Category: Divination

The Rabbit in 2023 ~ Water Rabbit Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Great Hare!

In the year of the Water Rabbit, the Rabbit is the 太歲 Tai Sui or year boss. The Rabbit’s element is Wood, yin Wood that is, a gentle but unceasing movement like the wind can be when it’s friendly. This means you can go wherever you want, Rabbits, wherever you dare. Be clear on facts, priorities, and alliances: yours and others’. You are being asked to take the role of a leader, in a more public way than usual this time. Conflict and competition are out in the open. Perhaps this will make it easier for you to learn about confrontation and how to handle it in a way that works well for you.

Fertility is a form of currency in 2023, and the Rabbit’s attitudes, thoughts, and values about fertility, creativity and procreation will be discussed all year. The Rabbit is often associated with health, alternative medicine, the freedom to be natural, freedom of sexual expression, and sexuality. When I think of the Rabbit, I often think of Anaïs Nin who was born in 1903, a Water Rabbit year.

You know what your values are: home, health, children, animals, security, family, love, inhabiting your body. You can learn to balance all of these things with what you want for yourself. Rabbits have career luck in 2023.

We need your emphasis on the power of meeting basic needs as the first solution for every problem. In 2023, Rabbits feel motivated to set things right, to correct what is unacceptable, and this year they can. Your projects may have to do with reproductive rights and workers’ rights. These issues will hit you on both a public/political level and a very personal level.

Being a Rabbit, it’s you who probably coined the term “soft life”. It may be the Rabbit’s nature to be more passive, and they make it work. The Rabbit prefers a quiet and often domestic life where they spend time on growing and nurturing, relationships, friends and healthy activities. If you live with the Rabbit your basic needs are provided for, seemingly without too much struggle. Maybe that’s what we all want most in 2023 – to live the soft life we think you embody.

This is the myth of the Rabbit’s soft life: that they make no effort. Maybe people have that impression because your work is usually done in private. In 2023, some will be jealous of what they think you have that they don’t or can’t. That might have to do with peace or a safe place to live, fertility or beauty, health and wellness, or sexuality and sex. There may be envy regarding your way of evading rules and regulations. Maybe it’s just that you don’t seek them out. In 2023, you may be told your natural tendencies make you dangerous to others, and there could be some truth in this.

A major challenge for the Rabbit this year is the privacy deprivation. You may be used to dealing with that at home, but in this Water Rabbit year, your life will tend to be more public than you’re used to. Get used to being questioned, invited, and asked. This isn’t inherently negative. You might call more attention to yourself by hiding away, so play that card only as needed. It could be hard to avoid this new experience, a better strategy is to make it what you want.

Rabbits will be asked to learn this year, mostly to change your perspective about yourself. This might involve formal study or training, but more likely it involves learning to exercise your authority. It’s time to learn things that will forever change how you think. Your main mission this year is to get out of your comfort zone in the pursuit of fixing “the situation”. I know you know what I mean. Fixing the situation will call for making many decisions, possibly more than you feel comfortable with, but you can do it!

If Rabbit is in your day pillar, 2023 could raise the question of whose job should take priority, yours or your partner’s. Traditionally we determine this by earning capacity. Are you sticking with that? Get comfortable switching roles or seeking a role that is usually not yours. If it’s your lesson this year to learn to take turns, it might because you keep giving yours up. Take a chance on going for that lofty goal, whatever that means to you. Seek the compensation that is commensurate with your efforts. Timing is on your side.

Rabbits have access to power, money and other high value things in the Water Rabbit year. Even if you’re not driven by that, you might want to take some on behalf of yourself, those you love, or whoever is in need in your network. Your favors will spread and multiply like grass.

If you accept it, your other big role is to provide a place for people to go for advice and/or shelter. Many people are in need of a safe place to stay in 2023 and they may think you have the capacity to connect them with it. Whether or not you agree, they know that keeping your loved ones safe is a Rabbit’s priority. And so, in a Rabbit year, Rabbits (and the rest of us), may find themselves in closer quarters with youngers and elders coming to stay. For managing this kind of assistance work, team up with Pig and Sheep. With so much on your plate, consider that you need help to make the most of the year for yourself. Accept assistance. Make it a family affair.

Much of the action of the year will be generated by you and your peers, that is Rat, Horse and Rooster. I suggest you accept that these charming and annoying people will be more involved in your life in 2023, and look for ways to make that work. You might be very surprised by the changes that could come out of these uneasy and demanding partnerships. Taking on new alliances like these will require a certain amount of fortitude to succeed, so choose carefully.

In 2020, Rabbits were on the receiving end of the Ingratitude Punishment delivered by the Rat. In 2021, Roosters were the main problem for the Rabbit. In 2022, Rabbits were overshadowed. After a cycle like that, in 2023, I suppose Rabbits might be tempted to seek revenge because the Ingratitude Penalty has come around again. This time, Rat is on the receiving end. Relationships (and conflicts) of ancestors and descendants, and of bosses and employees, are emphasized. Where power inequities exist and may have been exploited, healing is needed mainly by way of forgiveness, appreciation and support. If you want these things, it requires your participation.

For intrepid Rabbits who are ready to explore sensitive issues with family or other people who have had authority over you, I want you to keep in mind that in 2023 you’ve got the upper hand. It might not feel that way because you’re used to it not being that way. Consider taking a chance on reaching out first to end the standoff. It’s safe.

I know that health is often on a Rabbit’s mind more than it may be for others and they are often pursuing it. This year that habit will serve you well. I don’t want you to have to experience illness to shape your understanding of it, but that’s a possibility in 2023. It’s likely an old problem returning, but whatever the source, do address it with a knowledgeable health care practitioner. Open up your mind now to the possibility that you are probably not right about everything (who is?!). It’s not in your best interest to completely ignore science however limiting it might be. Not all science is western by the way.

One last thing, you’re not the only Nobleman this year so it’s okay to turn people down. You can’t help everyone. If things get to the point where you need a defender, look to your secret friend the Dog who will gladly be your henchman.

Job Title: Velvet General
Allies: Pig, Rabbit, Sheep, Dog
Best months: March (demanding!), June, July, November, October
Romance: Possible break up in March or June. Irresistible attraction in December. Vet thoroughly. Careful of matchmakers.

Timing for all signs: Whatever you want to accomplish this year will need to be started no later than March. Plan on finishing by July ideally, but no later than the end of August.

Life on Earth

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

I didn’t grow up here in Seattle and that’s probably a good thing. This corner of the country has to do with the Metal element and there’s a ton of Water too. These are elements I already have in abundance so adding more wears on my health. They are also the elements that attract me, and that’s something I’ve learned the hard way. When I was younger, Seattle was the best, most fun place to be ever. The music alone was enough. I still love the environment here. The health part wasn’t as much of an issue when I was younger and feeling immortal.

I’m kind of like the giant Antaeus who was the child of Poseidon and Gaia. He was able to beat all comers until Heracles figured out that if you just kept him off of the Earth long enough he could be defeated. If you keep me away from the dry and heat long enough, I can be defeated too. Feng Shui has taught me that in some years I can’t spend too much time in my north located office. North is Water and cold, but the 4 star is here this month so I’ll risk it. Star 4 is good for academic pursuits and writing.

Like Antaeus, I too have to touch my origin to renew my health. I grew up in Arizona where Fire and dry Earth are strong. Being there makes my body feel good, and I’ve been missing the Sun since I got back to Seattle in early April. These days I go to Arizona more often than I used to, partly to strengthen my health. When my boots hit the desert and I look up at that endless sky, I feel I could go anywhere. I feel free, like I could move in any direction at a moment’s notice. It’s so lonely though that it’s hard for me to stay. That was always the problem of being there.

No elemental situation is perfect, nor is it static. This is why it’s helpful to know yourself and to consider what to do when. We are dynamic systems. The only constant is change, however, there are patterns within change and we can use them to keep up with what is, as well as what we want. Why study destiny if there’s nothing you can do about it? I wouldn’t.

I’m still reading Ba Zi for people and doing all of my usual stuff, but I’m also teaching now, which means going over everything I’ve ever learned. I’m digging up class notes from 20 years ago because it’s time to go back to the basics: yin/yang, Wu Xing, trigrams, baguas. It’s not that I had lost touch with them, this is more like a renewing of vows; a commitment to stick with first principles.

In the context of life on Earth, I’ve been thinking about the difference between the Early Heaven Bagua and the Later Heaven Bagua. The Early Heaven version is a representation of a primordial or ideal order like Eden, while the Later Heaven version is representing how life is after Eden perhaps. The Later Heaven Bagua describes life on Earth. Maybe I will write about that another time.

In a Tiger year, here on Earth we experience the energy of Wood. The primary emotion associated with Wood is anger, but I think that sells Wood short because Wood also relates to kindness and compassion. Wood has to do with being conceived, waking up, becoming conscious, being born. Helpful stuff, but none of it is easy or comfortable. It seems important to note here that anger has a purpose too. Let’s not criminalize it.

Wood energy is most available in the east (see above), in the months of February and March, and on any day between the hours of 3-7 am. Wood qi helps us to get things started, so there’s something to be gained for everyone when Wood is present. If you are committed to accomplishing a big endeavor in a short amount of time, it helps to get up early. If you need more sleep, go to bed earlier.

Elementally speaking, Wood gives us our aspirations and ambitions. It won’t stop moving. Wu Xing deals in verbs and processes, not static absolutes, so when I think of Wood I think of the Spanish expression tener ganas, which means “to have a desire for”. If you have the ganas, it’s a physical feeling. Possession, possessing, possessions, and/or being possessed are implied, and by that I don’t mean that you’ll need an exorcist.

As a result of all this Wood qi, lately it’s seeming like it’s time to find a new…everything. For example, I’m feeling uncertain about working with people I have worked with for years, not in the context of my business, but of theirs. It’s a feeling of waking up to what was always there but is now intolerable. Because change is inconvenient and it will take up my time and energy, I feel torn between sticking with these relationships and finding new people to work with. I know that is petty. I know what to do but I’m still questioning it.

What things should be accepted out of loyalty and humanity? Which ones should be rejected because you know the truth? How long can I put these decisions off?

I think those are the questions that sum up this Wood Snake month. Fire is finally getting strong again and Fire is what will bring out the truth. Fire will express this Wood, this anger, compassion and kindness. We already know that exposing the truth is not enough to change things, but when enough truth has spread, that’s when revolutions start.

And so, lawsuits and legal entanglements are quite likely this month, or as a result of this month’s actions, possibly more so for those who have a Tiger or Monkey in their Ba Zi. Yin Earth and yin Fire daymasters may experience some anger management problems, exacerbating their potential for conflict.

What do you do? Get creative. Turn the Wood into Fire. Take a deep breath and figure out how to direct your anger to create the results you want. Events are about to accelerate.

12 Animal Fortunes for 2022 ~ Water Tiger Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

How To Use The Animal Fortunes

If you already know your Four Pillars click on the animal name or your birth year in the table below to go straight to your Zodiac Animal nature and forecast. If you don’t know your four pillars please ask me. You’ll want to read the fortune for all four of your pillars. The position of each pillar will tell you how the fortune relates to 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 your partner; relationship.

Hour Pillar
The innermost you, your children, future, dreams.

These forecasts don’t take into account the dynamic interaction of the Four Pillars that make up your particular natal chart, your elemental flow or favorable elements. Do you want to learn more about how to use your BaZi for timing and other purposes? Visit my Services page if you’re ready for a reading.

Are you setting up your house for the Year of the Water Tiger? You may also want to read about Your Good Directions in 2022 and 2022 Feng Shui Basics.

Happy New Year!

2021 Animal Fortunes

Tiger 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998
Rabbit 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999
Dragon 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000
Snake 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001
Horse 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002
Sheep 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003
Monkey 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004
Rooster 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005
Dog 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006
Pig 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995
Rat 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996
Ox 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997

The Ox in 2022 ~ Water Tiger Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Postpartum

Oxen have now completed their two year cycle of power. Other signs may spread out their power years but not the Ox. When it’s not an Ox or Rat year, Oxen generally stick to the course that they chose during those two years. Maybe this is why the Ox is always worried that there isn’t enough time to complete all of the things they would like to do.

If you’re an Ox who is not finished with the changes yet, I want you to know they are still possible. You always have a choice. Just because it’s not as easy to change doesn’t mean you can’t. Knowing you, you’ve got something underway but you haven’t shared the news widely. It’s likely a long term project.

The Ox in 2022 has probably taken on a new role in the last couple of years, thinking that it would possibly be a position of power and prestige. For many an Ox, this is exactly what happened. Even so, now the Ox may feel uncertainty about their choice to commit to this particular gig. The Ox is going to be doing a lot of thinking about the commitments they made or didn’t make during the last two years. If your Ox is in the day branch, it could be your significant other is having second thoughts about commitment too. That’s what being in relationship is like isn’t it? You’re not the only one.

Your uncertainty wouldn’t be such a big deal if you didn’t feel like now there is no way to move yourself out of the place you’re in. Remember this is a feeling and not necessarily a reality. The Tiger energy penetrates and pokes you and your problem with commitment may be about that. The dynamic nature of the Tiger makes commitment scary. For the Ox, commitment is demanding and uncomfortable unless it’s routine. This year is asking you to get out of your comfort zone. Make spontaneity and flexibility part of your routine.

If you’re dissatisfied with your current situation, it’s likely because you have come to the conclusion that it is not as advertised. Maybe it’s not all bad, but the Ox has rules and a big one is fairness and fair play. If you want to thwart an Ox, just do them dirty. They may be hurt and angry, but they will also try to see it from your side, even though this only increases their frustration. Those are the rules.

In February, make a conscious decision to either grab the Tiger’s tail or hide out in plain sight. Whatever you do this month will set the tone for the year. I don’t think your efforts to fake cooperation will be helpful for you at all. Try to commit to a course of action or non action. This might be your year to read Melville’s short story Bartleby the Scrivener, that is, unless you’d prefer not to.

In July, because the Ox has a lot of rules, many of which are unspoken, the Ox will run into people who are irritated by them. The Ox maintains the expectation of everyone following their rules, regardless of what they make explicit. This is especially annoying to the Sheep, who put up with plenty of that kind of stuff last year. The Sheep sees rules as a prescription for belonging. You follow the rules, they have to let you in. Once you’re in, there are no rules. Those are the rules.

The Ox’s relationship to the Tiger (both neighbor and Year Boss), is one of the most fascinating of the Chinese Zodiac for several reasons. First of all, many don’t realize the deep bond these two signs are capable of sharing. Secondly, the Tiger has very few “predators”, but the Ox is one of them. Every hidden stem within the Ox and Tiger combines. These two signs can experience a deep understanding but I doubt it’s warm and fuzzy. The Ox is capable of taking over the Tiger at times, this year it’s the Tiger taking over the Ox. This relationship could be deeply intimate, overly controlling, or both at the same time. I wouldn’t call it love though, not unless someone cares to be responsible for the outcome.

Relationships in general may be rough for the Ox in 2022 because of disagreements about what commitment and compromise might look like. You may have lost interest in trying to keep certain relationships going, possibly your partner has too. While we only exist in relationship, that doesn’t mean romantic ones are the only ones that count, so cherish them all. Let go of any that are placeholders to make room for what you want.

The Sheep, who also has an “interesting” relationship with the Tiger, might not see the Tiger coming, but the Ox lives next door. What may strike the Ox to the core in 2022 is the sudden urge to retreat. That might not be the worst idea, but are you sure you are cut out for the rural life? With your position on the compass in 2022, you might be feeling like you can’t get back to a quiet place quickly enough. The feelings of the world are so noisy as to be overwhelming. It’s hard for you to sift out your feelings from those of others’ whether they are far or near, and I know you’re exhausted like everyone else. Know that those sacred and quiet moments of clarity will come. Let the feelings come and go as they may.

Feeling consumed by the Tiger? You have the tool to get yourself free. That’s your Metal. Since Metal is weak, this is doable but likely an uphill battle. Timing wise, make your move in May if you need to get free early on. Wait until the fall if you want it to be final.

Should you choose to leave your employer, take your knowledge and training and the opportunities you’ve had in the last two years and put them together to make the kind of business you want to do, or home in on the position you want. Prior to making any move to change the status quo, define what you want to get out of the change. What are your rules? Express the most important ones. Give all the unspoken ones a rest. Prioritize your demands. Define. Try writing your own job description.

If you are an Ox who has landed in the wrong place and need to stay for a bit, find your niche. Create space or wiggle yourself into one. Again, Metal is the tool you need to change your situation this year. Use your words as a tool to cut through obstacles. Shape the situation as much as you can. Lean on your persistence.

If nothing else satisfies, many Oxen can find satisfaction in spiritual pursuits where they have premises and ideals to follow. You are in the role of Nobleman this year and spirituality or religion may be a part of how you experience that. If people come to you for advice, it may be about more abstract concepts and philosophies. Be aware that the Water Tiger might tempt you to compromise your integrity, so be careful of offering your services as a coach unless you have specific training and plenty of experience. Consider that what you have to offer could be example more than advice.

If you need assistance, look to the Snake or the Rat who could use yours too. This is not the year to start things from scratch unless you’re a baker.

Amulet: Pig

Summary: Maintain status quo or ride the Tiger’s tail? Your call.

January: Sums up 2021. For finishing things; setting in place.
February: Grab the tail or retreat?
April: Break ups
May: Craft the words you need to get more wiggle room.
July: The yin version of the Tiger. Careful of being hidebound.
August-September: Use your words.
October: A small axe.
November-January: The tail of the Tiger. Take care with health.

The Rat in 2022 ~ Water Tiger Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

The Wheel

Even though the Monkey is the year breaker, I think 2022 might be most challenging for the Rat who is coming down from a prolonged peak of power, strength and stamina. Why does it have to be right when you were hoping to dominate your current situation most?

This is why timing is important. Unless you understand that last year was for completion, and this year is for growth, you might be disappointed. You’ll need to depend on yourself more this year because the kind of support you had may no longer be available as consistently. There are many others looking for the same resources that you are looking for but they are not the kind of competitors you are accustomed to encounter.

Much of what the Rat experiences this year will be the outcome of what they’ve learned about power balance in relationship. How do you manage when you have the whip hand? Because you’ve had it for awhile now. You may have been called cold and sometimes maybe you are. People feel jealous of your comfort with discomfort, both theirs and yours. To you this is where you live. Consider these ideas if you want change. If the Rat is in your day pillar, this might apply to you and your current partner, maybe the feeling is mutual. Try learning their language before looking for someone new. If you need to leave, do it clean and in the open.

The Rat is the only sign to whom I will say: go with the Water Tiger’s flow. The Rat generally enjoys learning and transferring their esoteric knowledge. In 2022, that may be the best way to focus your energy. Start in February if possible. The work you’ve been consistently nurturing during these last three difficult years will become known more widely in 2022. Your work is out there and you can make money from it. Ride what you’ve already accomplished. Write and teach. Enjoy the success you can have from these endeavors. This is the part of 2022 that will be easy.

In 2022, what’s hard is Rats may feel used, used up, especially in February, March, June and July. What might be hard is having the warm relationship you crave without seeing it as a job, i.e. something you put up with for its other compensations. You might be fresh out of ideas about your next iteration. You’re at a point of completion and you know it’s time for something new, but what?

If it’s too hard to let go of the idea of being “the one” in your field for now, I think you can to trust that whatever you just gave birth to is going to be enough to sustain your momentum until you figure your next project. Let the year reveal it to you. It will require some long term commitment.

Water doesn’t have a regular form. Its shapes are endless and it is always shifting and moving. Maybe this is why the Rat is comfortable with the abstract. In a way Water is the most simple element, and yet, a snowflake can be quite complex. Try to hold onto Water and it will slip away. You can influence it, but you can’t imprint it. Like the Rat, Water wants to wash things away to make way for the new beginnings. Floods can devastate but can also return the land to fertility. A Rat can make these kind of choices too. Wait for the new pattern to reveal itself.

It’s a Rat’s vocation to give in 2022, but you might feel like that’s a bad idea because you don’t have as much support as you’d like. If relationship is your goal, do give even if you feel it weakens you. This might also sound contradictory, but make it your mission to seek opposition. Catch up with “opponents”. Find out what they are working on. This is where you will get ideas. Question everything you are sure is true. Steer clear of mining your own content and presenting it as new.

In case you receive difficult feedback about the credit you’ve taken for ideas and innovations you’ve presented, hopefully you have acknowledged your sources. If not, there are some embarrassing things that may surface publicly. If that should happen, take it as a reminder that it’s your approach to relationships that needs attention. If ideas about intellectual property and plagiarism emerge, ask yourself why. Are you cherry picking someone else’s work? Or is someone cherry picking yours? Is there such a thing as an original idea?

The Rat’s Water is both a Monkey’s tool and a Tiger’s support, so you’ll want to be careful of inadvertently being in drawn into their juvenile disputes in February and August. Steer clear of ideas about who is right and facilitate communication instead, but don’t get caught up in talk at the cost of action. As is my advice for all this year, cultivate flexibility. For a Rat, this might mean seeking a relationship with Fire as opposed to, you know, trying to put it out. If you’re caught between Tiger and Monkey, Fire is the way to go. Turn on the warmth. Trust yourself to act spontaneously. Practice that. Your turn at the top of the wheel is over for now so it’s time to change your strategy regularly.

I’m not sure there could ever be enough recognition for a Rat and I get it. There’s so much you do with out anyone asking or even noticing. There’s always that conflict between you wanting to touch others with your work, but also being unwilling or unable to be touched back. If this is true for you, consider that this has to do with your relationship to Fire. I want you to try being vulnerable to Fire in 2022. I know you can think of a million things that could go wrong, but that is true at any moment in time. You have the flexibility to make it work. Making the choice to be open to Fire could be as simple as taking on some realistic optimism and encouraging it in others. If you can learn that skill this year, I think it will save you substantial heartache in 2023.

After the first half of the year, it may be more difficult to express yourself. With the Pig in a more authoritative position than you, your normally strategic ways of communication may be too slow or go unheard. Pay more attention to the timing of your words and what you mean to accomplish with them. Maybe being right all the time is not always helpful. Predicting disaster is the low hanging fruit these days. Clash yourself by predicting happy events too.

If you want to continue to be recognized for your intentions as a helper, avoid raining on other people’s parades. If there’s anything to celebrate, let it happen. When does that future come where you say you will celebrate? Keep offering advice about caution, that is, caution as a strategy as opposed to “not doing”.

Most importantly, 2022 provides a big window opportunity to get in touch with children, parents and any estranged family members. Go with that flow, even in March when it will tend to be more fraught. 2023 will bring events and work to do in the context of family. If there are apologies to be made, or relationships to revive, break the ice now. In know you’ll be glad you did.

Amulet: Pig
Rather than thinking of an amulet as something to use, or something to protect you, cultivate the idea of a partnership with the energy of the Pig. Become versatile. Rise to the occasion. Transform yourself through spontaneity. Be seen and touched.

Summary: Bad behavior is learned through neglect. Good behavior is learned through example.

February: Take care with intellectual property, yours and others’.
March: Get in touch with family.
April: Draining.
June: Spontaneity and flexibility will make life smoother.
August: In case of conflict, careful of taking on more than you can handle alone.
September: Frustration with partnership may bring uncomfortable thoughts.
November: If it’s a creative bust, wait until next month.
December: Ending on a high note, but indiscretions of the year may be revealed.

The Pig in 2022 ~ Water Tiger Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Pigs in Space

This year the Pig’s mission, if they want it, is to examine their fears about intimacy and sharing space. If you feel there’s a conflict of interest for you around that idea, all the more reason to do it. The Tiger may have you feeling anxious and crowded, also smitten. Stop and consider whether that is the Tiger’s intention or just some part of their nature that’s in you too. Maybe you enjoy the scariness? In the case of secret friends Tiger and Pig, like calls to like no matter how it looks on the surface. The Tiger is probably the one person you find it difficult to exclude. This is not a problem for you with others. That alone will make for some anxiety – simply being unused to being that close to anyone.

Letting people in makes you worry because you are afraid they want to get close in order to make you more like them. That may or may not be true, however in the case of the Tiger, you might be right. In many cases, in partnership this is what the Tiger demands and what they get, or they leave. The Tiger will push you to keep up. What you need to know is not every Tiger is like this. There are going to be Tigers who show up who have learned not to make impossible demands of their partners, but you’ll have to take it case by case. On the plus side, the Tiger will be helpful in focusing your talents into one project and organizing your priorities.

2022 brings a lesson for the Pig about sharing space and making space for relationships. The Tiger and Pig are secret friends. This year it’s not so secret.

In a Water Tiger year, the lucky Pig has the most opportunities for alliance, and venues for their talent. 2022 is going to be a good year. I know you might not believe this, but I’m telling you that many things are going to go well for you. As the case seems to be for everyone this year, what is offered to the Pig is what can be learned in the context of relationship. When the Tiger meets the Pig, there are new directions for growth. What if I told you that you can fuel resistance or reduce it at will?

Pigs are off to a dynamic start right away in February, when the combination of Tiger and Pig creates the Wood element. How that manifests is unique to each natal chart, because in a Ba Zi a combination of Earthly Branches potentially creates or supports an element, and potentially reduces or removes another. What’s difficult for someone who is new to these ideas is that they think it has to be one or the other, when it’s usually both. It can be difficult for us to hold in our minds that more than one thing can be true at once. Maybe that relates to the Pig’s challenge in understanding there is no purely good or purely bad experience. My point is, if you have a Pig in your Ba Zi, you can expect some good things this year, even if Wood is not your best element. Maybe the most important lesson the Pig can learn this year is how to handle cognitive dissonance.

If at any point you realize you’ve taken on too much, make adjustments. Get advice from the Rabbit. If there are things you want to drop completely, it will be easiest in October. Unless you’ve reached a breaking point, try to hold out until then. Try not to retreat unless it’s strategic.

Although it seems like it would be obvious, when Pig and Tiger are together outsiders may not be able to tell which is which. People may perceive the relationship as one of control, but if that’s true, I think it might be mutual. Pigs empower Tigers by way of domestic resources. A smitten Pig might go so far as to buy clothes for a lover so they don’t have to shop – also because they want to decide what you wear. Pygmalion? On the other hand, the Tiger empowers the Pig, but also wants to change their nature. It is possible to control by way of support. The Tiger may want you to do better so they can look better. Appearances, including showing up, are more important this year for you. Work on your timing with that.

What I don’t recommend is letting yourself be consumed. The lesson of the Tiger for the Pig isn’t that they should “succumb” to relationship. It’s a lesson about how it’s possible to maintain your own identity and still have the intimacy you crave. Do you still not realize how resilient you are?

Keep in mind that the outcome of the breaks you get in 2022 likely won’t arrive until 2023. Until then, keep cobbling those synergistic talents and projects together. Don’t be premature when it comes to putting your product out there, but know that March will give you a preview of 2023; what it will be like when the time is right. The most happy Pigs I’ve run into are the ones who have two or three small(ish) projects that feed each other. They change them up from time to time, but whatever they do relies on their multiple talents. This suits the versatility of the Pig, who could be successful in almost any career. That’s what also makes it difficult for the Pig to settle on any one thing. Who was it that told you that you have to? Maybe it was a jealous Snake.

If the Pig is in your day pillar and you’re single, 2022 may bring a new partner. Partnered Pigs may also find someone new in their life (a baby?). It’s likely that throughout the year you might be considering a break up or overhaul of your current relationships. That energy will peak in February and November. If the Pig is not in your day, you might be exploring these same concepts in the context of other alliances: family, parents, siblings, children, employees, co workers or colleagues.

What might get a Pig into trouble is over communication or indiscretion. The Pig’s straight shooting manner is sometimes perceived as too blunt to be friendly or promote trust. The Tiger leads the Pig to be more expressive and aggressive. Be careful of alienating others through carelessness with your words. If you want to avoid hard feelings, don’t share another’s secret without their explicit permission. Like the Dragon, you are a catalyst. Acknowledge how you can soothe or stir conflict at will. If you have not realized this before, check your natural tendencies in May and do some experimenting.

No year is without its difficulties, however, this is the year to act like you know that 2023 is going to bring the peak you’ve been waiting for – because it is. What you want to keep at the front of your mind is everything that goes right this year. Make your internal narrative a balance of planning and preparation for 2023, and counting up all the breaks you’re receiving. The biggest risk this year lies in you not realizing how lucky you are. Maybe you’ve got used to thinking of yourself as the opposite. Consider whether this is a habit because if it is, you might be sabotaging yourself. Don’t do that.

Amulet: I don’t think you need one.

Summary: In the driver’s seat.

February: Potential partnerships abound. Believe it.
March: Preview of 2023’s success
May: Do you want to stir or soothe conflict?
October: Cull and harvest in preparation for 2023.
November: Possible losses. Take care with bathing and indoor swimming. If you are depleted, seek support.

The Dog in 2022 ~ Water Tiger Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Personal Best

In a Tiger year the Dog can experience support and empowerment and promotion, however, it looks like a fairly quiet year. Funny how this Tiger year has very little that is special for you other than the work you can do on relationships. It’s almost like the universe is telling you what needs attention in your life. Dogs are being asked to make a lasting change about their allegiances at a time when that might not feel right to them.

In 2022, rewards may not be as big as you’ve come to expect, at least not in the public arena. What the year has to offer you is by way of alliance so the question is how have you been treating your partners and associates? How have they been treating you? As part of the Fire Trio of Tiger, Horse and Dog you are in the company of those who can make you successful, but they don’t have to. What can you bring to the table as a group member? As with all other signs this year, the most important thing for you to pay attention is to your values in relationships.

First things first: Question who wants to empower you and why. Know who you are working for. The Tiger is capable of being the master manipulator of the Dog because being part of the same group, the Dog assumes they want the same things. This is not always true. If you’ve been fooled in this way in the past, you’re in good company. Even a Dragon can get taken in when it comes to the Tiger. The Tiger is generally empowering you to work for them, not for you. Dogs who are entrepreneurs will especially want to keep that in mind.

The return of Fire in 2022 brings you support, but this year know that the price might be that it reinforces your stubbornness. Strong Fire seems to give the Dog baked in ideas about their behavior, making it difficult to change. In 2022, overestimation of the importance of your fans could interfere with the class and social mobility the Dog likes to know is always available. Don’t let approval blind you to what you know is right or wrong.

Many opportunities are offered throughout the year. These are big and by nature may be difficult to take advantage of; it may be hard to rise to the challenges that will accompany them. I’m telling you this because I think you could be tempted to ignore the smaller, intimate and personal opportunities that are more important now. In business, progress is easy, but that’s not what will bring the change you might want. It’s process where the Dog often gets frustrated, thinking that all time is geological except for theirs. Let relationship matters unfold at their own pace. Choose what you want because you want it, not because you think it’s going to get you something you want. What I’m saying is that your private relationships are the foundation of your public self, not vice versa. I hope that makes sense.

In February, the Tiger sparks the Dog’s restlessness which will continue throughout the year. Take care with travel because you may be accident prone, especially at the times you are exhausted or depleted. Don’t drive unless you have all your faculties about you.

The Dog’s aspirations in 2022 start off strong, but what the year has to offer will likely be small. That’s not necessarily a negative if you’re interested in the repair and rejuvenation of domestic relationships. If you need healing, this is where you’ll find it.

In March you’ll want to learn how to get better at sharing. You’ll learn that being a provider includes domestic chores and other things, such as emotional labor. You may have thought these things were not your job. Younger Dogs seem to have these things well underway so perhaps this applies mostly to those of us who are older.

Dogs will become more prominent again in 2022. Look for this to peak in June. We’ll hear more in the news about Dogs and they will experience a resurgence of whatever fame they have had in the past. Be aware that the Tiger might be the first one to take that fame away or change it to infamy, too. If you leave yourself open to manipulation because what you like to feel most is approval, that is the potential outcome.

Don’t believe everything you hear or see. Dogs will benefit from taking advice from the Rabbit in 2022, because being alone with the Tiger’s brand of support makes them think they are infallible. The Tiger encourages the Dog’s tendency to keep making the same mistakes, over and over. This may serve the Tiger but it doesn’t serve the Dog. Don’t defer to another’s guidance just because you think they’ve attained what you want.

Of late, many a Dog has been fooled into thinking they are successful when in fact many of their efforts have been co-opted or used for someone else’s benefit; someone who doesn’t have their best interests at heart. Dogs who fell into this trap are starting to realize how they may have sold themselves out for a purported reward that never materialized. This kind of realization is what will lead you to rediscover who you really are. Stick with that even if it’s painful. Who did/do you want to be? Consider that if you’re finding success unsatisfying maybe you need to redefine it.

In April, remind yourself that nobody made you do anything you didn’t want to do. That could be painful but don’t avoid whatever feelings you’re having about that. Instead, let that energy loosen your routines. Accept a little instability in order to facilitate movement.

In July you’ll want to remember there is no one on earth that everyone likes and that includes you. However ill used you might possibly feel now, at this point in time you are far from being a victim. Be open about your hurts but don’t try to use them as a selling point or jumping off point for policy making.

In case of new (or returning) health issues this year, consider that you might be in a state of elemental imbalance. This implies you have agency, and you do. You can influence it. Stay hydrated. If you get too hot, know that bad judgment may accompany that state. Slow down and cool down.

When autumn arrives, if you haven’t been doing so already, cultivate peace through the regulation of your breath; consciously breathe. Take extra care with respiratory health this year. Consider air quality.

If you need to move aim for August. That means you’ll need to start planning now, but planning doesn’t mean you have to decide right away. August is the month you’ll be feeling the urge for travel, world events permitting. International travel may not be an option this year.

In 2022, seek leadership for what it is: a service role. Leadership is not achieved by way of compliance or surrender. Find out what people really need and provide it. Cut through obstacles and make space. Lead people, not corporations, countries or movements.

Amulet: Pig
Rather than thinking of an amulet as something to use, or something to protect you, cultivate the idea of a partnership with the energy of your neighbor the Pig. Look to the flexibility and adaptability of the people in your community for inspiration. Be ready to provide whatever is needed for family well being.

Summary: Life consists of small things.

February: Want to run? Slow down. Think and feel if you want change this year.
April: Boundary incursions. Is it an attack or an opportunity to learn?
June: Stay hydrated and open to the idea of your possible stubbornness. Business is good.
July: Break patterns around your power dynamic with those you see as weak.
October: Present something you’ve been working on for a long time.

The Rooster in 2022 ~ Water Tiger Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Whistle and Whittle

Some Feng Shui masters have you down as the luckiest one in 2022 and part of your attraction and charm is that you’ve got something that others want. Maybe it’s your ability to put money together in difficult times. That’s often what people focus on for luck, isn’t it? If the Rooster is in your day pillar, maybe it’s you that others want – or maybe it’s your significant other! There may be a little covetousness in your vicinity this year. This is something to be aware of, not a curse.

I think Roosters will be lucky too, but not simply because of their relationship to money and power. Who would expect that a Rooster can both tame and inspire the Tiger? This year has the potential to convince you of that. Trust in whatever optimism you might have. You have reason to. The Rooster’s special gift this year is the ability to whittle away at potential obstacles before they have a chance to become unmanageable. To my way of thinking, that’s a good deal.

Caution: So much of the year is about money for you and how you might decide that it’s the solution to your problems. You’re not necessarily wrong, but there’s always more than one possible solution to any problem. Try to be more creative.

The Rooster’s fancy calculations may not be able to keep up with the Tiger’s constant changes of pace this year, so rely more on your natural charm. Be you, for real. Get to know who you are now, after these last draining years. Stop worrying about what happened in the past or who said what to whom. Let the future unfold. Locate yourself in the present or you’ll miss out. Now is good.

Just because things haven’t been easy doesn’t mean you haven’t been lucky. Others will stop trying to convince you of this if you grant yourself the peace of accepting it. When people think you are stubborn it’s because you don’t state your reasoning openly. This usually happens when you are afraid of others laughing at you. Unfortunately, staying mum means that you stay afraid and others continue to think you are obstinate. They don’t understand the underlying cause of your behavior is probably fear. State your case clearly and calmly and trust that others will understand.

Being a Rooster, you usually have pretty clear ideas about what it means to look good and to dress appropriately. In 2022 people will perceive you as more attractive than usual. If that sounds strange to you, I’m here to tell you I’ve seen it happen. Peach blossom is a better beauty enhancement than human intervetion. You’ll see.

Men born in a Rooster year may not be as lucky in relationships as women, which might sound like a contradictory thing to say if you know your elements. In a Tiger year, the male Rooster’s potential anger relating to family patterns could potentially spill over into every interaction.

When those difficult (ugly?) feelings arise, feel whatever you’re feeling without going through your list of past situations and reasons why you have stuff to feel. Stop reinforcing the link with your past experiences. You are not the same person and neither is anyone else. If you can’t give up the nostalgia, at least sync up your memories with the feelings you want to have.

One way a Rooster might deal with anger is by declaring an emergency, or failing to reveal an emergency. If this is you, I’m guessing you have probably struggled with lifelong concerns about attention deprivation. Sometimes I can see this in a BaZi. I don’t make causal conclusions, but I do think emergencies are sometimes a way of seeing who will show up. If you have a Rooster in your life and you want to support them, keep showing up, emergency or not. If you are the Rooster, be more direct more often about seeking the attention you want or need and there will tend to be fewer emergencies. How would you like to get noticed?

What makes that question so relevant in 2022 is that timing brings Dragon Virtue to the Rooster. This means you can change your reputation. Even if it’s already shiny, you can give it a good polish by way of acknowledging that not only can you take care of yourself, you have your ways of taking care of others. Preferring the opposite doesn’t negate that truth. Instead of thinking you are loved out of duty, believe you are loved for your beauty. You might be the only one who doesn’t appreciate it. Your denials reveal your secret: you are worried that others feel obligated to love you. Even if they did, it’s still their choice. So let yourself be loved and cherished.

In 2022, a possible obstacle is that friends and associates don’t meet your definition of commitment. This is a timing issue more than a betrayal, but if it’s worrying you, then talk about it. Listen too. Maybe they are withdrawn out of hardship or illness. Since the problem mostly has to do with timing, you can either explore it in your relationships or wait it out. If you’re trying to wait it out, know it’s going to keep coming around. The peak of questioning the loyalty of others may arrive in January, March, April, and May.

In terms of your health, this year Metal is weak. Don’t be too worried about that, but do make sure you get plenty of rest. Don’t push yourself beyond your physical limits. If you do have health concerns, you may want to explore what Metal means to you. This will vary according to your day master element and the elemental dynamics within your BaZi. If Metal is weak that could potentially be helpful for you. Having a BaZi is the best way to understand what the weakness of Metal in 2022 means for you.

In February and March you may have money on your mind due to unforeseen expenses. Prices are going up. In March, you may have a concern that money is being spent on someone undeserving. If this has to do with supporting children by way of supporting parents, make a closer analysis before you decide what to do about that. If you feel the need to cut someone down to size, be aware that in a Tiger year, there will be a branch snapping back for you to dodge. Don’t hurt yourself by hurting others.

April brings the height of your charm. If you are looking for a business or creative partner, this could be a lucky month for you. Romance beckons for you, but your partner may not be so interested in physical intimacy. Explore other means.

In May you’ll want to have a care if you’re traveling, especially if you’re traveling with your usual traveling companions Monkey or Snake. Monkeys often enjoy driving and cars but in this year they may tend to be more accident prone. That goes for the Snake too. There’s an abundance of impulsive movement throughout the year for everyone. If travel is in the cards for you, make backup plans in case something breaks down.

In August the Metal element becomes timely but so does Water. This will be the month to focus on maintaining your stamina and endurance. Be sure to rest when it’s time. You may be feeling stronger, but don’t let yourself become depleted mentally, emotionally or physically.

All in all, it is a lucky year for the Rooster. Focus on what you can do to foster the reputation you want. Stop worrying about the small and petty things that really have nothing to do with you. Express your needs clearly. Pay attention to and listen to the people who love you.

Amulet: Ox
Rather than thinking of an amulet as something to use, or something to protect you, cultivate the idea of a partnership with the energy of the Ox. Practice emotional context switching. Seek endurance, persistence and stamina

Summary: Request attention. Don’t wait for others to do what you can do for yourself.

February: Continue to work to resolve last year’s issues. Trust optimism.
March: Consider your jealousy is unwarranted. Count blessings.
April: Promising partnerships but be clear about what commitment means to you.
May: Careful with travel.
August: Be aware of who you’re rolling with, who their friends are and where they’ve been.
September: Potential mistakes of thinking you have to pay for someone to care.
December: Stay warm and dry.

The Monkey in 2022 ~ Water Tiger Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Like Skiing Through Trees

In a Tiger year, the Monkey is called the Sui Po or Year Breaker. The Monkey is the recipient of the Tiger’s focused energy and they are elemental opposites. The Tiger is yang Wood, the Monkey is yang Metal. Your clash with the Tiger is something you’ve handled for one month of every year you’ve been alive. The Tiger is present every year in February, which makes February 2022 special. February 2022 is a Water Tiger month, like the year. Expect February to foreshadow all of the possible events of the year. Pay attention so you can use that knowledge to your advantage.

While this clash isn’t new to you, what might make it harder this time is that it’s a year instead of a month. Don’t count on gutting it out. Take active measures to shape the changes that are coming because in 2022, the Monkey gets the lion’s share of the Tiger’s energy. Don’t forget the Tiger brings the renewal of the Fire element too. Monkeys will be challenged regarding money and success, and defined regarding power and agency. As it does for everyone else, the year brings a steep learning curve for the Monkey. Take advice purposely from a trustworthy source if you want help.

The Monkey is also one of the three branches involved in what is called the Fire Penalty. To summarize the meaning of the Fire Penalty, the Monkey may be more accident prone especially in February, May and August. The Fire Penalty is mostly about movement and transportation so if you’re a Tiger, Snake or Monkey, travel is something you might choose to avoid this year. There’s more to this energetic situation than I’ve mentioned here. If you’d like to know more about the Fire Penalty, read the Snake Fortune.

In the position of the Sui Po for 2022, the Monkey will face a constant need to clear obstacles that relate to their success and money. While this will probably be frustrating and even overwhelming at times, it will be important to remember that each obstacle fuels the Fire that forges you. Each obstacle improves your ability to say no; to stand up for yourself rather than letting yourself be injured. Metal is the weakest element this year, but Fire can make Metal more durable. Let it happen.

A good strategy for the Monkey in handling stress this year might be to consciously channel the idea of the obstacles as a challenge you’ve negotiated before. For example, if you’ve ever had a skiing lesson, you could think of the year as something like skiing through the trees of a forest. You can’t go too fast because you need time to steer your course, but going too slow will get you nowhere. Keep moving, but go at your own pace, even when you feel momentum. Let the process happen. Pizza AND french fries.*

What advice do I give about a clash year? Let yourself be changed. Choose the changes you want. If there’s going to be destruction, you choose. With a habit of turning to work (any kind of work) for solace, often what a Monkey is avoiding is emotional disclosure. This year emotions are easily accessible to you, so let the feelings come. Express them. Communication is the thing that will bridge the divide between you and the Tiger. If you’re looking to pacify, they may even feel supported by it. Don’t fake it though because the Tiger will know.

One problem in 2022 could be having to turn down opportunities. When it comes to making money, what you need to do is be very selective. There will be identifiable moments when Monkeys will need to challenge their own endurance, which might mean their workaholic nature. Monkeys may need to say no to short deadlines, and say no to always doing more. Saying no is not turning down your last chance, so ask yourself why you usually think it is.

In the Water Tiger year, Monkeys are going to have to push back against all these demands that take up too much space in their mind and therefore, in their life. Maybe it’s the Tiger who coined the term “monkey brain” – because the Tiger gets in your head. Take the challenge and turn it back on the challenger. There are both compromises and refusals to make. Maintain your gentleness as you can but stand up for yourself. Say no to violence.

Let yourself be changed and defined by openly disagreeing. Find the ways to do this that work for you, and it will build your self confidence. Wait for the right moment, it will come. If you are going to attack, do it openly and watch the obstacles disappear. This year you might think people are too thick realize when you are being aggressive but guess what? They are watching and they know, however, you can get away with aggression by confronting obstacles consistently, routinely, dependably, and warmly.

Because the Wood element is so strong, this year may feel a bit crowded for the Monkey. People will be trying to get in your space to get you to do things they want you to do for their benefit. Because there’s some kind of profit in it for you, you may be afraid to confront them when they go too far with their demands. When you don’t say no, it gives them a platform to continue with their bad behavior, nitpicking, consuming, and taking up all the space in the world; creating instability for everyone. Don’t let yourself be used for purposes that are against your values. To protect yourself, listen. People will tell you exactly who they are right from the first meeting.

If anxiety has been an issue for you in the past, it may show itself again this year, but there’s no need for despair or talk of relapses. As you have probably already learned, anxiety is not a permanent state. If there are moments of fear, don’t forget that you’re not the only one who is afraid. Consider that it might not be your fear that you are feeling, it might be someone else’s. Sort this out as much as you’re able. Each time the fear comes it might make you think there’s too much against you to push back, but in certain cases that will be the perfect solution. Make decisions because that is the way to get better at making decisions.

It might feel fake to act as if everything is going to be okay but like poison, in small doses it can be helpful. Embrace the heat of the Fire element. What I mean is, take the heat rather than comply with the demand that you constantly work, because this is what really defines you. Choose the Fire of initiation wherever you can. This may not be your year for physical risks, but those aren’t the ones you are afraid of, are they? Take some time off.

If you have bitterness stored up, focus on talk with trusted people. This might be anyone. It doesn’t have to be a therapist. You need advice less than you need some solid ground under your feet and someone who will listen, acknowledge and try to understand. That’s how you’ll know when it’s the right person to talk to.

Whatever you do, don’t suffer in silence. Instead, let people love you. You can try to keep your head down, thinking that people would make fun of you if they found out how fragile you can be, but that might prevent you from understanding what makes you special. It’s your combination of fragility and endurance that commands respect. Let yourself be defined that way.

Summary: The Lion’s Share

Amulet: Horse
Rather than thinking of an amulet as something to use, or something to protect you, cultivate the idea of a partnership with the energy of the Horse. Be tested by making decisions. Learn when to rush forward and when to run in the opposite direction. Your gentle authority is what can tame the Tiger.

February: Peak obstacles. Seek Fire.
March: You’ve got more power than you realize. Use it for cooperation.
April: The challenge is obvious and you’ve got friends and support. Talk.
June: Initiation is possible and likely. What do you want it to be?
August: Talk dispels potential bitterness. Push back with purpose now.
September: Finding your new form.
November: Possible money loss.
December: Ending on a high note. Back to work.

*The terms Pizza and French Fries are describing the position you want for your skis according to whether you want to go slower or faster.
Pizza: To slow down, the forward tips of the skis point at each other so it makes a triangle shape like a pizza slice.
French Fries: To speed up, keep the skis parallel, like two french fries lying side by side.

The Sheep in 2022 ~ Water Tiger Year

Posted on by Stephanie Stewart

Reality Doesn’t Bite

In the Water Tiger year the Sheep can combine with the Tiger’s energy to grow their agency. Take on the fierce and independent nature of the Tiger and let it make you stronger. Let the past be the past. Consider letting go of old ideas about what it means to be part of the collective. This year you don’t have to be an insider to be important. Put your loyalty where it is deserved and reciprocated if you want change in 2022. Be your own counselor.

Learn how to find companionship where it is genuinely offered. It probably won’t be in the VIP section, but that is no longer a safe place to be anyway. This idea could be disappointing if you spent a lot of time trying to get in. Give yourself some time and you’ll find it liberating instead. Good news! What you want is not going to be found in a roped off area. In fact, you might already have it.

While the Sheep may be frightened or feel pushed by the Tiger, the elemental relationship of the two strengthens the Sheep and transforms the Tiger’s movement to stillness. A Sheep that knows this can take charge of the Tiger. Elementally speaking, the Sheep is the yin version of the Tiger. The polarities and proportions of their hidden elements are different, but they consist of the same three: Wood Fire and Earth.

As is the case with Tiger and Ox, the potential combination between Tiger and Sheep levels the playing field. It allows for new alliances and new definitions of power. It is described by Master Lily Chung as having “no caring and no leader, no authority, no dedication”. If that’s the situation, then in 2022 anyone can be a leader or an authority, probably by means of dedication. If that sounds scary to you, is it because you are afraid to lead? Do you have the dedication? Get off the bench and start setting examples. Start small if that feels safer.

Like the Tiger, you have the potential to be an insider this year. Take some time to think about what you want that to mean beyond the warm rush of inclusion. Don’t join to avoid being alone. Join only if it’s mutual. If you’re looking for a closer attachment or some kind of excitement, stay close to your secret friend the Horse. You understand each other because each of you is interested in getting close to power, but not so much in doing the heavy lifting. The Horse uses seduction, while the Sheep’s method is alliance. If you want new results, try new things.

In the beginning of the year, the Sheep may find themselves employed as a staunch supporter of the Tiger as they strive to continue to be part of what they thought of as their community. As we get into the last half of the year, the Sheep may find that ultimately the Tiger energy is not what makes them feel safe. This is why where you choose to give your support or not matters quite a bit in 2022, but when it comes to relationships in general, you may not be “feeling it”. Keep asking yourself if you are in the right place. Is it possible for your expectations to be met as you envision?

The Sheep’s fantasies have a potency that sometimes blinds them to the delight of what they actually have and experience. Sometimes they prevent the Sheep from seeing that what is actually being offered is something they would enjoy, or that it isn’t. If this is true for you, how will reality be anything but disappointing? Step back for a moment and take a second look. Maybe you’re in the right place after all.

The Wood of the Tiger empowers the Sheep, making it a good year for you to get to know who you are outside of your collective. It’s not that you don’t want to be part of the group, it’s that you might realize there’s not much about it that makes you feel forever enfolded and safe this year. If that feeling doesn’t make you give up, you’re about to take on more agency. We are never finished with growing up.

The year will tend to draw the Sheep to consider the role your parents have played in your current state of affairs. If you have Sheep children, you may be on the receiving end of the examination. This situation could generate some healthy and possibly much needed exploration regarding your role in group settings – who are you? The loyal one? The helpful one? The optimistic one? The falsely gullible one? Are you committed to being defined by the group you’re in? What about your definition?

The big question for the Sheep this year is: Who do you want to be for yourself? If you’re looking for more peace and love, then looking to apportion blame regarding why you don’t feel it now is a trap. It’s a dead end. If forgiveness is required, then give it and be free. The feelings you are working with this year may have their roots in family roles that play out as a result of decisions made, usually around a hurtful event in the past. We make a decision, that makes a pattern, and so we continue unless we’re interrupted.

If you want to break a pattern, expose yourself to the perspective of an outsider this year. Perhaps this will give you a clearer vision of what those decisions were that you made so long ago. Maybe you have never looked back. We all have unexamined family baggage, and yours will tend to front and center on family or parents in 2022.

This baggage might consist of feelings about who raised you, or who chose not to. What broke your trust when you gave your best? Was your love not enough to make someone love you the way you wanted to be loved? Who was it that “couldn’t be there” when you absolutely thought they should have? Maybe when that happened, you were too young to say something about it, but now that you’re not, it seems the statute of limitations has expired. You can’t change the past, but you can revise your story of the present.

Your current feeling of disconnect will spill over into other relationships too if you allow it. If that’s not what you want, examine your expectations about bonding and attachment and you may find miracles of intimacy are possible. Don’t forget to ask yourself if it’s you that you don’t trust. Is it you that hasn’t taken care of you? In short, what is your responsibility in the solution?

In 2022 you might feel abandoned by those you’ve tried to please and nurture, especially if you gave them support when they were down. You might be hurt because you feel they didn’t do the same for you when you needed them last year. Remember that our mutual support of each other has been inconsistent for reasons that go beyond the personal. You say you don’t want to be transactional but it’s hard to avoid because we all have needs and we’ve gotten into bad habits with our expectations of each other. I know you just want to be included. I want that for you too. See the support and love you have, rather than the support and love you don’t have. It’s there.

The Sheep is a Nobleman this year, regardless of whatever else is going on. If you want to counsel others, go ahead. This is one way of healing. Many a Sheep might act as a therapist, whether that’s in a formal or informal capacity, because we all tend to teach what we want to learn.

Bring back your light. Soften your eyes. The warmth is there, and you can get close to it if you want to. There is peace and love for you in this world if you choose to accept it.

Summary: Reality Doesn’t Bite

Amulet: Pig
Rather than thinking of an amulet as something to use, or something to protect you, cultivate the idea of a partnership with the energy of the Pig. Know that you can grow and change your shape and alliances as you wish. You’re strong enough to go it alone if needed.

February: Promising alliances with power. Expectations vs Reality
March: Challenge and solution arrive together for the flexible. Could involve money.
June: Peak support and spontaneity, but partner may be off the rails.
July: Potentially lonely. Make effort to strengthen the bonds that are important to you.
October: A mutual rejection clears the way for peace and love.
November: Rabbit year comes in early for you, heralding new alliances.

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