As you are wrapping things up in the garden for 2013 it’s time to think about next year’s season and make plans for various projects. If you’ve read any of my other posts about Feng Shui for gardeners you’ll know I’m about to tell you what areas you should not disturb next year. If you want to cut to the chase scroll down to the summary at the bottom of the post.

Just as there are areas in your garden where you’ll want to avoid digging, stump grinding, cutting down big trees or doing other noisy activities, there are also areas that you may want to activate.

Year God, Year Breaker, Three Killings (Tai Sui, Sui Po and San Sha)

Now let’s start with the usual stuff. 2014 is the year of the Yang Wood Horse or Jia Wu. It is also sometimes called the year of the Green Wood Horse or Horse in the Clouds.

The point is that the Horse is in charge for the year and is called the Tai Sui or Year God. The god part isn’t about religion, it refers to the type of energy represented by the horse being the predominant energy of the year. Horse energy is a southern, fiery energy and so it is the Rat with its northern watery energy that is in the position of the Sui Po (or Year Breaker) for 2014. In general, avoid facing south or having your back to the north. If your head points south or north when you are sleeping, or you sit at a south facing desk all day, you might consider changing the position of your furniture. The San Sha or Three Killings energy is also located in the North in 2014.

In the garden you need to avoid disturbing both the south representing (among other things) the father and males of the house and the north representing (among other things) the mother and females of the house. The strongest concern is for young men and women of the household. If you want exact compass degrees for any of this or want to know if there’s a way to do your big project without getting yourself in a bind please contact me.

Flying Stars 2014

For 2014 the Annual Star is 4 which corresponds to the wood element, the oldest daughter, middle aged women and many other things. The annual star, the period star, and the stars corresponding to the sitting and facing direction of the house can be analyzed to give clues about what will happen to whom and when it will happen that year. For example if there is a single woman who wants a relationship, we might look for the 3 star to come into the house in the right place since 4 is in the center for all of 2014. That’s a generalization.

The thing you’ll want to pay attention to is actually called the Yellow 5 Star which has the reputation of bringing about all sorts of nasty results if it is not dealt with properly. It will be located in the northwest in 2014. Since the metal element of the northwest will naturally exhaust the earth element where the 5 is located (like babies exhaust mothers) it’s less worrisome. In this case pay attention to the northwest area of the house. Is there an exterior door, bathroom or kitchen? The more active the area the more likely it may generate some trouble. Try to keep the northwest area calm both outdoors and in. No digging or renovations in the northwest. One last thing: don’t place water in the northwest next year.

Four Pillars or BaZi

The year of the Yang Wood Horse begins on February 4, 2014 with the month of the Yang Fire Tiger. That’s quite a bit of fire and wood together.

When the new year pillar Jia Wu or Yang Wood Horse comes into play it is important to consider its interaction with your natal chart. Each pillar (year, month, day, hour) in your natal chart can interact with the year pillar, as well as the monthly and even hourly pillars as they arrive. When your favorable elements come into the chart and are timely, that’s what we call good luck.

The Yang Wood Horse pillar is made up of wood energy being burned by fire energy. The wood may get too dried out. The wood also fuels the fire so to speak, thus the fire energy is strong. That may lead to clashes with the water element.

I expect to be watering more than usual in 2014.

Summary

Guidelines to follow starting on February 4, 2014

• Do not dig, renovate or otherwise disturb the south, north or northwest of the house or lot.
• No water elements in the northwest.
• Do not face north or sit with your back to the south.
• If your head points north or south when you sleep consider moving the bed.

There’s still plenty of room to play in the garden in 2014, along with more than the usual amount of interesting energetic combinations happening that I can’t even begin to explain in a blog post. If you’d like a Four Pillars analysis or Feng Shui consultation to help with your planning please contact me.

I wish you good luck in 2014!