Author: Stephanie Stewart

Water Rooster Month : Hexagram 53

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Hexagram 53 is the matching Hexagram for the Water Rooster pillar. This year, the Water Rooster month starts on September 7th and ends on October 8th when we begin the month of the Wood Dog.

If you work with the Yi Jing long enough, you will begin to understand that you are being led, that is, if you allow that. There’s always a personal message, no matter what you’re asking about, at least in my experience. At the same time, there are many other meanings. I invite you to consider where Hexagram 53 leads you this month.

Hexagram 53

Hexagram 53 is sometimes called Gliding, Advancing or Gradual Progress. This time around, I would like to call it Transition. The nuance of Hexagram 53 for me right now is Transition.

On the left side of the ideograph Jian 漸, we see shui 氵(water) and on the right side we see zhan 斬 (to chop or fell a tree).

One image that people use when they cast this Hexagram is a tree on a mountain, possibly a stunted tree but, persistent and healthy enough that it can keep putting out leaves and branches gradually. It’s like growing and recovering at the same time. The tree is exposed and shaped by the elements. Even when the wind is not blowing you can see its prevalent direction.

The Water doesn’t seem to be helping, in fact is it too much? When Wood is soggy the progress is slow. There’s an environmental instability for this little tree that can only be changed by putting down roots – but where is the soil? The tree will have to make some. People don’t see what is going on underground so perhaps the assumption is that the tree can never amount to much. And yet, maybe one hundred years later it’s still there. It’s always in transition, before the time when things come to fruition.

Our lives are not that long. Maybe that is why we miss out on the importance and value of things that happen over long periods of time. Best believe, history does repeat, even in your own lifetime. Pay attention to your patterns or just keep repeating.

The top trigram is Xun or Wind, the eldest daughter who is expected to take the place of the Mother without being asked. The bottom trigram is Gen or Mountain, the youngest son who is expected to become a priest because the other positions are taken.

Wind over Mountain, that’s not an easy place to be. If you’re there for too long, no matter how committed and persistent you are, you might be too worn down to realize how worn down you’re getting. If you are offered a chance to get out of the wind or off the mountain, almost any time is a good time to accept, even if it’s not perfect, it’s a transition. If you’re already living in that, why not try a new “venue”?

Most of the text of Hexagram 53 discusses migrating birds, fertility, and having a place to land when you are in transition. It’s the transition part for me that stands out, maybe because I am in one but also because I know I’m not the only one who needs some rest. Maybe, like me, you’re afraid to land because you worry you will be stuck in the wrong place, but any journey of significance is going to require stopping points, right?

What kind of stopping points are available to you this month? What do you want to restore for or about yourself? What plans are you making for your winter? If you’re worried about getting stuck somewhere, common sense says you surely will if you don’t let the transitions happen. Gradual progress is enough to find good fortune.

Did you know there are many stories in almost every culture about women turning into birds and vice versa?

Hexagram 53 Text
(from the Yi Jing translated by Wu Jing-Nuan ISBN 0-9673272-0-2)

Gua Ci
JIAN A lady to marry, good fortune. Profit the divination.

Line 1
Wild geese advance to the shore
The young officer, danger. There will be talk. No error

Line 2
Wild geese advance to an enormous rock
Drinking and feeding in harmony and joy. Good fortune.

Line 3
Wild geese advance to dry land.
A husband gone and not returned
A wife pregnant but not nourished
Misfortune; advantageous to resist robbers

Line 4
Wild geese advance to the trees.
Some have gotten to the branches tips. No error

Line 5
The wild geese advance to the tumulus.
A wife three years and not pregnant.
In the end, settled and overcome. Good fortune.

Line 6
Wild geese advance onto dry land
Their feathers can be used in ceremonies. Good fortune.

12 Animal Fortunes for the Water Rooster Month

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Water Rooster 癸酉 Month
September 7th 12:27-October 8th 04:31

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Fortunes

酉 Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly.
Having a spell. When your words are so precise, it’s best to treat them with the respect they deserve.
Hint: The glamor is real.

戌 Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly.
You may be lifted by the remarks of someone who claims not to like you.
Hint: They see themselves in you.

亥 Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Month: November roughly.
Impatience meets Let’s Make a Deal. What if it’s what you’ve been looking for?
Hint: That’s very much possible this month.

子 Rat
Years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Month: December roughly.
Just when you’re ready to have a little crush, someone else is too. Accidentally famous much?
Hint: Keep things frivolous perhaps.

丑 Ox
Years: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
Month: January roughly.
Feel a new road under your feet. Fewer potholes. Maybe accelerate a little if you’re feeling bold.
Hint: You might not feel the success yet, but it’s there.

寅 Tiger
Years: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
Month: February roughly.
Looking for something new? It’s looking for you too. As usual your timing is perfect.
Hint: Don’t spend too much time on looking. You don’t have to.

卯 Rabbit
Years: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
Month: March roughly.
Careful of getting stuck in your head in some verbal battle that is best avoided.
Hint: You better not be mean to yourself either. You will run again.

辰 Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly.
You can feel the tide of the year turning. Opportunities distract. Not bad!
Hint: Be mindful of birds and what omens they bring.

巳 Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly.
Find out that going through the changes never ends and you are still okay.
Hint: Better than okay if you’re honest. Stop waiting.

午 Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly.
It’s all been true all along. Don’t be afraid to know that if you want to move on.
Hint: It’s hard to be born again again.

未 Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly.
Look for tasks/jobs that require your eloquence since you’ve got it like that. Use it!
Hint: Words are your currency.

申 Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly.
While you might meet someone Interesting, this should be a less eventful month. Small pleasures.
Hint: That may come as a relief?

Water Monkey Month 2024

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Did you know that every pillar has a matching Hexagram? In a Water Monkey month, the matching hexagram is Number 7 which is called Army or Gathering.

On the left side of the ideograph Shi 師, we see dui ? (a heap or crowd) and on the right side we see za 帀 (making a circuit).

Shi represents a crowd moving around a pivot point and the power that exists in numbers. In modern terms Shi is a division of an army so you can imagine a lot of marching around. What’s important is the amount of potential energy here that needs to be directed, and not all of it has to be about fighting. Outcomes depend on responsible leadership or the lack thereof. Maybe the best outcomes happen when everyone is deciding for themselves but still there is cooperation.

Visually, Hexagram 7 looks like a trap where you might fall in and get stuck near the bottom. I often think of these broken and solid lines as zeros and ones; a broken line being zero or no, a solid line being one or yes. If you’ve heard of Gottfried William Leibniz this will tend to make more sense. For those of you who like to track such things, Leibniz was born in a Fire Dog year (!).

When you cast Hexagram 7 for yourself, it might be a no to expectations or traditions. Yin Earth over Water in these times might indicate an upset in what we think of as the natural order of things. Many astrologers have been predicting that this month will be the beginning of another/bigger war. I’m not saying they are wrong but there are important and meaningful possibilities with Hexagram 7 that I don’t want you to miss. Hexagram 7 pairs with Hexagram 8, and so Unity could be next; an idealistic potential outcome!

When you see that Hexagram 7 is called Army, I want you to remember the Gua Ci:

SHI The divination: responsible men. Good fortune. No error.*

In terms of the world this month, most of the lines of Hexagram 7 seem to tell the story of what’s happening with Kamala Harris right now. She has gotten to the center of power. Maybe she’s the pivot point of the moment? Now she has to choose a VP candidate, see also, Line 6 “Small men should not be employed”.

I’ll include the translation* of the full text for your consideration. The main advice of the Hexagram might be: if you want to surprise your enemy, don’t do what they expect. Kamala’s laugh draws a lot of attention doesn’t it? I think that works in her favor.

To bring the discussion down to a more personal level, last month we had Hexagram 6 Dispute which consisted of the Qian the Father over Kan the Middle Son. This month it’s Kun the Mother over the Middle Son. With Earth on top of Water, that’s instability; contamination of Water is a possibility, which suggests communication problems and possibly depression, anxiety, or fear. Remember, possibility is not inevitability!

In a family relationship, maybe Hexagram 7 speaks of the outcomes we get when Mothers are too coddling and protective of their boys, or when they are neglectful of them. The difference between these two types of energy sounds obvious but when you see it in real life, sometimes it’s hard to discern. A struggling Mother might overperform to compensate for avoiding a healthy participation in the never-ending emotional process of communication. This is a yin/yang thing and there is no right answer, however, proper parenting and caretaking involves more than meeting material and physical needs and many times that is where the line of success is drawn.

Taking care of someone who is dependent on that care involves walking a very fine line between appropriate support and being too maternal (or paternal). Disregarding the emotions and dignity of the person is a much bigger error than lunch being late. At the same time, it’s important to keep realistic expectations.

At this point in my personal life, I’m engaged in supporting my elders and of course, my children. While I would prefer that they do what I tell them, I’m glad that they are able to make their own choices and they do. If they tell me they know best, it’s hard not to agree. I’m not them and they aren’t me. Maybe this sounds cold but if I’ve got it wrong I don’t want responsibility. It’s their choice. Simple right?

It’s hard not to be attached to the outcome of the help that I want to give to the people I love and the people I work with – that’s the further learning I face now. Giving care, or receiving it, is best approached as a process. Assume everyone is doing their best, that’s almost always true. No one is perfect. Everyone has their ups and downs. It’s not about you. BREATHE!

I write about hexagrams every month in my Monthly Guide. You can become a subscriber if you’re interested!

Hexagram 7 Text*

Gua Ci
SHI The divination: responsible men. Good fortune. No error.

Line 1
The army goes out according to the rules. Not good. Misfortune.

Line 2
Placed in the host’s center, good fortune, no error. The King thrice confers commands.

Line 3
The army perhaps carries corpses, misfortune.

Line 4
The army retreats, no error.

Line 5
The fields have game. Profit by catching them is the word. No error. The eldest son captains the host; the younger son carries corpses. The divination: misfortune.

Line 6
The great prince has commands, founds states, and supports the clans. Small men should not be employed.

*Yi Jing translation by Wu Jing-Nuan ISBN 0-9673272-0-2

12 Animal Fortunes for the Water Monkey Month

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Water Monkey 壬申 Month
August 7th 09:05-September 7th 12:27

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Fortunes

申 Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly.
It’s reunion time for the Monkey. That will probably be related to family and family matters. This could be an emotional one which means a lot of things could change if you’re amenable.
Hint: If you feel like you can’t trust yourself, start with trusting someone who loves you.

酉 Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly.
Roosters like to know that they are in demand but this current level of focus may be draining. Take special care with deciding what or who to cut off if that’s what you’re in the mood for.
Hint: You might get away with a lot but – you know what permanent means right?

戌 Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly.
So you want to enjoy the fruits of your labor? You’ve got three months at least. It’s a little harsh. What you have to say will capture your power. Work on articulacy.
Hint: Honesty is ?

亥 Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Month: November roughly.
It’s time to acknowledge those ideas you’ve had about additional support you may need next year. In these times especially, I hope you will allow yourself to be assisted.
Hint: No shame. Everyone gets a turn.

子 Rat
Years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Month: December roughly.
Invited to social gatherings this month, will you be joining the party? Focus on family relationships; repairs and renovations are possible. Why worry who is right when you can be happy?
Hint: It’s not you, it’s not about you, it’s through you.

丑 Ox
Years: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
Month: January roughly.
Ox goes back to work. As the Ox is wont to do in times of…well anytime really. Little projects and short bursts of activity are enough. You may still be in some kind of recovery mode.
Hint: It’s Metal season!

寅 Tiger
Years: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
Month: February roughly.
A Tiger does not appreciate feeling vulnerable but that is mostly what this year has offered. I would never want you to change Tiger, and that’s why I want you to protect yourself this month.
Hint: When everything is irritating, it’s time to retreat not attack. Go to the woods.

卯 Rabbit
Years: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
Month: March roughly.
For Rabbits who want to avoid attention, don’t go too far with that this month. There are certain events that are going to be important for the results you’re seeking.
Hint: Other than that you can stay home with no FOMO.

辰 Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly.
It’s on now! Metal season is when your work does the harvesting. Like it or not, you do have certain things in common with the Dog don’t you?
Hint: It would be silly not to acknowledge the amount of success available to you now. Take some?

巳 Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly.
Snakes can feel the new year already as they flex their transformative powers again. People think it’s easy for you but there’s a price to knowing so much.
Hint: Hard to avoid travel this month isn’t it? Turn attention to earthly matters for safety.

午 Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly.
If you’re feeling overstimulated AND as if you might be able to make things right, right now but only right now because you’ll be extinguished in a second…just another day right?! It’s ALL true.
Hint: Be like a surfer riding the water. Let yourself stay on top.

未 Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly.
Sheep need a break from last month’s shenanigans. This month will bring an abrupt change. If cooling down suits you it could be a busy yet restorative month.
Hint: If you like heat, maybe the healing part takes a little longer.

San Fu Tian

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Part of the sophistication and subtlety of Chinese medicine is the understanding of time and season. The San Fu treatment combines medicine with electional astrology in order to harness the seasonal yang qi.

Solar Fortnight 小暑 Xiao Shu (Slight Heat)
Saturday July 6th 2024 22:58
Solar Month 辛未 Metal Sheep

When we get to Solar Fortnight Slight Heat, it’s time to ask your acupuncturist about San Fu Tian treatments. They can tell you if it would be helpful or not for you. The next Solar Fortnight is Great Heat. The one after that is the Limit of Heat. See where this is going?

The San Fu cold moxa treatment combines Chinese electional astrology with Chinese Medicine, that is to say, it is best done within the proper timing. It’s a once a year opportunity to harness the heat of seasonal qi. I’ve noticed some acupuncturists are offering it as a treatment for long Covid and elementally that makes sense to me.

Some Chinese doctors say that the San Fu Cold Moxa reinitiates your growth phase – yes I mean the one that stopped probably in your early 20s. I don’t know if that is true, however I have done this treatment and I can tell you that it has changed the baseline of my health for the better. It fit me.

My Experience of San Fu Tian

This is the second year I am receiving the San Fu treatment. Since late 2019 I have had “mysterious health issues” and in early 2020 I was very ill. I will never know for sure, but logic suggests Long Covid. I attribute the extent of my recovery mostly to Chinese medicine, herbs and acupuncture. San Fu Tian has been one of the most impactful treatments for me.

An interesting side effect of the San Fu treatment (for me) is that it feels like a psychedelic experience. I feel very open and energized. I would attribute that to the effect of the treatment on my natural deficiencies.

I started my 2024 round of San Fu Cold Moxa on Monday July 15, which is the first Fu day in a series of three. It was a Metal Dragon day.

The cold moxa is applied as a paste to the appropriate points and taped in place. You leave the paste on until it feels too warm or too itchy or for 6 hours – whichever comes first. I left mine on for 2 hours this time. Everyone has different reactions to the treatment. I get blistering and it’s very itchy for days afterward. Apparently some who work with this method consider the blister to be a sign of successful treatment.

For Practitioners of Chinese Medicine

Because the San Fu days are determined by particular days within two seasons, there is a calculation you can learn to figure out when the San Fu days occur in any given year. If you want to do it yourself you can use the Hsia Calendar (10,000 year Calendar) or the Tong Shu.

The Fu days are included in my 2025 Wood Snake Almanac to make them easy for you to identify. It will be available for pre-order soon. Please email me if you are interested.

The yang Metal 庚 days are what you look for. In Qi Men Dun Jia, 庚 signals where the trouble is. I find that very interesting since yang Metal is cold and San Fu treatment is like applying Fire for an extended period of time.

Date Selection for San Fu Tian

After the summer solstice, the third 庚 day in the calendar is the first Fu day.
Because there are 10 Heavenly Stems, the next 庚 day is 10 days later. That’s the second Fu day.
The third and final Fu day is the first 庚 day after Solar Fortnight Li Qiu (Autumn begins). In some years (like this one) there is an extra Fu day before the final one.

2025 Offerings for Feng Shui & BaZi, Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine

If you can’t read the Chinese calendar or would like someone else to do these calculations (me!), I will be offering two tools to assist your Date Selection and Year Forecasting: The 2025 Wood Snake Almanac and the 2025 Wood Snake Wall Calendar.

2025 Wood Snake Almanac
乙巳

If you’d like to be notified when preorders open for the Wood Snake 2025 Almanac, let me know.

2025 Wood Snake Wall Calendar乙巳

I’m also offering a wall calendar for 2025 that includes the Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch for each day. Email me if you’re interested.

For more information about the San Fu treatment itself, I have found Heidi Lovie to be a great source for information as well as the San Fu herbs.

12 Animal Fortunes for the Metal Sheep Month

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Metal Sheep 辛未 Month
July 6th 22:58-August 7th 09:05

Here are the Animal Fortunes for the month of the Metal Sheep. To get the most out of the fortunes you’ll want to know all four of your pillars which are based on your birth year, month, day and time.

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

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

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

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

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

The Fortunes

未 Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly.
Sheep hit the peak of the 太陰 Tai Yin, that is, the energy that’s been moving you forward this year to tackle the important jobs that are crucial to your next phase. A path to entrepreneurship?
Hint: Receive blessings by way of the feminine principle.

申 Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly.
Monkeys can be minimalists when it comes to home and creature comforts. This month I hope you will think about what would make you cozy and make it so.
Hint: If you want any kind of assistance with that, now’s the time to ask.

酉 Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly.
Roosters see the logic and are dismayed that the current trend is to disregard it. Do you have a lifelong pattern of not being heard or being called too much when you are?
Hint: Can language change that?

戌 Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly.
Stay conscious of the role you are playing in conflict. Maybe you just let what feels like bullying roll right off your back. They’re not really the boss of you.
Hint: Show teeth as a last resort. Avoid biting.

亥 Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Month: November roughly.
What the Sheep has to offer the Pig is a safe place to land. Someone you know can help you make a connection to food and housing if you need that.
Hint: As Jerry says, “If you don’t, then pass it on”

子 Rat
Years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Month: December roughly.
Stick with the plans you made. You know they are good even if progress is made in short bursts now. Don’t get stuck on trying to move forward constantly.
Hint: Do something else with your down time.

丑 Ox
Years: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
Month: January roughly.
Two kinds of Destruction means starting over. Some old phase has ended. Even if it had been longer, would you feel like it was enough?
Hint: Important changes that you want usually come with other changes that are unwanted.

寅 Tiger
Years: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
Month: February roughly.
The prey is not as vulnerable as you think. Take precautions accordingly and do your thing.
Hint: Avoid wind and high places.

卯 Rabbit
Years: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
Month: March roughly.
As a Rabbit this month you’re asked to explore ideas of wealth, success, relationships and power. Find what you’re looking for in the material world.
Hint: Dig deep.

辰 Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly.
It’s the small things. Keep an eye on them this month. Take two deep breaths and smile to yourself.
Hint: It’s the moment right before you start juggling.

巳 Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly.
One more month of Fire before the Water hits. Don’t worry. You’ll shift shape again in September. Are you starting to see what 2025 will be like yet?
Hint: If you find you are more flexible than usual, don’t stretch yourself too far.

午 Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly.
The Horse has work to do and preparations to make before the Metal season begins, but you have a whole month. No need to race – keep a steady pace. Let Sheep bring the stability you say you crave.
Hint: Rest and remember to laugh at yourself a little.

12 Animal Fortunes for the Metal Horse Month

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Metal Horse 庚午 Month
June 5th 12:34-July 6th 22:58

Here are the Animal Fortunes for the month of the Metal Horse. To get the most out of the fortunes you’ll want to know all four of your pillars which are based on your birth year, month, day and time.

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

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

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

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

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

The Fortunes

午 Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly.
Serve up the bad guy cake. Make things right. Survive a rescue, it might be your own. What if you don’t have to sacrifice yourself to change the world?
Hint: Would you still want to do it? Telling isn’t it.

未 Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly.
This is the month that a Wood Sheep might meet up with a Metal Horse and find themselves able to dare more. Other Sheep can get in on that energy too by seeking Fire. Get ready to move quickly.
Hint: Is it time for you to make room for something new in your life?

申 Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly.
Monkeys who went cold on expectations last month find themselves warming up. Do the things that makes you feel alive and you’ll find more of them.
Hint: You’re Fire’s prize and it is Fire that makes you sharper.

酉 Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly.
If you think you’re making a mistake feeling seemingly irresistible attraction, I want you to remember that whoever it is you’re attracted to is in the same position.
Hint: Sparkle AND melt? Let yourself be experienced. Use protection!

戌 Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly.
A less psychologically tumultuous month for the Dog. Time to take a breath and deal with the details.
Hint: Horses (and Tigers) can help you materialize projects and further stabilize yourself. Perfect timing.

亥 Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Month: November roughly.
Bounce back! What things can you accomplish this with short bursts of activity? I suggest you choose the tasks that apply to what you want to be doing in July when the ground is steady under your feet.
Hint: Lean on reputation or change it. You can do that this year.

子 Rat
Years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Month: December roughly.
Rats experience a potentially uncomfortable amount of conflicting attention this month. You have a lot of influence, but don’t expect it to be secret.
Hint: Avoid targeting as humor or amusement. It won’t make you safe.

丑 Ox
Years: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
Month: January roughly.
Accept the light. An ongoing theme of 2024 for the Ox is uncertainty and this month seems to be continuing that trend. Keep it moving.
Hint: Don’t let that doubt get comfortable.

寅 Tiger
Years: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
Month: February roughly.
Tigers celebrate success and recognition, maybe even things that feel like a promotion. For showing off and having your form revealed.
Hint: As an experiment, accept champions who will defend you from challengers. Note I didn’t say let them do it.

卯 Rabbit
Years: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
Month: March roughly.
Keep your eyes open. Metal Horse is a push pull kind of month that could distract you from seeing much you are wanted.
Hint: Being set free might do that too.

辰 Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly.
Time for the Dragon to show off what they’ve been creating. Your fans are here. If you’re an entrepreneur, jump on opportunities as they appear.
Hint: Focus on the quick moves rather than the long grind.

巳 Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly.
There’s something about the Metal Horse month that brings out your normally obscure tendencies around justice, making trouble, and how trouble is tamed. Which side are you on?
Hint: You’ll want people to know that in advance.

Solar Eclipse of April 2024

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

The Solar Eclipse of April 2024 occurred on Monday April 8th 2024, shortly after we entered the solar month of the Earth Dragon. It was visible in North America and Central America. The path of totality included Mexico, the central U.S., Texas and East Canada.

States that were in the path of the totality included:

Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and parts of Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee.

Here are the Four Pillars of the day and time totality began

April 8th, 2024 11:21 PDT

  Hour Day Month Year
yang Fire yang Water yang Earth yang Wood
  丙 壬 戊 甲
  午 寅 辰 辰
Horse Tiger Dragon Dragon

It’s an auspicious day and of course, a New Moon, because that is when solar eclipses occur. It’s the first day of the Wood Dragon lunar month. The hour will vary depending on where you are because we are using local time when we talk about Ba Zi.

If you’re going to use Ba Zi to forecast the effect of the eclipse, use your local time or the time of the location you are interested in. Whatever is in the path of totality will be affected most. We may not see the full effects until around April 30th.

When the Day Officer is Open, for good results it helps to choose projects/tasks that you can accomplish in one day. One translation of the meaning of Open says “the Emperor of Heaven’s Messenger is out of Danger.” So the Emperor’s messenger is safe. But Lunar Mansion Xin might predict trouble for the Emperor.

The Lunar Mansion for April 8th is 心 Xin or Heart, which is in the Eastern Palace of the Dragon. When consulting the Lunar Mansions for daily divination, they suggest what might happen or what the day may be like. Heart is not auspicious. On a Heart day it is said that “To build today leads to ruin.” It indicates possible doubling down on errors and misuse of power. Xin is the symbol of the Emperor, meaning the highest in power. Rapid movement and armies are also associated with this Lunar Mansion.

心 Xin also appears in a Qi Men Dun Jia pan as a star which is usually associated with the Emperor, boss, CEO or government authority. If you’re using Qi Men to ask who will be elected President, the home position of Xin in the NW sector, and where Xin ‘flies’ in the pan will be an important thing to consider. As I mentioned before, all you really need to know to begin study for almost any method Chinese Metaphysics is the basics.

I’ll leave it to you to play with these ideas and consider how they might apply to current events. If we’re talking about the United States and Emperors, of course Joe Biden comes to mind. For me, so does Donald Trump with his Fire Dog year pillar. I’m going to be watching Wood Dragon Kamala Harris too. This eclipse will be most significant for Dogs and Dragons.

If you want more about Lunar Mansions, eclipses, and earthquakes, I recommend this article written by Derek Walters. You’ll be impressed by his forecasting. Did you know he is still on Twitter?

12 Animal Fortunes for the Earth Snake Month

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Earth Snake 己巳 Month
May 5th 08:22-June 5th 12:34

Here are the Animal Fortunes for the month of the Earth Snake. To get the most out of the fortunes you’ll want to know all four of your pillars which are based on your birth year, month, day and time.

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

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

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

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

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

The Fortunes

巳 Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly.
The 太陽 Tai Yang (Great Sun) shines bright for the Snake this month. Intellectuals and insurgents present truth to power. Direct negotiations with facts. You will be seen.
Hint: Stick to group principles. Avoid over explanation.

午 Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly.
Your mission, should you choose not to rebel, is to get out of the way – out of your own way? Direct us to the exit.
Hint: Burn the box you’re in.

未 Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly.
The month provides a perfect balance to your lower profile now. The Snake has the receipts. Start and do those things that you’re passionate about.
Hint: Avoid unneeded attention.

申 Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly.
Monkeys see the light. Does it touch on personal matters? For some this may seem like betrayal. Others will see it as the point where they made a difficult decision, finally.
Hint: Negotiate rather than litigate. Don’t you see you have the upper hand?

酉 Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly.
Seek the people/energy that you want for the long term. Say the things you want people to remember. Start new family patterns. All this is for you too.
Hint: Show up as a friend.

戌 Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly.
Discover destruction is something you can recover from. Two steps back, now going forward. Make agreements. Meet each day this month with curiosity and patience.
Hint: New routines may not settle in until Horse month (starts June 5)

亥 Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Month: November roughly.
Trust in the progress you’ve made. Your judgment was not wrong for you. The amount of pushback for you in the coming month is a sign you’re on the right track.
Hint: Let it happen. Your flexibility now will reveal new strategies.

子 Rat
Years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Month: December roughly.
It may be helpful this month for the Rat to spend time at home and/or in the garden. Travel (especially by boat) could be too risky – that’s for your consideration.
Hint: Is your bed set up properly for the Wood Dragon year?

丑 Ox
Years: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
Month: January roughly.
If you’re an Ox who is ready to start something new, help is here! Tune out the self-doubt and do something productive or creative. If physical movement is required for the goal, even better.
Hint: What are you announcing this year? What are you sharing with the “public”?

寅 Tiger
Years: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
Month: February roughly.
Finding out about bad behavior? If you’re in the mood to penalize someone, be aware that it’s going to be passed on. What if you could prevent that by gathering more intel? I think you could.
Hint: Look out for the third party.

卯 Rabbit
Years: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
Month: March roughly.
This month, your luck is in what you can do each day. Organizing long term projects works now but starting them may have to wait. Let people know about your resourcefulness and flexibility.
Hint: Benefit by advertising your new(?) services or sharing how you have solved problems.

辰 Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly.
The month demands nitty gritty calculation, production and making claims. Not the same as magic is it? For best results, tend to what you (and others) can see.
Hint: Head down for now. Work on existing projects.

Kamala Harris Ba Zi

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Kamala Harris was born in a 甲辰 Wood Dragon year – like 2024. She turns 60 this year which, in the system of Chinese Astrology means she has completed the Cycle of 60 Pillars. When you turn 60 you have lived through all the possible pillars, you’ve had at least a year of every possible energetic combination and presumably you have learned from this experience. Regardless of whether that’s true, turning 60 is a starting over point. Some would say now you are like a child again. Certainly 2024 will be one of the most significant and interesting years of her life.

In such an important year, Kamala Harris is already the sitting Vice President of the United States. Unless there are unexpected events, she is pretty much guaranteed a spot on the ticket again in 2024. She has been growing her public persona since 1990 and yet, many people don’t feel like they know her. When she is more open she tends to get more criticism.

Kamala may be keeping a lower profile now than she did when she was a Senator as traditionally it is part of the Vice President’s job is to avoid stealing attention from the President. That certainly doesn’t help us get to know her, and what if she wants to be understood but not known? She is hard to read. Is that purposeful on her part or is it her fate? Are these things separate? I think her Ba Zi has a lot to tell.

After the inauguration in 2021 Kamala Harris was in the news more, unsurprisingly, not in a way that helped us get to know her. There were many rumors surrounding her settling into the White House. People said she was unfocused, difficult, inscrutable and demanding. After that, Kamala seemed to disappear in 2022 and 2023. Her day pillar suggests that may have been related to her health, but now she’s back, having started her Reproductive Freedoms Tour in January 2024.

Kamala gives the impression that she is unmoved by opposition or criticism, but she does seem to care about women, children and reproductive rights. She is interested in lowering the cost of health care. Rabbit, which is her General Star, is constantly drawn into her natal chart and these are Rabbit-related things. At the same time, I’m not sure where she stands when it comes to ending air borne diseases like Covid.*

Kamala Harris is a more powerful person than Joe Biden in many ways, although not as popular. Kamala Harris has the Ba Zi of a general, but can she be a leader in her own right? Could she ever be the President of the United States? A general could be a president in times of war.

In the process of analyzing a Ba Zi, for me a summary phrase often comes to mind. With Kamala’s Ba Zi it’s “Caring Authoritarian” and I believe this is how our next President will present, whoever it is. The caring part may be true but who is it for? We are in a time cycle that supports an authoritarian regime unless things change. I hope you don’t believe the argument that punishment can be a substitute for nurturing and support and somehow that will bring peace. This is what I worry about.

Ba Zi of Kamala Harris
b. October 20th 1964 at 9:28 pm

Life House   Hour Day Month Year Big Fate
yin Water yang Metal yang Water yang Wood yang Wood yang Earth
癸   庚 壬 甲 甲 戊
酉   戌 寅 戌 辰 辰
Rooster Dog Tiger Dog Dragon Dragon

 

Kamala is a yang Water Day stem person. All of the pillars in her chart are yang. Being a Water person, she is easily influenced by others’ feelings although maybe not their words. It’s her empathy that gets to her. This is well disguised by the Wood Dragon in her year pillar, the Wood Dog in her month pillar and the Tiger in her day pillar. Deep down, she has the Metal Dog in her hour. That’s a Kui Gang pillar – pretty handy if you want to be in politics or any game where toughness is considered a virtue. With Water Rooster in her Life House, most of her opinions and what she does are formed by her early years, somewhere around the time she went to kindergarten. Look for themes related to that for Kamala in September 2024. It may remind her of a time when she felt a public exposure or humiliation.

Even though Kamala could be considered a weak yang Water person, yang Water is inexhaustible and she has hidden reserves in the Dragon. When it comes Kamala’s helpful elements, the ones that boost her career the most are Fire and Earth. I think Earth is probably the best when it comes to her career. The healthiest element in her chart is Earth which is her power.

Kamala Harris is interested in showing you that she is smart, that what she thinks is important and maybe nothing else. If she wants to be a President, Kamala would benefit by focusing on being understood. I know she can do that, but I also think she wants to influence (or leave a mark) more than she might want to be a leader. That is curation energy.

What we experience of Kamala is filtered through her external energy and in a Ba Zi her external energy is called Qi Sha or Seven Killings. Kamala’s work merges into her public personality. It’s hard to differentiate between them. Kamala is commanding and intimidating and people don’t usually appreciate that in women. Under the surface, Kamala possesses a youthful and optimistic kind of energy that drives her high risk tolerance. She is not afraid.

Qi Sha energy functions in the contexts of conquering and taking. For Kamala, these actions are spurred by empathy and this is where I am hoping she will surprise us. She feels what other people are feeling, she feels their experience but she may not be good at gentleness. That’s okay as long as she can learn. Qi Sha also means you are very resourceful. You find or create resources for yourself. If you look at Kamala’s history and career, men help her do that whether they mean to or not.

Although Kamala has perfected the art of seeming tough, she deals with lifelong frustration and likely has experienced bouts of depression. Her thoughts are easily turned to action. Think it, do it. And yet, her actions and words are sometimes ridiculed. I expect she feels pretty lonely and misunderstood, but the Dog in her Ba Zi keeps her going regardless.

One of the most important influences for Kamala was obviously her mother who happened to name both of her daughters after goddesses – a power move! At age seven, watching Shyamala Gopalan, her mother, pursue her career while taking on single motherhood was a demonstration for Kamala of where her own possibilities began. If we interpret the year pillar as having to do with parents, there’s that Qi Sha again. She learned it from her momma.

Kamala Harris carries and seems to be comfortable with a lot of dissonance. When I look at her Ba Zi I see a person who values control more than intimacy. She is not fearful but she is familiar with worry, depression and frustration. For Kamala to stay in her comfort zone, certain appearances, and therefore compartments, must be maintained. Kamala would like you to stay at arms length away, at least, and I kind of don’t blame her. She has her reasons for feeling like she has to protect herself at all times and so she does. She’ll be the one to decide if that kind of energy will support all that she wants to experience on this second time around the wheel.

From a Ba Zi perspective, Kamala is hard to read because her year pillar is both Qi Sha and Void or Empty. Her public facing energy is Void. Wood is a Void element for Kamala and so is Earth. If both Wood and Earth are void in this chart, it’s only a small leap to think that all four pillars could be Void. It’s a fun idea to play with.

In October 2024, we will see what happens when her Void year pillar is clashed. I think we are about to learn more about Kamala Harris this year than we ever have before. Her luck in November is better than Joe Biden’s. Sometimes I wonder if that helped him win in 2020.

*When you look at her chart, ask yourself what year Kamala Harris had Covid. It’s staring you in the face.