Celebrate the return of the Earth King

Wow a grand title to match the day. Earth king refers to the eighteen day period that occurs at the end of every five element phase or season. Sadly, yesterday was the end of the fire element or summer season as we know it. According to the book of nature the metal season or autumn starts on the 7^th August and the time between then and now is meant for celebration of nature’s finest.

Consequently, the Chinese almanac advises making wine or drinking (responsibly), putting your home in order by fixing cracks in walls and uneven paths, laying foundations and burial functions or duties.

Being an earth period of stability it advises against anything to do with installing water in the landscape, such as building dykes or watercourses. Hopefully, as the earth element naturally controls water, we should see the recent torrential flooding diminishing.

Interestingly, in support of this “drying out” hypothesis, tomorrow is the start of Great Heat; a fifteen day period comprising one of the 24 Seasons in Chinese philosophy and culture. As today is a Water Horse, does this mark the turning point being half water and half heat?

Of course erring on the side of frivolity, I have tagged today's celebratory influences as a Soused Seahorse. To see the effects this creature has on your personal astrology see our dedicated web Water Horse page.

A secondary reason for such an outrageous title is that hopefully you will remember us with a smile during our blog holiday. We are teaching this weekend and our blog would normally return next Wednesday; however we routinely take a seasonal break, so our blog will now return in September. Our office will still be manned and we are still available for all consultations and usual business arrangements. Until we return, enjoy every moment of NOW.

Finn & Slim Shooey

If Snakes could grow legs they would take the sTRAIN

As London gears up to host the Olympics in just over a week, road traffic begins to snarl and the patience of “locals” is greatly strained due to traffic light signalling giving priority to Olympic athletes and dignitaries.

However, today's New Moon starts a new cycle and as it’s a Metal Snake day, perhaps the solution is in the form of a train. After all, it’s built of metal carriages and snakes its way along, so maybe if commuters used trains instead of roads, we would avoid the upheaval and be happier for it.

“If Snakes could grow legs” is a saying meaning the impossible, and it would certainly be impractical for businesses to adopt this method, although our canal system once provided very good transport links and it worked very well.

As one element controls another, a Metal Snake can also indicate stress, creating a very dynamic and emotional person. They are usually precise, pay attention to fine detail and master their emotions, which makes this the most powerful of the five different snake types in Chinese astrology.

They also have alluring or magnetic eyes and Angelina Jolie is a fine example, having two of them - that’s both eyes and metal snakes.

If you have this pillar in your horoscope, and you can find out here free Chinese horoscope you will want to know what fine details and recommendations lay ahead. The Chinese almanac suggests meditation or honouring ancestors, asking for blessings, visiting friends, having a haircut, seeing a doctor or choosing a treatment, opening a business and trading or setting directions for your door.

See our dedicated Metal Snake web page for the effects on your personal astrology. We will return tomorrow on a Water Horse day or should that be a Canal Boat day? Until then, enjoy every moment of NOW.

Finn & Slim Shooey

Golden Dragon makes scaled donations?

It’s a Metal Dragon day in a Water Dragon year and although there can never be enough dragons, is this one too many? Is that the reason for today's cryptic title? Actually, no, the Chinese almanac makes very few recommendations today, other than offering a donation and planting seeds.

This may seem reminiscent of Jack and the Beanstalk, but charity has the approbation of heaven and earth, blessing those that give as well as those who receive. On the subject of celestial and terrestrial benefits, we all enter the first of three 10 day cycles of heat and warmth today. Hopefully, this is an end to the deluge and flooding we all seem to have experienced of late.

Heavenly blessings will arrive tomorrow in the form of a New Moon; always good for a new start. To see the heavenly influences Metal Dragon has on your personal astrology, see our dedicated Golden Dragon web page.

We will return tomorrow on a Metal Snake day, so until then, enjoy every moment of NOW.

Finn & Slim Shooey

Blessings from the sweet toothed bunny?

Today's Earth Rabbit forms a combination with the monthly Sheep sign and makes this a very auspicious day. It is completed by the Pig, so if you have this sign in your chart, today can be a very memorable day indeed. You can check that here with our free Chinese horoscope and should you have one, see our attribute cycle for the effects of wood on your chart.

It is such a lucky day that you can seek blessings from the heavens and possibly receive advice or assistance. It is also a good day to take a course and start learning. For example, did you know that most people with an earth element heavenly stem (top line in their day pillar) have a very sweet tooth? You can actually tell their favourite flavours and tastes by analysing the entire pillar.

Today is actually thrice blessed, as the 28 lunar mansions lists it as a Tail of the Dragon day, fortunate for building and finding hidden treasure. Those who marry can have numerous descendants and improved status later in life.

We also have Success from the 12 stations and collectively the Chinese almanac recommends the following activities; meditation or honouring ancestors, asking for blessings, visiting friends, travelling, getting married, exchanging gifts, having an astrology reading, seeing a doctor or choosing a treatment, emigrating, opening a business and trading, refurbishing a home or office, laying foundations, fixing a roof, making wine or fermenting and hunting. It advises against buying clothes, funeral duties, drilling a well or opening a pool.

Earth Rabbit can be the most ambitious and powerful of the five types within Chinese astrology. Having found your own signs, you can now see how you will be affected by its influence on our dedicated Earth Rabbit web page.

If you have enjoyed today’s blog, please feel free to send it onto a friend or anyone you think may benefit from a daily dose of Chinese astrology or feng shui. We will return tomorrow with a Golden Dragon and until then, enjoy every moment of NOW.

Finn & Slim Shooey

And this little piggy went to school?

It is an auspicious Yin Wood Pig day which aligns with the monthly Sheep to make a strong wood element influence. This wood qi signifies expansion, networking and strategy and these aspects feature prominently in today's Chinese almanac recommendations. They include taking a course, visiting friends, setting your goals, having an astrology reading, moving home, opening a business and trading, refurbishing a home or office, laying foundations, fixing a roof, having a haircut, buying or setting direction for your bed or oven and hunting. It advises against marriage or burial duties.

A Wood Pig when viewed in isolation can be the strongest but not necessarily the most confident of the five types in Chinese astrology. They are also extremely resourceful when they need to be. To see how you own sign fares under its influence see our dedicated Wood Pig web page.

Mercury will begin its retrograde tomorrow and we will return on Tuesday.

Until then, enjoy every moment of NOW.

Finn & Slim Shooey

Barking dog never bites

Today's title refers to a Flemish saying and means a lot of angry words, but no action. As an imbalance of the wood element denotes anger and today's Dog clashes with the annual Dragon, you can see why we chose it.

Chinese astrology can be used to predict health problems and this clash can mean damaging feet, legs, chest or shoulders, so take it easy with whatever you do. So says the Chinese almanac which advises the only suitable activities today are quiet contemplation and sweeping up or putting your house in order. It specifically advises against laying foundations or opening a warehouse. Now it’s a good job I didn’t liken Yang Wood to a stick, as there would be nowhere to bury it.

Wood Dog can be the most affluent of the five different types of Dog in Chinese astrology. To see how you own sign fares under its influence see our dedicated Wood Dog web page. We will return tomorrow on a Wood Pig day, or should that be a Truffle Hunter?

If you have enjoyed today’s blog, please feel free to send it onto a friend or anyone you think may benefit from a daily dose of Chinese astrology or feng shui.

Until tomorrow, enjoy every moment of NOW.

Finn & Slim Shooey