Category: 2020

The Snake in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Snake?

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

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

What is a Snake?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard Ashworth © 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

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

The Snake in 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Dragon in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Dragon?

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

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

What is a Dragon?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard Ashworth © 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

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

The Dragon in 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Rabbit in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Rabbit?

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

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

What is a Rabbit?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard Ashworth © 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

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

The Rabbit in 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Tiger in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Tiger?

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

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

What is a Tiger?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard Ashworth© 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Tiger in 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*A group of Tigers.

The Ox in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is an Ox?

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

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

What is an Ox?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard Ashworth© 2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Ox in 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Use them wisely. With great power comes great responsibility.

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

The Rat in 2020 ~ Metal Rat Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Who is a Rat?

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

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

What is a Rat?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richard Ashworth©2020
www.imperialfengshui.info

The Rat in 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Metal Rat 庚子 2020 : Bearing Witness

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Observers who go unnoticed: this is your year. Take back authority through your revelations and actions. I’m talking to those who aren’t sleeping at night because they are making plans to protect their families and the planet.

We’ve been heading in this direction for some time and now we’ve arrived in a place where we are touched by millions of eyes without being perceived. We can be heard worldwide and still rebuffed. We knew each other once, but will we again? Who will be the first to witness another’s truth in the long winter?

Through bearing witness we participate in another’s experience. It’s time to realize how much we have in common. In 2020 we can trust each other but not the systems of authority and governance we have created. Let’s start there.

The original meaning of the word martyr, which comes from the Greek word μάρτυρ, is witness. The definition of a martyr was: a person who testifies to information they obtained from personal observation or experience. In the best sense, there’s no compromise of integrity here. No self destruction required.

Sometime between 29-100 AD the definition of martyr changed. It came to signify a person who could expect at any time to be asked to deny their testimony under penalty of death. Let’s go back to the earliest meaning.

Humans gain an added level of meaning to their experience when there’s someone bearing witness. Why else would we gather together for significant initiations such births, deaths, marriages, holidays and other events where stories of family history and culture are shared? A public recounting of a shared past (for better or worse) might be the thing we want most from each other. Like Water, we yearn to be admitted unreservedly; all carried in the same current.

During the Metal Rat year intergenerational conflict may deflect us from our purpose. Some will be questioning the value of their heritage while others will learn that not everyone wants what they have to give. Bearing witness builds the bridge that allows us to rejoin. If there’s going to be a Deus Ex Machina it’s us.
 

Four Pillars of the Metal Rat Year

Hour Day Month Year
Yin Earth Yin Water Yang Fire Yang Metal
己 癸 丙 庚
未 巳 子 子
Sheep Snake Rat Rat
Hexagram 46 Hexagram 43 Hexagram 27 Hexagram 42
☷ ☱ ☶ ☴
☴ ☰ ☳ ☳

 

A Metal Rat arrives every 60 years. In other Metal Rat years there have been sweeping changes in American government but I know forecasting that for 2020 won’t be a revelation to anyone. I’ll leave it to others to make predictions of what we all know is coming regarding our planet too.

From December to March we can expect success with small challenges. Think of this as practicing crossing streams so you can be ready to ford the river later. Take this time to get yourself prepared to handle changes that may come quickly.

From March to June there will be events that cause food shortages and rising food prices. The advice from the I Ching is “Observe the ways people eat for guidance.” I’d say there’s a reference here to the impact of plant based or non plant based diets.

From June to September strategy will be more important than conflict when there’s a threat of attack.

From September to December it appears that women take charge. Expect sacrifice, charity and other actions that put the material world in order, i.e. the usual stuff.

In this Metal Rat year, as well as in bigger time cycles, Water is quite strong. The Fire element will become stronger as the year progresses but it’s embryonic and finite. The Earth element is weak. Metal is strongly expressed in a cold and possibly violent way because it’s indiscriminate. Wood is dormant.

In short, emotions will be running high and impulsiveness may lead to regret. There’s joy in the midst of loss. Calculations are required that cannot be made useful without faith.

The two Rats in the Four Pillars of the year start refer to ancestors and children. We will need to focus more on taking care of these and other vulnerable groups. Our loyalties will be changing at a time when we’re uncertain as to where we can be useful. Just look around you.

New ideas will be compelling simply because of their novelty so it will be important to distinguish between useful innovation and what seems useful simply because it’s new.

For example, Derek Walters, a 1936 Fire Rat without whom you would likely not be reading this, was the first to give access to authentic knowledge of Chinese Astrology to the western English speaking world through his books. Derek’s work sets a standard of scholarship in a field where calculation and precision meet magic. That’s a feat in itself. At the same time, in his most technical work The Complete Guide to Chinese Astrology, Derek’s innovation was to assign Roman and Arabic numerals to the branches and stems as a way to assist the reader. Many found this unhelpful. Interestingly, Lily Chung (who is also brilliant and whose Scholar Star is Rat), uses similar “codes” in her books. This is Rat stuff.

If we have any sense left this will be the year that we give up the idea that being the fastest, first or number one makes anything or anyone the most valuable or important. At the same time, in a way that is typical of yin and yang, we will need to question those who claim to be egalitarian because they may simply be uncaring.

Metal Rat 庚子 2020 Feng Shui Basics

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Here’s what you need to know to get ready for the Year of the Metal Rat.

Tai Sui, Sui Po and San Sha

In the Year of the Metal Rat, which opens on December 22, 2019 at 13:04 to be exact, the Tai Sui is in the north. If you’re not already familiar with the concept of the Tai Sui you can think of it as the boss of the year. In some years people born under the same Animal sign as the year are considered to be offending the Tai Sui. In my opinion this isn’t one of them.

Seeing as how a Rat is associated with the water element, it seems fitting to say that the strongest energy of the year is akin to a firehose shooting out water from north towards the south. Being in the south on the receiving end of the firehose is an unfavorable situation.

The Animal sign opposite the Rat in the north is the Horse in the south. So for 2020 we can call the Horse the Sui Po or “year breaker”. The Horse is on the receiving end of the hose. Horses: Don’t let the metaphor freak you out. There’s so much more to this than the lowest level of understanding.

To continue with the firehose metaphor, obviously that blast of water is not just going to affect the Horse – it will also splash over to the areas on either side. The area between SE3 (Snake) and SW1 (Sheep) is called the San Sha or Three killings. I’m talking about the entire area between and including Snake and Sheep. The San Sha covers the area on the compass from 142.5-217.5 degrees.

So here are the rules:

  1. Don’t face north. You can spend time in the north location of your house but don’t face that direction. If your house faces north or south it would be helpful to consult a professional to evaluate your home and mitigate any potential issues.
  2. Don’t spend time in the south location of your house. That’s the Sui Po. Avoid as much as possible.
  3. Also avoid the areas directly adjacent to the south where the Horse is. That’s the San Sha. Avoid digging, drilling or other activations in this area. Keep it quiet if possible. If this is not possible, consult a professional (like me) who can recommend the proper timing.

Flying Stars for Metal Rat Year 2020

Flying Stars is a system used to identify energy pockets within a building, city, country…The base energy is the traditional Lo Shu where 5 is in the middle. In addition to the base stars which are static, there are the annual stars which move each year. There are also 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 as it’s quite complicated.

The map below will tell you the locations of the Flying Stars within your home for the Metal Rat year.

Annual Flying Stars

San Sha SE3-SW1
SE S SW
6 2 4
E 5 7 9 W
1 3 8
NE N NW
  1. As a general practice, we want to avoid the Wu Huang or 5 yellow, so don’t spend time in the east location of your home. Keep it as quiet as possible. Facing east is fine just don’t be in that area.
  2. The 7 star is in the middle (the home of base star 5) making the tai chi or center of your house another no go area for hammering, drilling or other such activations that cause disruption and noise.

I’m particularly interested to hear from people with Period 7 houses this year since I suspect the 7 in the center may make these houses more timely during 2020. What the heck is a Period 7 house? It’s a house of a certain age. Maybe. Get in touch if you want to ask about yours.

When to Act

Moving things around the house and placing Feng Shui cures and enhancements is best done between December 22nd 2019 and February 4th 2020. For best results find a good date. I recommend them in my newsletters and/or I can find one that’s tailored to you.

By using the information in this post and knowing your Ming Gua, you can probably figure out how to set up your home in a way that will help you make the most of 2020. 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.

Metal Rat 庚子 2020 Your Good Directions

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

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? If not, 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.

The Guas fall into two categories in this system: East Life Group and West Life Group. 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 gives the Life Group and the good directions for you. Each person has four and they support in different ways. Use them to set up your desk, bed, computer, tv and other furnishings. If you’re remodeling your kitchen 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.

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.

And one more thing – you’re going to need to know if any of your four good directions are unhelpful in 2020. You may want to rule some out temporarily. I’ll be explaining that in my next post.

12 Animal Fortunes for the Fire Rat Month

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Fire Rat 丙子 Month
December 7 19:20-January 7 06:06

Here are the Animal Fortunes for the month of the Fire 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 date and time.

If you don’t know them get in touch. 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

子 Rat
Years: 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Month: December roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
I’d say your year starts on the winter solstice. That’s December 22nd. A Rat’s time is the night, usually out of sight until no one else is around but now you’re ready to step forward. This month is your window of opportunity to set goals freely. Be clear about who is in charge of the outcome.
Hint: The habit of waiting for others to reveal intentions, positions or plans before you do may not be as useful as usual. Dive in now!

丑 Ox
Years: 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Month: January roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
You’ve got the power and the support. The question is what are you going to do with it? Balanced Oxen will see a fertile field of opportunity and get to plowing early. Unbalanced Oxen will block their own success, possibly through illness. Seek the flexibility of the Snake. That could help you both right now.
Hint: Excessive stillness brings illness.

寅 Tiger
Years: 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Month: February roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
Be careful of trying to over control as a way of avoiding the dark thoughts that come with this time of year. Since you don’t want to talk about it, talk about it. A neutral third party or a friend who will listen without advising would help even if you don’t think you need it.
Hint: You deserve it as much as anyone else.

卯 Rabbit
Years: 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Month: March roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
Your expression toward parents, partner or other long term supporters may be coming off as rebellious and disrespectful. You may feel the same way about them. Acknowledgement and respect could change everything if that’s what you want. Use your charm to disarm. Don’t give up.
Hint: Open the conversation.

辰 Dragon
Years: 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Month: April roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
People are ready to work with you at a time when you feel like being noticed for your executive skills. Could be the beginning of a trend. Here’s your preview of the Rat year. Opportunities abound.
Hint: With ideas that bright I hope you’re keeping track of them.

巳 Snake
Years: 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Month: May roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
A boring but powerful associate comes to your assistance, finally. It’s starting to feel like there’s a buffer between you and disappointment. Are you still feeling adrift? Could be time to travel. Go as an observer if that’s your thing. Just go.
Hint: If this year has convinced you that you’re always going to feel rebuffed your perception could prove it wrong.

午 Horse
Years: 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Month: June roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
Come on baby light your fire. You like to be independent or at least you think you do. The spark is there. Consider how the Water element stimulates you; instead of fighting join. Emotional disclosure will sustain you whether you like it or not. Your high sensitivity is an asset, not a curse.
Hint: Do the self care to maintain it. Let someone trustworthy in.

未 Sheep
Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Month: July roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
When friends are in need there’s no one who shows up as consistently as you. This month that could land you in someone else’s conflict. Charm might get you out of it though. Proceed with caution. Who is it you think mistreated you?
Hint: There may be conflict regarding your values. Stay true to yourself.

申 Monkey
Years: 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Month: August roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
For balanced Monkeys I expect insights and breakthroughs. Unbalanced Monkeys may struggle with feeling attacked or over emotional. For average Monkeys there will be all of these. Teaching could be healing because it lets you share your story in a constructive way. Writing works too. Step forward with confidence.
Hint: Talk, talk, talk. Use it as your tool rather than just downloading.

酉 Rooster
Years: 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Month: September roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
You have the ability to influence others through your charisma this month. Reach out for social opportunities if you want them. Examine your ideas about commitment in the context of relationship.
Hint: Someone you know will back you up if you need assistance. Ask.

戌 Dog
Years: 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Month: October roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
Respect for boundaries will go a long way toward people’s openness to you. And you could use some new friends so maybe give it a try. You don’t mean to intrude – you’re just doing your job. This is a good month to rewrite the job description.
Hint: Start with your definition of success.

亥 Pig
Years: 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1994, 2007, 2018, 2030
Month: November roughly. If you’re near the beginning or end ask.
Respite from recriminations. Take a deep breath or two. Flow freely. You’re extra charming this month so take advantage in setting up your holidays. Get out the 2020 calendar and start making plans. As Ishmael Butler says “Clear some space out so we can space out”.
Hint: If you want to speed things up make a plan. Make a list.

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