2019 Year of the Earth Pig

Note: This article was previously published in the inauguration edition of the Feng Shui Magazine – December 2018. You can purchase a hard copy HERE.

Happy New Year! On February 4, we welcome the arrival of the Earth Pig 己亥 year. As we move deeper into the Yin cycle of the Hsia calendar, the mood is more subdued. Yet with the absence of the Fire’s influence, the sentiment is also profound and provoking.

Meaning of the Elements

This year, the Elements of the calendar are Yin Earth Pig 己亥.

Yin Earth 己

People born on a Yin Earth 己 day will be the highlight this year. Yin Earth 己, often compared to a garden, embodies what is graceful, elegant, and nurturing, and epitomizes the standards of fairness and resourcefulness. Because Yin Earth 己, in the Five Element cycle, does not have an assigned direction like the others, it also represents neutrality and contentment, and exudes the ultimate feminine. Yin Earth 己 people exhibit strong interest in philosophy, theology, and the arts, as well as humanitarian and environmental work. They also enjoy working with their hands, whether in gardening, carpentry, painting, or playing musical instruments. Physically, they appear quite thin, long and lanky.

If a Yin Earth 己 person’s BaZi chart is composed of a lot of Fire Elements, then one can say that he or she appears more polite, thoughtful, considerate, disciplined, and reserved—an intellect, a visionary. On the other hand, too many Metal Elements showcases a more outgoing, animated, talkative, and opinionated person with a hint of a pushy nature—an extrovert, the performer.

Famous Yin Earth 己 ladies: Anne Hathaway, Audrey Hepburn, Eva Green, Cate Blanchett, Aung San Suu Kyi, Celine Dion, Cindy Crawford, Gal Gadot, Judy Garland, Katie Couric, Marion Cotillard, Victoria Swarovski, Maggie Q, Betty Grable, Ashley Judd, Selena Gomez.

Famous Yin Earth 己 gentlemen: Abraham Lincoln, Charles Darwin, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Justin Timberlake, George Clooney, Anderson Cooper, Bernie Sanders, Julian Assange, Kevin Spacey, Michael Fassbender, Ryan Gosling, Steve McQueen, Sergey Brin, Alexander Skaarsgard, Chris Pratt, Paul Ryan, George Michael, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci.

Pig 亥

The Pig represents the beginning of the winter season. It’s a time for hibernation and the start of the completion cycle. Because the season also marks the beginning of the holidays and impending end-of-year rituals, the energy will prompt the mind, body, and spirit to enter a period of contemplation and quiet anticipation. And because the Pig 亥 is also a Water Element, spiritual awakening or rebirth and transformation can occur.

Yin Earth Pig 己亥

The theme of the year brings an interesting mix of opposites—the Yin and Yang. What is free is enslaved. What is right is also wrong. What is true is also fiction. What is hopeful is despair. You can envision this by examining our past. History always repeats itself.

Sixty years ago, in 1959, also a Yin Earth Pig 己亥 year, we were under the same spell. A year filled with so many promises was also met with a lot of resistance and unrest. Here are some famous examples: Fidel Castro comes to power in Cuba after the Revolution, with the first Communist state in the West. His Holiness the Dalai Lama flees China and is granted political asylum in India. The phrase “The Day the Music Died” is popularized by Don McLean’s song American Dream, which memorializes the plane crash tragedy that killed musicians Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and the Big Bopper. China has border disputes with India regarding the territory east of Bhutan. Hawaii becomes the 50th U.S. state, while Singapore becomes a self-governing state within the Commonwealth of Nations. Communist ideology moves to the forefront of political discussions. And a 22-year-old Saddam Hussein is among the Baath party gunmen who try to assassinate Iraqi ruler General Abd al-Karim Qasim, and goes into hiding.

Meanwhile, Earth and Water Elements are in a “fighting” position; therefore, we expect to see more sea/air and earth related disasters this year. One example comes from the 1959 Escuminac disaster, the worst fishing-related disaster in New Brunswick in 100 years.

The relationship of the Elements this year is in a conquering or destructive cycle. Earth over Water is not actually harmonious even though Yin Earth 己 appears peaceful. It may even seem like a welcome change after coming out of a very exuberant and dynamic Year of the Earth Dog 戊戌. Last year, the energy with Mother Nature (with her violent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions), and on global policies and international relations was so active, aggressive, and fierce. Don’t be fooled by the mellow and delicate façade of the Pig 亥 Year, though, because the outlook is only superficial. The Pig 亥 Year hides deeply buried tension and sensitivity, like a ticking time bomb. In a way, one must scrutinize our own truths between what is real and imagined—in our leaders and government, and within the confines of our own lives and relationships. The conundrum will challenge both your conviction and flexibility. It will force us to evaluate our core values, and our confidence, faith, and trust in ourselves, in our leaders, in our communities, and in humanity. For this reason, it’s best not to overreact or jump to conclusions. As Phaedrus once said, “Things are not always what they seem; the first appearance deceives many; the intelligence of a few perceives what has been carefully hidden.”

BaZi 八字

Clash

If you were born in the Year of the Snake 巳 (2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929, 1917) then the Pig 亥 year is a clash year. It’s important to remember that the clash is not confined to the Year Pillar alone. The Snake 巳 can appear anywhere in your Four Pillars (Month, Day, Hour) and Luck Cycle. A clash year triggers change. Good or bad, change always disrupts the flow of routine; therefore, conflicts, turbulence, and discomfort can arise during times of transition. Trust the process and be flexible and open to the idea that you may be guided in a completely new, different, and unexpected direction. You may not even completely understand this at first, but it may just be the key event that expands your horizon beyond your wildest imagination.

To satisfy a clash year, it is encouraged to identify and take action on areas of your life that need fine-tuning. Is it a new job? Time to sell your house? Relocate to a new area? Travel somewhere that you’ve always wanted to visit? Recalibrate or take your romantic relationship to a new level? Is it time to cut ties with someone – a colleague, a friend, a neighbor? Is it finally time to close a chapter and move on with your life? Be resolute and articulate.

Ask yourself what is it that you want to do differently this year. Single that out and trust the support of the Pig 亥 Year to help see it through. It’s an action-oriented year. Hesitating or procrastinating on doing what is necessary will disperse the energy to affect something else in your life that you may not want disturbed. You might as well take control of your destiny. Everyone’s story may appear different on the outside, but the theme is the same. Clash prompts events to occur and stimulates any stagnant or idle energy in your life. Use the Pig 亥 to spark the fire you need to move forward and onward.

If you have a clash this year, the recommendation is to:

• Carry a jade pendant of Tiger to minimize this tension.

• Address the Feng Shui of your home, particularly where you sleep, because your personal energy is more sensitive and susceptible to negative or outdated energy.

• Practice an easy going attitude by loosening the grips of control and perfection.

• Cultivate an attitude of acceptance, gratitude, and grace amid adversity. This will help ground you while weaving through the ups and downs of a clash year.

• Take better care of your physical, emotional, and spiritual health.

Finally, avoid traveling to the Northwest because this is the location of the Grand Duke.

Self Penalty

If you were born on a Pig 亥 Day, then this year is also a self-penalty year. Self-penalty is what it implies: It means you create harm to yourself. Things like overindulging, gambling, excessive partying, reckless attitudes toward health, or taking things for granted are examples of self-penalty. Self-awareness is the only effective “cure” for self-penalty.

Flying Star Feng Shui 玄空風水

The energy of our physical space shifts over time. Flying Star 8 takes the center palace this year. To address the annual affliction, take care of your home or office by following these traditional remedies:

• Northeast Sector (2) – 6 metal coins or salt water cure (Metal)

• South (3) and North Sectors (4) – red envelope (Fire)

• Southwest (5) – 6 metal rod wind chime (Metal)

• East (6) and Southeast (7) – three bamboo stems in a clear glass vase (Wood)

This year, the Grand Duke is located in the Northwest; therefore, avoid doing construction or disturbing this area of the home. If this is not possible, consider placing a Dragon Head Tortoise as a cure and calculating an auspicious date to start the first day of construction.

Positive stars 8, 9, and 1 are in the Center, Northwest, and West, respectively. However, before you attempt to activate them in your home, it is imperative that you know the base chart of your home so as not to inadvertently disturb a negative star. This is why some homes do not actually benefit from a positive Annual Star. For instance, if your house has a Northwest-facing façade, it doesn’t mean the Feng Shui of your house will prosper this year because Annual Star 9 is in the Northwest, especially if the base chart of your home has a negative star such as 5. Imagine if you activated the 9 with a water fountain feature; this Yang feature will also activate 5, the Misfortune Star.

The rule of thumb with addressing annual afflictions is to: 1) always cure the negative stars, and 2) understand the implications before activating the positive stars.

Health

The emphasis this year will focus on Water and Earth organs and body parts. The kidneys, reproductive system, and adrenals belong to the Water Element, which can also affect hearing and the bones. Meanwhile, the stomach, digestive and immune system, pancreas, spleen, cells, muscles, and the mouth belong to the Earth Element. Since we also cannot ignore the absence of Fire, this year also affects the heart, brain, eyes, blood vessels, and hormones.

If your BaZi charts need the Fire Element, then you need to take extra care of your health this year. Regular acupuncture treatments, professionally prescribed herb medicine and health supplements, moderate exercise, meditation, and a healthy diet can support these areas of the body to manage and navigate a maladaptive and imbalanced year. Finally, soften unhealthy emotional habits such as overthinking and worrying because this enhances lethargy, anxiety and nervousness, lack of foresight, and passion, and it hinders progress toward building a more confident, intuitive, and enlightened self.

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