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.