The lack of good water placement dates this month is indicative of the Rooster’s uneasy relationship with Water. I’d say it’s something like seduction vs. truth telling. I don’t necessarily see those concepts as opposites or mutually exclusive even though they often seem to play out that way in real life.

In a Rat year the Rooster month signals the possible timing of a breakup rather than the beginning of a long term proposition. This will be a choice, not an inevitability. The Water element of the Rat gives us emotional expression, communication and intimacy – or not. That’s up to you. The position of the branch(es) in your natal chart will tell you what to expect. Get in touch if you want to talk about yours.

The Rooster is called a Peach Blossom branch and naturally attracts the attention of the Monkey, Rat and Dragon, also known as the Triple Water Combination. The Rooster, being a branch of pure Metal, also produces or supports Water. A Rooster tends to pump up the Water element to overflowing if you get my meaning. Right now, this kind of attention could be draining for the Rooster. Rooster month is not the time to seek it.

This time around the Rooster month is a Wood Rooster. The Wood Rooster is sometimes called the Rooster crowing at noon. That’s too late right? Or is it way too early? Is it a false alarm or an emergency? It’s difficult to say. With so many warnings in play these days, you might be tempted by the potential bliss of ignoring all and hoping for the best. I get that, however, I think you’ll find it more helpful to think about what you under/over emphasized in September 2005. What deals did you make then? What would you do differently now?

If you’ve got a Rooster in your BaZi, the excess Water of 2020 could be a release, welcome or not, of what you’ve been needing to express. In some cases this same excess Water may instill a deep and cold fear in the Rooster; an insidious damp. Some Roosters will experience this on a physical level. There are names for this condition in traditional Chinese medicine that, unlike those of Western medicine, imply there is a way to heal. The cycle of the Five Elements is at the root of the difference here. There is no element that is bad or wrong but you’ve got to keep up with tweaking the levels. Like acupuncture and herbs, the practice of Feng Shui is a way to interact with an energetic system in a way that supports its self regulation; a return to health.

Water is moving, flexible and unstable, therefore it comes with pitfalls and risk, both literally and metaphorically. If you know your trigrams this is Kan, the middle son, the emotional one. In the Flying Stars system it’s Star 1 which occupies the center of every building along with Star 7 (yin Metal like the Rooster) until October 8th. If your anxiety is running high you’ll want to know it does have some relationship with timing.

When there is too much Water, the Rooster may employ spiritual bypass, or other addictions, as a coping mechanism. On the other end of the spectrum, the Rooster may decide to pick a fight. The Rooster is so yin that they often come across as yang; extreme fear manifesting as extreme aggression and other types of self harm.

Many a Rooster will have decided, in an attempt to hide their own imperfections, not to let people in. With a Snake present it will take longer to realize this because the Rooster will be secretive, or at least prone to omit. Trust doesn’t come easily when you’re afraid you will be displaced or discarded for your flaws. If this speaks to you my question is: do you understand you could be missing out on the experience of loving and being loved?

This month is a time to remember that perhaps you are being haunted by your own standards, not by those of others. What do you care about? What are your rules? Can you live up to them? Is it humanly possible? Can you see that there is no perfection without imperfection?

The Rooster’s exacting nature is one reason people think Roosters are cold hearted. They’re not. Yang fire is reborn in the Tiger, but yin Fire is reborn in the Rooster. It’s a candle flame that needs encouragement, so stoke it by recognizing and celebrating your successes no matter how small you think they are. They are enough. Let yourself be satisfied.

Given that we’re all prone to the Rooster’s self clash this month, it’s tempting to choose to dam up until we feel it’s safe to communicate, or open the flood gates when we’ve reached the breaking point. You’ve probably already learned that those methods isolate and exacerbate. I know that’s not what you want. And forget the idea that there is such a thing as one and done when it comes to communication. Handle the Water drop by drop instead. If you’re questioning whether you have any endurance left for that, the answer is yes.

“I used to hate myself but now I think I’m alright”
Small Poppies by Courtney Barnett (Fire Rabbit Year)