Author: Stephanie Stewart

Chris Cornell and Generation X

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

I didn’t really know Chris Cornell but I had seen him in Post Alley a couple of times and once at the restaurant where I worked. And of course I had seen him perform with Soundgarden. Arriving in Seattle in late 1989 I was a little late to the Grunge scene, or maybe just in time for the peak that was 1990. In any case at that time Seattle was a magical musical place filled with intellectually rebellious young people. None of us had much money. We used to joke that we were continually passing the same dollar bills around to each other as tips in various venues. There was a lot of love and couch surfing. Have you ever heard that song by Jimi Hendrix called “Little Wing”? For me that summed up the Seattle scene in 1990, Metal Horse year.

“Well, she’s walking through the clouds
With a circus mind that’s running round
Butterflies and Zebras
And moonbeams
And fairytales
That’s all she ever thinks about
Riding with the wind”

“When I’m sad, she comes to me
With a thousand smiles she gives to me free
It’s alright, she said, it’s alright
Take anything you want from me
Anything, anything
Fly on, little wing”

It’s not really a surprise that Chris Cornell has that exact pillar, Metal Horse, in his chart, as well as the pillar that matches the year 1991 (Metal Sheep).

Chris Cornell
July 20, 1964 Snake Hour (est.)

Chris Cornell is a Yang Metal day stem person with strong Fire. His chart consists mostly of Metal and Fire, and the Fire in the chart stresses the Metal. Metal also represents the head, thus his struggles with mental health. Wood is “empty” in this Ba Zi which tells me Chris was probably unable to fully experience or believe his success.

I chose Snake as his hour because of the way Chris associates snakes with deception in his lyrics. The song “Black Hole Sun” comes to mind. The Snake wreaks havoc in the chart because depending on timing, it births either supportive Metal or destructive Fire. The Snake created a theme of cyclic alliance and betrayal in Chris Cornell’s life where he felt constantly pushed/pulled in two different directions. You might even call the Snake a trigger.

Chris’ chart could use some Water both as an outlet for the Metal and a balance to the Fire. The Fire Rooster year of 2017 magnified the Metal and Fire conflict. At that point, in his current fate of Fire Rat, even though there was some help from Water, Fire became overwhelming. Chris Cornell died in the Snake month.

On first impression, Chris Cornell was a dark and beautiful poet and musician with curly black hair, classical features, and piercing eyes. But then there were his lyrics, and maybe that’s why I first came to associate him with Orpheus beyond his looks. Orpheus was said to have such charm with his voice that he could even make the Gods weep and that was Chris, too. In looking at the course of his life you could say that he visited the underworld (depression/addiction) and returned, just like Orpheus. There was something doomed about him but that was no different than the rest of us Gen Xers. He just made it seem elegant through his words and his quietly mysterious off-stage presence.

The rest of us angst ridden former latch key kids looked at him (and Kurt Cobain) as the ultimate example of turning pain into art; rising above the past by expressing the sadness and anger in beautiful ways; overcoming the cliche of the broken childhood. Our motto: See us? Hear us? We’re messed up and angry but still here kicking ass. We don’t want you to notice we are secretly idealistic and peace loving because it hurts. If you listen to our music the soft underbelly will tell you exactly how to undo us but you won’t hear it through the screaming.

If it’s the case that we choose our parents and our life path before we are born then Gen X kids knew before we were born that our parents were probably not going to be around much. It wasn’t that they didn’t love us or care, but our parents were going to be busy doing the best they could to deal with their relationship/marriage/divorce, job, commune, religion, band, cult, addiction, you name it. The route for some of us was taking care of our own parents and siblings. For others it was all we could do to keep track of ourselves.

Even in elementary school many of us already had house keys and knew that if we lost them, we would not be able to get inside any time soon without breaking something. Many of us had braces but no one was taking us for haircuts. If we lost our lunch money we were not going to have lunch. Grunge came from the latch key kids who were used to doing it themselves if they wanted it done. We gathered up the leftovers: people, clothing, records, books, anything that was discarded. We even recycled music by sampling. This was our way of “owning” the past albeit in a somewhat mordant way. We learned to rely on ourselves and we were okay with that. Right. We were the most inept tightrope walkers ever, working without a net. Having no context for the experience of falling, we were convinced that we could bring ourselves up. We tried to take care of each other but we knew some of us weren’t going to make it. RIP my friend Ingrid Liiv.

We didn’t understand that many of the lessons we learned at that time might not be helpful. Everyday problems for latchkey kids were loneliness, boredom, fear, anger, premature sexual experience, depression, addictions, and anxiety laden burdens of sibling responsibility. We also learned about independence, problem solving, first aid, domestic skills, making money, saving money, and planning. We learned that if we just put in enough effort we could make something happen, no matter how graceless we were.

We knew there would be pain so as we got older we tried control it by being the ones hurting ourselves; making it into art, making it beautiful, reinventing ourselves. We were ready to show you our scars; that we were freaks. We learned to blur the lines between attraction and repugnance with our punk rock aesthetic. We embraced androgyny. If cleanliness was next to godliness we stayed pagan by not using deodorant and avoided bathing regularly. We excelled at making beautiful ugly and ugly beautiful; sporting electrical tape, safety pins, Doc Martens, duct tape, torn tights, black leather jackets, spikes, thermal underwear, and shaved heads. The Modern Primitive movement with its piercings and tattoos was a way for us to literally take control of our own pain by volunteering for it.

Maybe we knew that once we were born it might feel like a trap, but still thought we could make a success of it. If you believe that we choose our parents and life experience before we are born, then of course it could happen that some of us take on more than we ultimately feel we can handle.

I think if we could ask Chris Cornell what happened that’s what he might say. His words in his final phone call with his wife are quite revealing: I am just tired. Maybe he just needed a break and a hug. Maybe if he could have just waited another hour or another night he could have stayed here with us a little longer. In reading his chart I can see how the moments around midnight on May 17, 2017 would have been precarious. Three of the pillars in play in his chart are duplicated at that time. Almost all of the elements of the moment are against him. In effect, he probably felt like all of his problems had doubled somehow. That moment would have passed.

To continue with my original idea of Chris Cornell as Orpheus…did you know there was an ancient Orphic religion? I think its philosophy is reflected in Chris’ songs about the allure of death as an escape from the pain of this physical existence. You see, the central principle of Orphism is that the immortal soul is torturously imprisoned by the physical body and wants to escape. A short time after death, however, the soul is sent to a new body and the cycle starts over. That is not an ending. I don’t think Chris Cornell got that death was not the end. Our actions, our parents actions, and the actions of all of our ancestors resonate in each of us every day regardless of the concept of time. Do I think Chris Cornell meant to commit suicide? No. I think he was having a really bad moment, but then I like to think that at the last moment every suicide would like to take it back.

Here We Are Again!

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Here we are again! Try saying that out loud in different cadences and tones. Make it sound celebratory or mournful. Energized or exhausted. Comedic or tragic. You can hear in your voice that it’s a fine line, right?*

One more trip around the sun. Here we are again where the daphne is just starting to bloom.

Unthinkingly, I neglected to water my Yuletide camellia (which is just outside of the window where I usually write) this fall and so there are no flowers. It really bothers me. I’ve tried keeping the curtain closed so I can’t see it, but it’s so dark at this time of year that letting the light in is preferable even with the disappointment. On the bright side, I’ve accomplished more this year than I have in some time and so a few things have fallen by the wayside. Yang and yin.

It’s that time of year where we do the counting up. What goals did we accomplish last year? Or perhaps more in sync with our current state as a nation, what were the failures? As a culture we’re good at tooting our horns, but not at celebrating our achievements privately – for our private selves. We also dislike acknowledging our failures. Americans like to emphasize the surface. At my house we call it the Narrative. The Narrative doesn’t include emotional disclosure. If my meaning is unclear look to our current President for an example of living the Narrative.

“I don’t like to analyze myself because I might not like what I see.”
Donald Trump 2014

That’s quite a deep and honest statement coming from him, don’t you think? It reminds me of a woman I knew who actually stopped wearing glasses at the point in her life where she didn’t want to see the outcome of her choices any more. No matter if she couldn’t drive ever again. As Dr. Phil would say: how’s that working for you?

This time of year is also where we set goals for the coming time cycle whether that’s a month, three months, a year or an even longer period. Everyone has the most goals in January. The list diminishes as the priorities of the year emerge. Aspirations are like the seed in the wet, cold ground; just waiting for the right moment to push through the surface. Some seeds won’t make it and others will emerge too weak. If you’ve ever planted seeds you’ll know that it’s a good idea to plant 20 when you want 10 good healthy plants. The caveat is you can’t hold back on thinning them out or they’ll choke each other. Yin and yang.

Speaking of thinning them out, this coming year of the Dog has been on my mind. The phrase that comes to mind is “culled from the herd”.

Every time I see one of those wildlife shows where an animal is hunted down by a predator I think of that phrase “culled from the herd”. I have the same response with those ubiquitous commercials on television, especially during the winter holidays, where they show dogs, cats and other animals that have been tortured in various ways by humans in order to solicit donations. I cannot watch that stuff without crying. I can’t go to animal shelters either because I feel like I need to adopt all of the animals. I’m that “emo” (as my kids would say).

While 2018 is not going to be that grim, there will be breakups, stoppages, bullies and the bullied. A feeling of restlessness might even make these ideas attractive. For many of us this year may be about a separation from others. If that is so, it is also true that it is about uniting with others. Yang and yin.

How the year of the Dog manifests for you will be related to the presence and particular position of the Sheep, Ox or Dragon in your chart. For example, if it’s in the month pillar it may be about the job or workplace. If it is about work, consider that maybe now is the time to go for the career you really want rather than settling for the one you have. How the situation plays out is up to you.

I recommend taking the approach of the Dragon. Be magical. Rather than choosing one of your tried and true solutions, come up with an approach that is different than what you would normally do – it might even be the opposite. If thinking outside of the box is not your strength, align yourself with someone who seems to find success in disregarding or changing the rules. Try envisioning the outcome you want, however unlikely or outrageous, and trace your steps backwards to see how you got there. You might be surprised at what you can come up with.

*Tip of the hat to Dan Leno and Peter Ackroyd’s Limehouse Golem

Harvey Weinstein : Release the Hounds

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Let’s take a look at the Ba Zi of Harvey Weinstein. He was born March 19, 1952 in Queens, NY. His birth time is unknown but I have estimated it to be the hour of the Horse.

As you read through this analysis please keep in mind that how all of this plays out is much more about choice than fate.

Mr. Weinstein is a very strong Yang Wood person born in a Water Dragon year with all of the male potency and thrusting type energy of the Wood element. You’ll see his Day Stem (self) marked in red on his chart. The Wood element here is so strong that early pruning, by which I mean the intervention of the Metal element in his youth, would have been a great benefit.

My question is: Since the Metal element often is represented by the Father, where was his? Harvey himself speaks as if he and his brother were raised solely by their mother when the fact is his father was still alive when Harvey was in his twenties. How does a mother treat children whose father is absent? What is there to be said about choosing a partner who will be an absent father?

In elemental terms, Metal is exhausted by Water. Maybe his father stayed away to avoid Harvey’s tumultuous emotions. Because there is an abundance of the Water element in Harvey’s chart that tells me he is intelligent, deeply emotional and has strong sexual desire. Don’t take this as an excuse for his bad behavior but the sheer amount of water would be difficult to control, just like a flood. Ironically, the Metal element which would promote constraint, can also increase the Water.

Harvey lacks self control or discipline until he reaches his 50s, which is probably when he started stalking, terrorizing and manipulating his victims. He is so far out of balance that this is how he would perceive the idea of self-discipline. Instead of keeping his hands, etc. to himself Mr. Weinstein tries to take control by keeping his assaults hidden from the public eye.

For most of his life he has had really good luck. From his year you can see he’s a risk taker. From his month you can tell he sees himself as a great romantic, however, this applies to his work environment as opposed to his marriage type relationships. For many years he probably thought his charming nature would always keep his victims from blowing the whistle on him. How could anyone really be mad at such a great guy

In his day pillar he has the “groping hands” ch’i called Loy Hong Yim Sat, but also Yute Duk – a type of lunar related, feminine energy which enables him to survive disasters. Go figure. I’d say this is related to his mother, but more on that later.

To top it all off, his day pillar also asserts that his sexual escapades will be made public – more so in a Rooster year. Still, his natal chart has the solution to his problems built in because of the presence of the Dragon. His punishment will probably not fit his crimes. It’s the timing of the Rooster and the Dog that brings in his current bad luck. It looks like the Dragon may save his bacon once again – this time from the Dog.

This is a chart where the Dragon plays a very important role, and the part of the Dragon is played by Harvey’s mother Miriam. You see, because of the month he was born in, the sign of the Dragon gives him a sort of magical protection from the problems he would have without it. His mother is the person whom he saw as keeping him out of trouble. He speaks of his anger management issues and going to therapists in a New York Magazine article (from 2003? 2004?) saying:

“Of course, they always ask me about my mother, Miriam. And the trick about Miriam is, my brother and I love her. She was widowed maybe 30, 40 years ago, so we grew up, you know, with Mom. She was incredibly supportive and tough on the both of us. She’s still, you know, the one person you, we have to toe the line with, you know”.

The relationship of the Rat and Rabbit in his chart makes me think that he came to disregard his mother’s teachings and influence and he thought he could keep it a secret from her. Miriam Weinstein died in November of 2016 by the way, before her son’s scandalous behavior came to light. I don’t see this as a coincidence. Her death meant that Harvey’s brakes were off and his reckoning was on the way.

In 2017 the Dragon in his year is compromised by the Rooster, bringing out the Metal element to correct Mr. Weinstein. The Rooster also creates a clash with the Rabbit in his month stimulating the women he molested to speak up. #metoo And – Harvey has been in a 10 year period of Rooster energy which heightened his nastiness and made it public.

The clash of Rabbit and Rooster has been present for everyone during 2017, bringing trust issues, questions of loyalty and sexual jealousy. This has come up as a theme in every Ba Zi I’ve read this year. As for 2018, it will be a Dog year, and when it comes to the Rabbit the Dog is on her side every time. I’m hoping that this will bring some justice for the women involved but not optimistic.

Finally, the role of the Dog in Harvey’s chart is to bring more Fire element which relates to fame. In his case the fame turns to infamy. Mr. Weinstein’s widespread abuse of women came to light in October of 2017 which is a Metal Dog month in a Rooster year. This was the beginning of his fall from grace. Most likely though, Harvey has been at it at least since 1970, a Metal Dog year. That may be the true beginning of the problem.

The energy of the Metal Dog is fierce, protective and will bite – something like good cop/bad cop. Which one will it be? Mr. Weinstein’s next luck pillar is also a Metal Dog and it will begin in 2019 so I’m guessing we won’t see him going to trial before then.

Empty Nested Phoenix, Itchy Footed Dragon

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

One of the traditional ways to make predictions about the coming year is to look at past years that share the same animal branch. The Dog is what is called an Earth branch. The branch is to the year as a flavor is to ice cream. Each year branch has its own particular taste, texture and consistency. The stems would be the topping that gives the nuance to the sundae. To continue with this metaphor, there are 5 possible stems (or toppings) which correspond to the Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water. 2018 is an Earth Dog year; a sundae consisting of Earth topped by Earth.

Given that 2018 will be a Dog year and there are 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals, you can subtract 12 if you want to know when the last Dog year occurred. That would be 2006 which was a Fire Dog year.

What were you doing then?

I moved house in 2006 with my husband and these two cuties:

August 2006

I try to deny my nostalgia* but the Dog brings it out in me. I have a distinct memory of the day that photo was taken – as if it just happened. But it’s 12 years down the road and my daughter Ella is out of state attending Cal Poly. My son Joe is going through the college application process and will most likely be leaving as soon as next summer to study Arabic in Morocco. This is a time for endings to make way for beginnings. My career as a stay-at-home mom is almost over. I feel privileged, and grateful to my husband Peter, that I was supported in my commitment to our family.

In 2006, my husband Pete and I were both feeling restless. We explored remodeling the house we were living in. We thought about moving to Bainbridge Island. Then we decided wanted to stay in the same neighborhood but live in a different house. We took our children out of private school and put them into public school. Those are just some of the big changes we made that year.

I can feel that same restlessness returning as we ease towards 2018, but it’s much stronger this time. To use the Chinese terms for it, I’ve got chang sang and yik ma under my Big Fate. Don’t worry I’m not contagious and it will pass, but for now it’s extremely uncomfortable – which I see as a message that change is needed.

Actually these words come from Ba Zi analysis and chang sang is a kind of rebirth while yik ma means unsettled or “time to move”. As to the Big Fate part, that means I’m in the midst of a 10 year period of this type of energy. I find it difficult to sit down. Sleep is more of a challenge than usual.

Studying Chinese Metaphysics has given me a clarity that confers an unexpected power on my choices. I don’t have to move if I don’t want to. As a Feng Shui professional, I could take measures at home to alleviate this urge to be in constant motion, but I don’t really want that. I am ready for a new phase and I see my discomfort as a reminder that change is how I’m going to get from here to where I want to be. It’s actually pretty good timing which is mostly what luck is about.

What I’m not saying is that my choice to just live with this stir-crazy feeling is the “right” one. If you were in my shoes you might want to choose differently. I respect that. I can help.

Feng Shui and Ba Zi are meant to be tools to help us navigate both good and bad times. Being stuck means you have time to consider deeply what you really want. That’s one of the reasons you might want to book a Ba Zi reading; to see how the influences of timing and your current choices are lining up with your heart’s desire.

*The word nostalgia comes from the Greek language: nostos meaning “a return home” and algos meaning “pain of body or mind”. Something like homesickness.

A (Re)Productive Cycle

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

The Pig Month, which covers most of November, marks lap dung in the Chinese almanac. This is the beginning of winter. The winter season also includes the Rat (December) and the Ox (January). In terms of 5 elements, winter is the season of water. Think ice, snow, cold, rain, sleet, hail, flooding, slipperiness, clouds, downward movement, darkness, birth. These are all qualities of water.

Historically, more than any other season, winter was the time when our very survival was in question. Scarcity of food, cold, poor shelter and illness were common hazards. In modern times, our survival is threatened by flu-ridden airline passengers, too many parties, too much alcohol consumption, ennui and seasonal depression. And the weather.

In an attempt to stay healthy and optimistic, in winter we humans like to bring the Wood element indoors in the form of evergreens: wreaths, pine boughs, fir trees, holly, mistletoe. We also like using our fireplaces, twinkly lights and candles. This is how we employ the Fire element.

Santa Lucia, a third century Christian martyr whose feast day used to be the winter solstice (now December 13th), went so far with these ideas as to wear a crown made of evergreen boughs and lighted candles. I know what you’re thinking – and don’t try that.

Santa Lucia is an iteration of Lucina; Roman goddess of light, the moon and childbirth. Here again we see the relationship of the ideas of survival and light, or Fire. The Greek version of Lucina is Eileithyia. The Egyptian version is the goddess Nekhbet. Obviously this creative, birth-like cycle of Water, Wood and Fire go way back conceptually. The peril of giving birth is that while it is happening the survival of both mother and child is at stake. For both, there is light at the end of the tunnel so to speak. In the same way, if you make it through winter, into the light, that’s where life is renewed. It takes Wood, by which I mean growth, to get there.

In winter we crave the Wood and Fire for a reason. We are trying to simulate a cycle of productive energy to help us stay alive through the winter. Don’t get me wrong – holiday decorating is not in itself about Feng Shui, but using Five Elements is.

And is there something psychological about it? Of course. As the ch’i of the year descends, you may find it helpful to draw your attention to the promise of the eternal return that is Wood; the precursor of the light that is Fire.

Fire Rooster : Fire Under Mountain

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Well, here we are a little over a year after what many people thought was a stunning upset in our Presidential election history. Whichever side you’ve chosen, you’ve got to admit that the Presidential campaigns and election of 2016 marked the dawning of a new era.

Photo by Ella Schwab

The Lap Yum for the Fire Rooster year, which is sort of a summary of a pillar, is Fire Under Mountain. Sounds potentially explosive, right? What was simmering for ages has finally burst through the surface. This applies to all of us everywhere. It’s not just about Donald, Hillary and Vladimir.

This has been a year to come out of the closet but perhaps not in the usual sense. All year people have been coming out, through public remarks and past actions, purposefully or not, as: hateful, damaged, an abuser, a rapist, ignorant, bigoted, misogynist, a traitor, a cheater, racist, homophobic, privileged, fearful, hurt, bullied, a victim, an accuser… It seems like the brakes are off when it comes to what we are willing to say this year. There’s a backlash against political correctness and going along to get along. Maybe this outpouring of disclosure will help clear the decks for next year and make for new ways of wielding power. Obviously it’s going to take more than disclosure. This is just the beginning.

These are the major themes I will remember about 2017

Gaslighting
Lying
Denial
Can’t remember
Pretending everything is okay when it’s not
Vulnerable to being taken advantage of
Disclosure that you feel crazy and of what made you “crazy”
Stand off
Playing chicken

Trust issues
The exposure of lying
No recollection
Blame others
Gullibility
Weathervane – constantly changing direction/opinion
Jealous demands and demonstrations of jealousy
Demands for loyalty and demonstrations of loyalty
Outbursts of honesty

Truth
Name calling
Fake news
Denial
Open disloyalty and covert disloyalty
Covert loyalty and open loyalty
Questions of why after x number of years did so and so come out with that truth/accusation?

Many of these themes have to do with the clash of the Rooster with the Rabbit. On the Luo pan (Chinese compass) they are opposite each other. If you’ve got a Rabbit or a Rooster in your chart* the themes above may resonate more than for others. The Rooster branch is also associated with both a craving for attention and a short attention span. In a Rooster year we are all more inclined to bring attention through our words. The question is – is it the kind of attention you wanted?

Most conversations I’ve participated in this year have revolved around these core ideas whether or not they were spoken of openly. I am usually fairly perceptive about others’ opinions, but this year I’ve found myself surprised by my lack of discernment. Where I thought there was common ground it had either fallen away or was never there in the first place. While following my own path I had assumed that the people in my life had been learning the same lessons. Maybe they thought the same way about me. It’s been very helpful to dispel this illusion. I’ve found I can still love and accept if that is my choice.

If I was to create my own summary for the Fire Rooster pillar it would say “There will be explosions. First react, then respond”. The feelings and the reaction are just as important as what you do with them. What you choose to do is the response. Doing nothing is a choice too. Take that however it hits you.

*Contact me if you’d like to know what your Four Pillars are.

Hunter’s Moon

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart
Hunter’s Moon usually occurs in October

Gardeners learn to observe the cues of nature to properly time their efforts. Simply by paying attention every day to what is going on in the garden you will learn how to identify changes in season by noting the smell of the soil, temperature, precipitation and plant growth rather than relying solely on the calendar. Have you ever noticed that near the middle to end of August the plants seem to already be contracting and going dormant for the season? They may still be showing new growth on the tips but you can see that the shrubs are not as lush and dense even though they have not yet begun to drop their leaves.

For as long as humans have cultivated the land they have used the travels of the sun and the moon for timing and navigation. By using the position of the sun or moon you can determine time and direction without a watch or compass. Observation and practice is all it takes to develop this skill. The sun and moon are constantly changing their positions and path in the sky and at the same time repeat the same cycles over and over again. Just follow the patterns.

In early civilizations, observing the moon was a way to mark time and its cycles would drive agricultural (and other) practices. I am fascinated by the way that the moon affects every living thing on our planet and the fact that this has long been understood by humans. In Native American Cultures each full moon has a name and the names give an indication of what is happening in the natural cycles of the seasons. When the first settlers came to North America they learned from the native people to use the moon for timing and to call each moon by its unique name.

October was considered an important time to hunt in preparation for winter almost everywhere in North America. These are just a few of the names the October full moon goes by:

Hunter’s Moon
Dying Grass Moon
Travel Moon
Blood Moon
Young Animals Moon

These rhythms are common to many cultures. Consider that the Dog month in the Chinese calendar covers most of October. The Dog month was a time of slaughtering the animals that weren’t hardy enough to make it to the next spring. Rather than using up food to keep them going, those animals were used to keep everyone else going.

Gardening is one way that we can keep in touch with nature and its cycles and take comfort in the unchanging repetition of change. Like the Native American people, we need to embrace the patterns of nature because this is a skill we will always need to survive.

I think an awareness of place and constant change enriches our lives in many ways, whether it’s noticing that first fragrance of daphne in winter or seeing the leaves on the trees just beginning to turn in the fall.

The predictability of the seasons gives me something to fall back on when life seems too confusing and unpredictable. No fall will be exactly like another, but I can base my expectations on the pattern.

Understanding where we are in the cycle provides me with a confidence in my own accumulated knowledge and makes me more likely to trust my own judgments rather than the third party advice of people who are not as close to the situation. The ability to do that is just one of the things I get from gardening.

Feng Shui & History in Southeast Arizona

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

The southeast corner of Arizona is a special place. In case you’re not familiar with it, cities such as Benson, Tombstone, Wilcox, Bisbee, Douglas, Huachuca City (est. in 1877 as Camp Huachuca) and Sierra Vista are in that region. This is the part of Arizona where I grew up. Some of the land is just like what you see in those old western movies about Cowboys and Indians: seemingly dry, flat and grassy with mesquite, palo verde, creosote bush, cactus and the occasional hill or arroyo. The parts of southeast Arizona you never saw in those movies are called the Sky Islands.

The term Sky Island refers to an isolated mountain range which is surrounded by lowlands with a markedly different ecosystem. This means that a temperate forest environment on the mountain can be in close proximity to a tropical or desert-like environment in the lowland. Both the Chiricahuas (peak elevation 9760 ft.) and the Dragoons (peak elevation 7520 ft.) are Madrean Sky Islands and were a sort of “cradle of civilization” in the southwestern U.S. There is archaeological evidence of Apaches living in the Chiricahuas as early as the 14th century.

The photo you see above is a picture of a geological formation called Cochise Head in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeastern Arizona. It is said to resemble Cochise’ face gazing up at the sky.

Cochise

Chief Cochise (K’uu-ch’ish) was the leader of the Chiricahua Apaches from around 1850 until his death in 1874. The estimates of his birth year span from 1804-1825. I think he was probably born in 1806 in southern Arizona – in the region that was later known as the Gadsden Purchase. A Fire Tiger year would fit him because of his fame and his skill as a strategist. Cochise had a reputation as a great leader and although he was captured (and escaped), he was never defeated in battle.

Did you know the name Cochise means “having the qualities of oak”? I think his name has to do with the evergreen kind of oak and Cochise’ gift of survival. Oak is a very hard wood. Perhaps his biggest strength was his knowledge of the land where he grew up.

The Gadsden Purchase

Image courtesy of discoverseaz.com

In 1853 James Gadsden, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, was sent by President Franklin Pierce to make a treaty with General Antonio Santa Anna, President of Mexico, in order to extend the southern border of the U.S. The goal was to secure land for a southern railroad route to the west coast. Without a railroad, travel through the area was slow and hazardous due to the desert environment and Apache raids.

The original intention of Gadsden was to buy land as far south as Guaymas, Mexico but the Congress did not support that idea and Mexico wasn’t falling for that.

The marker on the map is Guaymas, Mexico.

I see this as a huge failure for Gadsden. Can you imagine the difference it would have made to the character and development of Arizona to have a coastline and access to the state via water? For one thing, the capital of Arizona would probably have been a port city rather than landlocked Phoenix which was purposely chosen for its central location.

The treaty was signed on December 30, 1853: a Metal Rat day in a Water Rat month in a Water Ox year. This elemental lineup of water, metal and earth does not bode well for a Fire Tiger like Cochise. The conflicts, kidnappings and killings that had already been underway would only get more intense for him and his people.

The U.S. paid $10 million dollars for a 29,670 square mile portion of Mexico which would later become part of the states of Arizona and New Mexico. The treaty was ratified by the Senate on June 24, 1854.

Texas Canyon

The land gained by the U.S. in the Gadsden Purchase includes part of the Sonoran Desert, the Coronado National Forest, the Chiricahua Mountains, the Dragoon Mountains, and Texas Canyon just to name a few features. The Sky Island mountains are not as formidable as the Rockies or the Cascades but they are high enough to host conifers, broadleaf evergreens, and deciduous trees. Where there are trees there is water. It was a good deal for the U.S.

Slavin Gulch in the Dragoon Mountains – Photo ©John Forrey

In Apache it’s called Favorite Place

There’s a part of the Dragoon Mountains known as Cochise Stronghold. The term “stronghold” is a military term applied by non-Apaches. To the Apaches it was known as “favorite place”.

The Favorite Place is where there are caves for shelter, shade, fresh water and food to forage and hunt. It’s not too cold or too hot for survival. The heat from the sun brings out the scent of the trees, rocks and water together. It smells like heaven. It was a safe place for hiding and an easy place to defend. The fact that Cochise selected this land for himself and his people would indicate he was using some version of what we currently call Feng Shui and his knowledge was probably passed down to him.

In the land grabbing that followed the Gadsden Purchase, the Apaches, whose tribe had been living in the area probably since the 14th century, were compelled to defend the land and their people against all comers including the U.S. military. Though they may have been at a disadvantage in terms of numbers or weapons, they had Chief Cochise and the land on their side. Nevertheless, in 1872 the Chiricahua Apaches were finally overcome and confined to reservation lands in southeast Arizona. Cochise himself went to the Dragoons to live in his Favorite Place with his people. He was one of the few chiefs who negotiated successfully to get the land and the terms he wanted for his tribe.

In 1874 Cochise died of natural causes, probably stomach cancer, on the reservation. His body is said to have been buried in a hidden place in the Dragoons by his people. The location of his grave has not been found to this day.

Metal Element in the Garden: Fall and Fruit

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

I don’t really need a calendar to know fall is here because:

The huckleberries and crabapples are ready to be picked.
I can see in the branches and leaves of the deciduous trees that the qi is contracting.
My evergreens have just finished their leaf/needle drop.
In the morning I can smell the ocean.
The nights are cooler.

More precisely, I know we’re about six weeks away from winter because early this morning, for the first time this year, I heard the geese honking as they headed south. I’ve been here in the PNW awhile.

In the Rooster month I’m out in the garden wrapping things up and getting ready for next year. I’ll be using all sorts of metal tools for cutting, digging, dividing and transplanting. I’ll be replacing any broken bits of my drip irrigation, checking and cleaning my rain barrels, pruning, pulling out the weeds, mulching, and harvesting the huckleberries and crabapples.

Do you know what time it is?

Fall is the season of Metal, the time when historically, we would be preparing for winter by hunting, gathering, harvesting crops, canning, preserving, and slaughtering livestock to be stored away for our human version of hibernation. For those of us who aren’t farmers or gardeners fall is the time for more modern rituals of going back to school, having the boiler serviced, or getting out the soup pot and sweaters.

Crabapples

Fruits, nuts and berries are the distillation of the energy of the tree or bush and therefore related to both the season and the element of Metal.

Spiny Chestnuts

It takes three seasons of the year to make the fruits that we harvest in the fall such as apples and chestnuts. Three seasons of the year – that adds up to around 39 weeks which is the same amount of time it takes to make a baby.

Huckleberries

It’s always the same cycle once spring comes: seed to sprout, sprout to bud, bud to flower, flower to fruit. We tend to take this cycle for granted because we don’t think about the sheer amount of energy it takes for a plant or tree to produce fruit. There’s a reason that apple trees go dormant and new mothers may be exhausted. It’s the Metal.

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Conor McGregor

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

My son Joe asked me to make a prediction for the upcoming fight between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Conor McGregor. I’m not one to follow boxing or UFC but I thought it would be a challenge and add some flexibility to my readings.

I decided not to do any research on either fighter before writing this, but Joe did tell me that Mayweather had retired from boxing in 2015 and that McGregor is not a boxer. I am using birth data and the fight date only for this analysis.

I am predicting that Mayweather will win. There are many reasons why that have to do with elements and timing, but you could sum it up by calling it good luck.

Fight Date

The day of the fight is Saturday August 26th, 2017. The fight is scheduled to begin around 9 pm Pacific Time in Las Vegas but Joe tells me they don’t usually start on time. Let’s assume the fight will begin between 8-10 pm which is the Fire Dog hour.

You can see above that there are two Roosters in the chart. Two Roosters together is called a self penalty. Because there are two Roosters in the day it will apply to every one of us on August 26th, regardless of what is in our own natal charts. The penalty has to do with attracting attention, strutting, crowing and cockiness. With the Monkey adding more Metal in the month, and the presence of the Dog in the hour, there is a lot of Metal. To McGregor Metal is his self element; to Mayweather it is his resource. There may be help from the Metal element for both fighters but I still don’t think it will be enough to help McGregor win.

The Earth Monkey month brings Mayweather’s 7 killings energy as this is what the Yang Earth is to the Yang Water. It’s a win at any cost sort of energy. But McGregor has this energy too. For him it is Fire and it is part of his nature. It is present in his natal chart in the Horse (day branch) and in the hour the fight will begin (see day chart above).

Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
February 24, 1977 Ox Hour (est.) ~ Age 40

Floyd Mayweather, Jr. is a Yang Water person.

The flow of ch’i in the chart is pretty smooth. He has a Fire flow which would mean he can make lots of money. That would also indicate he has many women in his life.

Two of the branches in the chart, Snake and Tiger, are called Stations. The Stations have to do with movement, staying in motion, and changing things up. The Stations, the many Water and Metal combinations in the chart, and the nature of Water itself makes for the type of fighter who seems to easily evade punches. He wins by slipping away. He waits for the right moment to throw his punches and win.

Ren and Ding combine in the chart to enhance his creativity but he’s already a tricky, calculating type of guy. If you think he is not smart you are about to be had.

The year pillar has to do with the physical body and shows Mayweather’s fighting style. He has a lot of different ideas. The Snake also combines with the Rooster (2017) which makes him more of a planner. He would see getting injured in order to succeed as a sort of failure.

Mayweather, Jr. entered his current fate of Earth Dog in 2013. The Earth Dog pillar is called a Fui Kong. McGregor has a Fui Kong pillar too (see below). This is the type of ch’i that would be required for a successful professional athlete. A person with one of these pillars can be an indestructible risk taker, capable of bouncing back from defeat and injury. It’s pretty handy to have this type of ch’i late in his career but it also means he is going to have to work hard.

The year 2018 is an Earth Dog, so it may be that we all have to show some endurance and take some risks next year.

Connor McGregor
July 14, 1988 at 12:30am ~ Age 29

Connor McGregor is a Yang Metal person. Metal is the sign of a fighter for sure.

There is an Earth flow to the chart. Earth is his resource but Earth cannot make Metal stronger. More Metal is what makes Metal stronger.

With the Dragon in his year, the Rooster should be helpful but on the day of the fight it may be a liability due to the Rooster self penalty. McGregor, as a Yang Metal person, will be more vulnerable to this energy than Mayweather, who is a Yang Water person. McGregor is susceptible to making some kind of mistake where he is distracted by something or showing off and takes a blow to the head. He may be talking a better game than he can deliver.

McGregor’s year pillar is Earth Dragon. This is a Fui Kong pillar and will reflect his fighting style because it’s in the year. The energy of Earth is like a piling up/piling on. He likes to grapple, wrestle, knock you down, land on top of you. He probably sees getting hurt as just a normal part of life. With the Earth Dragon in his natal chart and in the year position he is probably physically stronger than Mayweather. Obviously being younger is a plus too.

The power element for McGregor is Fire. If it was May or June or the Snake was present he would have a better chance of winning. Too bad summer is over.