The Bed Rules

There are a lot of Feng Shui rules about the placement of beds, which makes sense if you think about how much time we spend there. On average we spend around one third of the day in bed.

Keeping it Simple

The rules about beds and placing them relate to age, health, relationship status, and career. Someone who is trained in Feng Shui will also consider the location of hallways, toilets, stoves and fireplaces etc as they relate to bed placement. There are rules about what you should put in your bedroom, including nightstands and benches. I won’t include all of these rules here. If you want to talk about the rules and your bedroom setup get in touch. For this article I am focusing on just the bedroom and the bed in it.

If you want to sleep better, the position of your bed in the room is best based on the Feng Shui system called Land Form. When we use it indoors, we call it Interior Form.

Outdoors, Land Form is much more powerful than any other Feng Shui method. Good exterior Form enhances good Interior Form, bad exterior Form can trigger problems with bad Interior Form. You might say the same about outdoor Form and Flying Stars.

Interior Form is powerful too. If you can get the Interior Form right for your bed placement, it may be best to stick with that setup for the duration of your occupancy and not worry about employing other Feng Shui methods. That is, unless you have other rooms in your house to use for sleeping. In that case you might change your setup every year because in any given year some of the directions and locations will not be so friendly. We make these kind of choices all the time.

Survival and Opportunities

The general concept of Land Form Feng Shui is based on survival. To put it bluntly, it’s helpful to have your back protected from unexpected visitors or attacks. It’s helpful  to have time to respond to whatever might be coming through your door before it gets to you and that metaphorically includes opportunities in life. The most valuable thing in the room (you) is in the most secure spot. When you have a feeing of safety, you can rest better. Set your bedroom up appropriately and your nervous system will be more at ease. If you rest better, your qi will be more vibrant.

For me, Form overrides all other considerations. It’s the most powerful and consistent energy that is present. Land Form cannot be “corrected”, and often no amount of remodeling an existing house will improve the qi.

On the other hand, sometimes Interior Form matches up with our good locations & directions in the system of Eight House and/or it has a helpful distribution of Flying Stars. To find that kind of house you need a professional to guide your search. Should you find a house that has good Form and fits your energetic signature, it will be easy to enhance the effects. Obviously this is preferable to mitigating problems.

Finding a really good house is a process that can take a long time, and process isn’t something that is well supported in our culture, but of course you can choose whatever you like.

Interior Form for Bedrooms

In terms of bed placement, having the correct Interior Form means that when you are lying in your bed, you have a wall behind your head. Set up the bed so that you can see the doorway and so that the energy from it doesn’t cross the bed. The diagram below illustrates a proper bed placement.

Imagine the door projects energy in the shape of the frame into the room. If the energy within the frame crosses your bed, it’s best to move it. Don’t place the bed under a window.

Ideally you will have a headboard. We usually don’t want the head of the bed to be on the same wall as the door.

It’s not easy to meet all the criteria with modern construction, because many modern houses are “backwards”, with the private areas at the front and public areas at the back or some other mixup of yin/yang. In Feng Shui terms, common sense is against having a bedroom with a view. That might mean you are facing the wrong direction in terms of the house itself. Also – when are you going to be looking at that view?

Location, Direction and Timing

Once you’ve got your Interior Form right, consider the location of your bed in the house and the direction your bed is facing. Does the location of your bedroom support you? Is your bed in a supportive direction for you based on 8 House or your bazi? Are there changes to be made due to the change of annual energies?

Make changes such as moving the bed in order to receive or not receive the annual energies, between January 5th and February 4th. If you’re outside of that window, or looking to do major Feng Shui adjustments such as placing water, best results will come from Date Selection.

Working with all of these Feng Shui layers or systems successfully takes a higher level of knowledge than you’ll get from the internet. How do you know the source of the information you are getting is reliable? It’s better to use your natural intelligence or find a human to guide your beginning of the lifetime process of applying Feng Shui. Becoming aware of how to work with the energies of each year keeps us healthier, fresher and relevant.


For daily Chinese Astrology forecasts visit the Serious Dailies.

Earth Ox Month : Stopping

Earth Ox Month begins Monday January 5th. I’m calling it the tail of the Snake. The revelations of the Snake year are not finished yet.

Technically, the Ox is the 12th month of the lunar and solar years. The Ox goes last in this cycle of twelve, and the Ox teams up with Snake and Rooster to produce Metal.

Earth (especially the Earth of the Ox) will be happy to support that. This particular Ox month is an Earth Ox. As with any pillar, the element on top will give it a certain nuance, giving you some clues about what experiencing it might be like. It’s yin Earth from top to bottom.

The Earth Ox is known for stopping in its tracks, that is, maybe stopping you in yours! Earth doesn’t usually move; it can sometimes denote stubbornness related to the stopping. For some, the “stopping” will be like a religious conversion, not that it necessarily involves religion. I think it involves the changing of belief systems though for sure. We’ll be seeing a lot of that this month. Some of that energy will appear again in May 2026.

What might change our beliefs this month is related to the Earth and Metal. That would mean rules, laws, facts, science, data, logic, punishment, and enforcement to name a few things. Earth is the power or authority element for the Wood Snake year chart and with Earth Ox here we’ve got a whole pillar of Qi Sha. Between this idea of Qi Sha and the strength of Metal, maybe we will see more changes with our government, for one thing. Some of it may even be helpful for us.

The Ox can be stubborn and sometimes overly committed to routine and the Earth Ox is the most Ox-ish. Cultivate your flexibility but also embrace those routines that seem to make everything work for you. Find out if they still do, or find out you have more peace in the Fire Horse year by not insisting on them all the time.

If you’re already feeling depleted or burnt out, don’t push it. You might avoid illness by doing this one thing! The thing about prevention is that if you’re successful you’ll never know, right? Keep maintaining and protecting your Fire. In February we will switch to regulation of it.

The best strategy for the month might be to let go of your stubbornness, detachment, outdated ideas, catchphrases; things you’ve been storing that have lost their value. It’s said that the Ox is capable of storing all of the bitterness in the world in their belly. The Fire that’s coming could help you get rid of that too if you want it.

Speaking of the incoming new year of the Fire Horse..I am working on the Annual Animal Fortunes now. For every Chinese month, I publish the Animal Fortunes too. Read the month fortune for all of your Four Pillars here.


If you want Chinese Astrology on the daily, check out the Serious Dailies!

12 Animal Fortunes for the Earth Ox Month

Earth Ox 己丑 Month
January 5th 16:23-February 4th 04:02

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

If you don’t know your Four Pillars, just ask! Each of the four animals of your BaZi correlates with an aspect of your life. Start with that interpretation.

If you’d like to know more about how bazi works, take a class with me. If you want to know more about your own bazi, book a reading here. You can book a reading for the Fire Horse year now.

Pillars and Fortunes

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

Ox
Years: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
Month: January roughly.
Your little holiday is over and work is calling. If you want play too, make play a routine. Set a ratio. Have a different kind of year.
Hint: Time flies. You might never feel like you have enough of it – but it turns out you do.

Tiger
Years: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
Month: February roughly.
Do you still feel pinned down? If so, the Ox might be the last elephant in the room. What’s tying up your energy? That’s about to end.
Hint: Leave the emergency state.

Rabbit
Years: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
Month: March roughly.
If you were looking for some wealth luck, here it is! There’s also some power mixed in there, along with some learning opportunities. Maybe start the year early?
Hint: If you could use some stubbornness, that’s available too. People call it perseverance when they like it.

Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly.
It’s all the small things that hold you up this year. Work with smaller groups and entities. To head off a potential loss, negotiate. Ask for what you want so people know.
Hint: Don’t let the ups and downs of life be the sole motivators of your choices & commitments.

Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly.
It’s the Snake’s turn to find out what new reality they have created through their words and deeds in 2025. Non actions count too.
Hint: This month you reap what you have sown. I hope it’s great!

Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly.
You may feel compelled to get moving but this Ox says take it slow. Go for short bursts of effort. Is it warm enough to warm up? It matters.
Hint: It’s not time to rely on stamina yet, although you may want to. This is not a test.

Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly.
Big shifts this month for the Sheep; sometimes change does feel like a loss but it always brings something new. Let it be so.
Hint: If there is space in your life where there wasn’t space before, what would you like to do with it?

Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly.
Monkeys! It’s the final month of the Snake year and I think it’s safe to say – you made it. Are you worrying unnecessarily?
Hint: You may feel the Tiger month coming already but for now it’s time to restore.

Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly.
Bring it on home Rooster. Produce. Be produced. It’s hard not to be successful with all those hidden reserves. Refine. Finish. Less is more.
Hint: Talk, emote, listen, share your wisdom. Take a break. Repeat.

Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly.
In a month where small things add up to something bigger than you, receive support. Find out you are blessed. What holds you up? Who gives you everything?
Hint: Count up your blessings. Provide protection.

Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Month: November roughly.
Prepare to open to what is new – it’s safe. You may find whatever has been opposing you seems more distant, less powerful; not as interested in you.
Hint: Send inquiries and applications. Share plans with trusted friends.

Rat
Years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Month: December roughly.
When the Universe is offering you a break, it’s usually best to take it. Helpers this month may slow you down, or outshine you by way of your intellectual property.
Hint: Consider taking the help anyway. 😲


I hope you enjoyed these monthly forecasts. For daily forecasts visit the Serious Dailies.

Monthly Meetup – Earth Ox Month

JOIN US!

The Earth Ox month opens on January 5th 2026 and the next Monthly Meetup will be held on Saturday January 10th from 9-10 am GMT-8 (Seattle time). Read more about the Monthly Meetup and how it works or sign up here.

The Guide for the Monthly Meetup will be sent out on Monday January 5th at the latest. The Zoom link for the meetup will be sent out on Friday January 9th.

Every month my Monthly Guide is the jumping off point for discussion but we are not limited by that. Bring your questions.

Potential topics for the next Monthly Meetup are the nature of the month and the Earth Ox, Hexagram 25, timing, stopping, the implications of expectations and more!

I always include ways to apply the knowledge I’m sharing to your every day life. In every guide there is a page dedicated to Practical Applications for the Month. Typical topics are travel, health, breakups, who is lucky and what that might entail…

If you have any questions please email me through my site.


Get to know more about Bazi by reading the Serious Dailies.

Fire Horse 丙午 2026 Feng Shui Basics

It’s time to start planning for for the year of the Fire Horse and moving things around to receive (or not receive) the new energies that are coming in 2026. How will this energetic shift affect you and your home? The information in this article will help you to set up and it is accurate, however, it’s somewhat generic because it doesn’t address the specifics of your situation. If you want to go beyond the basics, the application of Feng Shui must be tailored to you and your home.

As the energy shifts, some of the areas of your house that you have been avoiding or keeping quiet in 2025 will be more user friendly now. For example, in 2026 the energy of the east is safer, while the energy of the north and south are a bit compromised.

Following the Calendar

There are multiple markers for the start of any year – it’s not as if a switch is flipped and we’re in instantly new territory.

The first marker that I observe in the changing of the year is the winter solstice. The second marker (sometimes third) is the Solar New Year. This year, the third marker is the Lunar New Year. The order of Lunar and Solar New years varies. Check the Hsia calendar for accuracy.

冬至 Dong Zhi  Winter Solstice – December 21st 2025
立春 Li Chun  Solar New Year – February 4th 2026
農歷新年 Nong Li Xin Nian  Lunar New Year – February 17th 2026

Speaking generally, after the winter solstice through the Ox month most of the energy of the old year is weak but so is the energy of the new year. That means it’s usually a good time to rearrange and clean. This time around, I would recommend you find some auspicious dates to get the most out of your efforts. I’m calling January the tail of the Snake – it’s different than other Ox months you’ve experienced.

If you’re reading this after February 3 2026 and you’ve already missed that window, you can still make changes. Again, you will benefit from finding good dates for this. Let me know if you need help, or you might want to subscribe to my Monthly Guide.
This next part is a bit complicated so skip down to the end for 2026 Feng Shui guidelines if that’s how you scroll.

太歲 Tai Sui, 歲破 Sui Po and 三煞 San Sha

The Year of the Fire Horse opens on February 4th at 04:02. The Tai Sui or Year Boss is in the S where the Horse is located because the Horse is the boss. The south is on top in the diagram above. Jupiter is in the N and the Tai Sui sits opposite, mirroring.

With the year of the Wood Snake in 2025, we entered a big season of Fire, meaning we have three years of Fire energy from 2025-2027. The Snake, Horse and Sheep branches (also years, months, days) relate to Fire and the season of summer. In a cycle of 12 years, we are now in the middle of summer.

If you’re not already familiar with the concept of the Tai Sui you can think of it as the ruling energy of the year. In some years people born under the same Animal branch as the year are considered to be offending the Tai Sui. The Horse is one of these signs.

Directly opposite the Horse in the S, is the Rat in the N. That means in 2026 the Rat is called the Sui Po or “year breaker”. The Rat is considered to be in opposition to the Horse. Their relationship is a clash, meaning they bring changes to each other.

Energetically the Horse sends force towards, pressures or stimulates the Rat. The clash between Horse and Rat is a clash of Water and Fire. To put it in the broadest terms, this clash might involve wake up calls, coming to your senses, disappointment, realism, stimulus, leaks, melting, flooding; south challenges north and all that entails.

If you’re feeling worried about the clash because there’s a Horse or Rat in your BaZi, book a BaZi reading with me and I will help you find practical and applicable solutions. I can help you to navigate safely, mitigate and sometimes take advantage of a clash.

The San Sha or Three killings in 2026 covers the entire area between Pig (NW3) and Ox (NE1) covering 322.5 – 37.5 degrees. The Rat, centering at 0 degrees in the north, is in a difficult position on the compass but we can’t ignore that Horse, centering at 180 opposite the Rat is too. As I mentioned earlier, the energy of the San Sha this year is Fire element (south) vs Water element (north).

Lest you get lost in the technical stuff, it’s important to remember that Feng Shui is all about relationships. You can take that perspective and work with Feng Shui every day. Stick to first principles: Wu Xing and yin/yang. If you want to know how the energy moves around, it’s elemental and elementary.
The annual calculations are expressions of the relationships of elements. They point out the Tai Sui, Sui Po, and San Sha: the relationships that may need more of your attention in any given year. You can think of them as representations of roles we may be called to play.

Flying Stars

Flying Stars is a system used to identify energy pockets within a building, city, country…The base energy for each area is indicated by the traditional Lo Shu where Star 5 is in the center. This arrangement is also called the Magic Square, partly because the numbers add to 15 in any direction.

Lo Shu or Magic Square

There are different layers to consider when working with Flying Stars. In addition to these base stars which are static, each house has it’s own collection of Flying Stars, which some would say is similar to a natal chart. The best results come when you’ve understood and dealt with these static and underlying energies first. There are dynamics in their interactions but they do not change.

Once you’ve done that, you can play with the dynamic stars, the ones that move and change. Those would be the stars of the time Period (currently we are in the 9 Fate), the annual stars, monthly Flying Stars and daily Flying Stars which you may be familiar with if you read my daily forecasts.

Each star corresponds to a trigram from the Later Heaven Bagua and so each one also has an elemental nature. Some stars naturally pair up. Some stars play well together and some don’t. Some are helpful and some not so much. I won’t try to explain it more here.

In 2026, we have the 1 White Star in the center, setting the tone of the year. The map below will tell you the locations of the annual Flying Stars within your home for the Fire Horse year. They will interact with the monthly Flying Stars in a guest/host relationship. This interaction of the annual and monthly stars is used for Feng Shui, forecasting and other forms of divination.

Annual Flying Stars for Fire Horse 2026


As a general practice, we want to avoid the annual Wu Huang or 5 yellow.

Guidelines for 2026

  • Don’t face S, meaning the Horse who is centered at 180 degrees. Take care with spending time in the S location of your house and don’t face that direction.
    If your head points S when you are in bed, you’ll want to consider changing that. Having your back to the S is fine.
  • Avoid Rat (N2) and the areas directly adjacent. The scope of the San Sha covers Pig-Ox as outlined above. Don’t have your back to the San Sha (north).
  • The energy of the Wu Huang or 5 Yellow is in the S this year indicating volatility and upheavals. Now that we are in Period 9, in 2026 Star 5 Yellow is paired with Flying Star 4 Green. This is not considered an auspicious combination. Avoid construction or other noisy activations in the S.
  • Star 1 White in the center expresses the Water/Fire conflict of the year. In Period 9 this may relate to emotions, health, hormones, or wealth, to name a few possibilities. I don’t recommend you do activations there however, without some knowledge and/or guidance. Make sure you know the underlying Flying Stars of your home before you try anything.
  • If your house faces S or N I recommend you have a Feng Shui survey and mitigate any potential issues, especially if an exterior door is located in the S or N.

Consult a professional if you want to activate or make major changes to either N or S locations.

These locations and directions can be fine tuned further by applying Ba Zhai (8 House or 8 Mansions). In 2026 I think West Group people may have an advantage over East group when it comes to helpful orientations.

When to Act

Moving things around the house, changing rooms, and placing Feng Shui cures and enhancements is best done between 冬至 Dong Zhi or winter solstice around December 21st, and 立春 Li Chun which is usually around February 4th or 5th. The exact dates vary slightly depending on the year. Details are above.

You can maximize the results of your changes and adjustments by using date selection. If you want help with that, I invite you to subscribe to my Monthly guide or, contact me to find a date that’s specific to you and your house. If you’d like to learn how to track these timings yourself, I recommend a copy of my Fire Horse 2026 Almanac.

Those familiar with applying Feng Shui can use the information in this article to set up your house. You’ll also need to know your Ming Gua to make the most of the energy of 2025. Just compare your good directions with the “rules”. And of course I’m available if you want to enhance or mitigate rather than simply avoid.


Thanks for reading. For daily Chinese Astrology content, visit the Serious Dailies.

Fire Horse 丙午 2026 – Your Good Directions

Ming Gua, East and West Life Groups

The Ming Gua is a number that is calculated using gender and birthday in order to employ the Feng Shui method called 8 House, 8 Mansions or Ba Zhai. Each number corresponds to a trigram and an element in the Later Heaven Bagua. The Ming Gua is also known as the Natal Trigram, Destiny Number or Life Star number.

Do you know your Ming Gua? Send me your birthday and gender and I can tell you. Once you know your number you will be able to use your best directions for setting up your home and/or choosing a home that fits you.

The Guas fall into two categories in this system: East Life Group and West Life Group. If you already know your number, you can use the chart below to figure out which group you belong to.

East Life Group Numbers West Life Group Numbers
1 2
3 6
4 7
9 8

Your Ming Gua indicates the Life Group and the good directions for you. Each person has four, and they support in different ways, but all are considered beneficial. Use them to set up your desk, bed, computer, tv and other furnishings. If you’re remodeling your kitchen or moving house, you can use Ba Zhai to set up your stove as well. This requires a higher level of expertise.

Good Directions for East Group Good Directions for West Group
E W
N NW
S SW
SE NE

N.B. When you are lying in bed you are facing the direction your head is pointing. Think of your body as the compass needle.

What I haven’t addressed here is that there are also four house orientations that are appropriate for each Life Group. Do you know if your house supports your Ming Gua? Email me if you’re curious about your house. I also teach a beginner Ba Zhai Class if you’d like to learn more.

And one more thing – you’re going to need to know if any of your four good directions are not so good in 2026. You may want to rule some out temporarily. This will apply to both East and West Group people. I’ll be explaining that in my next post.


Thanks for reading. For daily Chinese Astrology forecasts please visit the Serious Dailies.

Chinese Astrology Classes for 2026

#image_title

In the spirit of the Fire Horse Year, I’m offering all of the classes I teach as group classes. It’s a lofty goal I know. If you’ve been waiting for one of my twenty classes to be offered for group study, this is your year.

For 2026, one on one classes will be available as always, now at a slightly reduced rate. In addition, there are two free group classes bookending the year as part of my service in the ongoing revolution.

In case you’re new here, I mostly teach Chinese Astrology, aka bazi.

I invite those who have already studied with me to repeat a class you have taken before for free when the group class is being offered. Just email me if that’s you!

All the class dates and other information are available on my Study page or you can follow one of the links below to find out more about a specific class. I’m offering them as a progression.

The first class, Explore Roots, Stems and Branches of Bazi is an intro level class, the Wu Xing classes will build off of that knowledge. The Hidden Stems class extends what you learned in the Wu Xing classes and so on. The Intermediate level classes begin with Relationships and Compatibility, but if you already have some experience/knowledge you could probably jump in wherever you like!

If you’re not ready to sign up now, I offer free content every day as a service via the Serious Dailies.

January 2026
Explore Roots, Stems and Branches of Bazi Intro Level Starts Here
February 2026
Learn to Read the Hsia Calendar in Chinese FREE GROUP CLASS
Wu Xing for Bazi 1 (Five Elements)
Wu Xing for Bazi 2 (Five Elements)
March 2026
Wu Xing for Bazi 3 (Five Elements)
Hidden Heavenly Stems
‎‎
April 2026
CLASH! Course
Bazi Combinations
May 2026
Penalty, Punishment, Harm, Destruction
Twelve Life Stages
June 2026
Shi Shen : 10 Spirits or 10 Gods
All About Void
July 2026
Conception House and Life House
August 2026
Selected Special Stars for Bazi
Relationships and Compatibility Intermediate Level Starts Here
Date Selection 1 : Concepts Class text: Fire Horse 2026 Almanac
September 2026
Date Selection 2 : Practical Applications Class text: Fire Horse 2026 Almanac
Daily Flying Star Calculation (2 Methods)
October 2026
Ba Zhai : Eight House or Eight Mansions Feng Shui
Beginners Yi Jing Divination Workshop FREE GROUP CLASS

 

Floating Mountain, Hidden Fire

Earth Rat Month

The Rat, much like a Water day stem person, is capable of switching back and forth from yin to yang and vice versa. They do it all the time. This is part of the magic of the Rat and why their strategies are usually effective. Possessing the flexible and uncontainable nature of Water, they can appear and disappear seemingly at will.

Rats are everywhere and nowhere, always seeking that lowest level where they gather to communicate; they are the invisible critics. The Rat hour is 11pm-1am. The darkness allows the Rat passage wherever they want to go. The Rat’s most prized element is Fire. Water loves Fire.


Earth Rat

In the Earth Rat month, given the nature of the relationship of Earth and Water, we may find it hard to communicate, as if our words are stifled or it’s hard to get them out. A person with this pillar might be a stutterer or experience other such issues with communication.

On the other hand, the Rat can sometimes be known for blurting things out or too much talk. Obviously this is a yin/yang situation. You don’t get one extreme without the other one trailing along.

The Earth Rat pillar might summon the image of a Mountain floating on Water, or a Mountain floating above clouds if you like. In everyday life, we might see these images in the land form around us. An island can look like a floating mountain, a mountain encircled by low clouds can look like it’s floating in the sky. In those cases, we know it’s an illusion. Water and clouds cannot support a mountain. (There are mythological floating islands though.)

Leto giving birth to Artemis & Apollo on Delos

The elemental signature or Na Yin of the 戊子 Earth Rat pillar is Fire. One way to remember this is that yang Earth on top of the pillar can combine with yin Water hidden in the Rat to create Fire. When the circumstances allow, this can happen. It can happen through timing most easily which is true of all transformations I think. You know the saying, everything has its season? There are many ways to interpret a pillar, and what catches your attention will be influenced by what you want to know, as well as the overall timing.

The last Earth Rat year you might remember was 2008. In that year, subprime mortgages drove the collapse of the real estate market. A lot of deals were made based on money that didn’t exist to put it bluntly – kind of like now. A lot of money disappeared. People’s homes became worth less than their purchase price. This same kind of energy is a concern now. As for real estate, at this moment in time, it’s not time to sell if you’re looking for the kind of profit people were getting in the past few years. It may be that you’ll need to wait for the Sheep to arrive in 2027 if you’re set on that.

The Death of the Year

In an Earth Rat month, the Snake’s influence continues to wane. I expect it will flare up one more time in January, maybe we can call that month the tail of the Snake. When we hit December 20th, the day before winter solstice, we’ll be at the lowest point of qi for the year. That’s where we’re headed – into a time of simultaneous beginnings and endings. When we get to the extreme yin, yang is born.

There will probably be some false starts this month for all of us, even if you’re reading accurately what the coming year is bringing. Don’t take it too hard. There’s plenty of time to adjust. The energy of the old year is going to sleep but it’s not dead yet.

In this time where the old year is “dying” and the new year is conceived, I am reminded of how when a person is in the process of dying, somewhere near the end they might have a moment where they become energized and lucid; we feel like we can communicate with them and we can. We can communicate with the new year through the old year now, but it will be limited.

As the energy of the year wanes and waxes, it’s time for us to strategize but remain flexible. This might be a good tactic for the entire Year of the Fire Horse.

Practical Applications for the Month

As Horses can feel the Fire of the new year ramping up despite being in the Water season, they may be lured out of rest, warmth and other winter maintenance routines. The Horse has a problem with consistency. Strangely, they might think of routine as a harm, but anyone could use some solid routines that are aimed at keeping them healthy.

My advice to you (and everyone else) is to continue to take precautions to protect your Fire. Rest as you feel the need. Slow down. Drink tea or other hot drinks; eat soup and stews. Get in the sauna if you can. Keep your wind gate (the back of your neck) covered – wear a scarf! Layers will keep your kidneys warm too. Sometimes I wrap a shawl around my torso when I’m working at my desk for this very reason.

If these things sound silly or like too much to you, all I can say is as you age you will find out how much your body can be impacted by your preventive measures. If you start younger, maybe there’s less damage to counteract?

The Rat brings a peak of Water energy. If you’re a Water person, it will make your self element stronger. Depending on what else is going on in your natal chart, you might prefer more Water – or not. Most of the time any element brings a mixed bag and we tend not to notice what is going right. I think we can pick and choose what to take away from our experiences by way of our focus and perceptions. With practice it becomes easier.

You get a whole month of Nobleman energy courtesy of the Rat if your day (or year) stem is yin Wood or yin Earth. With both these Heavenly Stems being yin, it’s interesting to research whether the benefit of the Nobleman for women is more powerful than it is for men.

For a yin Wood person, the Rat a yin Nobleman. Some say it suggests a woman but not someone in your family. I’d say your Nobleman could be your mom. It depends. Definitely though, the Rat is your resource: what you’ve learned, your ancestors, what you know, and your health, just to mention a few possibilities.

For a yin Earth person, the Rat is your wealth or success: material things, prizes, winning, controlling, conquering and other kinds of success. Consider the relationship of Rat and Ox who are Secret Friends and in the context of their relationship, Water is turned to Earth.

We can say that the wealth of Earth is communication or fertility, and the origin of Wood is in emotion or wisdom. These are just a few ways to play with Wu Xing.

As I mentioned earlier, the Rat is a strategist and planner. Perhaps it’s because the quiet emptiness of the Water season is perfect for these activities. Let your busyness subside. Try not to worry about everything working out perfectly. This won’t be the last time you consider how your tactics are working. You’ll want to be doing that regularly in 2026.

Health: Maintain your Fire!

Travel: Should be smoother this month.

Here’s one more thought: Those who are assisted this month will be challenged next year and vice versa. Pay attention to the location of these branches in your natal chart if you want to know what that could be about.

Assisted: Monkey, Rat, Dragon, Ox
Challenged: Tiger, Horse, Dog, Sheep


This post is an excerpt from my Monthly Guide. If you like this kind of content, become a subscriber!

12 Animal Fortunes for the Earth Rat Month

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Earth Rat 戊子 Month
December 7th 05:04 – January 5th 16:23

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

If you don’t know your Four Pillars, just ask! Each of the four animals of your BaZi correlates with an aspect of your life. Start with that interpretation.

If you’d like to know more about how bazi works, take a class with me. If you want to know more about your own bazi, book a reading here. You can book a reading for 2026 now.

Pillars and Fortunes

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

Rat
Years: 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
Month: December roughly.
If it’s hard to find the right words, or to get the words out, you might choose to listen instead. You don’t have to speak to stimulate the revolution.
Hint: Set the tone for 2026 now as much as possible.

Ox
Years: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
Month: January roughly.
You may need to secretly shift your direct alliances for a moment due to the revolution. The personal is the driving force of the political and practical.
Hint: Share plans on a need to know basis. Mostly they don’t need to know!

Tiger
Years: 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
Month: February roughly.
A Rat will bring some professional empowerment for the Tiger. In the revolution this is probably helpful for lawyers and other closers who work with justice related matters.
Hint: It’s personal too. Check in with your parents.

Rabbit
Years: 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
Month: March roughly.
Act now and find out you have more influence than usual in this familiar uncomfortable situation. This is how you shape the changes of the revolution.
Hint: Stop going unappreciated.

Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly.
Here’s your month to develop freely. Don’t worry too much about getting noticed. In the revolution the showing off comes later.
Hint: Work with a small group for more impact.

Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly.
The Rat offers a few goodies for the Snake who is finally allowed to go back to regular business hours rather than this on demand stuff.
Hint: You’re at the helm for 60 more days of this revolution.

Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly.
Beware of overpromising just because you would like to be able to come through like that. Then again, this is your specialty in the revolution – coming through like that.
Hint: If you’re looking for pain, Life will hurt you. You don’t have to do it to yourself.

Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly.
The family experience: some bonds are closer than others, we don’t always appreciate each other’s strengths, we might point out each other’s weaknesses. We still share history.
Hint: In the revolution, we honor all these relationships regardless. It works if it’s mutual.

Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly.
Sometimes I think about how many of the Monkey’s achievements arrive in winter and I wonder how that affects others’ perception of them. Does it hold you back in this revolution?
Hint: Seek organization if you want to have fun AND be influential.

Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly.
There are many words to say, but at this point in the revolution it might be your turn to listen well.
Hint: Serve as a channel if you like.

Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly.
In case you haven’t awakened yet, in this revolution your friends need your help. Venture out to share your warmth. Sometimes that is all that is needed.
Hint: Go home early.

Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Month: November roughly.
Lay low if you want to. This year of revolution has been exhausting. I hope you found some reversals in the form of upgrades last month.
Hint: Don’t stop communicating now!


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Monthly Meetup – Earth Rat Month

JOIN US!

The Earth Rat month opens on December 7th 2025 and the Monthly Meetup will be held on Saturday December 6th from 9-10 am GMT-8 (Seattle time). Read more about the Monthly Meetup and how it works or sign up here.

The Guide and the Zoom link for the Monthly Meetup will be sent out on Friday December 5th at the latest.

Every month my Monthly Guide is the jumping off point for discussion but we are not limited by that. Bring your questions.

Potential topics for the next Monthly Meetup are the nature of the month and the Earth Rat, winter solstice, Hexagram 3, the magic that ripples out to those around you when you change, the US real estate market, and the death of the year.

I always try to include ways to apply the knowledge I’m sharing to your every day life. In every guide there is a page dedicated to Practical Applications for the Month. We talk about travel, health, breakups, who is lucky and what that might entail…

If you have any questions please email me through my site.