s experience. They can bend the Dragon out of shape just as the Ox can bend the Rat. This is not always entirely healthy, such sway must be employed responsibly otherwise both can be damaged. With that proviso this is one of the strongest alliances in the Chinese zodiac.

The Rooster predictably is one of the charismatic Flowers of Romance. Success and glamorous partners come easily to her. Often a Rooster can punch above her weight in this regard. Cinderella was a Rooster and Yoko Ono. This effortlessness can make for complaisancy and bitterness is common among middle-aged Roosters. Growing old is hard for the Rooster who is often compared to Snow White’s stepmother. Who is the fairest of us all? Consider these aspects in the contrasting lives of Mick Jagger and Che Guevara both of whom were born – in different years – on the day of the Rooster. “You’re so vain you probably think this song’s about you.” (Carly Simon 1945 Wood Rooster)

With the Monkey this wily, numerate bird can form a commercial alliance. A business co-run by these two will be irresistible but may not open on time. It may not close promptly either and may also suffer the cash flow problems that come from poor financial prioritisation. A marriage would risk the same types of problem: great parties, early divorce.

The cautious domesticated Rabbit is the nemesis of the Rooster. The Rooster likes bling and the Rabbit can see no life in a stone. Any relationship would generally be full of obstruction and passive aggression. The insistent wood of the Tiger is almost as maddening although his fierceness would at least engage the Rooster’s attention. The loyal, consistent Dog bores her rigid.

Richard Ashworth © 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Rooster in 2020

Roosters can make the most out of the year by strengthening their alliances with powerful friends behind the scenes. It’s not going to matter much if whoever seems to be the boss is not interested in you. Your potential helpers are probably people you already know, but keep your eyes open for new ones showing up both this year and next year. Your personal preview of 2021 comes in January when someone who shares your high standards is just waiting for you to get a clue that you might not be where you belong. Wake up and join them. It’s going to be a pretty good year.

The Rooster’s natural competitiveness is augmented this year, creating aggression that peaks in December. Don’t try to outdo everyone at everything simply because you can or you’ll waste the whole year. Direct your heightened energy to your work, by which I mean communication. Be patient and find the right time and place for it. Have faith that the right time will come rather than forging ahead recklessly and “failing” again.

The Water of 2020 could wear a Rooster out by demanding constant effort. It’s required if you want to step forward from where you’ve been since 2017. Don’t think you can stay safe by not saying what needs to be said. You want to be in command of your destiny. So make yourself ready. Time’s a wasting.

If you’ve got big plans that require approval from an authority figure, April is your month. If the first person you ask for help can’t provide it, they will connect you with someone who can.

With Fortune Virtue, in 2020 the Rooster will be probably be luckier with money than relationship. A Rat year brings potential breakup coming in December. The position of the pillar in a BaZi will add more detail. The breakup is not inevitable; however, Roosters should consider carefully whether they are staying in a dead-end situation. This can apply to jobs too. If you’re trading being free to be who you are for security, it could be time to go. No one is in charge of this but you.

Throughout the year but mainly in September, Roosters may cling to plans to save the world that were established long in the past before our resources had been depleted. This will apply to the world at large and the Rooster’s immediate world. This head in the sand approach makes you seem irrelevant and uncaring though you are not. In 2020 you can re-work your ideas about how to connect people with the help and support they need. As you empower others, you’ll find it naturally happening for you too. Do this by working alongside rather than at the front. Avoid setting yourself up as an authority.

One more thing: Stay on receive. Roosters like to get regular reports of what’s going on in the barnyard but in 2020 you will profit by paying more attention to what you sense; what you know in your gut, not what you hear or see. Don’t worry about convincing others you are right or being recognized for your insight. Simply trust what you know. It’s more reliable than you think.

The Monkey in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Monkey?

Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004.
Month*: August
Hour: 15.00-17.00
Day: Ask Us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th & as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Monkey?

The image of the Three Wise Monkeys, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, and Speak No Evil is a mediaeval Japanese summary of the qualities of the metal Monkey who is yang Metal and a particularly quirky primate. The image is of someone of course who shrinks from involvement. In elemental terms, this often amounts to too much yang Metal. What is meant by yang Metal essentially is competition. Often the Monkey is so competitive he dare not enter the race.

As well as competitive, the Monkey is typically charming, loveable, dextrous, logical and quick witted and has a gift for precision. The balanced Monkey uses these qualities constructively and in the service of his fellow man. The unbalanced Monkey (with say an August birthday and a late afternoon hour) does not clean up behind himself. He is in short a monkey.

The Monkey is often the most acquisitive as well as the gentlest beast but he is above all, competitive. In the extreme this means warfare. In its milder forms it is the ruthless competition that involves the belief that another’s gain is our loss. This is a (painful) mistake. It’s what leads to steroid abuse in athletics and ballet dancing in the Premiership penalty box. The Metal Monkey may learn this lesson early; it’s what makes him gentle. Pretty much all Monkeys subscribe to this delusion to a greater or lesser extent.

As you’d expect, the Monkey’s pitfall is frivolity. If he can’t win he takes the Mickey. Their natural allies however are the more ponderous Rat and Dragon. This is a pretty heavy-duty grouping, perhaps the most powerful in the Chinese Zodiac. Dominant Rats and egotistical Dragons are not, as a rule a bundle of laughs; the Monkey however often is. And together these three get stuff done; so many big revolutions of ideas involve this team. So many years of revolution (1776, 1848, 1944, 1956, 1968) are Monkey years.

The influence of this trio spreads everywhere: Sigmund Freud perhaps the most influential thinker of the 20th Century, Michele Obama one of the most influential women in the world, Dragons. Even Jesus if you take AD32 as his birth year.* And somewhere in there if we delve deeply enough, we find unsung Monkeys and Rats making it happen. The Rat plots, the Monkey gets out there and competes. Probably St Paul, the man who sold Christianity to the world was a Monkey.
* That’s up for debate of course but presumably he was a Capricorn anyway.

Monkey for sure is Karen Armstrong author of a History of God, founder of the Charter for Compassion and arguably the most important thinker of the 21st Century. This is a Monkey who has learned to speak no evil while seeing much. If you want to understand forgiveness, the heart of all healing, read Armstrong.

The Monkey also tends to understand the mechanical: engines and systems; he is the grease Monkey. He often also understand maths, science and argument and so is suited very often to a career in engineering or the law, also accountancy. Unbalanced, he neglects all of the above. The Monkey month of August spans Leo and Virgo and to see him as a hybrid of Virgo control and Leo passion is not far from the truth.

When the Tiger and the Snake meet the Monkey there is trouble. The Monkey both co-operates with and fights the Snake. The presence of the Tiger pushes this competition over the edge. Keep these three apart. The Monkey must take care to mind her p’s and q’s every February (the month of the Tiger) and every May (the month of the Snake).
So that’s the Monkey: argumentative practical, mischievous and so competitive he can withdraw altogether. But you knew that already didn’t you?

Richard Ashworth © 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Monkey in 2020

Monkeys have a lot to look forward to in the Metal Rat year. For starters, you can expect to be taken more seriously than you usually are. Follow your impulse to step forward.

That will be good news for 1980 Metal Monkey Kim Kardashian in her quest for increased gravitas and a law degree. She’s a good example of how a Monkey’s work ethic and business acumen are often overshadowed by a type of playfulness that people may not get. Your sense of humor is appreciated more this year.

A Monkey will find 2020 comfortable in many ways. The Metal and Water of 2020 suit you but you may find yourself asking – where’s the Wood? What is the purpose of my work? Where is the return for my work? Where’s my money? The Monkey’s money is in the east with the 5 yellow so Monkeys will need to be careful of how you they are making money and where it’s coming from. Money losses come from an unreliable advisor in May. This person has an affiliation with someone very powerful who is behind the scenes. That may be why you took the advice.

The success Monkeys enjoy in 2020 is not so much about money as it is building or maintaining alliances for the future. The Metal in the year stem makes you more prominent. People are going to remember what you say so choose your words with care. Say them in your head before speaking them out loud. For really important situations you may want to write a few things down ahead of time. Stay on script or you may make the blooper reel. Those aren’t the laughs you want.

With Hong Yim you may feel your commitment to relationship is slipping, however, this year you are a regenerator. If you know what you want you can make it happen. Clearly the universe has set this up to be solely your decision. Don’t kid yourself that a break up or emotional affair is somehow out of your control.

If you’re going to be committed, don’t do it out of self imposed obligation. Make it real through your actions and words. Say it out loud in front of people even if you think you’re not good at that. A Monkey’s skill set usually includes taking things apart and putting them back together. How will you apply that to your relationship?

With the Metal Mong San shiny and sharp people and things carry risk. Clashes that have to do with movement may be an issue in February and August. Trying to circumvent rules may rebound as physical injury. In November, ill preparation and your potential desire to escape commitment could make you accident prone again. The excessive water could be hazardous. Take care with bathing and swimming.

Your charming nocturnal friends are going to be busy working for someone else, so look for distracted magicians to help you complete things in April. Don’t favor quantity over quality. Focus more on the message and content of your work. You may discover that the meaning isn’t what you thought. In a good way.

The Sheep in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Sheep?

Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003.
Month*: July
Hour: 13.00-15.00
Day: Ask Us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th & as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Sheep?

Idealistic, yin Earth, not the top getter-onner with others, the balanced Sheep has well-meant judgements about everybody which can sometimes keep her stuck in first gear. For the unbalanced Sheep (July birthday and/or mid-afternoon birth) ambition and foolishness are pretty much the same thing. For the balanced one, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Noel Gallagher, however, leveraging affability for fame and fortune is second nature. See below for what the most unbalanced Sheep do with this gift for belonging.

The balanced Sheep, as well as being an expert judge of people, knows exactly what matters and is not easily diverted from it. The arrangement for instance that Wood Sheep Bruce Willis, his ex Demi Moore and her ex (and Bruce’s fishing buddy) Ashton Kutcher came to, whereby they stayed friends and the children avoided becoming conflicted is not usual, either in Hollywood or the world at large but it is typical Sheep behaviour. They can all change partners like a Jane Austen cotillion but Bruce gets to see his kids.

Conversely, the value of caution and conservatism is often clear in Sheep relationships. The most obvious of these is with the extrovert spontaneous Horse whose sidekick the Sheep often ends up being. With the Sheep beside him, the Horse’s fun may be a little less riotous but he will also stay out of serious trouble. The young Horse and Sheep of 1978 and 1979 for instance, are often a tag team who go out drinking and clubbing together. The Sheep may stand back in amazement at the daring of the Horse but is there both to pick up the pieces and to take advantage when these risks bear fruit. The Horse dances on tables, the Sheep ensures a soft landing.

This illustrates a psychological truth about the Sheep: the risk-taking they shy away from is exactly what attracts them most. Many a desirable partner has on the rebound from a Horse, found a life-long proposition in the Sheep. Read Marianne Faithfull’s revealing autobiography if you want to see how this applied to the Rolling Stones.

Placed as the Sheep is before the Monkey in the Chinese Zodiac, they also understand trickiness. There is generally a certain wariness between these two but as a team they are unorthodox but magical.

The Sheep also forms a natural affiliation with the Pig and the Rabbit; a very domestic alliance. The Chinese ideograph for home is a Pig under a roof and the average Rabbit would happily stay home 24/7 if allowed to. The Rabbit is the diplomat and mixer while the Pig who is inherently versatile takes up the slack of whatever jobs there are to perform. The Sheep’s part is to make things secure. She will have ensured for instance that there are no sworn enemies on the guest list. Sheep is an ideal social secretary as well as a resolver of conflict. Psycho-therapy is among appropriate career paths. And of course this gift is one that can be abused.

The Sheep is passionate, representing the yin or feminine side of sexuality but whether male or female, the Sheep is more seducer than chatter up. 1967 Sheep Michael Gove’s appeal is surely a subtle one but he clearly fits several of the Sheep patterns.

Perhaps most interestingly, the Sheep can form a formidable team with the Dog, the Dragon and the Ox. Individually each of these three is somewhat intimidating to her but when this group gathers, her value becomes obvious. She can draw flexibility from the Dog, humility from the Dragon and cheerful co-operation from the autocratic Ox. Above all he ensures peace among them. Even if all they do is make the coffee, the Sheep is a comforter of the insecure. She understands that most barkers never bite and that aggression is simply inverted fear.

A final word: the dark side of the Sheep is to leverage gregariousness for power. Brazilian “strongman” Jair Bolsonaro and cynical media mogul Rupert Murdoch don’t fit the pattern of the easygoing Sheep at all. But the Sheep loves the herd to be on their side. They have to belong; sometimes even when that involves falsity and betrayal. Donald Trump was born on a Sheep day, making his deepest quality the need for approval. This is not only the Sheep’s nature but often their weakness. In this sense they are not so much “strongmen” but weak because their only strength is in the endorsement of the herd. Populism is so much easier than conviction.

Richard Ashworth © 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Sheep in 2020

The team-oriented Sheep has a solid reputation when it comes to cooperation and is always available to bail out a close friend. The Horse tends to take advantage of this. In a Rat year a clashed Horse could lead the Sheep into danger. For your own safety it’s time to learn how to partner (or not) without compromising your sense of right and wrong. Luckily you have Dragon Virtue on your side to help maintain your good reputation. If you want to use that on behalf of someone else, however, get your facts straight first.

1955 Wood Sheep Lindsey Graham is the Sheep to Trump’s Horse. Graham has a Sheep year, Sheep month and Sheep day. Trump’s month is Horse. That explains a lot actually. Graham is reluctant to go against his party. Letting faith and loyalty overcome common sense is probably not his plan but he may be left holding the bag anyhow. These are the kind of Sheep mistakes that could overshadow their excellent intentions.

The Sheep will find the Metal Rat year less cold and unforgiving when they give as much weight to the facts and logic as they do to their unconditional love and optimism. This is what timing demands, not a comment on the Sheep’s values. What I’m saying is that the Ox is in charge – for the next two years.

For the Sheep whose season is late summer, the excess Water of this time is a stimulus for discernment. Make that your byword this year or find yourself caught in the crossfire of someone else’s war. In 2020 a Sheep may be drawn into proxy conflicts. You may get lumped into a group with those more volatile than you and end up in a place you never meant to go. As always, your choice is what will change everything.

As early as January your standards will be questioned regarding the company you keep and who you choose to back, possibly bringing you into a power struggle. If you want to avoid that, break alliances if needed or at least refuse to defend (and thereby support) a close friend’s bad behavior. With the best of intentions, you would prefer not to refuse anyone. This year requires you to do what could be the most uncomfortable act for a Sheep: don’t get involved if it’s not your fight. Be open about that when asked for advice. Possible consequences? Gaining respect and strengthening the bonds of your group in the long run. You’ll be setting a helpful example.

With your psychic and sensitive nature, you knew this decision was coming. You want to avoid confrontation but the irritation with certain relationships isn’t new. That nagging issue that you’d like to deem irrelevant – is it really? Don’t make light of your intuitions. It’s like there’s a noise in the background that only you can hear. Pay attention. That’s the only guidance you need.

We need your persistent commitment to the health of the group now more than ever before. Your actions could be the glue that puts us back together. What’s required is courage and time. You’ve got both.

The Horse in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Horse?

Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002.
Month*: June
Hour: 11 am – 13.00
Day: Ask Us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th & as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Horse?

The Horse is yang fire, the charmer. The extrovert, the seducer of the Zodiac, the Horse is rarely caught out despite his high-risk strategy. He has an ego of course but is better able to laugh at himself than for instance the Dragon. Like the Dragon, the Pig and the Rooster though, he can not work with his own kind. The typical Horse is not a deep thinker and his ego can lead him to suppose that no one else is either. Brexit mastermind David Cameron, born in the Fire Horse, may be a good example.

There tends to be a belief in shortage at work in the Horse. She thinks he must be the first to the trough if they are to eat. In romance the Horse like the Rooster, can be what Leonard Cohen calls “a thin gypsy thief”. This means his weakness can be a failure to respect boundaries and property. Of all the animals, the Horse and Rooster are typically the marriage breakers and the home wreckers. This is not inevitable of course. If we know this about ourselves we can make wiser choices. Just because today is a good day to die, it is not necessarily a good day to kill.

Predictably the Horse is often not great at commitment. The yin and yang of this by the way is that a self-aware Horse is the most constant partner there is; an endangered species by the way.

Success matters a great deal to the Horse. He is not generally subtle. It is the winning not the taking part that tends to concern him.

The ever-fiery Horse is not keen on Water. He experiences this element whether expressed as a Rat year, excessive communication or actual Water as a dampener of enthusiasm. Water slows him down but does not halt him.

Interestingly the Horse’s charisma is best expressed either in a team with the other Plum Flowers, Rat, Rabbit and Rooster or with the Sheep. You will often find Sheep and Horse out and about together, the Horse radiating charm and the Sheep reflecting it. This actually is a good partnership; the Sheep is in awe of the sheer daring of the Horse and the reckless Horse may often need grounding, safety and a short term loan. Horse places the drinks order for his audience and the Sheep pays the tab; Sheep to the above-mentioned David Cameron was of course his stooge and gopher Nick Clegg.

The Horse’s home team all of whom have fire in common, is with the Tiger and the Dog. These are the hunters of the Zodiac: the Tiger kills, the Horse chases, the Dog guards. This support system is the most likely to bring the Horse rewards. On his own he is prone to burn brightly and extinguish early. He’ll have a good time though.

The Horse finds the Ox hard work also. There is metal hidden in the Ox which the Horse can turn to his advantage but the Ox’s preferences are so humdrum to him.

The Horse has visual, imaginative and intellectual gifts but is unlikely to value them enough to put them to good use. So many of the words we use about the virtue of work illustrate the unwillingness of the Horse to stick at things: harness, yoke, saddle, blinker etc. Again the yin and yang is that a Horse once-committed, never quits – think Boxer in Animal Farm.

A Horse who works with a Snake may achieve greatness because the Snake understands the Horse just as she understands the Dragon, additionally the Snake will not need to compete. In many ways the Snake is the perfect partner but it is more likely the Snake will recognise this than the Horse.

The Snake suffers in the short term and the Horse in the long.
Racing, partying, playing, the danger is burn out. The challenge for Horses far and wide is to defer gratification long enough that there remains a future.

Richard Ashworth © 2020.
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Horse in 2020

In a Metal Rat year, the Horse is the Sui Po, the Year Breaker, the Great Consumer. That may sound ominous but it’s meant to alert you. Which is fine; everything is cyclical and this year is likely to be demanding. Don’t take the year’s portents as a cue to run away from what isn’t working unless you’ve prepared for that. One of the most helpful things you can do this year is balance your natural speed and spontaneity (haste?) with planning. Plan farther ahead than you think you need to, by which I mean cover the next two years at least.

The average Horse is likely to be on a steep learning curve. You may be called to change your job or move house. Some Horses will have a change of heart but the Horse is among the most powerful of the Animals, especially in terms of visualization skills. Everything is cyclical and this is all learning. It might be hard work though, so take your time deciding what is important. Value and maintain relationships because there are likely to be losses, including money. Highest risk: January, May, June, July and December. Remember however that you can’t lose what you never had and at the risk of cliché, if you love something (or someone) let them go. Keep in mind that letting go is not the same as abandoning or rejecting.

The clash of the Rat is like a dash of cold water in the face. It’s not an emergency but it feels like one when it takes your breath away. Being creatures of Fire, Horses may be discouraged or even depressed; your best ideas may have to go on hold. Some Horses may turn these feelings outward in a destructive way. Both of these possibilities are rooted in refusing to surrender; to the power of Water and actually to any sort of rule or order. Horses who can do that will find new creativity of all sorts including the financial. Emotional disclosure is one way to surrender. Having a good cry is another. Music can help with moving through feelings too. The Chinese call that poignance “qing”, it means somebody gives a damn.

In her song Cellophane, FKA Twigs gives voice to the kind of poignant questions a Horse will have in a Rat year. She’s a 1988 Earth Dragon by the way. Dragons are helpful when Horses need to cry. As you may know better than anyone, this is related to Water and Fire, the problems of Period 9.

Didn’t I do it for you?
Why don’t I do it for you?
Why won’t you do it for me?
When all I do is for you?

In 2020 unlearned Horses who think the attention and approval of others is love will likely feel unloved. The wiser Horse knows better. You are still as powerfully charming and attractive as always, but most of the attention you’ll receive may be for your role in networking and matchmaking. Others may find you a bit careless in your introductions even when you don’t mean to be – you know this already! Your vision is compromised in a year when there are many proxy conflicts in play so double check degrees of separation. A best friend or partner is at risk of being pulled into your strife. Even if you want backup, I know you don’t want that kind of mission creep. Seek Dragons as a default, Tigers in emergency.

In the Year of the Rat, the Horse’s quiet truths will be more effective than dramatic confrontations. You have probably already learned that this method works best for you. Don’t waste time seeking attention for personal growth. Whether or not others notice it you will know. That’s enough. The only witness you need is yourself. It’s going to be okay. For sure by 2022 when you are back in your true power. Think of the year as cleansing perhaps. Be kind, be creative, be circumspect and remember your power. Everything is cyclical.

The Snake in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Snake?

Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001.
Month*: May
Hour: 09:00 am – 11.00am
Day: Ask Us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th & as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Snake?

The Snake is yin Fire and sits between the Horse and the Dragon, possibly the most powerful pair of animals in the Zodiac and certainly among the most difficult stools to fall between. So a typical weakness of the Snake is indecision. Next to that is lack of commitment and finally a propensity for sudden and uncharacteristic dishonesty. The Snake is the prisoner who breaks at the threat of torture; a reasonable decision if you know you’re going to give in anyway btw.

There are perhaps old souls and younger souls. The younger Snake often has a vivid imagination and an inconsistent relationship with the truth; the older Snake may treat Truth as sacred. And Snakes being of Candle Flame Fire, can be easily discouraged. Sometimes they should be actually. Some Snakes stick long term with an inappropriate choice so as to put off making any choice at all.

The most written about Snakes in 2020 are apt to include Xi Jinping and Bernie Sanders. Xi, born in 1953, the year of the Snake in the Grass and elected at a time when the internal tensions in China – between efficiency and self-expression, between industrial wealth and rural poverty and between cohesion and corruption – had never been so stark. Never question his sincerity – he means what he says – but he is likely, like his near-twin Tony Blair, to believe that the more he is opposed by those whose beliefs conflict with his own, the more right he must be. For both of these, dictatorship – that is the Mandate of Heaven – is the preferable regime because the Snake can so often not tell the difference between their viewpoint and the absolute. This is perhaps the mark of the young soul.

Older souls may include Presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. Born a Metal Snake in 1941, his bluntness is typical of the mature or balanced Snake. A spade for him is not a manually-operated digging instrument but a spade.

Typically, squeezed between the two, the choice for the Snake is between opposites: the extroversion of the Horse and the subtlety of the Dragon, instinct and logic, process and end product, long and short term, relationship and freedom, employment or entrepreneurship. In the face of this dilemma, a balanced Snake will often develop sufficient charm to get through without having to make the hard decisions.

Quite often, the Snake of either gender is not the decision maker in relationship. When they marry a Pig this is doubly so; the power of the Pig’s uncertain yin Water may precisely match the delicate yin Fire of the Snake, often making for stand-offs and provisional decisions. Those the Snake has not made may include the one to be committed to the relationship. The partner of the Snake (best choice probably Ox or Rooster though Monkey lady and Snake man works well) would be well-advised to drag at least this minimum communication from the Snake early on. Interestingly Snakes can despite all this be among of the best makers and keepers of relationship of all 60 Animals. But they sure can make it hard for themselves.

One of the advantages of being between the autocratic Dragon and the unruly Horse is that the Snake has her ego in check. Many would consider her wise because what she has to say is well-considered and she never says too much. The Snake can be a brilliant collaborator, especially with the Ox and the Rooster who are in a sense similar to her neighbours: the Rooster is blatant (much like the irrepressible Horse) and the Ox determined (like the heads-down Dragon) while the Snake anchors them to each other. There may be moments of doubt when the Snake’s loyalty wavers. At such times, the Snake asks searching questions which should have been settled long ago and then usually re-commits. The high minded Brutus was probably a Snake. Not Judas though. To know this grants the Snake both power and integrity. Snakes who know this about themselves earn undying trust.

The Snake can also work with the Dragon in what is called the House of Magic#. Only she can subordinate her ego to the extent that the Dragon demands while also keeping up. An ideal Snake vocation is high-level p.a. Usually (and wisely) the Snake opts to be No 2 rather than Big Chief.

The Snake often has the intellectual and visual gifts of Fire. She makes a good critic as her judgement is sound and she is not out to destroy egos. She will generally have natural and effortless style too.

On the other hand the Snake has a love-hate relationship with the Monkey. Both have hands-on and logical ability and both attract occasional tussles but where the Monkey welcomes opportunity for mischief, the Snake treats dispute as a regrettable evil. When a Tiger appears in such a form as a Tiger-born person or a Tiger month (February), this misunderstanding can turn nasty. In a Dog year like 2018 it’s plain sailing, in a Rat Year such as 2020 – when the Monkey is favoured – more complex. If there are Monkeys in your friend group, seek them out and try to find common ground. They may save you when the chips are down.

The Snake is opposed to the Pig and as both are members of the informal group sometimes called the Four Terminals#, they can impede each other’s movement. Snakes may develop mobility issues in a Pig year and vice versa.

The Snake prefers a short menu and yes/no questions. In a Rat year their yin Fire may be baffled by the width of choice represented by yang Water. It’s possible that the Snake’s dreams will come true only for her to sprint in the opposite direction. Deep communication often has to be wrenched from the Snake and in the Water years of Rat and Pig there is little support for the tight-lipped. In the Ox year that follows, expect just enough Water but not too much. This makes scope for just the restricted level of communication the Snake prefers.

Final note: Snakes have a complex relationship with Fire. They are not usually sun-worshippers but often their skin needs just a little regular sun and without it they may fall prey to easily avoided ailments such as vitamin D deficiency. Caution!

Richard Ashworth © 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

# These terms ae the brain children of the man who first introduced me to the Chinese Zodiac, Derek Walters, still the only Western authority respected to any degree in Asia. I sometimes tell my students that of the many thousands of books written on Chinese Astrology in the West, 99% are either nonsense or derived from Derek’s The Complete Guide to Chinese Astrology. Or both.

The Snake in 2020

In 2020 Snakes are still recovering from the Pig year. Snakes like travel and movement but an entire year is too much even for you. Now you’re looking for a place to land; a place where you belong. The good news this year is that instead of conflicts you didn’t see coming there will be support you didn’t anticipate starting in January with the arrival of the Ox.

In a Rat year, the Ox is in charge and will give you a direct line to power for the next two years. In 2020 what you’ve got is a subtle empowerment that grows in small increments. The sheer amount of Water won’t permit haste. Snakes who try to rush the process will create their own delays, possibly by way of accident or injury, most likely in February, August and November. A transformational rebirth is coming in September. Stick with baby steps at least until then.

If you’re among the luckiest of Snakes you’ll have an Ox pillar in your Ba Zi or Big Fate giving you access to slow but inexorable progress in at least one respect. The position of the pillar will tell you which area of your life to cultivate. By way of Feng Shui you can manipulate your environment to align yourself with the power of the year too.

On the compass, the Snake is in a risky position due to the San Sha. With your work you may have to spend extra time getting warmed up to perform. This is only temporary. Like the Horse, you may have problems with vision or mobility both literally and otherwise. This summer you may find yourself chasing the experiences you think you were robbed of last year. Not only is it not worth it but whatever you think you missed is going to show up at the appropriate time. Have faith.

Your ability to keep secrets isn’t helpful this year because it’s unreliable and will keep you isolated. Emotional disclosure to a friend in August may reveal more than you meant to. Resign yourself to openness for now. Prepare for May when people are going to start coming to you looking for answers to their problems. Accept the assignment. If you want to be relevant, share your empathy. Forego your usual strategic and clever advice. Decompartmentalize.

When you want advice, your ally the Ox will give assistance but their perspective may be too similar to yours. As is the case for most everyone this year, you are your own best advisor. My advice for Snakes is the same as for Oxen: Slow down. give blood or have teeth cleaned to decrease the chance that your careless haste results in physical harm.

Snakes may be feeling unsure as to where they belong. It’s going to take some searching but throughout the year you’ll find pockets of short term opportunity and success to point you in the right direction. In January, May, and September you can expect to be welcomed into community. Explore openly. Acknowledging your need for closeness doesn’t make you needy, just human.

The Dragon in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Dragon?

Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000.
Month*: April
Hour: 07.00 am – 09.00
Day: Ask Us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th & as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Dragon?

The Dragon is yang earth, the most egotistical of the branches as well as perhaps the most powerful. Putting aside conventional rules of animal compatibility, many of us are either fascinated by the Dragon or suspicious. Or both. Shameless mischief-maker Vladimir Putin and Trump tribute act Boris Johnson are Dragons. So however is Marianne Williamson, whose Presidential bid may be over but whose influence will only grow. It was she who wrote Nelson Mandela’s mantra:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are weak. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.”
These are powerful people.

The Dragon is just as charming and affable as (s)he feels like being at any given time, but like the Pig, the Horse and the Rooster, the Dragon suffers the self clash which makes them unsuited to working with their peers. Dragons often live alone and enjoy their own company. Sometimes they claim to even when they don’t. Often what he experiences as joy is a subtle experience that others find puzzling. The Horse for instance who likes to dance on tables, sometimes thinks the Dragon is a high maintenance prima donna. Even the Dragon’s ally the Monkey, contrasts his own goonish delights with the impassive Dragon and can make no sense of it.

And yet the Dragon delivers. Sometimes awkward and gauche, the Dragon can appear incompetent and yet still win. Steadfast Dogs whose workings lead to a logical answer detest this about the Dragon and may sabotage him. Put simply the Dog thinks the Dragon goes on a bit. The Ox and the Sheep share something of this attitude but are more passive about it.

The Chinese ideogram for thunder is a Dragon under a raincloud. All over the world rainclouds speak of plenty, drenched is good if you’re looking for growth. The Dragon month is April, the time of sudden change. Dragon times are the tense moments before a storm breaks.

The Dragon does not naturally co-operate or easily share confidences. He will however grudgingly work with those he considers his inferiors as long as they are very clear about the pecking order. This is the central weakness of the unbalanced Dragon. King Lear was a Dragon, probably Sersei in Game of Thrones too where Othello (and Jamie Lanister) may have been a Tiger and Hamlet probably a Snake.

The Dragon’s traditional partners are the hands-on Monkey and the plotting Rat. These three may not mix socially however. They need a task to cooperate upon, otherwise they find it hard to connect. Socially the Dragon will seek out the Rooster and the Horse both of whom can act as pr or spokesperson. Alone or teamed-up, the Dragon is just as creative as he wants to be. He can magic up wealth and as rapidly squander it. Neither Horse nor Rooster are much help to them in this regard although a benevolent Rat and a diligent Monkey can be.

The Dragon and the Snake form the House of Magic#. The Dragon is the Sorceror, the Snake his apprentice. So Merlin was a Dragon and his story illustrates the other central weakness of the Dragon: that he can be beguiled by the glamour of the Rooster. This coupling takes the Dragon off track. In a Rooster year the Dragon may forget all his carefully laid plans and go off-piste. In a Pig year they may have to re-think much of their approach to life in time for the boom times of the Rat year that follows.

Note to Employers: A Dragon employee is the best there is if the task suits him. It had better suit him because he will do precisely what he feels like either way.
Final Note: Unbalanced Dragons are the worst. Take predators Philip Green, Jeffrey Epstein and Harvey Weinstein. Who’d have thought these three shared ba zi charts?!? Or that they could justify the unjustifiable for so long? Of course as these guys show, the Dragon has the luck of the Devil.

Richard Ashworth © 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

# These terms ae the brain children of the man who first introduced me to the Chinese Zodiac Derek Walters, still the only Western authority respected to any degree in Asia. I sometimes tell my students that of the many thousands of books written on Chinese Astrology in the West, 99% are either nonsense or derived from Derek’s The Complete Guide to Chinese Astrology. Or both.

The Dragon in 2020

Welcome back Dragons. People get you in 2020. Show us your magic.

With the arrival of the Metal Rat, the Triple Water Combination is in play. Dragons are very much in their element and potential successes abound. Invitations and requests to share your knowledge and expertise are already arriving. This is a great year to add new offerings in your business. You’re the perfect front person for the creativity you share with your associates. Beware of schadenfreude. As your star rises and you watch your rival the Dog lose support you may want to recall that at times you’ve been called a crackpot too. Probably for similar reasons.

Dragons are in the beginning of a growth stage. There’s always going to be someone available to take care of you this year. It’s your turn to accept help. Go ahead and take a chance with trusting that. Make the most of the luck and support available.

Even in such a great year, with the Ox in charge behind the scenes Dragons may experience a breakup. Your alliance with the Rat creates a potential conflict with authority that could get you fired in February.

Do you know who is in charge? It’s important to figure this out early on – in January. It’s going to come up again in May and September too. If you’re not prepared to hold yourself accountable there’s an authority you don’t know about who is nearby and waiting for that opportunity.

Bold Dragons will take a chance on aligning with the Ox instead of avoiding the Ox’s authority even though there are hazards in the attempt. This involves a demanding two year plan that Feng Shui can facilitate. Dragons can set up an introduction to power using the west area of their house where the Rooster lives. If that doesn’t sound straightforward I recommend you get professional help.

At all times be aware who you are addressing and for what purpose. Withdrawal may beckon because you don’t like to deal with the aftermath of communication. It’s so… intimate. And in your opinion most everyone is so slow to respond – other than with confusion or tears.

Dragons expect their words and actions to create instant change and sometimes they do, however, if you don’t want to be lonely you’ll need to remember that not everyone has the gift for rapid transformation that you do. You can share it but you can’t force it. In the Metal Rat year of 2020 it’s important to remember the changes you and others want are coming in their own good time.

Dragons without direction in 2020 will find that distraction or boredom fuels impulsive and destructive decisions. You’re at risk of walking away from the completion that’s coming. You have so many options. No matter what you choose to do it may feel like a limit on your infinite potential. Dragons are going to lose a lot of time they will regret later unless they make a long term plan and stick to it. Dragons great at total restart but I’d say that’s a waste of their time this year.

The Rabbit in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Rabbit?

Years: 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999.
Month*: March
Hour: 05.00 am – 07.00
Day: Ask Us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th & as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Rabbit?

The Rabbit is yin Wood, essentially gentle and domestic. Her time is early morning; the legend has it that she and the Rooster swapped places which is why the cock crows in the Chinese Zodiac not at dawn but at dusk. The Rabbit rules the Spring therefore – think of March Hares and Easter Bunnies – and the Rooster the autumn. This story may also serve to illustrate the mistrust that can exist between Rabbit and the yin Metal Rooster.

The Rabbit is subtle, in keeping with her yin nature. She provides service readily and is often suited to catering and caring. But her preparedness to roll up her sleeves makes her the unexpected queen of networking. If you want to be introduced to the person in charge, ask a Rabbit.

Although giving an impression of reluctance to be in the spotlight Rabbits are often performers but equally often are more at home behind the scenes. Writer-composer (of the musicals Matilda and Groundhog Day) Tim Minchin fits this bill. Devoted Dad David Beckham perhaps also and strangely introvert ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown. All clearly pretty good at making connections also.
The Rabbit can wait her turn; vigilance and patience are typical. Her natural allies are the Pig and the Sheep. This is a house-proud team and the Rabbit is a team player. Her unexpected friend is the Dog who values her ability to charm without threat.

The Rabbit also belongs to the gathering known as the Flowers of Love# (or Plumflowers) along with the Horse, the Rooster and Rat. She may often find herself clearing up behind these three extroverts and quite often the cuddle-bunny will obtain a life partner from the leavings of her more obviously glamorous colleagues.

Rabbit tends to be conservative with a small “c”. Early rising is typical but the yang of early alertness may be balanced by the yin of sleeping in. Lazybones or insomniac, sleeping is an issue. This is yin and yang.

In Vietnam this Zodiac Animal is called the Cat. Intuitively this does not sit right, the ideogram so clearly has ears. Furthermore yin Wood relates to the late Spring, leaves and flowers and grass, none of which are obviously feline attributes. Btw the song “Year of the Cat” written by 1945 Rooster Al Stewart in the Rabbit Year of 1975 illustrates the misunderstanding that often occurs between Rabbit & Rooster.

In some ways the Rabbit epitomises yin. Yang Wood may be characterised as an upwards movement like the growth of a tree. Yin Wood is more of an outward expansion like the spread of grass. What these two expressions of Wood have in common is irresistibility. But they are very different types of irresistibility. To counter yang Wood we need yang Metal: an axe will cut down the biggest tree. But you could attack a lawn with that same axe and not remove all the grass in a lifetime. This is the power of yin Wood.

Wood is both stubborn and flexible. Yin Wood (as characterised by Soen, the wind of the South East) is thorough as well as organised: “gentle and thorough but ultimately adamant” as the Book of Changes has it.

Hexagram 53 of the Book of Changes, “Gradual Progress” describes this: the tree on the mountain grows against all the odds either because it throws itself absolutely upon the mercy of the tao or because it has a detailed plan that it follows meticulously. Or both.

The Rabbit is said to cause the Dragon (next in sequence) to lose money. Perhaps the Dragon is distracted by a neighbour so apparently different in nature. These two are not a great pairing but the fact is that the Rabbit sitting between the Tiger and the Dragon, shares qualities with both.
Partnership with the Tiger is sometimes formalised as the House of Diplomacy#. The Rabbit offers carrot while the Tiger wields a stick. This arrangement exemplifies the truism that more is achieved with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone.

Wood represents bone, spine and hair as well as eyes: the light is Fire but the receiving organ is Wood. The Rabbit is often not strong in these regards unlike the Tiger. This is yin and yang.

Finally it’s worth appreciating that the wooden table you’re probably seated by is wood but not Wood. Wood is always growing which is not true of anything else; not animals, people, cutting edges or stones. Usable Wood in feng shui terms, is alive. Dead Wood is often considered to be Earth, motionless and ashen.

Richard Ashworth © 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

# These terms ae the brain children of the man who first introduced me to the Chinese Zodiac Derek Walters, still the only Western authority respected to any degree in Asia. I sometimes tell my students that of the many thousands of books written on Chinese Astrology in the West, 99% are either nonsense or derived from Derek’s The Complete Guide to Chinese Astrology. Or both.

The Rabbit in 2020

For the Rabbit, 2020 is very much what you make it. You’ll have a facility for organizing and making sense of things. Rabbit counselors, advisors or headhunters will have plenty of clients. Business should be good but you may be preoccupied with personal and domestic stuff.

You’re in line for further education or training. With so much Water in play there will be plenty of opportunities both formal and informal. Learn new life skills or finish that degree. Learn how to forgive. Learn to set new standards for your behavior in relationship.

Because of how others respond to you, you may have become convinced that your appeal comes from your softness and acceptance. Those who need support for basic human needs are familiar with your reliable domesticity but there’s much more to you than that.

Rabbits who are the oldest son or a 3 gua will be deciding whether their side of the story is worth expressing. It is. For best results stay open to uncomfortable feedback. Caution: Even with your retiring nature this year you risk being overly resistant and impossible to persuade.

Some masters would say the Rabbit is in a great position for a new romance or other alliance in 2020. I get it, but here’s the most important part: your new partner could demand that you conform to their standards rather than your own. That’s a likely scenario for both Rabbits and Yin wood day stem people.

In a Metal Rat year Rabbits experience the Ingratitude Penalty, especially in March, October and December. Rabbits may think Rats are not woke. They will tend to lay blame for current problems on the Rat’s past actions. Rabbits may be questioning the ethics and practices of ancestors. Rats may think Rabbits are entitled and unappreciative of what they’ve inherited. Sound familiar? OK Boomer.

The penalties and the self clashes create the riskiest situations in a BaZi in the sense that they are so…psychological. It might be easier to heal a clash – like a broken bone may heal more cleanly than a sprain. The Ingratitude Penalty has to do with intergenerational values that are shared or not, therefore the solution is to get to know each other better. Talk is required on both sides. Exploring your BaZi may be helpful if you’re feeling adrift.

In August, Rabbits are going to have to make a decision about how to handle the anger that may accompany the penalty because it carries a physical risk of harm.

In October a close friend is unsatisfied in their relationship and may be looking to start one with you. You may be duplicating the bad judgment you’ve attributed to the Rat unless you are careful. These patterns are in our DNA.

A Rabbit is not known for their frankness but this year demands it if you want change. With the Wu Huang in the east, you might tend to forsake the vulnerability of openness for the power of silently being right. The regret you think you are avoiding will linger on. Don’t let it turn to bitterness. That’s not your thing.

The Tiger in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Tiger?

Years: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010.
Month*: February
Hour: 03.00-05.00am
Day: Ask Us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese Month of the Tiger falls on the 4th or 5th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Tiger?

Because the yang Wood Tiger is composed of three different elements, he is an especially versatile predator. There is nothing wrong with being a predator of course, except that it can imply a very rigid view of the world. Tigers often don’t play well with others, not because their egos are in the way (unlike the Dragon, the Pig, the Rooster or the Horse) but because for them, work and play are very distinct activities. They can up to a point frolic with other Tigers but broadly every alliance is focused on an outcome. It’s no coincidence that 1974 Tiger Victoria Beckham is the Spice Girl who never looked back; she’s moved on.

The Tiger never forgets. For the unbalanced Tiger no slight, insult or rejection can be allowed to go unredressed. He may wait a lifetime but he will get his revenge. Earth Tiger Joseph Stalin typified this approach to life as Leon Trotsky was enabled to confirm the hard way. On the other hand the balanced Tiger will always repay a debt and will go out of his way to acknowledge assistance.

The typical qualities of yang Wood are sharp eyes, a strong will and swift movement. The Tiger stalks his prey silently and pounces when he is ready. He can wait days as long as he is not hungry. A needy Tiger is very dangerous. Never scorn the Tiger.

The Tiger will often have a fresh view of things which makes him the eyes of the team he makes up with the Horse and the Dog. The Horse is front of house, the Dog the keeper of records and the Tiger the hit man.

In terms of human relations the Tiger may be the most yang of the animals; that is swift, sharp and unsubtle. The earth he inherits from his predecessor in the Zodiac the Ox, is turned miraculously from yin to yang when he receives it. The unbalanced Tiger knows no mercy and expects none. And in this he has altered the dogma he receives from the Ox – do as you would be done by – into a personal code. This alteration can amount to perversion and make for serious misunderstandings; the unconscious Tiger probably knows himself less well than any other animal. His ruthlessness which he can wear as a badge of honour, is often simply a failure to open up to interdependence with others. Of all insults “dependent” is the worst for the Tiger. He will not depend. This makes relationship an act of will. With a true act of will, the Tiger forms the most enduring relationships. If it is not truly a choice but a resigned agreement to bend himself out of shape, all around him will distort also. Sometimes the truly unconscious Tiger thinks this reflects a merciless world in which he has been clever in getting his revenge in first. This logic doesn’t work and the smarter Tiger knows this.

But even the smartest Tiger is not in the clear because the corollary of foregoing revenge appears to be falling on her sword. This is a mistake too. Most of us prefer not to live by the law of the jungle but then most of us are not as well-equipped for it.

Metal is generally considered to represent logical thought, authority and competition. The Tiger is elementally the opposite of Metal; the wooden Tiger likes to think of himself as logical but instinctive or even automatic is a better description. Generally he can only make use of Metal early on in life or at the inception of a process. After that he can deceive himself that he knows what to do and that he is beyond advice. The really unbalanced Tiger (yang Wood day stem for instance born in February) considers himself bold and resolute but truly is hanging onto past (mother) stuff that ought to have been completed. The admission of this would affront his pride and he is unlikely to do it.

Richard Bandler (himself a notoriously ruthless 1950 Tiger) the Godfather of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, used to say that the person with the most flexible behaviour has control. The Tiger is the yangest woodenest of the animals. He is so flexible that he can be completely immovable. This can be his role in the alliance with the Monkey, Pig and Snake sometimes called The Four Terminals: the Monkey sells the traveller a ticket, the Pig may offer to accompany him and the Snake can enchant with tales of exotic locations but the Tiger is liable to snarl and send the traveller on his way. Without the Pig in the ba zi this combination can like the Four Earths, be a seriously unhelpful combination, implying restricted movement.

A tender father and an implacable father-in-law, a good leader but an erratic motivator, at his worst, the keynote of the Tiger is an uneasy combination between a long memory and a short fuse. At his best he is the sort of leader you would gladly die for. Take short-lived (and deeply respected) Labour Leader John Smith as an example perhaps. At worst she’ll do the job for you.

Richard Ashworth© 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Tiger in 2020

Tigers are often active at night. This year could be a long one. It may be tough to find the time to rest. The public and private successes you celebrated in 2019 may give way to old patterns of handling conflict when there’s public exposure of your past “failures”. Be gentle with yourself. You deserve forgiveness too.

A Metal Rat year indicates experiences that shape you and losses that increase vitality in the long term. There are many new ideas to process, mainly regarding the amount of space you’ve been taking up. If you are open to the learning you can change the embarrassing outcome of a potentially juvenile confrontation in August.

If you need a retreat for healing and restoration, do it in January because later you won’t feel like you have time. Don’t expect to be able to keep up with everything you think you need to do. Choose what can slip through the cracks rather than just letting it happen. There will be losses. You’re likely to be moving house too, maybe even as early as February or as late as November. Being the Tiger that you are, you’ll probably be upgrading somehow.

A close friend, partner or child also has the itchy foot, and how they cope with this could lead to an urgent situation in November. If a breakup is coming that’s when it will happen.

In May, it might be that this same person doesn’t share your definition of commitment. Be clear about yours and open to believing them when they tell you theirs. That’s what you do if you want to change November. You’ve got the power to rebuff or to share your bright light. Knowing your flexibility, you’ll try to figure out a way to do both. Don’t hurt yourself.

A Tiger is a natural leader but you’re not currently at the top of the food chain. In 2020 Tigers who continue in leadership roles will do so by way of their ambush* rather than autocracy. Tigers don’t normally work as a group so it could be awkward at first.

It’s time for Tigers to prioritize domestic affairs. The Rabbit month of March could be your best month for connection and cooperation. This is a year to be patient, change your vantage point and learn.

Get in touch if you were born in the first fortnight of the Tiger Month (between Feb 4th-20th roughly – this varies according to the year). It may be that you are in for some special luck. The following days may be uncannily helpful for making good choices:

February 27 2020
April 27 2020
June 26 2020
August 25 2020
October 24 2020

Celebrate the freeing power of failure. Respect the delays of the year’s timing and you’ll find joy in the midst of what might seem like obligation. Perspective is everything and you’ve got the gift of sight. Use it. Sort out those available to support you from those who cannot even though they are doing their best.

In July and September you may think someone is limiting you by falling short. Think again. It’s your life. You are responsible for it.

*A group of Tigers.

The Ox in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is an Ox?

Years: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009.
Month*: January
Hour: 01.00-03.00am
Day: Ask Us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th & as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is an Ox?

The distinctive quality of the Ox is insistence, not persistence because the Ox’s yin Earth makes for a certain fragility, more of a curtain than a rampart. The Ox is in many ways, the most sensitive Zodiac Animal. This is often expressed in what looks like obstinacy but is better understood as puzzlement at being disagreed with. In discourse you may find that an Ox has firm principles that on examination are more like prejudices or assumptions. They are often nonetheless firm as well as correct for all that. As a rule, don’t expect flexibility of mind from an Ox; they know what they know and are often not keen to venture beyond. Never forget however how sensitive they are.

The Ox’s gifts are very often practical rather than intellectual. The intellectually gifted Ox is extraordinarily powerful. Because of her position between the Rat and the Tiger, the Ox can sometimes vacillate from a fierceness – that does not really suit her – to a Rat-like charm that she may not be able to sustain. Watch out for the Ox who you seem on first acquaintance to have known all your life but then becomes uncontactable. In certain contexts this is called “ghosting”

With her allies the Snake and the Rooster, she forms a team which is of the Metal element. That is to say that the alliance is linear, judgemental and competitive. Where the ground rules are clear, this is an unstoppable combination, not when they’re not. But these three make a great legal team with the Rooster charming the jury, the Snake unearthing information that no one else could find and the Ox sticking to the point. When the rules are unclear however, the Metal alliance can falter. Then the Ox can become judgemental in a more covert sort of way, being less liable to argue than to judge silently. Without the Snake and the Rooster, the Ox is more barrack room lawyer than barrister.

Working in such a team, Metal, that is the qualities of logic, reason and competition, is less important than consistency. In dealing with the Ox, it is important to remember not only that the Metal is there but also that the Ox may deny this fact even to herself.

The hour of the Ox (01-03.00) is when the worlds of spirit and flesh are closest. She has a deep spiritual agenda. The gifts of mediumship and divination are essentially Ox gifts. He is above all extraordinarily sensitive.

He may nonetheless be attached to ancestral dogma. Fundamentalism of all sorts – political and social as well as religious – is a common trait. She is not always good at questioning tradition or second-hand wisdom that has come down on good authority. So she will often quote great men not because their words are wise but because they are great. Bob Dylan’s advice “Don’t follow leaders and watch your parking meters” goes over the head of the immature Ox but is the credo of the life-wisened one.

With the Dragon, Dog and Sheep, the Ox forms the Literary Alliance. Some call this confluence the Four Earths and think of it as negative. The fact is that it is a demanding combination. If the Dragon is missing from it, for instance, many think of the alliance as poisonous but to see this as an assembly of the vehicles of expression without anything new to say is probably more like it. The coincidence of these four animals in time and space is a challenge to a strong ba zi and can be the ruin of a weak one.

Barack Obama may be the world’s most famous Ox and a good example. He actually has a Sheep in his month pillar. This makes for a home-loving and secure man. This is heightened by his day stem (the character that rules the day he was born) which has a special affinity both with the Ox and the Sheep. This like so many Oxen, is a man who loves his babies. Both UK Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn – reluctant to let go of influence in a Rat Year as you might expect – and Presidential contender Elizabeth Warren are Oxen also. Watch this space. Ox is the Wizard behind the curtain this year.

The challenge to the Ox in 2020 is to topple the toxic Fire Dog. Three of the last four American Presidents (Clinton, W. Bush, Trump) have been Fire Dogs born 1946. The Fire Dog is past his peak now; it’s time to make way. The current chaotic world order may represent this shift of power.

Fire Dogs btw may be best suited to light entertainment as David Gilmour, Roy Wood and John Prine among many others, demonstrate. It may be that the above presidents took an important wrong turn.

The Ox has a love-hate relationship with the irritatingly spontaneous and extrovert Horse to whom she can not help nonetheless being drawn. Nor is she that keen on the Rabbit who can help herself to the Ox’s fresh vegetables or the Tiger who somehow often manages to exploit her.

For the Ox however, there is a foreshadowing right now in the Ox month of this Pig/Rat handover; real power beckons. Don’t waste it.

Richard Ashworth© 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Ox in 2020

It’s the Rat year and you rule. You even have a regal quality. You have followers and you are meant to serve the people. Your job, if you choose to accept it, is to find the remedies and solutions others are seeking. Team up. There’s another leader who will empower you to complete their project.

Your increased authority is due to a boost from the work of others. Listen to the observant Rat if you want to know what they think of you. You may be out of touch with that. Your thoughtful withdrawal could be interpreted as snobbery. Remember this in January.

2020 will be a lucky but demanding year requiring a faster pace than is your wont. Don’t worry. You will have enough time to accomplish everything. As the Emergency Warning Broadcast System says: This is only a test. Don’t hurt yourself (or others) in the rush to get back to your quiet place. Set an example for friends Snake and Rooster who will also be feeling impatient with the noise this year. Give blood or have teeth cleaned to decrease the chance of physical harm.

If there’s justice to be dealt check in with colleagues for a balance to your strictness. As a guide to action, consider the outcome you want to experience in 2022.

Oxen are not known for taking the initiative. This is the year to do it willingly if you want advancement. Expect a breakthrough with that in September. Be careful not to block your own success and creativity or that of your partner. It’s often your way to take small measures to slow things down. This year your job is to remove them. Both Ox and Rat may experience fertility issues in the Rat and Ox years. Be gentle with yourself and your partner.

Your best advice is inadvertent and comes from your common sense, not from your position of authority. If attention passes you over in favor of those who are flashier and faster, it doesn’t matter. For better or worse you’re in charge for the next two years. You are the influencer. When you are at your best, your consistency brings relief in the midst of chaos. We all know 1949 Earth Ox Elizabeth Warren is going to keep plowing the same field regardless of the outcome of the presidential race. She is making a difference in American politics. No acknowledgment or endorsement is needed to make that true.

Those born in the second fortnight of the Ox month can expect an especially lucky year. Those birthdays could be as early January 19th or as late as the first week of February so ask if you’re curious. Here are the days where you can get away with almost anything:

February 27 2020
April 27 2020
June 26 2020
August 25 2020
October 24 2020

Use them wisely. With great power comes great responsibility.

All Oxen are in a for a powerful year but the Wood Ox is special. They can expect to receive more authority as a result of conforming to certain standards and alliances. Make it temporary if it’s not a good fit.

The Rat in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Rat?

Years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008.
Month*: December
Hour: 11:00 pm – 01:00 am
Day: ask us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th and as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Rat?

The Rat is yang water but with a hidden stem of yin Water, that is to say pure Water, the only Chinese Animal that is so pure. All Water on this planet, unless interfered with by outside forces, is connected with and on the same level as all other Water. Sea level at Zeebrugge is the same as sea level at Miami. If I spill my cup of tea here in Surrey and you spill yours in Taiwan, sooner or later they’ll mix. It may take aeons but they’ll mix. This powerful idea may clarify the connection between Water and communication.

Someone said that we have two ears and one mouth for a good reason: that we should listen twice as much as we speak. The issues relating to Water are listening and speaking while keeping the ratios right. The Rat can easily miss this. Some of us are elected primarily to talk and the yang Water of the Rat says it’s you. The Rat is the talker of the Chinese Zodiac. As you know, an unbalanced or distressed Rat tends to clam up or run off at the mouth. Which will it be this year?

Interestingly both Prince Harry and his father Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales are Rats. Charles’ career has been one of juggling his often outspoken opinions with the privilege of his position. I observed some while ago that Harry’s lessons might be correspond; wise Rats tend to blurt or have learned to be shtum. Under considerable provocation Harry seems to have learned from his father’s example.

The Rat is supreme in the realm of ideas. It is said that when you can tell Fire and Water apart, you are their master. The blue of the sky at mid-summer, for instance is not Water but Fire. Who can identify this consistently? The Rat who is a planner and a plotter and a deep thinker, is the most likely candidate. He thinks ahead, sometimes to the detriment of his awareness of the present. This makes him a good chess player but not so great at poker. He is apt to be too controlling for games that require openness – even to good fortune. That sort of uncertainty can be painful. Your average Rat wants the credit and to get that he has to be in control.

In conversation you may find that the mature Rat second guesses in a very distinctive way: typically he gets his correspondent to commit to a position before he states his; a very useful quality in a teacher but not everyone’s cup of tea in a collaborator. The Dragon and the Monkey, even the Ox, may find this reassuring but it drives the Horse and the Tiger wild and to some extent even the Dog.

Being big talkers and travellers, Rats are traditionally suited to work involving communication: sales, oratory and persuasion. In the collaboration with the Rabbit, Rooster and Horse that Derek Walters (himself a Rat) calls the Flowers of Love, the Rat is the talker, the chatter-up if you will, where the Rooster provides the glamour, the Horse the passion and the Rabbit the accommodation. A Rat with the assistance of these other Animals is effortlessly successful and charismatic. Whichever of this quartet may be missing at any given time indicates his weaknesses.

None of the others however is ever much at ease alone in the company of the Rat. The Rooster appears to be on another planet and the Rabbit resentful, especially if that Rabbit is parent or child to the Rat; yang Water is a little too much for the Rabbit’s delicate yin Wood. Creed, Black Panther and Just Mercy star Michael B Jordan may have these dynamics to juggle this year.

An unbalanced Rat talks too much and listens selectively. A balanced one gets it exactly right; he is fascinating talker and a skilled listener. But this wilful deafness can be a point of pride. Blessed with an orderly mind and excellent retention, a Rat can consider his ignorance of a subject a reflection upon the subject rather than upon himself. This sort of Rat needs to learn to value the convictions of others, especially if they are derived from premises he does not accept.

The Rat is a guardian, a watcher. Sometimes he is self-appointed and the unbalanced Rat has a particular blindness that leads him to believe that his opinion is an absolute. This is more accentuated and less well-informed in his partner the Ox in what some call the House of Creativity (or Cleverness). The relationship between the Ox and the Rat is less that of partners than of pupil and tutor but the Ox can be a particularly obdurate and dominating learner, sometimes drawing conclusions to which he is not entitled and sticking like a limpet to any conclusion he can justify. In these circumstances the Ox is not so much partner or indeed student of the Rat as tormentor. When Ox and Rat are together it is the Ox who calls the tunes.

A very conscious Rat can make good use of his blindness to the value of other people’s positions. She is likely to be able to explain things that baffle others and to derive laws from this gift. To have no explanation however is to open himself up to chaos. If he knows this about himself he can master even the most abstract discipline.

The Rat is versatile and multi-talented though not as notably so as the Pig of whom he is often jealous or the Dragon who can baffle him despite their mutual affinity. The yang Water of the Rat can speak of profligacy with money. Rats are brilliant small businessman but often poor tycoons. In the power triad with the Dragon and Monkey, the Rat may appear to overvalue the hands-on deftness of the Monkey because he finds the Monkey easier to control and may envy the Dragon his magic. Twin Rats Robert Plant and John Bonham and Monkey Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin (formed in the Monkey Year of 1968) may be a good example of this creative tension.

And it is this potential for envy that is the other big weakness of the Rat. Often in dispute with Horses, the full-on spontaneity of Fire has always drawn resentment from certain Rats. He can’t admire what he can’t himself master. This can lead to him not getting credit for originality of mind. Consider Water Rat Alan Turing of Imitation Game fame who was not exonerated of the “crime” of homosexuality let alone appreciated until decades after his miserable death. And finally the Rat can be a fickle partner but an attentive parent, albeit one who may have favourites. The awakened Rat is absolutely even-handed; that in itself is quite a gift.

Richard Ashworth©2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Rat in 2020

The cheapest price to pay is attention.
1960 Metal Rat Chuck D.

In a Rat year, Rats are going to be questioned about, and questioning, experiences of childhood, parenting and parents. I doubt that is welcome news, but why not treat it as the opportunity it is? We often avoid subjects we consider difficult with the excuse that we can’t find the right time to address them. I’m telling you it’s right now. This is the year.

Rats have a love/hate relationship with attention. They like to hide out in plain sight but often feel left out because they are so good at it. In 2020 your habits of observation and your secret shortcuts will be exposed and even coopted by partners, friends, children; also accusers. The boundaries you’ve crossed with your diplomatic privileges are common knowledge.

Over the holidays you may already have been accused of not doing enough or not being more helpful in the context of family relationships. That will likely peak again in March. Take a deep breath. You know that your best has improved over the years. Don’t look for anyone to confirm that though. Let your self knowledge be enough. It’s not your fault when others don’t notice your contributions. It’s not theirs either.

In 2020 your natural gift for powerful words is enhanced. Spend time studying, reading and writing. Craft what you want to say carefully because your words are a catalyst; a magic spell. Stay on script when the moment arrives. You will find you can truly speak things into existence when you get them “right”. Don’t turn this blessing into a curse.

Those born in a Rat year and/or on a Yin Water day have the Star of Fame present bringing solid return for efforts so make the most of it. The attention you get for your work brings an attempt to displace you in June but unless you’ve got a Horse in your BaZi it probably seems more threatening than it is. Deploy your charm. Calmness and care with words will win the day. Stay in your flow. Someone is going to give feedback to your boss about your performance.

1972 Water Rats and those with a Yang Water day stem may be accident prone as they try to rush through these unwanted feelings and experiences which will only exacerbate the fallout. If you feel so pressured or anxious that everything has become an emergency then slow down. Literally.

Rat in the day pillar? You may be working towards promotion only to discover in September that the coveted executive power belongs to the Ox: a partner, friend or co worker who is already present in January. The job was already taken before you arrived at the interview but you can ride the coattails of the Ox to boost your future plans.

Choose your Ox early on rather than letting them choose you. A 1985 Wood Ox may be the most successful one. If you feel blocked I know you can find ways around it. That’s what Rats do.