April 2018: Feng Shui & BaZi Update

We all have had the experience of realizing that something in our lives is not working. This knowledge can come as a sudden realization or a nagging feeling of doubt that grows stronger, waking us up to the fact that something needs to change.

If you currently lack clarity on what needs to change, pause before you panic: the first step is remembering that your life is made up of parts that belong to an interconnected whole. Changing one thing can change everything. Because of this, small changes often have a big effect. Sometimes much bigger changes are necessary, but the only way to know for sure is to take the time to really understand the problem.

Examine your life as an entirety—your work, your relationships, your health, your goals, your habits, your friends, your routine, where you live—and determine what specifically is not functioning the way you would like.

You may not even notice that you have braced yourself against a shift until you recognize the anxiety, mood swings, or general worried feeling toward the unknown. It’s true that sometimes before you are ready to shift, you may pass through some mild, even intense discomfort.

If all this resonates, then you are very well into and under the influence of the Dog Year! Congratulations! 🙂

What’s more, this coming Dragon 辰 month (Apr. 5 – May 5) could be the catalyst for all that needs to be.

Since the beginning of this year, I have talked a lot about the essence of the Dog Element. It is ominous, mysterious, and spiritual, catapulting many of you to step into a new way of seeing and being. It may mean that you are suddenly becoming more curious or open to learning new, unconventional ways of understanding life and lessons. For others, it may prompt you to re-connect back to your spiritual or religious practices. However that may look for you, the heavy Earth energy of the year is certainly enticing you to get even closer to Spirit, to connect to a larger collective whole—in and outside of you.

These (baby) steps are necessary to help you find the courage to face whatever changes lie ahead. No matter how big or small these changes may look for you, the key to making changes is to accept that change is a necessary part of life. As you change, you may find it necessary to fine-tune your relationships, work, habits, goals, and living situations.

As Gary Zukav once said, “Awareness is a blissful state, not a painful one.” The reality is that the more aware we are, the happier we are. Ignorance is NOT bliss!

Sometimes a shift from denial to acceptance is all that is needed to ease your anxiety, allowing you to bring your memories and heart with you as you move through nervousness to joyful excitement about the good to come.

Here are a few actions items for you to contemplate during this Dragon 辰 month:

• Dream of dreamy things, and ask for what you most deeply desire. Don’t be shy or coy about it. Go ahead and write it down or tell a friend. Dare to dream big and wild!
• Know that it’s ok to have a change of heart. This way, you can slowly learn to let go of old dreams, energy-sucking relationships, stale habits, and unsupportive working or living conditions.
• Anchor down and return to your core. Home is the most obvious place to root down, but home can have many faces for different people. Identify a place that you can feel absolutely safe, and root back down to what matters the most.

When you’re at home, ask yourself what matters most to you this year, right now:

• Is it simplifying your daily schedule so you have more time to exercise?
• Is it ridding yourself of clutter so you have more space to create?
• Is it delegating or asking for help so you don’t always feel so overwhelmed and exhausted?
• Is it eliminating gluten (or whatever food group) so you can jump-start a healthier diet or weight loss?
• Is it getting a work promotion or client project so you have more financial security or momentum?
• Is it reconnecting with your partner/spouse so you have more physical and emotional intimacy?
• Is it learning to disconnect from the external world so you have more internal peace?
• Is it letting go of things, people, or old habits so you feel more positive and uplifted?
• The list goes on…

This Earth Year (Dog 戌) and Earth Month (Dragon 辰) is one heavy and dense Earth Energy. Mama Earth is rearing her head even more so this month, demanding each and every one of us to come back to our core values.

If it’s time to stop doing what you’re doing, stop. If it’s time to push ahead and take a chance, do it.

The Dragon 辰 month is not a timid or gentle energy this time around, so you might as well buckle up and get ready for the ride. Use this month’s energy as a wonderful opportunity to start the journey of transformation (if you haven’t already).

You’ll need to dig deep, but everything worth pursuing takes effort, and that includes internal alignment and outer action.

In Chinese Medicine, the Earth Element is associated as Yi, translated to mean intent, memory, or thought. That’s why the essence of the Earth Element is called meditation. Reflection, a term discussed in the Nei Jing, is similar to the modern idea of introspection, turning inward to learn about the self and ultimately about one’s place in the world. It’s deep. But that’s the spiritual connection and energy of the Dog 戌 + Dragon 辰.

To broaden your understanding of Yi, it can also come from the philosophy of Confucius, which considers Yi as one of the four basic virtues of the “superior man,” who lives in harmony with Heaven, Earth, and Man, often referred to as the Cosmic Trinity. When harmonized, you can experience contentment, satisfaction, empathy, and thoughtfulness, which are the adaptation of the Earth energy.

So, as we brace for the Dragon 辰 month to rear its head to meet the Dog 戌, pay closer attention to the central region of your inner and outer worlds. The core of your physical body includes your stomach, spleen, pancreas, digestive system, as well as the overall immune system and cells. The inner part is the emotional aspect including the feelings of trust, confidence, intuition, fulfillment, gratification, and safety.

This also has a symbolic association to mean the health (Feng Shui 風水) of your home, your tribe (the people in your life), Mother (your relationship with your mother or mother figure, and your relationship as a mother or mother figure to others), your Spirit (spiritual or religious practices and rituals), and your divine feminine power. Don’t worry, if you’re a man, you too are capable of embracing your feminine power as well as helping to promote and stimulate the divine energy from the women in your life.

Because we are all unique beings doing many different things, how the Earth energy will manifest in your life will be slightly different. But they’re all same-same.

As I have just recently wrapped up a joyful BaZi and Holistic Wellness Workshop with Lindsey, my co-facilitator, she reminded us all to keep the essence of Earth in our life and to continuously seek out the “sweetness in life” (sweet is the taste of Earth).

Stay anchored and rooted to the Earth and find the courage to be bold in all that you do.

Below is your April 2018 Flying Star and BaZi updates.

Flying Star Update

The West sector is extra sensitive as Month Star 5 will connect with Annual Star 2 to form an unfavorable Flying Star combination 2,5. Watch out if this is the front door of your house or your bedroom. Traditionally, you can suppress this adverse energy with 6 metal rod wind chime. If this object is not convenient or not to your liking, you can use 6 metal coins or a salt cure.

Month Star 8 in the North is not useful because it will connect with Annual Star 5. Do NOT activate or it will inadvertently stimulate the Misfortune Star. Sickness Star 2 in the SE is strong this month because of 8,2 combination. Place your traditional 6 metal coins here to neutralize this energy.

Month Star 1 is helpful in the East but on whether or not it can be activated will depend on the flying star base chart of your house or office. Contact Jen HERE if you are interested in a comprehensive Feng Shui consultation.

BaZi Update

If you’re born in the Dragon 辰 Year (2012, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, etc.) or especially on a Dragon 辰 Day, this will activate self-penalty and stimulate the clash energy. Be extra mindful of your physical surroundings including driving and avoid traveling to the Northwest direction from your current location because this is the direction of the Dog 戌. For example, if you live in Arizona, avoid traveling to the Northwest Pacific. If you live in Hong Kong, avoid traveling to cities like Guangzhou. If you live in Germany, avoid traveling to the UK.

Yang Fire 丙 sits on the Dragon 辰 Element so this Earth energy is extra strong, coupled with the Earth Dog 戌 Year. We can anticipate a lot of earth-related activities and disasters such as avalanches, landslides, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, traffic accidents, bridge and building collapses, etc.

For those whose BaZi charts do not favor Earth (like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Queen Elizabeth), this month will be particularly challenging. If your Self-Element is also strong Earth, be wary of enemies or mindful of people with questionable motives.

For health, avoid eating inflammatory-inducing foods that will disturb the way your stomach digests foods and nutrients. Support your belly with more anti-oxidants (grape seed extracts, mulberry), anti-inflammatory (turmeric, ginger), and probiotics to (re)build healthy and strong enzymes and bacteria. Consider getting an energy healing session such as Reiki to help you release any negative entanglements and promote stronger connection to self, to earth, and to your core.

BaZi Reading

If you’re interested in getting a personalized BaZi reading done, please fill out the form below.