Category: BaZi

The Tiger in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

You Won’t See Me

In a Snake year the Snake, Tiger and Monkey form a triangular relationship called the Fire Penalty or Ungrateful Punishment. The last time this happened for a whole year was in 2022 but being a Water Tiger year, the Fire wasn’t as strong as it will be this time around. If Fire is a favorable element for you, you’ll be glad Fire is stronger now. If Fire is not a favorable element for you, let’s talk.

Fire being favorable or not, if you have a Snake, Tiger or Monkey in your natal chart, you might be more accident prone in 2025. Protect your extremities and your head. Be very careful if you’re around sharp objects or using them. Consider driving or traveling less. The months to exercise more caution than usual would be February, May and August.

The nature of the Fire Penalty is such that each player involved in this three-way relationship has the potential to assist and the potential to destroy. Which will it be? As always, choice is a factor, but when events suddenly accelerate, we might make bad decisions. That’s the nature of Fire. We feel like we only have a short window to act; it’s pressing.

A real life example of the Fire Penalty that took place on December 4th 2024 (a Water Tiger day) was the assassination of United Health Care CEO Brian Thompson, allegedly by Luigi Mangione.

Brian Thompson
b. July 10, 1974

  Hour Day Month Year
yang Water yin Metal yang Wood
  ? 壬 辛 甲
  ? 子 未 寅
Rat Sheep Tiger

 

Brian Thompson was born in a Wood Tiger year. There is no Monkey or Snake in his Ba Zi that we know of, but I think by incorporating AI so robustly into the claims process of the United Healthcare insurance company, he leaned too hard into the Snake energy. In Period 9, the strength of Fire might lead unexpected results. The Snake is Fire, and so is his money element -this is often how people get drawn into this type of nonsense. Master Raymond Lo would call the sign of the Pig the Death Angel in Brian Thompson’s Ba Zi and indeed he was killed in a Pig month, possibly by another Tiger.
 

Luigi Mangione
b. May 6, 1998

  Hour Day Month Year
yin Water yin Fire yang Earth
  ? 癸 丁 戊
  ? 丑 巳 寅
Ox Snake Tiger

 

Regardless of whether or not Luigi was the shooter, in his life, with Snake and Tiger in his Ba Zi, he is likely caught up by the Fire Penalty too. It seems like the Pig could be a trigger for him but so is the Monkey. Maybe it would be better if all four (Tiger, Snake, Monkey, Pig) were present at the same time. I am interested to see what is going on with Luigi Mangione in August 2025.

The Fire Penalty reminds me of how wars are started and conducted, and how they are accompanied by dehumanization. People who experience the Fire Penalty may feel cast adrift, cast out of families, friendless and hopeless. This makes them susceptible to being “taken in”. Sometimes you will see the Fire Penalty in the charts of people who participate in cults. They are attracted by the rare opportunity to belong.

The experience of the Fire Penalty can carry with it feelings of hate, worry, and dislike, or we might feel we are perceived as hateful, hysterical or unlikeable. The Fire Penalty is sometimes accompanied by anxiety or panic attacks. If any of these problems are flaring for you in 2025, I hope it will be helpful to remember that it will pass. If you’re looking for remedies, there are many practical and useful ways to work with the Fire energy. I have some ideas about that.

Sometimes the Fire Penalty manifests as people passing the buck of responsibility, often by way of blame or accusation. The Fire Penalty involves triangular situations. There are three parties involved but they may not always be aware of that- at first. You see, this penalty can be best understood by way of the hidden Heavenly Stems within the Earthly Branches of the Tiger, Snake and Monkey. Obviously, these conflicts are not out in the open. Changing that is probably the first step to settling things but who wants to go first? How about you Tiger?

One of my teachers pointed out that it’s important to note where the Fire Penalty “lands”. This matters because maybe in the early stages of a conflict things are easier to solve. In 2025, I’d say the penalty lands on the Monkey. Now things get more interesting. Many a Monkey could use a solid dose of Fire but that doesn’t mean it will be comfortable. In the Monkey’s forecast I mentioned that communication is key for problem solving this year, but with all the current stirring of emotions this year, I’m not sure the Snake and Monkey can find the space for making peace without a little help.

This is where the Tiger comes in. I want you to consider being an invisible benevolent third party. What would happen if you hide out in plain sight? Any good luck the Tiger has is enhanced this year and the Fire penalty might bring out the Tiger’s most elegant expression if you just don’t interfere in the Monkey and Snake’s business.

Avoid working for advantages that come from someone else’s capitulation. Don’t spread gossip or nurture old grudges. I know that last part might be the hardest but set yourself free of that grief if you can. Remember that not every triangle will be problematic – some triangles will be helpful. Those are the ones you may not notice.

Count on 2025 being an eventful for Tigers. You can have a much smoother year if you choose not to insert yourself into conflicts that are not yours. You don’t have to weigh in on every argument but when you do, don’t be surprised that you could be the subject of gossip. That could happen anyway, but this year is all about you making space for good things. To accomplish that, you might have to let petty b*llsh*t go unpunished.

Let yourself have some space in your life for the good things Tiger. It’s going to be a busy year full of luck and possibilities regardless of whatever else is going on. Let yourself experience the good energy. What if you could start a domino effect of spreading peace simply by not attacking someone you feel wronged you in the past or from a distance? Don’t waste your time Tiger. You’re above that now, right?

In the year of the Wood Snake Tiger may find themselves in places where there’s a lot of power, therefore a lot of unpredictability. This will probably be true both in your personal life, and in your physical environment. Tigers are strong but they may need to work on their flexibility, especially this year. You can experience more of the rewards if you aren’t using up your energy battling the flow of the Universe.

Another reason to mind your own business Tiger, is that you may be at risk of losing money to scammers or other kinds of robbers. As is the case with the Ox, people may see you as a good investment or a source of labor. You know the saying, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure? If you’re a Tiger who is closing a deal in any context, that prevention would be to ask for advice. Especially in the case of signing contracts or other legal matters, get expert advice.

There’s some risk of getting involved with litigation for the Tiger in 2025. As I said before: stay out of it if possible. Be flexible so that you can enjoy the good things and for the sake of your health. This year you might ask a Rat, probably a neutral party who is not related to you, to give their opinion. Ask if you want it. They may not offer it otherwise. The people you are close to may not be the best advisors.

If staying out of the fray makes you feel lonely or isolated, you’re on the right track. That would mean you’ve made space for new pursuits, new interests and new friends. Some Tigers will even find investors or other deliveries of money to help them on their way. If the Tiger is in your day pillar, this financial windfall might relate to marriage or another close relationship.

In other good news, Tigers are now positioned to be invited into the inner circle. The experience of this is something like a promotion. You may be asked to join a group of people you’ve been watching and admiring from afar. If you don’t respect them, joining might mean putting your eggs in the wrong basket, but I really doubt you would make that kind of error. You’re a Tiger, and this year you’re a Tiger who has some higher power watching your back. It’s likely that whatever plagues you can be resolved with your patience and flexibility.

Just in case I haven’t been straightforward enough for you Tiger, I’ll end by saying you have one of the four lucky stars that anyone would want to be blessed by in any year and that is 福徳 Fortune Virtue. The meaning is in the name I think and some people say the luck of Fortune Virtue feels random – meaning they don’t know why they got so lucky. Fortune Virtue does relate to money luck, but also the kind of luck you have built up with your good deeds. Guess what? Sometimes that means getting involved in triangular situations!

Special Note to Tiger: Read the forecast for Snake and Monkey too.

The Ox in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

金 Metal Family Patterns

As I write this, we are coming to the close of the Wood Dragon year of 2024. This will probably come as a relief to the Ox. The relationship of the Ox and Dragon is not the warmest, and with the Dragon present the Ox usually experiences quite a bit of uncertainty as well as some loss. People may disappear from your life. Some of the loss may involve money, maybe in the form of necessary expenditures, but it’s the missing out on relationships that hits the hardest. That was 2024. Now we are entering the Year of the Snake that is 2025.

The sign of Snake is a family sign for the Ox and for the Rooster. Depending on where the signs are in your chart, we might be talking about ancestors, peers, your partner or your children. A well set up combination of all three signs in a Ba Zi can make a tight knit family but any combinations have potential for that.

Maybe in the Dragon year Oxen lost family, either through death or through their own choice to cut someone off. In the Snake year you might have some good luck pulling your group together again, or with starting a new family. If you had to take some distance from life temporarily, it is probably safe to go back now and see what’s left if you want that. Some of last year’s punches did come before and after the bell, and you were probably right to protect yourself with new boundaries. Don’t get stuck there.

If you’re honest with yourself, you might realize you feel very different now than you did in 2024. That usually means it’s time for a rethink. You know it’s better not to let these estrangements go on for too long, but for the Ox time passes almost without them noticing. The Ox will get lost in work and routine because it’s safe. They don’t mean to ghost you but maybe they don’t mind doing it either. Meanwhile, the hurt feelings on either side haven’t been addressed.

When the Ox is very angry, they may feel that withdrawal is the best choice. The Ox is good at storing up experiences, but maybe not at letting things go. A typical Ox problem is that they know they can annihilate predators (including Tiger), and sometimes they want to, but it makes them cry so they try to avoid that kind of energy. Revenge doesn’t make the Ox feel better. As my Mom used to say “What a deal”.

In the Year of the Snake, like the Pig, it may benefit the Ox to learn how to express anger effectively in real time, rather than letting it build up and erode your gravitas. Anger can be a Wood thing too, meaning go ahead and use that bellyful of Metal you carry around to increase the space for things and feelings you want. If you’re feeling bitter, expel it in ways that are safe for you and you’ll create healthier relationships. Consider clearing out “souvenirs” that you’ve kept (hoarded?) – the ones that make you feel sad. Maybe take a break from poking the wound to see if it still hurts?

In 2025, a liaison with power is one possibility for the Ox. You may find you have friends or associates in places that can place your talent in front of bigger audiences. There’s an underlying support for your words and work that doesn’t come around every year. Consider that when planning. It’s mostly going to be your special talents and your network that will help to make the year easier.

Speaking of special talents, yours are popular and in demand this year. Being an Ox means you like to work but if your attachment to that gets in the way of more intimate relationships, you might want to balance that out. Or – you might not! Sometimes the Ox is perfectly happy to keep working, preferably in a quiet place where they will not be interrupted. Employers love the Ox’s work ethic, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they care about you. You might have to look for that somewhere else. Try to remember this when you feel lonely.

Wood energy will be seeking out the Ox in 2025. That might mean a new boss or a new partner is imminent. Remember there are two kinds of Wood: yin and yang. You may sort out which is which by how it feels to you, and most of us have a preference about these things. Yang Wood offers a special relationship that reinforces the yin Earth of the Ox. Yin wood might have intentions of taking over yin Earth. I try not to characterize these elemental relationships as either good or bad. As I said, we all have preferences. Don’t be afraid to share your richness and explore yours.

In 2025 the Ox may be seen as a good investment, or someone to be trusted with important resources. Before you sign up for either of those roles, be sure you’re clear about the agreement and that it’s what you want. You are probably in a position to make some demands as long as they are not outrageous. Your ability to produce will support what you asked for. There’s a benefit to this situation as long as you figure out how to maintain your integrity. The only danger would be if you didn’t.

Oxen may be prone to being misunderstood in the Year of the Snake because they tend to stick to the same answers and explanations they gave that were not understood in the past. Do you sometimes feel that no matter how clear you try to be, multiple people misunderstand you? You know what they say…the common denominator might be you. When people don’t understand your answer, reframe or edit. If there are phrases you reuse in place of saying what you really mean, strike them and be more explicit. It hurts to be misunderstood, especially by people who have been in your life for some time. Get over it by doing better with your communication. Don’t be afraid to show some emotions. The Year of the Wood Snake may also have some lessons to offer about that.

What happens when the always sensitive Ox becomes less able to hide their feelings? I think you’re about to find out. Oxen may find themselves shedding tears more than their usual in 2025. If that’s true, let them flow. If you think it’s more appropriate for Ox women, as opposed to Ox men, to cry, I want to say I don’t. For some Oxen, this might be hormone related, but really what isn’t?

I think crying is an equal opportunity employment when it comes to gender. In public life we may find negative consequences for emotional expression. In private life, with practice, you may find it’s the opposite. In private life you can get positive consequences for emotional expression if you’re looking for that. Soften your natural tendency to turn Water to Earth.

Regarding health, Oxen may be accident prone this year, especially the athletic ones. Take note 1985 Wood Ox Cristiano Ronaldo and former decathlete 1949 Earth Ox Caitlyn Jenner: this is due to the energy of the year. Kylie Jenner, the daughter of Caitlyn and Kris Jenner*, was also born in an Ox year – 1997 Fire Ox. Kylie, being a former high school cheerleader is both sporty and sports adjacent. It’s not uncommon to see this kind of generational pattern in a family.

Whether you are sporty or not Ox, be careful with knives, needles, pins, or anything metal that might cut. Your words are Metal too, so take care with them in your experiments with communication. Avoid risky environments and high risk physical activities. Let someone else prune the big tree or chop wood for the fireplace. Find a sous chef.

I recommend you set up your plans in 2025 to stay put, because most of all it’s travel that might exacerbate your risk of injury or illness. Avoid it if possible. If you must travel, try to pick months and days that will make it smoother. Trust that your instincts will protect you if you honor them. Know what you know. Know sometimes you have to tough it out but not always.

As I always say Ox, the biggest challenges for anyone in any year have to do with what is going on inside your head. It seems important to tell you this:

Don’t count yourself lucky because others have it worse.
Count yourself lucky for your blessings instead.

Tally up the people and whatever else you love about life regularly. Every year offers good and bad. Financially speaking, things are about to get back on track and it’s true you’ve got a lot of work to do in 2025, just how you like it.

*Kris Jenner was born in a 1955 which was a Wood Sheep year. Note that Sheep and Ox clash.

The Rat in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Polarity Matters

The 子 Rat is one of the four so called Peach Blossoms you might find in a Ba Zi. The other three are 卯 Rabbit, 午 Horse and 酉 Rooster. The main element of the Rat is yang Water, for the Rabbit it’s yin Wood, for the Horse it’s yang Fire and for the Rooster it’s yin Metal. Except for the Horse who has Earth hiding in the middle of all their Fire, these Peach Blossom branches are purely one element. People seem to be attracted to the intensity of a single element more than a mix of them. Maybe the purity is intoxicating?

Each one of the Peach Blossoms can be polarizing. They tend to focus energy. If you have a Rat in your day or year pillar, it’s the Rooster that is your Peach Blossom star. It should be an interesting year for Rats, particularly 1972 Water Rats like Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Obviously, with a name like Peach Blossom, it invokes the properties of a peach blossom in real life. Peach blossoms are sexy, meaning that we are attracted to pretty things that smell good and turn into a sweet treat. When someone smells right to you, well then it’s game on isn’t it? And if they don’t smell right to you, it’s game over. Even if your sense of smell is not that keen, ask yourself if this is true and I think you will find it is.

What I find sort of mysterious about the Peach Blossom branches is that even though they are Earthly Branches, they seem to attract and interact with energy from every level of existence. I was once taught that all the things we are attracted to in life are the same things that attract spirits and ghosts. Why else would anyone place flowers on a grave or incense, food and cigarettes on an altar?

When you see one of these Peach Blossom signs in a natal chart, it usually focuses the elemental dynamics. That is often a helpful thing.* When you see two or three Peach Blossoms in a natal chart, you might notice that the energy flow is variable, meaning the person might have trouble with finding a current and traveling with it for some time. Their career may be broken up into phases. They may find it difficult to stick with their long term goals.

If a person has all four Peach Blossoms in their natal chart, meaning all four pillars are Peach Blossoms, well – that’s a very different story.

The advantages of these Peach Blossom stars is that they generate charm and charisma, attracting others’ attention to you. A potential disadvantage of having the Peach Blossom star is becoming over attached to your preferred brand of focus. I think that might be a foundation of addiction, because addiction sometimes accompanies a Rat, Rabbit, Horse or Rooster in a Ba Zi. A Peach Blossom often can signal addiction and if you think the only possibilities are gambling, drugs, alcohol, sex or food your imagination might be too limited to be a diviner!

Only two of the Peach Blossom stars have what is called the self clash: Horse and Rooster. I think there may be a self clash for Rabbit and Rat too even that’s not in compliance with the rules of Ba Zi. Maybe I will write about that another time.

What does the Wood Snake year have in store for the Rat? Some pretty good stuff. That’s the thing about being a Rat, even when you’re riding the wheel down, luck is never far away. Maybe that’s because the Rat is everywhere and travels everywhere. They see more opportunities.

I started off talking about 桃花 Peach Blossoms, because the Rat is the deep striking Peach Blossom for the Wood Snake year. Some Rats may have already noticed that regardless of how much effort they are putting into their work they are getting attention. For Rats who want to take that a step further, do put in the effort. Attention and popularity are great for the dopamine for sure, but these days attention is also money. There’s less money in circulation so you may want to strategize about what’s next, making hay now while the sun shines.

When you’re prone to getting attention on a regular basis, the attention can be beneficial or not. Too much attention can also lead to some weird situations where people (and spirits or ghosts) become addicted to their idea of you. They may want to be attached to you and stay around you more than you are comfortable with. In a different year, your fears about negative repercussions of your popularity might be more pressing. In the year of the Wood Snake the Rat can be assured that if you find yourself in any kind of harrowing situation, you will likely be okay.

Rats are charmers, but be careful not to overstep when it comes to how charming you think you are. You have good luck this year but you may still get indications from others that you are too much. This is a timing issue right? I mean, you haven’t changed that much. Keep working on other projects that will be satisfying when content creation isn’t paying enough to be satisfying any more. If you don’t have a savings account, open one now if you can.

Each year there are four 神煞 Shen Sha that everyone would like to have in their natal chart: Sun, Moon, Fortune Virtue and Dragon Virtue. This year the 龍徳 Dragon Virtue belongs to the Rat – good news! Right when Rats could really use a solid opportunity to change their reputation here it is. Maybe over the last five years you’ve taken advantage of having a finger in every pie? Maybe you’ve been too discouraging to people who wanted your support – due to the way you provided it? Have you stunted anyone’s growth without meaning to?

All of these are potential, not necessarily actual mistakes for a Rat, they can do plenty of good too. A Rat can learn. If there’s anything you want to change about the way people think about you Rat, I know in 2025 you will figure out a way to do it. Don’t be afraid to take a radical approach, and pre-clash yourself by making reparations where they are due. The Fire Horse of 2026 will be here before you know it.

See what I mean about Rat luck? The Universe is ready to assist your reputation makeover now. In 2026 it will be the Rat’s turn to be clashed but 2025 is where they can make a pre-emptive strike on mitigating it. Clash is meant to bring change, of course the Rat gets a head start. This is what it’s like to be number one. Value your privileges!

As if this is not enough good luck, there’s more. Push the envelope with any changes you want to make because in this Wood Snake year Rats will find that what is wrong can and probably will be made right. Again, you don’t have to put in too much effort, however, more might mean a bigger reaping. You might choose to involve yourself in projects that need to be restarted or restructured – get them back on track. Anywhere you see bad luck your presence might change that if you see what is needed and turn an eye to practical and mundane matters.

While there will be some money challenges for the Rat in 2026, in 2025 that is not the case. It’s likely you’ll be doing well financially. Invest in worthy causes this year, and your investments will grow. I’m not just talking about stocks and such, I’m mostly talking about people and good works. Whatever is happening to someone else could also happen to you. Look around in your immediate environment. Who needs help? If you needed help, wouldn’t you want someone to notice? It never hurts to rack up some good deeds.

In the Year of the Wood Snake, problems will tend to be offset by the Rat’s good luck and people may perceive you as turning bad things to good. The Fire that you usually want to control is actually favorable for you now. Give it a chance to grow. Just in case you are confused about your luck and power – don’t hurt the things that make you happy.

*Ask J.D. Vance who was born in a Wood Rat year (1984). His Rat brings his success element into focus.

The Pig in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Vardo and Bardo

We all ride the wheel. When you get to the top, you ride down. When you are at the bottom, the next thing that happens is going up. Pigs who can remember these ideas may find the year easier. The Dalai Lama, born in 1935 (a Wood Pig year) is someone who must know this. He is 89 now and recently preparations have been made to identify his successor. You know what that means, right?

The Pig is in the position of the 歲破 Sui Po or Year Breaker in the Year of the Snake because the Snake and Pig clash. They are opposite each other on the compass. The Snake is in the SE and the Pig is in the NW.

Every clash has some unique traits and this particular clash of Pig and Snake has to do with mobility and obstruction. The nuance is that the conflict is mostly expressed regarding communication and truth. Anyone who has challenges with mobility or obstruction will find that those challenges are related to communication and truth. Mobility can be limited or increased by your success with communication and a healthy relationship with the truth. Maybe this is the lesson for the Pig. If that’s true for Pig, then it’s true for the Snake too. How not?

A clash is a change. For any sign, clashing with the year will be about your relationship with one of the Five Elements and some area of your life. Without clash, nothing changes. As I have said before, we don’t generally choose clash energy because we fear that loss will be part of the change we experience. And I’m here to tell you that’s usually true. Any loss is painful, even the loss of something that isn’t necessarily good for us can be quite difficult.

Sometimes I associate the Pig with orthodoxy, among multitudes of other meanings. At the same time, I know the Pig is one of the best when it comes to shape shifting and adaptation. Elon Musk was born in the Metal Pig year of 1971 and I think he embodies both the orthodoxy and the unorthodoxy of the Pig. Erykah Badu, one of my favorite artists, was born that year too by the way. I’ve been keeping an eye on Justin Trudeau, also a 1971 Metal Pig. I heard he’s been thinking of quitting his job.

Because of certain timings and elemental dynamics, as well as the flexibility, versatility and creativity of the Pig, I sometimes associate this sign with transgender movements and concerns, and I think my interpretation is supported by J.K. Rowling’s birth year of 1965 (Wood Snake). She has no love for the transgender folk.

This juxtaposition of orthodoxy and transgenderism may sound contradictory, but to me it’s yin and yang. The Pig contains both. It’s not uncomfortable for them but others may not understand, and that’s the kind of energy involved in the clash of Snake and Pig.

Pig and Snake find it difficult to agree on fundamentals. Maybe that is why their conflict can be construed or mistaken as religious and include attempts at enforced reformation on either party’s side. The conflict between Pig and Snake might be a Fire vs Water problem, or a Wood vs Metal problem. The Pig can show up as Water or Wood depending on when you catch them. The Snake can change from Fire to Metal. Both Snake and Pig may call each other’s transformations lies. I wonder if one possible outcome of a the Snake being in charge of the year would be Pigs being pressed to hold onto the transformations they have made.

One thing that will be a big assist to Pigs in the first half of the year, is an optimism you may not be accustomed to. Some of this relates to things that happened in November 2024 oddly enough. In November 2024, Pigs are already aware of the challenges of the coming Snake year, and if you think somehow things are going to work out, you’re probably right. You’ve had protection from disasters during the Wood Dragon year, but the warning lights have been on the whole time, haven’t they? Have you already done the maintenance to keep things running smoothly? If not, there’s still time to avert some potential problems of 2025.

A Snake year problem for the Pig might have to do with wealth, including money. If possible, find a way to put yourself in a position where you have the least chance of spending or encountering big expenses. In any clash year, the clashee is the recipient of the Great Consumer energy and in 2025 the clashee is the Pig.

The effect of being in the position of Great Consumer is what it sounds like, meaning money is going to be spent. The strategy for coping with this is usually to choose to spend on something important to you that may not be tangible. Tangible things are easier to lose. You can donate to a cause you support too. Make the donation big enough to “hurt” for maximum mitigation of bad financial luck.

For Pigs who feel haunted or paranoid, and we all do from time to time, you can change that. It may be that most of the work involved would be talking about those feelings and/or writing them down. Being the bountiful Pig that you are, I expect you might turn it into art or some other kind of work that you can share with others, something to help them on their way. If not this year, maybe set 2027 as a goal for releasing that. Pigs are often at their best when they have a project underway.

Job one if you are trying to work with Fire is no matter how strong you are Pig, don’t expect it to just lay down and die. Maybe the toughest challenge is the anger or even rage that the Pig could experience in 2025. Or is it just that there are situations you refuse to tolerate any longer and that energy is looking for an outlet?

When you feel this way, surely it’s time to act but take time to calm yourself and ask for some advice about your plans. A danger for Pigs this year would be hurting themselves through their efforts to thwart something/someone else; that you would be willing to go to that length, blowing yourself up in order to blow up someone else. Don’t succumb to that sacrificial energy that may be linked to the timing of your birth.

This Wood Snake year means Pigs can benefit from travel and movement, so you might find a way to incorporate those things into all of your plans for the year. Travel to check in with family members who may need your help with recovery from illness or preventing illness.

Travel might be a way of making money, saving money, or other getting other benefits however, it may not be easy to see how that would be possible, and maybe not easy to travel. You’re going to have to ask for some things Pig. In some parts of the year, you may find yourself feeling stuck in place but it’s not a still point. Consider loosening attachments to routines. You can improve the quality of the year through movement. The events of the year emphasize the importance of staying in touch with your roots.

One of the Pig’s lucky stars in 2025 says that people are going to trust you and be willing to loan you valuable or important items: tools, money or other helpful things. Leverage this energy by generating trust through your actions – be trustworthy!

I don’t think I have to say this, but I will just in case there is any question: it would be a mistake to try to take unfair advantage of this luck and you wouldn’t want the kind of consequences that might come from doing that. Pigs can manage much of the year’s energy by forthcoming communication and honesty. You don’t have to be perfect, just sincere I guess.

Remember Pig, you have four pillars in your Ba Zi. Your day stem will tell much more about your forecast for the year. If you have any of the four Vaults in your natal chart, that is Ox, Dragon, Sheep or Dog, that could be a big help regarding money. If you book a reading with me I can help you make a practical plan.

In my experience with reading Ba Zi, I have found that when people are clashed or in a bad luck period, it conjures up memories of past hurts and “failures”. In a Ba Zi, clashes penalties and punishments are mostly psychological, which is not to say they are not real. If they are psychological, that means you could benefit by taking a different perspective or position. Those unpleasant memories are usually made up of your own unfinished business. If that’s true for you, finish!

The Dog in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Trained Not Restrained

Dogs have made it through the shakeup of another Dragon year. You made it through the clash of 2024 and perhaps now, you’re feeling a little loose and uncertain. Your life has been rearranged. Nobody likes feeling that way, but after a year of learning, and maybe unlearning, you’re in the right place to start again. If your old training is no longer applicable to who you want to be, drop it. Are you persisting just because you can?

Of all the 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac, maybe the Dog is the toughest. The Dragon may win more arguments, but the Dog is tougher. Things that would kill most people seem to roll off the Dog’s back and somehow, they maintain a kind of weirdly grim optimism. Dogs may be worn down from the year of the Dragon, and being less stable might be very thing that is your ticket to ride the wheel up. What I mean is, Dogs may find it hard to change or learn without some adversity. Sometimes their loyalty and dependability might keep them stuck in place.

It takes a long time to change a mountain. That’s yang Earth. Both the Dragon and the Dog have 戊 yang Earth as their main element. They are the only two signs included in the Fiu Gong gang of pillars. These pillars that Master Lily Chung calls Bossy Pillars are Metal Dog, Metal Dragon, Earth Dog, Earth Dragon, Water Dog and Water Dragon. I will go with her translation!

If you have one of these pillars, you have the capacity to go through intense physical and mental challenges and still be able to function. Hunter Biden was born in a Metal Dog year (1970). Mike Tyson’s birth time is unknown, but if I had to guess his hour pillar, I might guess that it’s Metal Dragon because there is no other Fiu Gong in his Ba Zi. You’re getting the picture now, right?

In his hour pillar, Elon Musk has the Earth Dragon. Remember, in addition to being a Fiu Gong, the Dragon is a self clash sign too. In a Dragon year, a person with the Dragon in their hour pillar could be having some thoughts about how they can decide what risks are okay because they know better than everyone else.

You might be interested to know that the Wood Dragon (Kamala Harris) is not one of the Fiu Gong group, neither is the Wood Dog. Can you think why that might be? Compared to the others, the Wood Dog and the Wood Dragon might be slightly flimsy. This is relative, so don’t think they are not formidable in their own right.

Sometimes when I think of Dog and Dragon (okay maybe always), I think of Trump and Putin. Trump is born in the Fire Dog year, Putin is born in the Water Dragon year. I’ll give you one guess to know who is zooming who. If you know your elements this is easy but that’s not required in this case.

When I think of those two, for some reason I remember that scene in Boys from Brazil where the old Nazi hunter and the current old Nazi boss fight each other in a slow grapple. The whole time you’re thinking one of these guys has to die, right? Spoiler alert: in the end, it’s the Dobermans who settle everything. I realize this is an extreme example, I mean obviously most Dragon and Dog people aren’t Nazis, however, the clash of Dragon and Dog might be portrayed as a battle of good against evil due to the magnitude of the conflict. Neither sign is purely good or evil.

Like the Sheep, the Dog has the power to tame negative influences the Year of the Wood Snake. The key is to respond rather than react, which requires some preparation, however, when most Dogs hear this, their ears prick up with excitement because Dogs are strong defenders. Dogs want a job. They want to know the mission and execute, but like everyone else, Dogs can be trained to ignore certain pertinent facts.

For Dogs and all of us, the antidote for our bad training is to understand when you are supporting or defending the wrong people. You may have been learning from them, maybe being trained by them. When Dogs and Dragons support and protect the people with the most influence in our current times (i.e. super rich dudes), you might end up with a bad guy in charge of a whole country. Go figure. Not all Dogs or Dragons are rich, but these signs are often associated with wealth.

The Year of the Wood Snake means the Dog’s financial situation is improving. Being in the position of Great Consumer in 2024, many Dogs ended up having less money coming in than they did going out. Dogs are in the position of Lesser Consumer in 2025. The spending isn’t over but for most Dogs it will be less. In 2025 Dogs will likely be able to begin storing up money again.

Maybe the most challenging part of the Snake year is that there’s an uncomfortable detaching or letting go in store for Dogs. With the Dog being so loyal, I know even the suggestion of that will create some worry, but in life things we would not choose do happen. Sometimes they happen for reasons that don’t make sense to us. All of this is to say, cherish your people.

If there are elders in your life that you’ve been meaning to visit, do that. Male ancestors may especially need your brand of protective support. Don’t miss the opportunity to spend time with anyone you love. Let these times be a reminder of the urgency of connecting with your roots. This is what the Snake brings for you.

In 2025, it may be time to let formerly tight relationships loosen, or to let go of certain ones altogether. While this might feel like a tragedy, consider that maybe you’re attached to something that is already over. I know this doesn’t make it easier, but for Dogs with health issues, this may be key to your recovery. If you’re trying to avoid an ending by way of beginning, that is by bargaining, or trying to renovate a relationship, it’s hard to say whether it will work, because that takes two. It could be time for something new.

One of the best ways for the Dog to improve their fortune in the year of the Wood Snake is to venture out of familiar territory. That might mean travel, including to foreign countries, or moving away from your current location. If you’re finding yourself moving around more and you don’t like it, look for what you might get out of it. The Universe is offering you something that’s going to advance whatever you’re working on. If travel and moving sound like too much, find other ways to get out of your comfort zone. Expose yourself to some new experiences and people. I know you can do that.

Some Dogs will find love and/or marriage type relationships in the Year of the Snake, which is kind of convenient if they want to pick a good marriage year – that could be 2026. Given the current state of the world, you might choose not to wait that long if being married fulfills urgent practical needs. If you can wait until then, why not? If you are in love, be in love! Be together and celebrate your love with friends and family too. If love changes your outlook, let it be so. Don’t try to be certain all the time about the outcome – that’s just the Metal in you. Can you make your trust as strong as your devotion?

New relationships will tend to bring fresh perspectives for the Dog in 2025, so you might listen to the helpful advice that accompanies them. That doesn’t mean you have to enact it, but in the Year of the Snake, I recommend you try to find ways to do new tricks. There are so many opportunities available to make yourself over if you want that.

In the year of the Snake, Dogs may find a mentor or at the least someone who is a fellow traveler in your lane and wants to help you. They will probably be further along in their path than you are which will be a persuasive argument as to why you would follow their advice – not blindly of course. You wouldn’t want to substitute bad training for habits you already have and want to change. Don’t forget where we started with this forecast: Dogs may still have to go against their original training to get back to their true nature.

Close your eyes, sniff the wind and trust.

The Rooster in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Power Tools

I am curious to see what Roosters have to say this year when I meet up with them for their annual readings. Roosters know I listen, and that I can and will keep their secrets, which makes me a person they feel comfortable sharing with. Roosters don’t trust just anyone so it’s kind of a big deal.

When a Rooster trusts you they usually offer lots of details about their experiences which always reminds me that Roosters do better with people in their lives who are really listening to them. Roosters naturally want to talk. You don’t necessarily have to say anything back, Roosters are usually not looking for solutions. They are usually trying to work something out for themselves and it helps if you listen. They need to get the Water out of their heads or they get anxious.

A feature of the self clash of the Rooster is that they don’t want to keep trying to get your attention but it makes them anxious when they feel like others are refusing to hear them, so they keep trying. If you love a Rooster, help them get their daily dose of being heard. If you think they talk too much, guess what? The more you listen, it might be the less they have to say!

Power is waiting for the Rooster to claim it in 2025. Roosters who stretch themselves a bit this year can reap bigger rewards due to the presence of the Snake. Roosters are going to be passing tests and finding new career paths are open. Big achievements are possible. A Wood Snake brings money and recognition too. In 2025 you still have connections to authority due to your affiliation with the Snake. Oxen will get some benefit from this too. The Snake, Rooster and Ox make up the Metal Trio. Metal is finally in a growth stage again starting in 2025.

Many Roosters, like Beyoncé for example, got what they wanted in 2024, but that’s not every Rooster’s story. The past caught up with Roosters in 2024, one was her husband Jay Z. His troubles are partly due to another Rooster’s self clash regarding words. If you’re committing crimes and you’re compelled to talk about it… that’s a Rooster problem in a Dragon year.

Sometimes the signs of Dragon and Dog together mean imprisonment and I think that’s what we saw with Sean Combs, a Rooster gone wrong. Like Jay Z, Sean was born in 1969, an Earth Rooster year. His Ba Zi also holds the potential for the Bullying Punishment, and he exerted control over his victims by way of threats (words) of exposing them to further humiliation and career devastation.

In 2024 Sean Combs’ year pillar combined from top to bottom with the Wood Dragon pillar, ultimately bringing his usual life to a halt. As it happens, Sean Combs was born in the month of the Wood Dog, meaning he was both combined and clashed in the Dragon year. The energy leading to his imprisonment started in late 2023, Water Rabbit year, with the tension increasing until he was finally arrested and imprisoned in a Rooster month, September 2024.

For Roosters who did get what they wanted in 2024, did it come at a higher price than you expected? I mean that literally. After being the Great Consumer of 2023, the Rooster was in the position of Lesser Consumer in 2024. Rabbit and Dragon years usually mean money going out for the Rooster so hopefully you were able to make some good investments. You may find it possible to balance your income and spending more easily in 2025.

The Year of the Wood Snake may provide more financial stability and Roosters are still riding the wheel up, but the Rooster’s tendency to worry could get in the way of enjoying the ride. Maybe this is why Roosters may have more money coming in in 2025, but you may also be tempted to take unnecessary risk for a bigger reward. It seems that could backfire this year, even though in 2025 Roosters are once again in a favored position.

Roosters are not clashed by the year or singled out for penalties, rather the year is defined by relationships. There can be advantages in that if you can fit into some kind of group, which is usually not the Rooster’s strong suit. Still, in a Snake year, the Rooster will find new ways of being, creating or perhaps even expanding their own tribe.

Great successes are possible if you are ready to test yourself a little and I think you can handle that. Roosters are usually stronger than they think, stronger than others think too. Take on just a little more than you think you can handle and see how it goes. If it goes well, push a little more. You have a lot of growth potential this year.

What Roosters may want to avoid in 2025 is using their power or leverage to get involved with litigation. Rules are often what a Rooster lives by and when they are broken the Rooster will let you know. Roosters are a good check and balance for the unruliness and expansion of the Wood element, however, taking that too far would be a common Rooster mistake – made out of revenge fantasies perhaps. You’d be better off setting examples of good behavior than trying to regulate too much.

I understand that sometimes the Rooster cuts people off to avoid their own potential violence. I didn’t used to believe this, but ending relationships due to moral injuries makes sense to me now. Taking that energy into the court system usually does not. Why increase the magnitude of the problem or extend it into the future? It’s not a given that you will win. Give yourself time to lose interest in vengeance. Your body will be forever grateful.

In the Year of the Snake, both Rooster and Horse have the power to make introductions between mutually hostile groups, which is probably best done as a hit and run kind of exercise. What I mean is, expect a little drama to come with that but you might choose to do it as a good deed. In terms of their own relationships, Roosters may long for and rediscover connections to the past and old friends in 2025. Whether or not you believe it Rooster, you do have impact on people. They tend to remember you.

In the first half of the year, there will be someone nearby that can help Roosters with health and health care. They may be working with herbs or some other non-western medicine. Find out if they have the knowledge and experience to help you, rather than taking their claims at face value. If you want to change your health, remember that is a process best supported by consistent routines and some of them are not fun. Go back to your logic for support on that.

It might be that the year doesn’t really take off for the Rooster until the beginning of summer. Until we get to May, work on those things that will support your energy so you have plenty to spend. Use up the Wood season (February-April) wisely.

As is true for the Monkey, clear communication is what will make the best year for the Rooster. Prevention is easier than cure, so guard your reputation with transparency. That will mean that if accusations should fly, they are easily extinguished. Leave no way for your honesty to be questioned if you want to mitigate the influence of the petty people who might show up in 2025.

Now let’s get to the best stuff!

In the Year of the Wood Snake the Rooster’s authority and potential for being included in governing bodies is higher than usual. If you want to be a leader, the year is supportive of that. To take advantage, you might have to leave behind your disdain of groups and work with those who are willing to show up consistently. You don’t have to like them for them (or you) to be a good teammate. If you get to know them, you may like them better.

This new year will give Roosters a chance to increase their social status through leadership. Work within the group you want to impress. Take care with being diverted onto detours out of annoyance or feeling attacked. Being “fake” is not required for you to be accepted, so don’t back out of opportunities for that reason. The energy that opens this leadership door for you doesn’t come around like this every year, but it’s here in this year of the Wood Snake. Maybe you would like a taste? It’s safe. You can always change your mind.

Overall, the Rooster’s good luck in 2025 will override the bad. When problems pop up they will end up being less difficult than you anticipate, that is, if you let them. In the Year of the Wood Snake, Roosters have the ability to turn bad to good. That applies to all aspects of your life. Doesn’t that sound like a good deal? You’ll have the best results if you give yourself time to think before you act but do act. Stay focused on your communication.

The Monkey in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Make Love, Not War

For the Monkey, all relationships involve Water. This could be a saving grace for Monkeys who experience the Fire penalty in 2025. Only a thorough analysis of your Ba Zi will tell you what the heck this might mean. What I can say without a full analysis is that because the Dragon is followed by the Snake in the Cycle of 60, Monkeys are potentially still in a Water cycle in 2025.

I think the Monkey both loves Water and fears it. The challenge for all Monkeys is to learn to surf, maybe not literally, but metaphorically. Emotions are the ocean, you ride them to get to a new place. Try to avoid the waves and they will knock you around. Ignore your emotions and you might flounder.

To share how the Fire penalty might play out in real life, maybe you remember the Water Tiger year of 2022 when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock? Obviously that wasn’t a good year for Will, being clashed and experiencing the Fire Penalty too. Will Smith was born in 1968, an Earth Monkey year. Chris Rock, the slapee, was born in a Wood Snake year. So all three of the “players”, Tiger, Snake and Monkey, were there at that moment, but one player was unknown. In addition to Chris Rock making a joke that Will Smith thought was wrong, maybe Will was already raw due to the presence of a third party in his marriage.

In 2025, Jada Pinkett-Smith, born in a Metal Pig year, will be clashed. Is Will going to come to her rescue once again? I guess we will see.

When the Monkey is with their friends and associates, meaning the Dragon or Rat, Water, or wisdom, is being produced. Think about this for a moment. How do we gain wisdom? Often, we come to wisdom due to hardship pushing us to look for meaning. What I see is there is usually work involved. To learn is not a comfortable choice.

In the year of the Wood Snake I encourage you to pursue learning anyway Monkey. Pursue the changes you want, knowing that things are going to change regardless. The friends you choose, or no longer choose are a big theme for you this year. The flavor of your Water is dependent on the flavor of people you run with. If you don’t like the taste, make new friends. If you feel like no one understands you, become more articulate.

In more intimate relationships, the pairing of Snake and Monkey can produce Water too. This relationship has two distinct names in a Ba Zi: Secret Friends and Six Destructions. As it sounds, the relationship of Monkey and Snake goes deep and perhaps that’s what makes it feel threatening: the vulnerability that comes with intimacy. 2025 is the year to learn how you might want to change your rules about that – or not.

One possible outcome of the Fire Penalty is that both Snakes and Monkeys may be prone to breakups this year. Fire Monkey Jerry Hall learned this when she experienced the clash of Tiger along with the Fire penalty in 2022, but I don’t think that breakups are inevitable. Communication is the way to keep everyone safe regardless of outcome. Honesty will go a long way in any relationship when it comes to avoiding feelings of betrayal. Be kind too.

I know I’m kind of hammering away on this, but I want to say again that every relationship for Monkeys depends on Water, obviously suggesting that communication is always a live issue for the Monkey. The extreme yin and yang of this would be not talking enough or talking too much; nondisclosure vs info dumping. The challenge is to stay somewhere in the middle.

I’ve mentioned some general meanings of Water…what is Water to the Monkey?

With Monkey having 庚 yang Metal as their main element, Water is what they produce: words, actions, offspring, any creations. Water is a healthy outlet as well as a potential source of fear. This is true for the Rooster too. Since the Water element is very much related to words and emotions, when there is an excess of Water it can be overwhelming for the Metal.

When there is too much Water a Monkey could get lost or drained. A Monkey can be overwhelmingly productive and overwhelmingly emotional, anxious, ill, or depressed all due to the same element. All of these things can happen at the same time. When it does, it’s kind of dramatic. It’s hard to decide what to do to change things.

The Year of the Wood Snake will ask you to make some choices and make relationships a high priority. Healthy and supportive relationships will make the second half of the year smoother. You may have the opportunity to form an alliance with someone in a position to help you with your career in the first half of the year, possibly a mentor or advisor.

Getting more money in this Year of the Wood Snake might seem like the way to fix everything. I think many of us will feel that way in 2025, and I’m not saying you’re wrong, however you (and others) may feel driven to go further than you would normally to make that happen. Be assertive about pursuing wealth but avoid being too aggressive. That usually doesn’t work and I don’t think it’s your style. Don’t let fear drive you.

While it’s true that the Fire Penalty falls on the Monkey this year, know that you are not singled out, there’s enough Fire to go around to affect the Tiger too. Without knowing the role of Fire in your Ba Zi, there’s not much more to say about that except Monkeys may be stressed and/or distracted, so take care with driving and other travel. You could be more accident prone in 2025. If you can commute less, that will be a bonus.

The Fire Penalty may also make it prudent for Monkeys, Tigers and Snakes to watch for situations where, unbeknownst to you, a third party is involved. If this happens, don’t rush to judgement, but do make firm decisions and stick with them. This is the way. If you think the Fire Penalty might apply to a love relationship in your life, you could change the game by improving your communication with your partner now. The same could be said about the Monkey’s family relationships.

The coming energy of the Wood Snake suggests Monkeys might choose loneliness instead of participating in all these absurdities of life. Withdrawal probably won’t change anything other than whether or not you have company. I think Monkeys were lonely in 2024 despite the Dragon’s presence. The Dragon isn’t always the best supporter of the Monkey even though you would think they would be. This could be due partly to the remoteness of the Dragon, and excessive Water again.

In 2025 there’s also good news for Monkeys – of course! You are a Nobleman this year so improve your flexibility. Limber up. Find ways to do your good deeds without overstretching yourself. Remember this advice if financial or other circumstances are making you feel like you are flying by the seat of your pants. Venturing into further risk is not a good solution for your situation. Minimize potential losses. It’s okay not to give out loans.

I’ll say again – much if not all of the potential bad luck a Monkey might have in 2025 can be neutralized by clear communication. Avoid clouding it with sarcasm or too much humor. Make it constant, you will need to do it more than once. Make sure you are understood.

And finally, here’s the best news about 2025 for Monkeys. You are under the influence of the 太陰 Tai Yin or Moon, and the Moon can help you get your life organized, re-organized or even help you to set up a new business. The yin energy of the Moon will help Monkeys get things done that are very useful and practical, but maybe not things you would think of as fun or social media worthy. You might be doing things like filling out an applications, possibly for a business license or opening a bank account. You might not have things to show off yet but you will.

The Sheep go went through this very process last year, step by step. They can tell you there will be lots of things to do that are tedious, and yet they are very important. Remind yourself of this when you might tire of working with so many details. Get help with that if you need it.

When you have the Moon on your side and you’re feeling it, it’s time to break away from the establishment, man. Set up something of your own. Of course, when to do that is your decision. If you want to know how soon you could make money, how a potential new business fits you elementally, or when to open we could address those questions in a reading.

Note to Monkeys: For further revelations, read the 2025 Fortune for the Snake and Tiger too.

The Sheep in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

The Caretaker

What the Sheep has going for them in 2025 is much like any other year – the Sheep creates a hospitable beauty out of whatever is available. Having a party but you can’t afford any flowers? Just get creative. The Sheep will go and gather wild flowers from the neighborhood and before you know it you’ve got a bouquet on the table. The Sheep seems to always have a talent for making less look and feel like more because of their ideas about hospitality and beauty. Sheep are often counselors in their work and caring is a big part of what they do.

The main element of the Sheep is yin Earth, fertile and capable of producing 10,000 things. The Sheep month comes at the end of summer, a time of ripening that comes before autumn’s harvest. This is when Earth becomes strong enough to give birth. In the year of the Wood Snake, the Sheep’s already creative nature is about to be enhanced.

Sheep, you might have realized by now that I am conjuring these images because I want you to remember what you are good at. The special talents that you have are what will carry you through 2025.

For Sheep involved with the arts in any way, lean into that this year. If you’re not involved with the arts, get involved! By arts I mean those of all kinds: writing, gardening, sewing, cooking, knitting, crochet, painting, sculpting…the list goes on. Spend time around art or visit museums and craft fairs at the very least. Arts and crafts time isn’t only for children or those who are raising them. Creativity might be your cure for 2025. Incorporate art into your work wherever you can.

To make 2025 more satisfying, you could also lean into this metaphor and apply it to your work which is making people feel warm and welcomed with the so called “little things”. Little things are what life is made of; expressions of affection and joy. The Sheep is meant to call others to join the parade of life, not lead a death march. Realistic optimism is welcome! It’s time to move on from grimness. This advice may be specific to 1955 Wood Sheep Kris Jenner, Kelsey Grammer and Bill Gates.

Being alone is never a happy place for a Sheep, and I mention this because in 2025 you might feel that way. Is it that your work (family?) gets in the way of other relationships that you enjoy more? Remember that you are not alone, you do have a choice about these things, and you can’t be everything for anyone all the time. You are allowed to have needs too. The way to work with this unsettling energy of the Wood Snake year is to be a part of a support network. You may need the support, or you may be called to support others depending on your Ba Zi. Either way, there’s strength in numbers. Don’t neglect your kinships. Not all of them depend on blood.

I know some Sheep who took my 2024 recommendation to work with Snake energy last year and I have to say, they had some good results, especially with job hunting. If you started cultivating your relationship in 2024 with a person you want to be your new boss in 2025, I think you might reap rewards from that. People who began working with AI last year may also find that helpful for finding employment in 2025. I’m not a huge fan of AI – I’m just calling it like I see it.

The Wood Snake year is going to be challenging for the Sheep. The same yin Wood that is on the top of the year pillar has the potential to crack the Sheep open so to speak. When it comes to your own power and agency, you may need to guard against self harm, conscious or unconscious. Before you get too worried, remember that all of these outcomes are potential, which means they are susceptible to being changed by your choices. What did you learn or not learn in 2015? If this is a similar opportunity for you to learn how and when to say no, take it. That will make it easier for all the next times. These patterns keep repeating you know. I know you know how to say no.

The process that Sheep are beginning in 2025 has a completion in 2027. You may not understand 2025 that way until you’re looking back from the perspective of 2028. Since I’m talking to you Sheep, I want to emphasize that I’m not saying this is the beginning of a hell ride. I’m saying this year is the start of many major changes in your life.

It might help to remember that we all have a destiny and what happens is what was meant to be all along. Connect and reconnect to people and places that are important to you. Do the small things. Remind people that you love them. In short, do what you always do – intentionally. If this sounds negative to you, I hope you know that of course life is always a mix of what we want and what we don’t want. It’s our preferences that shape our perspective, therefore if you can let go of them or be more flexible, you will find an easier path. This is how we can work with timing.

For Sheep who are feeling distracted, forgetful or foggy in 2025, you’re in good company. Let’s remove the stigma from that and get practical. Many of us now have different abilities than we had prior to 2020, but we can also take measures ahead of time to help ourselves find misplaced or lost items. You might put an airtag in your wallet or purse, or note where you parked before you leave your car. Establish a place where you keep important items and try to always return them there. Label things. Set reminders for yourself. No solution is one hundred percent effective but try to find one that works most of the time for you if brain fog is a problem.

For those who were born in a Sheep year, it may be one of your elders who needs help with memory and guarding valuables. Make a point to check in with older generations of family and help to support their well being. Visit them when they need help, but also when there is no emergency so that you can simply enjoy each other. Be careful of your health and theirs – avoid opportunistic infections and take precautions.

Check your environment and theirs for trip hazards or things that might fall from a high place. If there are heavy things hanging over the bed, or the head of the bed you might want to change that. Sleeping with your headboard on a wall under a window is another Feng Shui no no. In the case of someone who is spending lots of time in bed due to illness, they may benefit from putting the bed in a different position. Sometimes you might even consider relocating them to a different bedroom temporarily. If you’d like to know more about that, get in touch. I can help.

To make the year go more smoothly, respond rather than react when you can. Your responses (or lack of reaction?) in 2025 can calm difficult situations. In case of conflict, let the energy be spent, rather than trying to block it or counter it. Let the truth settle things. This will put you in a stronger position and you will be able to bring matters to a more satisfying conclusion. This is one of the best assets you have this year so use it unsparingly!

It’s likely the Sheep will be called to travel this year, and it might feel unavoidable. If you don’t want to travel, there are ways to dissipate that energy. In this year especially, I want Sheep to remember that so much of our luck can be changed by our focus.

As for money and investments, the Sheep will do well to avoid financial risks this year. Again, this may apply to other people in your family as well as you. You probably already know who might need your loving supervision with organizing, paperwork and other mundane yet important things. Helping them will make a big difference in their perception of any possible outcome. It will for you too. Remember that time will change everything. I mean, you’re riding the wheel up. This Year of the Wood Snake is part of the ride.

The Horse in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Hephaestus for the Rest of Us

Put your head up Horse. You may get lost at times, but you don’t stay that way do you? A Horse is good at running away, which is probably how they become good at finding their way home when they want to. If you have disappeared, maybe it’s time for you to come back. Back to what is the question!

I’m going to be blunt: envying the dead isn’t going to get you anywhere, but grieving will. That kind of jealousy may beckon again now, but it’s not yours, it belongs to the year. In 2025 you finally have the strength to transform Metal again.

What would you like to make out of your grief? An anchor? A shield? An axe? A sword? A dagger? Or would you like more beauty? Maybe you just want to be able to breathe clean air deeply again. In nature a horse’s sense of smell is crucial for guidance, survival, and emotional wellness. I think this is true for Horses too. Focus on breathing.

What’s new in the wind? Celebrations are still important. Joy is too. A Horse is Fire and the Horse’s work is to perform a joyous rescue. A Horse’s job is to create Earth, meaning a safe place for you to be. The way the Horse goes about this is often by starting over from the ashes as their way to make it back to peak. Yes, the process can be dramatic.

For example, sometimes the sign of Horse can indicate an athlete. Not always – you have to be able to recognize it. One pattern you may see for professional athletes is that when it’s retirement time they reinvent themselves as entrepreneurs, salespeople and/or recommit to partner and family. For better or worse, they start over with things in a big way. Some professional athletes may not make it through this transition, falling into addiction or living a life troubled by injuries. If you need help with your next iteration, get in touch.

The way of starting over that Horses practice is pretty extreme. Starting at over at zero is hard work, not to mention it is not sustainable in the long term. Young Horses will have seemingly endless capacity to start over. It’s only when they get older they may realize that it’s not a strategy you want to use for every instance. Luckily the Horse is capable of learning and redefining success. Finding ways to get things done and still avoid the limits of your endurance is usually a better plan than burning out and starting over. If you use fights as a way of ending things, this year you have a chance to change that.

Horses like to shine wherever they roam. They like to stand out and often that energy is fun for others to experience. Being embarrassed is a natural part of the Horse’s life because they attempt the jumps where others balk. A Horse that is in hiding or doesn’t want to be seen might be unwell, or they might simply be at a low point.

I know a Horse who, due to physical illness, has been making jokes about being dead since 2020. Horses are very much embodied. Maybe this is why they like to play with unconsciousness. They think it’s their only respite. While Rabbits are health conscious and often do the work when it comes to maintaining health, a Horse’s motives around health are mostly about not dying. You know the expression, it’s not a threat, it’s a promise?

If the current climate of burnout is any indication, we have generations of Horses now who have to decide whether or not they are going to make a comeback, one more time. Horses who come to mind immediately include 1942 Water Horses Joe Biden and Mitch McConnell, 1954 Wood Horses Angela Merkel, Sonia Sotomayor and Carly Fiorina as well as 1966 Fire Horse Kirsten Gillibrand.

In the last five years, Horses have experienced a series of jolts in the form of reality checks and disappointments and death, as have we all. Now is the time for Horses to relearn how to put Fire to work. The same Fire of the Horse that can lead to burnout is the Fire that creates Earth, which includes food and safety. A Horses natural energy creates stability through Earth. It moves fast but it is inconstant. It’s at its best in short bursts.

In contrast to the last five years, Horses have no major opposition in 2025. You’re not clashed, you’re not in the San Sha, you’re not particularly on anyone’s radar. Good news! This gives you an advantage and on the dial plate this year the Horse is in the position of Great Advantage. You’re sitting next to power – that’s what gives you the advantage. Consider making friends with power in a way that will fuel your endeavors.

People probably are not expecting what you’re about to come up with in 2025 because maybe you’ve been unusually quiet or they know you’ve been struggling. You will probably surprise yourself too if you commit to fueling your independence. Being a Horse, sometimes opposition and resource are interchangeable. When you don’t have either, you might be wondering where everyone has gone but now is the time for friendship – the thing Horses are not as good at. Time to learn. There is no underlying let down for the Horse in 2025. Push your luck further by making good choices. This is the way.

In 2025 Horses can stand out in the academic environment more easily. This same energy could be applied to any learning situation. If you’re looking to change jobs or offer new products or services, do your homework. It will pay off. It’s likely you’ll be more persuasive than you’ve been in some time so craft your pitch and be clear.

For the Horse, this year of the Snake is made for falling in love again. Start with your current partner if you have one – see how it goes. Get back to sharing your feelings regularly like you used to. Horses have a special charisma this year that will get you more attention but may distract others from what you want them to notice. Be aware that you may be perceived as flirtatious or as someone looking for relationship drama. Are you? Take care with laughing off serious situations that you may have instigated. That’s not cool.

The Horse is granted the blessing of the 太陽 Sun this year, so shine a light on any problems or disease you find and it’s likely you can make great progress. Play with Fire. Bring things to attention. Enact solutions. Move on to the next project! As a Horse, having the Sun might mean being your true self: wild and gentle at the same time. Learn how to be generous as you like to do, without the self-sacrifice. Change the rules to fit each rescue. If you are lonely, seek true connection instead of passing distractions.

A special power for Horses in the Wood Snake year is the ability to create something seemingly out of smoke. Since you do have resources in 2025, this means you might create something quite special. Decide by February what you want to do with that gift and stick to it. Only indecision can get in your way. For Horses who are also cooks or participate in the culinary world, you might find your star rising; leveling up your skills at the least. If Fire isn’t a favorable element for you, this may not apply.

Your luck is still changing Horse, all in all for the better. Your good luck is good enough to outweigh any challenges in 2025 as long as it’s backed by solid choices. Perhaps don’t expect too much financial gain. There are other more sustainable joys for you this year.

The Snake in 2025 ~ Wood Snake Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Cognitive Dissident

Maybe it’s time to acknowledge that you know things you would prefer not to know and act accordingly.

What’s it like for a Snake in a Snake year? As every good teacher will say to you sooner or later in answer to a question like that: it depends. What they usually mean is have you done your homework? Have you formulated an answer about that for yourself? These are questions I would pose to the Snake this year because ignoring or mishandling your own brilliance is the exact thing that could trip you up in 2025. You have the answer to your own question, should you choose to finally notice that.

The safest thing I can say about what the Snake year will be like for Snake is the Snake is at the top of the wheel, in the position of the Tai Sui or Year Boss. There are benefits to this that come with complications, naturally. For interpreting annual energies of 2025, I associate the Snake with Artificial Intelligence which suggests that it would benefit people with a Snake pillar to take care with how they use their flexibility. The Snake’s shape shifting prowess is their strongest asset and is usually the Snake’s preferred way to take or handle risk.

In a Snake year, the Snake doesn’t suffer from the self-clash as the Pig, Horse, Dragon and Rooster do in their respective years, so no problem there. As the ruler of the year, the Snake does take on special responsibilities and powers. Whether the experience is good or bad is something judged by you, based on your preferences. Other than that, I know most Snakes (and other big bosses) will be asking themselves why being the boss feels so unstable when they thought it would be the opposite. There are at least ten thousand answers to that question, but in terms of Chinese Astrology it’s you Snake! You’re the reason. Just ask 1965 Wood Snake Bashar Al Asssad.

Revolutions begin with the Snake. The Snake is at the beginning of a fresh long-term elemental pattern, a nine-year cycle within/alongside of other cycles if you will. Take notice of new opportunities and paths that will open in 2025. If there’s a Snake in your natal chart, it is trying to start something. You have Four Pillars, therefore even if you were not born in a Snake year, it’s possible that you have a Snake in your Ba Zi. What this means will vary depending on your day master and the makeup of your natal chart. If you want more specifics, book a Ba Zi with me.

Being the Tai Sui, Snakes are meant to have extra gravitas and visibility this year. If you find out that the year is offering much more than you feel ready to handle, you do have a choice. Take on the amount of fame you want. Instead of trying to avoid the truths you don’t want to believe, face them. This is the secret of 2025. You may learn how malleable trouble can be and how much you can influence it. You’ve got one year to work with this energy and if you apply yourself, you’ll be able to do it more easily in the future.

Visibility and perceptions are important to the Snake which means when they become too popular or well known, they may experience a dissonance with their natural affinity for the truth. Fame causes some Snakes to hide away, while other Snakes push themselves further into the spotlight. Either way, the Snake is susceptible to buying into their own brilliant take on everything except their own business.

Snakes are some of the best story tellers and dream weavers. A recent example of this trait involved Nancy Mace. One of the most successful writers of our time, J.K. Rowling was born in 1965, a Wood Snake year. While the Snake deserves their fans, it’s just as important for the Snake to experience being critiqued. A Snake on a pedestal is in a dangerous situation because Snakes are obsessed with truth, and they like to play with the truth too. That will get you knocked off. On the other hand, some of a Snake’s best work comes from what they can do with the truth once they have acknowledged their own. That’s what keeps you off the pedestal.

If you’re looking for the Snake, you’ll find them in the library in the 100-299 section. Snakes know things and they can teach you a thing or two. A Snake will wake things all the way up. When Tiger or Monkey is nearby, the Snake is drawn to gurus, but they are also the antidote to blind (over-enlightened?) obedience. If we think about this in context of the Cycle of 60 Pillars, it suggests that 2025 is a year to begin eradicating a cult like energy. It’s important for all of us to remember that not everything can or should be transcended by way of ideas – most of the time action is required. This might be a mission statement for the Snake.

One way that the Snake takes risks, more so in a Snake or Pig year than in others, is by going against orthodoxy and orthodox systems. Some Snakes will game the system, others will get attention for openly calling out authority. Conflicts of 2025 are likely in a context that feels like (or involves) religion. We will see people accused of being driven by emotion accusing their accusers of lying. Meanwhile, some people are lying and some are immobilized by their emotions. Engaging in this type of energetic exchange makes movement impossible. Why do these disagreements with people you don’t even know feel so personal? Are you feeling someone else’s feelings?

When you’re a Snake, you’re always trying to figure things out and much of the time this might mean feeling or trying to process someone else’s feelings. That will turn you onto the path of a philosopher or alchemist for sure. Snakes benefit from learning to selectively tune in with their empathy instead of blocking everything or letting themselves be without safeguards and overwhelmed. Practice sorting out which feelings are yours Snake. Let all the feelings pass through you and disperse to wherever they are meant to go. You don’t have to know everything.

Sometimes the Snake is associated with anxiety because even with their reams of evidence, they are waiting to find out that the things that hurt the most aren’t true. That’s a trap for anyone, but more so for the Snake with their ideas about relativity and absolutes. A Snake’s withdrawal or avoidance of truth is often an attempt to protect themselves, but sometimes the denial is done to protect someone else’s truth. Each time they do this, the body is harmed. The body remembers. Learning to acknowledge or accept your truth in a holistic way will help you stay healthy. People generally don’t like to hear the truth but you eating yours will wreck you. I promise you it’s better to know than try not to. You will have less anxiety if you let yourself know.

Once you know what you know, don’t stop there. Maybe you need to say your truth out loud or share it outside of your head. Experiment with that. As Snakes grow older many learn to comply with what they feel is a silent demand for obfuscation. Information is the Snake’s currency and at times this means not sharing it. This allows the Snake some plausible deniability, and maybe a feeling of safety, regarding those who aren’t their intimates. Maybe the truths that blind the Snake are the ones closest to home. A Snake mistake would be not acknowledging that.

I’m sure it won’t be a surprise to hear that 2025 will be a year of ups and downs for Snakes. The Snake rules the year so this will be true for all of us, but more magnified for the Snake. I guess the good/bad news is if you don’t like what is happening, you shouldn’t have to wait long for it to change. Buckle up and find your footing, as there will be adversity and challenge. Some triangles may plague you, but others can provide a magical stability if you find the right timing. Look for an “unknown” third party to be an important player in events and themes of the year. Stick with people you have known for awhile if you want more stability.

In this Wood Snake year, the Snake is a Nobleman. People may see you this way – as if it’s obvious. You may be asked to give expert advice. People might think you are a boss wherever you go. You may find yourself being asked to do work in places where you don’t work. You might think you are unqualified, but you are capable. Maybe you will want to help, otherwise don’t commit. Pay attention to your body if you’re not sure.

There’s travel in store for the Snake in 2025 and it may bring benefits. You might travel to assist others. Travel might be family related or otherwise depending on your Ba Zi. You might want to do that in May, along with your associates Ox and Rooster.

Expect those lasting relationships, past relationships, or the ones that feel/felt most connected to be prominent in 2025. If you want a do over with someone important to you, make the effort to re-establish bonds while letting go of illusions and attachments. Commit to people as they are, not in hope that they can be some other experience for you. Respect the messages of your body regarding whether certain commitments are safe for your health. There will be some difficult decisions to make. People may not understand but that’s okay. Let it be.

Maybe the most special gift the Snake receives in 2025 is the ability to resolve conflicts in any area of their life: finances, health or relationships. What might get in your way is fear, or a reluctance to experience and express your own emotions without privacy. Ultimately, it seems your good luck can overcome energies that are against you. But don’t take my word for it. Get out there and make it true.

Special Note for Snakes: Read the forecast for Tiger and Monkey too.

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