Chinese Autumn in Chinese astrology and feng shui

Autumn in the Chinese calendar begins when the Sun is exactly mid-point the summer solstice and the autumn equinox, or 15 degrees Leo. This year Chinese autumn season began on August 7. The Chinese astrological chart made for the moment the sun entered 15 degrees Leo at Washington DC shows the following.

The signs for the year, lunar month, day, and hour are Water Dragon, Fire Sheep, Earth Pig, and Wood Pig, respectively. Autumn, in Chinese reckoning, is the season of the element Metal. In the present chart we find 1 Metal, 4 Water, 6 Wood, 2 Fire, and 3 Earth. Except for the Metal of the season there is no Metal in the chart. This makes Metal extremely weak; it tells us that in the lunar months beginning on August 17, September 16, and October 15, in other words from August 17 to the beginning of Chinese winter season on November 8, alarming events may develop in the US leading up to the Presidential election. Metal represents the military and police. The chart has an extreme overbalance of Wood. Wood shows anger. People are angry.

A major focus of the chart is on what is called Implicit Talent deity. This, especially when combined with the Star of Arts found in the chart, and the strong Wood of the chart, favors all talent related professions, including careers having to do with the arts, entertainments, and tourism. This is an excellent time for creative work. Viewed in Feng Shui, pay attention to whatever area of your home is used for creative activities, especially if connected to money; the chart also has a prominent Money Storage Star. This is a good time for professionals in the arts. Instead of letting the energy drive you to madness put it to creative work.

No Metal in the chart, but in the season, is not a good sign. It shows a lack of boundaries. Metal controls Wood. Wood is too strong, and there is no Metal. When Metal shows up in the lunar months beginning on August 17 there will be danger of more violence in the country.

The year, lunar month, day, and hour of the beginning of autumn reduced to an I Ching hexagram give us hexagram 9, Xiaoxu, or TheTaming Power of the Small. The line indicated is the 5th. The hexagram indicates that it is good to do something despite the dangers or difficulties. The hexagram is good in winter, bad in summer, and warns of fighting in the autumn. Avoid unnecessary conflict. Rely on the restraining power of smallness. The 5th line says that if you are sincere and loyally attached, you will be blessed with good neighbors. Trustworthiness brings success. It also says unless you take advantage of a seemingly worthless opportunity you will have no reason to expect anything.

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The Feng Shui of sleep

In Feng Shui the two most important things to consider are the doorway of your home and the placement of your bed. There are many guidelines for the proper placement and compass orientation of your bed based on your Chinese astrological chart, the map and compass alignments of your home, and the physical limitations of the room in which you sleep. These guidelines may also include the colors you use. There is also the fact that what you have above your head, whether it be a photo, a painting, or other decorative object, influences you subconsciously in your sleep. This can work for or against you.

If you choose to have something above the head of your bed you need to consider several things. Colors, for instance, have different meanings to different people. The use of colors in Feng Shui should be determined by your Chinese astrological chart. Colors correspond to elements. If, for example, you were born on a day of Wood element reds for you would stimulate your business interests, yellows would stimulate your financial interests, white or grey your interest in fame or authority, and deep blues or black your interest in succeeding with your studies. In adddition, depending on the unique balance of elements in your Chinese astrological chart, there is one called your vital element. It is always good to have the color of your vital element over your head where you sleep, as your vital element is what your body needs to restore its health. The only way to find out your vital element is through a detailed analysis of your Chinese astrological chart.

Aside from colors, pictures represent ideas, and these ideas impressed on your subconscious can act to influence your life and fortunes. It is always good to know what you want in your life, and why you are hanging particular pictures where you sleep. Sometimes special Chinese astrological pictures are used to mitigate problematic conditions that develop in life from time to time as shown by conflicting astrological signs. For example, if you were born in the year of Fire Dragon you would be able to avoid trouble in the year of Water Dragon by having an image or amulet of a green jade colored rooster.

Some traditional Chinese symbols you may wish to consider using to improve your luck are as follows.

Bear - strength and courage
Two birds - romantic love
Butterflies - love and joy
Bouquet of flowers - prosperity
Cranes - longevity
Deer - wealth and longevity
Dog - prosperity and protection
Dragon - creativity
Duck - happiness
Elephant - wisdom and strength
Eagle - farsightedness and daring
Goldfish - success and abundance
Wild goose - conjugal fidelity
Swallows - prosperity and success
Unicorn - longevity and fecundity.

There are many flowers and trees with symbolic meanings as well. Some of these are as follows.

Apple - peace and prosperity
Chrysanthemum - joy and long life
Lotus - fruitfulness
Orange - happiness and prosperity
Orchid - love and strength
Peach - friendship, marriage, and immortality
Pine - long life
Plum blossom - long life, youth, beauty, and unconquerable spirit
Rose - beauty and love
Willow - gentleness and feminine grace.

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Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology

Feng shui to different people means different things. There are several popular ideas about it, some involving astrological and compass methods, and some not. Among popular compass methods we sometimes hear of Flying Star and Eight Mansions. In addition to these there are a number of other classical methods. Eight Mansions is an old method, described in detail in the century Imperial Encyclopedia of 1749. Flying Star first appeared at the beginning of the 20th century.

In the west non-classical versions of feng shui have been widely popularized in recent years. Whether these forms of feng shui work or not is a question. Having seen the results of these western versions, it is clear that they are uneven at best, and sometimes harmful. Feng shui works with real energies of time and space, not just abstract ideals. Without the traditional astrological and compass methods feng shui is unreliable.

The oldest levels of feng shui work with the energies of the environment of the earth, the atmosphere, and the heavens in relation to the energies of the humans living in the environment. Traditional feng shui experts, in addition to the astrological approaches, read the energy of the person through the face and the body to find the best environmental conditions. The astrological methods used in feng shui stem from knowledge whose roots come from prehistoric China.

An example of the non-classical version of feng shui popularized in the west says that the far right hand corner of the home is associated with romance. Another version of that idea says that the southwest corner of the home is associated with romance. A classical feng shui expert does not take this approach, but considers the relation between the person's Chinese astrological charts and the compass orientation of the home, as well as the way the home sits in the surrounding environment which includes the energetic condition of the ground.

The position and orientation of the bed, for example, is not only determined by what is called the person's vital element, and, in the case of a marriage, by the position of the marriage element of the couple, but is determined by the position of the door of home and well as of the room in which the bed is placed. Colors are used to bridge element disharmonies when they come up. People who practice feng shui without full understanding of the Chinese astrological and compass methods at best will get questionable results.

There are two astrological methods with their separate compass methods. One is called 9 Star, with its compass methods called Lo Shu (or River Lo Map), Ming Fey (or Flying Star), and Ba Chai (or Eight Mansions). Lo Shu is one of the oldest and finest methods, used in the Han dynasty over 2000 years ago. Eight Mansions is another very old method that takes into account the way the house sits in the land. Lo Shu and Ba Chai divide people and house orientations into east and west energy type groups depending on birth dates and compass readings, and give auspicious and inauspicious space directions that help determine the best uses for different rooms and areas. 9 Star astrology also has an excellent directionology system for determining auspicious directions to move, travel and do new construction in.

The second, and more important astrological method, is called Batzu (called Four Pillars in the west). Batzu has several excellent compass methods in what is called the San He (Three Harmonies) School. Batzu is a great astrological system that,when read correctly, tells the person's past, present and future very accurately, and, when applied to feng shui, gives the most reliable recommendations for favorable directions in space and use of colors. The San He compass methods related to Batzu use 24 basic compass directions, and let us combine and harmonize different points in space to generate the elements that support us in life. When these methods are used the feng shui possibilities for bringing out the best conditions in life become vividly effective.

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Raphael is available for in-depth Chinese astrological readings and feng shui consultations. To find out more about Raphael's work in this area visit www.trs-fengshui.com.

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Feng Shui and Love

Balancing Your Relationship: Who Goes on Which Side of the
Bed.
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All things in the world are relative, and are expressed as
inter-relations of the polarities of Yin and Yang. The observation of these inter-relations is at the heart of the Chinese astrological and compass methods used in Feng Shui.
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According to Chinese astrology each of us was born under a
Yin or Yang star. Correct positioning of people in relation to one another encourages harmonious relationships whether in business, family, friendship, or love. This being springtime, the romantic season, we will look at this incontext of love.
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The method described below determines who goes on which side of the bed. It involves simple computations. Please note, the Chinese year for these calculations begins on February 4th. Therefore, if you were born between January 1st and February 4th, use the year prior to your birth to compute your star. For example, if you were born on January 25, 1977, you want to use 1976 as your year for this calculation. Note also, the calculation is different for males and females.
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The birth stars are cyclic. The table below gives the birth
stars for the years 1954 through 1962. If you were born before or after these nine years, add or subtract 9 or multiples of 9 from your birth year to find your star number. For example, if you were born in 1970, subtracting 9 from 1972 gives you 1961, a year in the list given below. You will find your birth star number in this list.
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The star number for a male born in 1954 is 1; the star number for a female born in 1954 is 5.
The star number for a male born in 1955 is 9; the star number for a female born in 1955 is 6.
The star number for a male born in 1956 is 8; the star number for a female born in 1956 is 7.
The star number for a male born in 1957 is 7; the star number for a female born in 1957 is 8.
The star number for a male born in 1958 is 6; the star number for a female born in 1958 is 9.
The star number for a male born in 1959 is 5; the star number for a female born in 1959 is 1.
The star number for a male born in 1960 is 4; the star number for a female born in 1960 is 2.
The star number for a male born in 1961 is 3; the star number for a female born in 1961 is 3.
The star number for a male born in 1962 is 2; the star number for a female born in 1962 is 4.
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The star numbers are assigned Yin and Yang values. Stars 1, 3, 4, and 9 are Yang. Stars 2, 5, 6, 7, and 8 are Yin. If your number is Yang you go on the Yang side of the bed. If your number is Yin you go on the Yin side of the bed. Correct placement brings out the best harmony.
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To determine what’s what, stand at the foot of your bed looking toward the head. You need to use a compass for this. The compass will tell you the direction of the head of the bed.

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Facing the head of the bed, if the head of the bed is pointing north the Yang person goes on the right hand side and the Yin person goes on the left.
If the head of the bed is pointing northeast the Yang person goes on the left hand side, and the Yin person goes on the right.
If the head of the bed is pointing east the Yang person goes on the right hand side, and the Yin person goes on the left.
If the head of the bed is pointing to the southeast the Yang person goes on the left hand side, and the Yin person goes on the right.
If the head of the bed is pointing to the south the Yang person goes on the left hand side, and the Yin person goes on the right.
If the head of the head is pointing to the southwest the Yang person goes on the right hand side, and the Yin person goes on the left.
If the head of the bed is pointing to the west the Yang person goes on the left hand side, and the Yin person goes on the right.
If the head of the bed is pointing to the northwest the Yang person goes on the right hand side, and the Yin person goes on the left.
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People positioned correctly enjoy better relations. If both of your star numbers are of the same polarity, no positioning adjustment is necessary.
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Chinese spring season in Chinese astrology and feng shui

Chinese spring season, the season of Wood element, began on February 4th this year at 18:40 Beijing time, or 5:40 AM EST. The signs for the beginning of spring are as follows. The year is Water Dragon; the month is Water Tiger; the day is Wood Sheep; the hour is Earth Rabbit; and the season is Wood

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The element read-out shows 5 Wood, 2 Fire, 4 Earth, 0 Metal and 3 Water. The vital element for this season, based on this reading is Fire. That means that it is time to get active.

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The elements in their yin and yang phases are 1 yang Wood, 4 yin Wood, 1 yang fire, 1 yin fire, 2 yang earth, 2 yin earth, 0 yang or yin Metal, 2 yang Water, 1 yin Water. There are 6 yang elements and 8 yin elements. Plans that were being made prior to the beginning of spring are best completed now.

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The predominant element is yin Wood. This means that this is an important time for making plans. No Metal means no boundaries. This is both good and not good. No boundaries means the sky is the limit, and you are vulnerable to those who see you and what you have as the sky.

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The chart has a sign called Knife Blade. It brings dangers of offense. People become combative. The Knife Blade favors those who are determined, highly competitive, who do not give in, are tough, flexible and opportunistic, and contradictory in behavior. It is good for skillful warriors.

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The predominance of Wood means that a lot of people will get angry this spring. Be careful to avoid unnecessary arguments and conflicts, and be clear about what you are aiming at. Wood is characterized by the arrow. Focus. For the US this looks interesting; a hawkish spirit is likely to develop on all sides. With diplomacy, a characteristic quality of Fire element, we may avert a stupid war. Fire is vital. It resolves the over-balance of anger-producing Wood.

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In terms of fengshui the predominace of Wood with Fire vital says get organized and be productive. Make sure that your studio or work place is correctly organized so you produce. Competition is the watchword. Protect yourself against those who would cut in on you. In politics this is a time of extremely sharp and devious activity. If you are up against opposition, be flexible and opportunistic. Learn the power of Wood; it is flexible and resilient. Also learn the power of Fire; it is active. The colors of Wood and Fire are green and red. Red is the vital color for this spring. For your luck keep a vase of red flowers in the room where you work. Put it in the east area of the room, if possible.

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The chart shows unstable conditions and fortunes prevailing through the spring, but does give the possibility of making and saving money. The chart has Commanding Star and Star of Prospects. These favor taking charge and getting money. Both of these stars point to the east. That means pay attention to new developments coming up on the horizon.

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The chart also has Traveling Horse star. It favors traveling, moving house, making significant changes in your work, and rearranging your home and work place. A change in your environment this spring will renew your luck. Fire being the vital element for this spring also encourages you to beautify your home or office. The quality of Fire is brightness and beauty. Time to shine.
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The interests of Fire include publicity, diplomacy, politics, law, medicine, acting, teaching, advertising, publicity, journalism, publishing, writing, art, fashion designing, interior decorating, garden designing, and so on. It is time to advertise and get known. Organize your office, and resolve everything that is in your way now. Not getting active now is sure to build up your anger. It is time to move forward.

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A traditional way to clear the entire space is to sweep it from back to front and out the door. The walls are also lightly swept to rid the place of stagnating spirits.

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Chinese winter season, 2011, in feng shui

Winter this year, the year of Metal Rabbit, began at 2:52 AM in Beijing, or 6:52 PM GMT. As the different places in the world alter the readings of the signs to some degree, we will look at the US, UK and the EU, and compare them with China.

The year is Metal Rabbit, the month Earth Dog the day in China is Fire Monkey and in the West is Wood Sheep. The hour varies per time zone. In general, Water element is the element of winter, but this winter Water is nowhere predominant. In China the predominant element is Earth, in the EU it is Fire, in the UK it is Wood and in the US it is Earth. With Earth predominant the natural tendency is to be practical, provident and cautious. With Fire predominant the natural tendency is to rise up. With Wood predominant the natural tendency is to plan. The difference between the presence of Earth in the charts of China and the US is in what it means. For China, because of the signs of the day, it brings out creativity, and for the US it brings out financial interests. Conditions in China favor innovative developments and building up of businesses this winter. Conditions in the US direct our attention to financial matters.

Looking more closely at the UK, the predominance of Wood means that the planning going on is to insure that the UK will be more independant. The UK also has Heaven Medicine Star. This warns of illnesses this winter.

Looking at the EU, the fire shows innovation and a trend in power toward domination of one group over another. The EU at this time is becoming less egalitarian, and more hierarchic. The EU has Star of Prospects this winter. With proper organizing, major businesses, especially in Germany, should do well.

All of the charts have one common characteristic; they all are predominantly Yin. Yin far outbalances Yang everywhere. This means that the processes in force through this winter are essentially rounding out and bringing to completion what began earlier this year, nothing new. The tone is about completion.

The day sign in the EU, UK and the Americas, Wood Sheep, is what is called empty. Empty day sign means unreliable cooperation. We cannot expect international, let alone internal, accord to blossom this winter. The chart for the US also has the hour sign empty. That means that business is generally erratic. The empty sign, Sheep, is in Earth. This also means that money is mismanaged, squandered and lost.

Troubles notwithstanding, the EU, UK and the US all have the Star of Art this winter. This is a good season for creative, artistic endeavours. The EU, UK and the US also have the Star of Prospects this winter. It favors those who engage in independent business activities, and gives hope for gains. Star of Art combined with Star of Prospects is very favorable for artists and people in creative professions.

The star for the first month of winter this year is 9 Fire, a highly active and creative indicator. It puts the star for the year, 7 Metal, in the house of Thunder. The energy is bold. If you are in a good position to gain, you will if you make bold, but calculating moves. 7 Metal is shrewd.

Reduced to I Ching hexagrams, the signs for this winter for the EU give us hexagram 41, Decrease, line 4. It advises to decrease your faults; correct your internal conditions. It will encourage others to approach you.

Reduced to I Ching hexagrams, the signs for this winter for the UK give us hexagram 26, The Taming Power of the Great, line 3. It advises to be aware of danger while persevering toward your goals.

Reduced to the I Ching, the signs for this winter for the US give us hexagram 52, Keeping Still, line 1. It advises you to think before you act.

The charts for the EU, UK and the US focus greatly on finances. They favor those whose careers are in finances, commerce, entrepreneurship, investment, trade, and financial management. In fengshui this points to the money point of your house and place of business. Your Money Points are the far left hand corner of your space, the first place you see upon entering, and the Southeast area of the space. The most accurate money point can also be found from reading your Chinese astrological chart. Make sure that your money points are free of clutter and are attractive to the eye. A traditional symbol of wealth that you can place in one of your money points is a vase of flowers. The traditional Chinese flower for winter is the plum blossom. Other symbols of wealth you may consider are a pot of coins, a conch shell, a picture of a deer, a picture of a dog, a picture or bowl of goldfish, a picture of flowers, a picture of a phoenix, a picture of swallows, and a money toad. If you use a money toad it should be placed high up and facing the door.

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Raphael is available for consultations in Chinese astrology and fengshui. To find out more about Raphael's services visit www.raphaelsimons.com.

Raphael's best selling book on feng shui, Feng Shui Step by Step has been reprinted and is available at Amazon.com and at www.createspace.com/3472024.

Fall equinox, 2011 in Chinese astrology and feng shui

Fall equinox, coming exactly midpoint the Chinese fall and winter seasons, shows us a transition of energies, or shifting of the balance. Chinese fall started on August 8th, and winter starts of November 8th. While the seasonal transition is basically from Metal to Water, Metal being the element of fall and Water being the element of winter, the balances of the elements as seen from the perspective of the Chinese astrological charts drawn up for the beginnings of Chinese fall and winter this year show us a lot more.

The chart made for the Chinese fall shows a predominance of Metal element, and the chart drawn for the Chinese winter shows a strong predominance of Wood. Metal and Wood are opposites. This shows us that there will be a strong shift in the energies between fall and winter this year and that the winter will generally become more active than the fall.

The fall chart has 11 Yang elements and 4 Yin elements; the winter chart has 6 Yang and 6 Yin. You may remember how in August the stock market suddenly plummeted while there were severe storms, floods and fires. The energy at the beginning of Chinese fall season suddenly imploded, or contracted. The Yang energy of that energy made the contraction all the more forceful. The winter chart shows an even balance of Yin and Yang. This balance, with a predominance of Wood, shows rapid development of possibilities. The Wood element in winter time will generate lots of roots. Winter will be a good time to make plans for the future. Predominance of Wood may bring a lot of rain, wind and snow in the winter, especially in the east. Predominant Wood will also bring a lot of arguing and fighting in the world. It will also bring up a lot of business activity with promise of growth. For this reason it is good to gear up for future developments in business now. In terms of feng shui the attention goes to your place of work. We notice that the fall chart favors making significant changes or moves in business. The conditions around fall equinox, coming midway between Chinese fall and winter, should help you establish any moves or changes you make so that activities and future plans made through the winter become more fruitful.

The star for 2011, 7 Metal Star, is in the house of 1 Water at the beginning of fall and in the house of 4 Wood at the beginning of winter. This shows how the Metal of this year builds in the fall and profits in the winter. The winter looks lively. It favors communication, socializing, exploring new avenues, engaging in creative activities and making positive plans for the future. Pay special attention to the efficient arrangement of your work environment in all senses physical and mental.

The charts for both the Chinese fall and winter especially favor such activities as teaching, psychic and astrological counseling, therapies, medicine, scholarship, research, writing, designing, and careers involving behind the scenes activities.

The Chinese astrological charts reduced to I Ching hexagrams and lines gives us hexagram 58, The Lake, line 2 for the fall, and hexagram 1, The Creative, line 3 for the winter. The advice for the fall is to be confident in doing what gives you joy. You will have no regrets for the course you have chosen if it brings you joy. The advice for the winter is to be careful to avoid making mistakes. Impetuous moves are ill advised. Set your course in the fall; intelligently follow through in the winter.

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Raphael is available for personal Chinese astrological readings and feng shui consultations. To find out more about Raphael's services visit www.raphaelsimons.com.

Raphael's best selling feng shui book, Feng Shui Step by Step, has been reprinted and is available on Amazon.com and at www.createspace.com/3472024.