August 2018 Yang Metal Monkey Month: Feng Shui & BaZi Update

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to understanding of ourselves.” – Carl Jung

Well, well, well. Did you survive the Goat month? Last month was so memorable I had to write a reflection article about it. You can read it HERE.

Now that we’re opening up to the Monkey 申 month, we can officially say hello to the second half of this crazy Dog 戌 year (or goodbye to the first half)!

August 7^th always signals the universal energy shift as the world transition from Yang to Yin.

The Monkey 申 belongs to the Autumn (Fall) season, and has been called the “hectic beauty of death.” This signifies shorter days, falling leaves, and decaying fruit. The earth is the recipient of these falling leaves and fruit, as soil is enriched by the decay of organic matter. These organic compounds and the trace minerals in the soil are the basis for all that is materially valuable: plants, precious metals, gold, diamonds, and fossil fuels.

The challenges of letting go (like a tree and its falling leaves) and finding value (the trace elements in the soil from the decay of plant material) are core issues for the Metal season (August through October).

August is also pure Metal, Yang Metal Monkey 庚申. With the support of the Earth Dog 戊戌 Year (Earth births Metal), we certainly anticipate the energy of the month to be somewhat of a respite.

With that said, the intensity of the Earth year may subside ever so slightly, bringing forth a moment for contraction, introspection, and some serious readjustments. Those who have been struggling with the first half of the year might actually find some reprieve and encouragement in the coming new month. It will be the breathing space you have been waiting for.

The Metal 金 Element is a difficult one to grasp in nature at first. But you can look at it as the connector of all things. Without it, the “nuts and bolts” of all things would come unhinged. Rather than a world of creation, Metal is the SPIRIT underlying the creation of the world. Also, if Earth is the Great Mother, then Metal is the archetype of the Father, the heavenly energy that, when planted within, initiates life. That’s why this Element holds the “transcendent function,” conveying a sense of reverence as you stand in awe before the wonder of creation.

As there has been so much emphasis on the feminine energy of late, Metal is a reminder to honor the father, too. In Chinese Medicine, a father’s positive influence helps instill a child’s development or moral authority, principles, and discipline, all of which foster self-reliance and self-worth. So, let’s bridge the yin and the yang!

Meaning of the Elements

In traditional practice, we associate and calculate the Elements of time to always come in a pair: Heavenly Stems 天干 (the Chinese character on top) and Earthly Branch 地支 (the Chinese character on the bottom). This represents the energetic influence that comes from above and below. In other words, humans are essentially sandwiched between two dynamic forces at any given moment. See the concept of the Cosmic Trinity to learn more.

~ The Elements this month is Yang Metal Monkey 庚申 ~

Yang Metal 庚 is the Heavenly Stem 天干 and this is often compared to a sword or a hard piece of steel. It is solid, cold, and heavy. For people born on a Yang Metal 庚 day, they exhibit warrior-like characteristics. They are loyal, honorable, fierce, altruistic, and often make great leaders, motivational speakers, and pioneers in their fields.

Because Metal is first formed deep inside the earth, Yang Metal 庚 people are also tough, resilient, hardworking, and controlling. Their development, however, can go two ways: they can draw strength and cultivate their masterpieces through brute force (like training under heavy pressure). Once they have refined their goals they can show razor-sharp focus that is unstoppable. That’s why most Yang Metal 庚 people perform better under pressure. Or, a less developed Yang Metal 庚 person becomes overly easygoing in life, lazy and self-entitled with low self-esteem and lack of motivation. Without the push, they can easily sit back and wait for life to happen to them.

Think of the Rock of Gibraltar, a symbol of assuredness, resilience, endurance, and dependability. Clarity, focus, strategy, and justice are the most important virtues for Yang Metal.

Famous Yang Metal 庚 people include: Jennifer Lopez, Ernest Hemingway, Greta Garbo, Julie Andrews, Jessica Chastain, Margaret Thatcher, Martin Luther King, Jr., Paul Newman, Scarlett Johansson, Queen Elizabeth, Mike Pence, Keith Richards, Steve Wynn, Bing Crosby, Henry Ford, Donna Karen, Emma Watson, Shakira, Mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani, Richard Nixon, Tiger Woods, Michael Phelps, Arnold Schwarzenegger, just to name a few.

Monkey 申 is the Earthly Branch 地支 and it is associated with the Metal Element. In the Chinese calendar, Monkey 申 denotes the start of the second half of the year and the first day of the autumn season. In the Tai Chi symbol below, Monkey represents the mark when the image turns from white to black.

BaZi 八字

Clash

The Monkey 申 creates disruption in the flow of things. While most western horoscope write ups misunderstand this by comparing the Monkey 申 energy to an actual monkey, that is not entirely correct. Yes, the Monkey 申 energy can appear disruptive, even mischievous, not because of how an actual monkey behaves, but as explained earlier, because the global energy dynamic experiences a giant shift (summer to fall or yang to yin). That’s what makes the Monkey 申 disruptive.

So for those who have an affinity (or hatred) for the Monkey 申, especially if it represents your clash, do expect to experience some internal and external jolts.

How do you know if the Monkey 申 is a clash?

If you were born in the Year of the Tiger 寅 (1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010). But the Tiger 寅 element is not just confined to the Year alone. It can appear anywhere in your birth chart, including the month (born in February 4 – March 5), the day (you need the Chinese calendar for this), or the hour (born during 3:00-5:00am local time with adjustment to DST). Example below.

In this case, the clash that is most sensitive and significant is the one directly impacting the Day Pillar because the Day Pillar represents everything about you—your house, your job, your money, your relationship, your health, etc. Therefore, if this month is a clash for you, you can do the following:

Carry a jade pendant of Snake in your keychain or inside your purse.
Get comfortable with change. Adjusting your attitude to the prospect of change will instill a sense of control, perspective, and appreciation. Remember, change is what creates events in our lives. Therefore, you can proactively identify what areas in your life needs adjustments. This is important.
Take care of the Feng Shui of your home, particularly where you sleep. If the month star has an adverse effect in your bedroom, this could provoke restless sleep, sickness and ailments, relationship misunderstandings and conflict, etc. See Feng Shui write-up below. Click HERE to inquire about getting a Feng Shui consultation.
Know that plans do and will change, so don’t get bogged down if the outcome is not what you expected.
Travel more this month, even if you just take quick, mini weekend trips.
Get out of the house more often because the stars are not aligned for hibernating. Busy is the theme of the month.
Break up or change up your routine, especially if the routine feels stagnant and boring.
Be more mindful of your driving behaviors as you could be more susceptible to accidents and mishaps.
Take better care of your health and well-being so your mind and body are in excellent shape to handle whatever stress and discomfort that may arise.
If the clash is in your Day Pillar and you are in a relationship, be more patient and forgiving, and more gentle and clearer in your communication and delivery. Creating healthy spaces or boundaries between you two is also ideal so as not to exaggerate small quarrels into larger arguments.

You can read more about clash HERE.

Nobleman

The Monkey 申 is your Nobleman month if you were born in the Year or Day of Yin Wood 乙 or Yin Earth 己.

People born in Yin Wood 乙 Years = the Year ends in “5” like 1975, 1995, etc.

People born in Yin Earth 己 Years = the Year ends in “9” like 1969, 1989, etc.

The Day is harder to calculate because you need the Chinese Calendar for this. Click HERE to get your Chinese chart.

Read more about what the Nobleman energy means for you HERE.

BaZi and Health

Research shows that autumnal depression or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects between 4-5% of the population, although 10-20% have some kind of symptom related to it. It generally affects more women than men.

The Metal season brings the energy for releasing doubts, loss, and disappointments. Sadness and grief can run deep during this time. The chance for inspiration and aliveness even in the most trying times comes through the acceptance of and adjustment to loss. When you recognize this theme, you can cultivate a sense of confidence—and trust—knowing that you measure up and are good enough. When armed with this self-awareness and strength, you can find the best in difficult situations and identify value in yourself, and at the same time reduce your need to look for confirmation of worth from accomplishments in work, material possessions, or even the approbation of other people.

In Taoist medicine, the biological father or father figure is the most important person in influencing the development of self-esteem in a child. The father’s respect and guidance allows the child to venture into new areas of growth and exploration, secure in the knowledge that failing at something will not bring loss of love or caring. Thus, the Metal Element is the connection to the “heavenly father,” the source of inspiration, purity, piety, higher purpose, wonder, and awe. The ancient Chinese emphasized a connection to the qi of Heaven, with every breath bringing the refined essence of life into the lungs.

While the Earth year has had a strong emphasis on gut health, autumn brings us to the lungs and the colon. In Chinese Medicine, the lungs are the conduits for the inspiration from Heaven, the colon the transformer of the ordinary to the sublime. In the Nei Jing, the colon is described as the “Propagator of the Right Way, the Tao.” Unless you can eliminate unresolved grief, negative thoughts, grudges, and dogmatic beliefs, the path of Tao is unavailable, inhibiting spiritual, mental, and physical health.

When the energy of the lungs is not strong, the symptoms often involve the lung itself and include bronchitis, upper respiratory infections, asthma, and poor resistance to viral infections. Furthermore, the lung energy moistens the body in general; dry membranes, which lead to infections and constipation, are a sign of lung qi deficiency.

Finally, the lung qi also impacts the health of the skin. Along with the large intestine and the lung itself, the skin is considered an organ of elimination. When the lung energy is out of balance, eczema, dry skin, psoriasis, dullness, and other chronic dermatological problems can ensue. It is useful to assess the skin in terms of elimination effectiveness, something Western medicine generally ignores.

Flying Star Feng Shui 玄空風水

This month, 8 takes the Center Palace. Here is your monthly Feng Shui to-do:

Cure or Suppress Negative Stars:

Northeast Sector (3,2) = 6 metal coins (Metal Element)
South (4,3) and North Sectors (5,4) = red envelope (Fire Element)
Southwest Sector (6,5) = 6 metal rod wind chime (Metal Element)
East (7,6) and Southeast (8,7) Sectors = 3 bamboo stems (Wood Element)

Note: You can click on the links related to cure items above to learn more.

Neutral:

West Sector (2,1) = cannot activate month star 1 because annual star 2 is connected, which could disturb and activate the Sickness energy.

Activate or Enhance Positive Stars:

Northwest Sector (1,9) = you can activate this sector with Feng Shui active objects IF the base chart of your home already has a positive star. If you are unsure, DO NOT stimulate or you could inadvertently create more harm than good. However, if you do know the base chart of your home and the Northwest Sector is a Yang space (i.e., living room, front door, kitchen), then you can manipulate this month’s energy and benefit from a positive star. This is very important to understand because not every house or office space can actually utilize this positive star unless the base chart of the Feng Shui is already good to start with.

Fun Trivia:

People who live on the equator or central area of the planet never experience autumn.

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Upcoming Events:

New free talks on BaZi and Feng Shui have been added to our fall and winter schedule. Also, our 2019 class roster is now available with more classes being added. Click HERE to see them all.

The last Feng Shui class of 2018 will take place in Dubai, UAE this year! Click HERE to learn more and register.

August 2018 Yang Metal Monkey Month: Feng Shui & BaZi Update