In Part II of my forecast, we will explore what the Fire Monkey means for the world as a whole and how the mood of this year will affect trends and industries.
Fire Monkey Astrology Part II:
We have been in a transition period from the Goat to the Monkey since late October. The Goat has been weakening and the powerful Fire Monkey has already begun to make its presence known and perhaps you have already started feeling it. For Feng Shui and astrological calculations however we will officially enter the Fire Monkey year on February 4, 5:48pm. This exact time marks the beginning of the season called Li Chun or Coming of Spring and the start of a new year according to the Chinese Solar calendar.
Each year, Chinese astrologers who use BaZi or 4 Pillars generate a chart for the year based on the date and time of the transition to the new year, just as we would for an individual. As the nature of a person can be seen from a BaZi chart so too can the characteristics and outlook for the year can be seen in this chart as well. For those who are more technically minded, here is the BaZi chart for this year:
The first thing we consider is the the balance and make-up of elements in a chart. Both the elements showing on top as well as those hidden inside of each animal. These elements tell us what the mood nature of the year will be, and as elements represent industries we can forecast who will benefit from and who will be strained by the energy of the year. When I perform personal birth charts, I always generate a pie chart of the elements based on the chart and I have done the same with the from this year’s chart to give a visual representation.
As you can easily see, Fire is by far the strongest element in the chart, the second is Metal which is countered by fire. With the two strongest elements in conflict, we know that this could be a year of volatility, clashes and eruptions both natural and man-made. As metal represents currency, a fire/metal clash represents pressure on currency so we will likely see negative effects on global financial systems and strains on personal bank accounts this year. As often happens when there are troubles in financial markets, people cut back on spending. It is likely that this fearful mindset will negatively affect real estate and travel which we can also see in the chart represented by weak Earth and Water elements respectively. As often happens during times of uncertainty, people seek comfort in entertainment and spirituality, both of which are represented by fire. As a result, there will be great support for the movie and entertainment industry, restaurants, and institutions and organizations that support spiritual pursuits.
Fire is one of the most unstable of the five elements and represents passion, anger or violence. It is also the element of change and transformation so these are the characteristics that will influence people’s thinking and attitudes this year. This is likely a year where people will speak out passionately for their beliefs, perhaps even fighting to bring about the transformation they seek. As fire represents change and metal the government or authority, a clash between them means that we will certainly see challenges to the government through historical votes, public demonstrations and protests, perhaps even rioting as tempers will be short this year. Not all changes will be bad however, as Bing Shen is also a pillar of entrepreneurism and innovation. With this, there will likely be many new inventions and start-ups this year. To determine which new ventures will survive depends on the element of the industry, which we will explore in more detail below.
FIRE: The overwhelmingly strongest element this year is fire. This element supports the entertainment industry as well as restaurants, electronics, computers and PR and marketing. People may not be traveling as much this year but they will certainly be looking for ways to enjoy themselves close to home so food and entertainment based business will perform quite strongly. Fire is also the element of transformation, spirituality and metaphysics so organizations and individuals who assist people in their spiritual and personal development will see growth this year.
METAL: Metal is the second strongest element in the chart this year but it is under serious pressure from a great amount of fire. Metal related industries such as Jewelry/Goldsmiths, Automotive, Iron Ore/Mining, Large Equipment manufacturers, and most notably banking and finance are expected to have difficulty this year. As I said earlier, metal also represents the government so people fired up by their ideology or cause will likely put pressures on government or seek changes in government this year as well.
WOOD: There is a fair amount of wood this year but there is little water to feed it and a great deal of fire to consuming it. As a result, Wood related industries can expect to have a somewhat mixed year. As people are likely to pull back on spending this year, sales in wood related industries will likely be light to moderate. Consumers may spend less on clothing, furniture and home decorating textiles by only getting what is necessary or needed. Gains in home decorating will be driven by those who seek a change at home but are not willing or able to move so they may opt to update their decor instead. The wood related industries that will have better success this year are organic foods, herbs and herbal medicine as well as education and cultural pursuits as the fire this year will motivate people to transform themselves internally more than externally.
EARTH: While Earth is a rather weak element in the chart this year there is plenty of fire to feed it so these industries could still do fairly well. The industries related to earth are insurance, agriculture, natural resources, bricks and building materials, durable goods, and Real Estate. When people feel financial pressure they are less likely to take on the risk of bigger mortgages so there may be a slowdown in people trading up and new construction. However, as change permeates the year, those looking for more space or who want to make updates could fuel renovations and additions. Those who are planning renovations this year should note which sectors of the home and property should not be disturbed (see my Part III of my forecast for specific Feng Shui information). For those who are house hunting or looking for investment property, this could be a year to find good deals.
WATER: Like last year, water is again the weakest element in the chart. The industries related to water are travel, shipping, trading, journalism, diplomacy and communications. The only saving grace for the travel industry is the fact that the Monkey is one of the traveling stars which may inspire people, especially those with travel stars in their chart, to spend their money on a get away. This could also be a year where diplomacy has little effect in helping quiet tensions or disputes. Unfortunately, the continued lack of water in this year ‘s chart also points to continued problems with global climate change especially droughts. On a positive note water also represents assets so many people will be selling off various assets which could offer opportunities to acquire some of your own at a good value!
I hope the energy of the year brings you great opportunities! Be sure to stay for Part III to find out what you need to know about your Feng Shui for the New Year!