2021
YEAR OF THE XIN CHOU OX
Welcome to the Year of the Xin Chou Metal Ox!
Read below to learn:
YEAR OF THE XIN CHOU OX
Welcome to the Year of the Xin Chou Metal Ox!
Read below to learn:
- the overall energy of this Xin Chou Metal Ox Year
- things to physically focus on
- things to focus on mentally & emotionally
- possible health impairments the Xin Chou Metal Ox energy brings with it
- nutrition to focus on
- feng shui home tips for a vibrant 2021
- the musical notes or vibrations sounding through this year
- specific energies for the 6 segments of the year
- energies of the past years (since we opened in 2010- fun reading if you want to think about the flow of the last few years!)
click on the sound player to listen to the sounds of the year (and read more below)
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2021 Xin Chou
Metal Ox Chinese Astrology Technicals: This is the 38th year of the 60-year cycle in the Chinese Calendar. Submissive Water Master with guest Earth (Heaven/Upper) ruling the overall and first half of the year and Water (Earth/Lower) ruling the second half. Ruled by the planets Saturn and Mercury. There was a very rare triple conjunction of these two with Jupiter in early January. In the mornings of March 9th and 10th, Jupiter will again be seen near Saturn and Mercury as well as the moon. Saturn will be in opposition August 2nd making it very bright and illuminated for weeks before and after. 
Growth is behind schedule
2021 has a Submissive Water energy. This is in some ways like a stream that has dried up. It does not mean that there will be a lack of rain or dampness, in fact cold rains, ice and hail may be more likely at times throughout the year. This combined with the retreating sunlight may lead to a delay in the maturity of crops. The advice for right now piggybacks on the advice for 2020, which is to mostly stay indoors both because of the unusually high amount of spreading sickness and also the damp heat or cold snaps depending on the time of year. 
How to navigate
Energetically, this is a year where some of our resources are feeling exhausted. Focus your intention on the things that inspire you. Dive into your passions and cultivate joy and gratitude and connectedness whenever possible. There will likely be a tendency for a heavy cloud of fear, doubt and worry to loom around us, so we need to set our intention now to practice our 2 virtues for the year: Trust and Wisdom. We trust in the ultimate order of the Universe despite periodic ups and downs and we have the wisdom to keep our vision steady so we can distinguish between that which is temporary and that which is everlasting. If we set our sights on these virtues this year, it will carry us through difficult situations and keep us from getting inhibited. 
Six segments of year The descriptions of these six segments may sometimes sound extreme, as they were written in a time where people lived more intricately with the elements. Nevertheless there is often much wisdom to gain from people that live in such close commune with nature. These sections are from the Huangdi Neijing, which is the oldest classic of Chinese Medicine written over 2000 years ago, as translated by Dr. Henry Lu. The "focus" section is added by us. The first energy arrives Feb 4. Jueyin. Earth energy will undergo transition, cold will be gone, spring energy will be upright, wind will come along, life will spread with ten thousand things flourishing, and energy of people will be smooth and relaxed. A struggle between wind and dampness will then take place, and rains will fall belatedly. People will suffer from blood overflowing into seven orifices, twitching and spasms of tendons and reticular meridians, immobility of the joints, heaviness of the body and withering of the tendons. Focus: Relaxed attitude with enjoyable, consistent movement and activity to assist the wood energy of being vital in our physical body. The second energy arrives Apr 5. Shaoyin. Big fire will be upright, things will receive it and undergo transformation and people will enjoy harmony. The diseases will include widespread epidemic disease affecting the near and distant regions alike with dampness and steam struggling with each other and so rains will fall on time. Focus: A diet low in sugar, dairy and grains so as to not contribute to dampness. The third energy arrives June 6. Taiyin. The administrative duty of heaven will spread, damp energy will fall, and earth energy will move upward, rains will occasionally fall to be followed by cold. As people are under the impact of cold and dampness, they will suffer from heaviness of the body, edema of the skin and fullness of the chest and abdomen. Focus: Use bitter flavors and Chinese herbal formulas to keep dampness dispersed and inflammation down. The fourth energy arrives Aug 5th. Shaoyang. Minister fire will be around, damp summer heat will vaporize, earth energy will boil, energy of heaven will be blocked up, cold wind will start to blow in between sunrise and sunset, steam and heat will struggle with each other and as a result, grasses and trees will look as if covered with smoke, transformation of dampness will stop flowing, with the result that white dew and yin will spread to dictate the order of the autumn. People will suffer from hot sensations in the pores, acute overflowing of blood into seven orifices, malaria, fullness and hot sensations in the heart and abdomen, and swelling of the lower abdomen and edema of the skin in severe cases. Focus: Be careful not to overextend yourself. Continue the practices from the first 3 sections above. The fifth energy arrives Oct 5th. Yangming. The cruel order will have been put into effect, cold dew will fall, hail will be seen earlier, grasses and trees will become yellowish and withering, cold energy will affect the body. And so, a superior man will reside in a tightly closed room as people will be under attack through the pores. Focus: Better to be defensive against exposure to sicknesses and erratic weather patterns. The sixth energy arrives Dec 4th. Taiyang. Cold will come along on a grand scale, transformation of dampness will take place on a grand scale, hail will be accumulated, yin will be frozen, water will turn into hard ice, and sunlight will fail to rule. When confronted with cold, people will suffer from immobility of joints, pain and swelling of the muscles on both sides of the spinal column in the hip region, which are due to cold and dampness pushing each other into a meeting of energy to cause diseases. Focus: A relaxed movement practice like Qigong will help to strengthen immunity and harmonize the physical and emotional bodies. Musical Notes When the ancient Chinese scholars talked about the night sky and the stellar Heavens, they used a completely different language then when talking about the physical body or the earth. They described the stellar movements using musical language, which is essentially talking about the vibrations resonating from different alignments. Here are the notes as they vibrate through 2021: Overall Root Note: submissive A- Spring Feb 4th: Host: E Guest: A- Summer Apr 18: Host: G Guest: E- Late Summer Jun 30: Host: C Guest: G+ Fall Sep 11: Host: D Guest: C- Winter Nov 23: Host: A Guest: D+ *the +/- signs indicate whether the particular note is dominating or submissive (For scholar physicians, the cycle is Lesser Yu; Lesser Jue; Greater Zhi; Lesser Gong; Greater Shang; ) CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN TO SOUNDS OF THE YEAR 
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Planetary Influence
Saturn relates to the element of Earth. In the Chinese astrology it relates to expansion and prosperity. It also relates to connection. The virtue of Earth is deep Trust (with a capital 'T') and sincerity. The afflictions when that Trust is not strong are fear, doubt and worry. To be in accord with Saturn, we strengthen our deep sense of trust. Though we may not know all the factors at play, we trust in the broader organization of the Universe and stay sincere and trustworthy in our dealings. Mercury relates to the element of Water. In Chinese astrology it relates to an application of laws and punities in a just manner. It is the planet that governs the harmony of yin and yang. The virtue of Water is Wisdom. The afflictions when Wisdom is not strong are fear, doubt and worry. To be in accord with Mercury, we should strengthen our will to create the world as we know it in our hearts, not through force, but through steadfastness of our vision, integrity, compassion and knowing. 
Health tendencies
Health afflictions that may be more likely to occur this year mostly relate to the bladder and kidneys, as well as ears with diseases such as kidney problems, inhibited urination, weak and cold limbs and constipation. People may suffer with disorders of cold, dampness, swelling of the abdomen, body swelling, edema, twitching, and skin issues, as well as spasms of tendons and joint immobility or body heaviness at times. 
Nutrition
Bitter flavor is advised due to its ability to dry up dampness, clear inflammation and warm up the body when cold is present. Chinese Herbal formulas are a great source for this, but also bitter greens or a little coffee or chickory root. This is one of the few years I have seen where only one flavor (bitter) is suggested repeatedly for issues of the all areas of the body. For herbalists, the advice is that when damp and cold are strong, we need to disperse and reduce them. Support the yang fire to guard against extreme cold. Cold diseases should be treated with hot herbs. Damp disease should be treated with a transformation through dryness. 
Previous years
2010 Geng Yin (Dominating Metal) – cut out things we don’t need, harvest what we can, let go 2011 Xin Mao (Submissive Water) – reflection/introspection and also faced with a mirror 2012 Ren Chen (Dominating Wood) – strong rushing energy of change, breaking through restrictions 2013 Gui Si (Submissive Fire) – idea phase, new light, sparks of life and the beginnings of transformation 2014 Jia Wu (Dominating Earth) – start building a foundation, structures and containers 2015 Yi Wei (Submissive Metal) – refine the gold out of this foundation, what is most essential to take with you 2016 Bing Shen (Dominating Water) – the Unconscious comes in, introducing some of the missing pieces in our awareness, things we have been neglecting or denying flood into the consciousness. 2017 DingYou (Submissive Wood) – direction and growth begin again, but more focused on the instinctual and animal aspects of life. Harvest what you can that is great about your viewpoints and let go of all the stuff that is blocking your ability to connect with others. 2018 WuXu (Dominating Fire) – lifting us up to a higher state of being. It is about spiritual progress, transformation. Connecting with a calling. 2019 JiHai (Submissive Earth) – we start having the wind in our sails to put things into action as the wood energy is unchecked, but remember not to get too swept away by the momentum and forget to build yourself a strong enough boat. Focus on strengthening your container: your physical body and digestion 2020 GengZi (Dominating Metal) – Make the things that seem small the focus of your intention instead of pushing a great deal out into the world. There will likely be a lot of change happening, so we need to set our intention now to practice our 2 virtues for the year: ritual politeness and honesty and uprightness. If we set our sights on these virtues this year, it will carry us through difficult situations and keep us from getting stuck. 2021 XinChou (Submissive Water) – Earth energy is very strong and overcontrols the Water energy. Worry, doubt and fear try to stomp out our light and bring us to a halt, but we need to focus on stoking the fires of our own inspirations and our compassion and connection with others. If we submit to the heaviness, it will bring suffering and lack of movement. If, however, we can self-generate our own light and love, not allowing worry, doubt and fear to take hold, it will make the whole cycle turn. We will see those afflictions replaced by a deep Trust in the ways of the Universe. 
Feng Shui
Here is some simple guidance for which sectors of your home to activate in 2021 as well as which sectors to try not to disturb according to Feng Shui. ** AREAS TO BE CAUTIOUS OF**: N, NW, E, SW, SE North (career, business, income problems) Black sickness star enhancers: place metal objects, gold, white colors medicine Buddha, bronze bell, Chinese gourd avoid: red and fire element, construction in this area Northwest (lung issues, contracts, security) enhancers: black or blue crystals, water element, fish tank avoid: reduce the metal element East romance, educational luck) 3 Killings energy is in this sector this year enhancers: wood, water and earth elements, water colors or images, bamboo, romance enhancers, rose quartz, hearts and love symbols, plants and fresh flowers, colors blue, black, green and brown avoid: avoid fire and metal elements face east while studying or working but avoid east sector If you have to renovate in the East, place a 6 hollow rod metal wind chime during the work in that area Shut doors in the East softly and calmly- overall keep East quiet avoid renovations and major activity* Southwest (legal issues, quarrel, robbery) Sui Po is in the SW this year enhancers: use red/pink color, fire element, salt lamp, earth element such as crystals, pottery For Sui Po- place Pi Yao protect and blessing statues in this area facing the NE to negate Sui Po avoid: no water or plants avoid renovations Southeast (distressed financial savings, accidnet, misfortune) Misfortune and Sickness Star neutralizers: white, gold color or metal items; salt water cure, metal wind chimes, bell, fire element God of Wealth statue avoid: water features or plants, construction ** FAVORABLE AREAS TO ACTIVATE**: S, W, NE, E, Center South (success/recognition, fortune, art/literature) enhancers: put a plant here or metal objects, bamboo, wood element, art and literature items West (wealth, prosperity, fortune, children's health) enhancers: red colored items, red crystal, water feature, earth element, salt lamp, crystals, plants with soil, ceramics avoid: reduce metal element such as metal items, white and gray colors Northeast (future prosperity, laser focus, relationship, wealth) enhancers: red color items, money enhancers, crystal, qi lin/pi xue statues Tai Sui plaque avoid: Grand Duke/Tai Sui- avoid sitting facing NE avoid renovations and major activity East (romance, educational luck)* enhancers: green color, bamboo, avoid red and electrical items face east while studying or working but avoid east sector avoid renovations and major activity Center (career, windfall/authority) enhancers: earth ceramics, metal items, gold, white colors, water features, crystals, money toad, money enhancers *East is included in both favorable and unfavorable this year because it has both attributes |