| Chinese New Year 2010: Year of the Metal Tiger |
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| Sunday, 31 January 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2010: Year of the Metal Tiger Image by Beverley & Park, kindly reproduced from Flikr. The following article is written by Ting-Foon Chik, a Master of Feng Shui at the world renowned Feng Shui Research Centre (www.astro-fengshui.com). Foon lives in London, UK and has featured in the media. She writes a monthly Chinese Astrology Column for www.radio86.co.uk which is also translated for other European countries. You can receive a monthly newsletter full of hints and tips from Foon, by joining the mailing list on her website www.fengshuibritain.co.uk. The Chinese lunar new year starts with the second new moon after the Winter Solstice, which is the nearest new moon to the beginning of spring on the 4th February. It just so happens that in 2010 the year of the Tiger, the lunar new year starts on Sunday, 14th February, Valentine's day. Is there any significance for love and romance with the start of the passionate Tiger year coinciding with Valentine's day? According to Chinese folklore, a lunar year that does not include the seasonal point known as the beginning of spring' is considered to be an inauspicious year to hold a wedding. The beginning of spring is a seasonal point on the Chinese solar calendar which usually falls on the 4th of February each year. When a lunar year has both a beginning of spring at the start and another one at the end it is considered to be a particularly auspicious year for getting married. 2009 was such a year, because the lunar year of the Ox ran from 26th January 2009 until 14th February 2010, which meant that it was a year with two beginnings of spring'; 4th February 2009 and 4th February 2010. The year of the Tiger runs from 14th February 2010 until 3rd February 2011, which means that it is missing the beginning of spring on 4th February and is therefore known as a blind year'. According to ancient Chinese beliefs, it is not a good omen to get married during a blind year. However, if you are planning to tie the knot in the year of the Tiger, and you want your wedding day to run smoothly, you can select an auspicious wedding date based on the personal birth information of the happy couple. This is far more specific than the old superstition of avoiding getting married in a blind year. Any professional Chinese Astrologer would be able to help with wedding date selection, and you can always visit http://www.fengshuibritain.co.uk to order an Auspicious Wedding Date Selection Report' from Ting-Foon Chik, the author of this article. Whilst we are on the subject of love and romance, a Tiger year brings a lot of romance luck for those of you born in a year ending in 6, i.e. 1946, 1956, 1966, 1976, 1986, etc. If you are single and going to be celebrating a 24th, 34th, 44th, 54th, 64th, or any birthday ending in 4' this year then watch out for those romantic prospects coming your way. 2010 is a particular type of Tiger year, it is a Metal Tiger year. As well as the cycle of twelve Chinese Year Animal signs, there is a cycle of five elements (earth, metal, water, wood and fire), so a complete cycle is 60 years. There are five types of Tiger year: Metal Tiger, Water Tiger, Wood Tiger, Fire Tiger and Earth Tiger. The pre-dominant element of the Tiger is wood, so in a Metal Tiger year, there is a conflict between the metal and the wood energies. The wood energy is about future growth, moving onwards and upwards, whereas the metal energy is about spiralling in with pin-point precision. Adventurous plans will be cut back into shape with conservative thinking controlling blue sky visions. Nevertheless, the steely decisiveness of the metal element will help you move in a definite direction and the courage of the Tiger will support you in stepping up to new risks. The sharp metal element of the year signals rules and regulations being put into place, but the controls might be superficial since the tough wood in the rebellious Tiger will fight back and is not easily trimmed into shape. Do not be surprised when you find out that rules imposed on the financial markets fail to restrict activities in the way it was intended. The Tiger is capable of stealthy movements in the undergrowth as it prowls around the jungle. Tiger years often herald tumultuous times and the big bold cat brings its own sense of uproar. Life can seem hectic and chaotic as you ride the rollercoaster with the ferocious feline. With such an air of excitement there is a lot of enthusiasm for anything that is daring. Watch out for all kinds of mania' and new crazes to hit the streets from out of the blue. When you step forwards beware of falling into some traps. This is a year to move ahead cautiously, like the Tiger in the forest, check out what is on the landscape before jumping out from behind the foliage to go for your goals. By the same token do not allow the Tiger to swallow you up. Forming alliances and joint ventures may be a delicate business due to the clash between the metal energy of the year against the underlying wood energy of the Tiger. During business negotiations avoid sitting such that you are on the north-east/south-west axis. At home avoid digging and major construction or renovation works in these directions. Tiger year also holds the spark of newly born fire energy. Like a candle in the wind, promising new projects at the start of the year can easily be blown out by circumstances at the Tiger's tail. Protect and nurture new endeavours in the same way that the mother Tiger looks after her cubs. Be prepared to keep up the momentum on anything you start, so that it doesn't fizzle out because you have switched your attention to blazing another new trail. In 2010, look at the year ahead through the eye of the tiger with a steely glint. Tune into the hunter instinct of the tiger, get a good sniff of the scent to follow, whilst keeping a feel of where you are standing and what is right at your feet. Be alert to opportunities for success and prosperity and aware of pitfalls to avoid. Let the boldness of the Tiger empower you towards a bright and dazzling year ahead. What sorts of claws and roars does the Tiger year bring for you?Check your animal sign and find out. To find your Chinese Year Animal Sign, look for your year of birth in the table below, then trace back along the row to the left hand column with the animal sign. If you were born between 1st January and 4th February, look up the previous calendar year, since the Chinese Solar year usually starts on the 4th February. Forecasts for each Chinese astrological sign follow the table.
RAT 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008Stretching yourself emotionally or financially can lead to you feeling tense and frazzled. Therefore, rein in your impulses to push yourself to the limit and go easy on yourself and loved ones. If opportunities come up for travel, plan your trips to be leisurely, so you can take time to take in the scenery. It is important for you to escape the hustle and bustle this year. OX 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009Remain patient when you meet with resistance to your ideas and examine what might be missing in your thinking. Avoid taking unnecessary risks to try to get things moving along the fast track for you can easily stumble if you try to run too fast along a rocky path. You can eventually find a smooth road to move ahead towards accomplishing your goals and receiving acclaim. TIGER 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010Others come to your aid when you need it so don't be afraid to ask for help. Avoid taking risks purely for the sake of the thrill that comes with putting something at stake. Evaluate where you want your life to be heading next and focus your energies in that direction. Maintain motivation by not trying to juggle too many balls in the air as you step up to something more demanding yet rewarding. RABBIT 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011Whilst you like to keep any rivalry on a friendly basis, others will draw you into conflicts that you are keen to stay out of. Be prepared to fight your own battles but stay neutral when you are asked to take sides in something that is none of your business. Before you make any movements, carefully weigh up the risks with both head and heart. DRAGON 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012Frustration at blocked plans may give way to a sense of relief when you realise that you were trying to travel along a road that was not going in the right direction. It is easy to misread the signs when you are hasty and your psyche is dominated by wishful thinking. See situations for what they are, not what you would wish them to be, and the way ahead will become quite clear. SNAKE 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013Support for your ideas will be forthcoming so there is no need to try to manipulate situations to your favour. Keep a sense of proportion and a sense of humour when things don't quite go according to plan. There will be sufficient funds for you to draw upon if you are not overly extravagant and can draw up and maintain a tight budget. In your personal life, be present to all the love that is around you. HORSE 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014New friends come into your life this year and you can enjoy some entertaining times. Avoid getting carried away by your emotions, for losing your temper over the wrong thing at the wrong moment can lead to new friends being lost as easily as they were made. You have a lot of enthusiasm for new projects and might start a lot more than you can finish. GOAT 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015Influential new contacts come your way and you can nurture them for your career development. Nevertheless you will find yourself working hard towards climbing onto the next rung of the ladder. Plotting all your professional moves will mean you can stay on top of many situations. Don't let work be all consuming, and remember to pay attention to loved ones at home and make plans to have fun with family and friends. MONKEY 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016The boat can rock about a lot for you as Tiger year brings aggressive challenges that can easily knock you off your feet, if you are unprepared. Escaping from your usual routine by travelling can still lead to unexpected obstacles and clashes. Accept the status quo and avoid pushing the envelope for there are no major gains in doing so. Keep on the right side of friends and don't turn them into enemies. ROOSTER 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017When wealth opportunities come to you this year, things might happen fast, so it is important for you to maintain control. Recognise when you need to manage your own impulses and distinguish it from attempting to change something or someone that is beyond your command. Avoid getting into a flap and keep your composure when life becomes eventful and you can enjoy what falls at your feet. DOG 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018You may be given the opportunity to hold more authority, and it would be wise to exercise any new powers carefully. Avoid making rash decisions based on knee jerk reactions to unforeseen circumstances. Demands from your nearest and dearest can weigh on your shoulders, so be clear about boundaries and should you need to, pass responsibility back to where it belongs. PIG 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019You pour your energy into new challenges during an exhilarating year. Often, it can feel like you are facing the big wide world alone, even when there are helping hands around. Nevertheless, you like to make your own decisions this year and it is important for you to weigh up all the pros and cons before you do so. Playing safe will mean you avoid a lot of hassles from other people's empty promises. This year's astrological reading was brough to you by Ting-Foon Chik, Master of Feng Shui. |
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