Happy Chinese New Year! Apart from people born in the Year of the Dragon, it will also be a good year for those born in the Years of the Rooster, Pig, Goat, Ox, and Snake. It won’t be a banner year for those born in the Years of the Dog and Horse, but there are ways for them to mitigate the effects of negative circumstances, even turn them into positive ones.
By Alex Y. Vergara
The much-awaited Year of Wood Dragon begins today, February 10, but even before it started, geomancer Patrick Fernandez of the Yin & Yang Shop of Harmony (located at the New World Hotel in Makati) is already predicting that there will be a slightly higher birth rate this year, especially among the Chinese, since many parents would want their babies to be born in a supposedly very lucky year.
Like in all years though, people born under certain animal years like the Rooster are luckier than others in the Year of the Dragon. As for those born in supposed unlucky years (as far as the Dragon year goes) such as the Dog, Patrick also offers some advice to mitigate or deflect the bad energy coming their way during a Dragon year.
Of the 12 animals that make up the Chinese zodiac, the Dragon holds a special place on the list for being the only mythical animal that has captured the imagination of people, especially the Chinese, for millennia. As the emperor’s symbol on earth, the Dragon denotes power and majesty, making it the first among equals in the Chinese zodiac.
“According to statistics, the birth rate in China during Years of the Dragon goes up by five percent,” says Patrick during a recent talk at New World Hotel’s Jasmine restaurant. But it’s not as simple as that, he cautions. Not all Dragon babies are destined to be lucky because a great deal of luck also depends on their parents’ birth chart.
“If for example, one or both their parents are Dogs (born in the Year of the Dog), babies born in the Year of the Dragon might invite conflict and fighting within the family,” Patrick adds.
As for the rest of us, we could take a leaf from the Dragon, which also symbolizes water and, as legend has it, is a benevolent and helpful animal. Although it is arguably the most preferred year for births, engagements and weddings, the Dragon is not the first but the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac. Again, according to legend, says Patrick, the Dragon would have been the first to arrive at Buddha’s side had it not stopped to help a village that was going through some hard times.
“Since everyone is good at something, it’s going to be a year to showcase your talents and strengths whether it is in the field of business, government, education, and the media. Like the Dragon, be kind and generous with your talents by trying to help the world,” says Patrick.
As the world leaves behind the Water Rabbit and enters the Wood Dragon, people should also take advantage of the various growth opportunities available to them. Yang Wood, says Patrick, is known for growth, and this encompasses almost everything. And in the context of what happened to the world during the past several years under a pandemic, coming from a stagnant period that saw very little growth, there’s plenty of room for growth in the coming months.
“Another prevalent feature of the Yang Wood is the difficulty to make compromises,” Patrick adds. “So, there will be times when it’s going to be harder to compromise. But with all the conflicts happening all over the world, we need to find a common ground.”
Now we come to the best part. On a personal level, what can we expect out of the Year of the Dragon? In general terms, Patrick goes one by one, pointing out the good things to look out for and the bad ones to avoid based on the animal year we were born in.
Rat. People born in the Year of the Rat should look forward this year to a couple of energies – the Authority and Leadership stars. Again, try to find what you’re good at and be the leader in that field.
But Rats should be wary of the star that has to do with misunderstanding. For those in the media and communication business, for example, it’s important to double and even triple check your message and have it checked by others to make sure that it’s correct before pressing the post button.
Even within family, for example, it’s better to over-communicate to the point of being branded as makulit (persistent) just to make sure. To lessen the impact of the Injury star, it pays to preempt it. How? Try to do a blood test, donate blood, or even undergo teeth cleaning to preempt the injury.
Ox. From a money perspective, it would be one of the best times for the Ox to explore different sources of income, both direct and indirect. Be a bit bolder as well when it comes to investments.
As for travel, Patrick recommends that you go on shorter trips. A weekend off perhaps within the country or an overseas one within the region. But it’s not bad to go on longer trips of up to week or so to help clear your mind and allow you to see life from a different lens.
The Ox, he underscores, is one of the better animal signs this year when it comes to generating money and exploring the world beyond your neck of the woods. So, have your passports ready!
Tiger. Finance-wise, this year will also be a good one for the Tiger. And this luck with money encompasses savings, acquisitions, and investments. It’s important though that Tigers set their own financial goals rather than leaving them to others.
It’s also a good year, says Patrick, for Tigers to broaden their perspective. So, given a choice between buying a new thing or going through a new experience, opt for the new experience. Making new friends, traveling to a new place, or embarking on a new hobby will all give you better chi that would last you for years to come.
Because of the star that deals with sensitivity, Tigers are bound to be overly sensitive this year. It pays to warn people around you about this likely situation for them to understand you better and minimize any likely conflict. Also, try to identify likely triggers to better able to manage them.
Rabbit. People born under this year should be mindful of the Surpassing star, which should push Rabbits to surpass a goal that they themselves have set. Patrick advises them to try to visualize success and its likely outcome for them to surpass it.
But the rabbit also has a star that has to do with making small matters into big ones. Making mountains out of molehills, so to speak, is something Rabbits should watch out for. He also reminds Rabbits to pay more attention to their health this year by focusing on prevention rather than the cure.
Dragon. For Dragons, this is a very good year to showcase your talents and capabilities to the world. It’s time to be more creative not just for yourself, but also for your organization.
Use your organization as a platform to be able to advance causes that are important to you and good for the world. Thanks to a Creativity star, Dragons in creative industries will have an easier time creating something good out of nothing. The same star will allow you to be innovative and generate fresh ideas.
It’s also ideal to brainstorm with other people because good ideas can come from anywhere. You can use others’ ideas without forgetting to credit them, and that would propel you even more, says Patrick.
Be aware, however, of the Sword-edge star. Because the year will also be governed by frenetic energy, you’d feel as if you’re always at the sword’s edge. So, just try to find balance.
Usually, when Patrick and his team, including his mom Baby, have consultations, there are four things that people are concerned about: health; career, relationships; and money. For Dragons, try to balance everything this year to achieve a less frenetic, calmer, and more peaceful journey.
Snake. For the Snake, there’s a strong star called the Tai Yang star, which has to do with getting energy from daylight. So, if you’re doing something important, including meetings and transactions, and you have a choice whether to do it during lunch or dinner, choose the latter, says Patrick.
There’s also going to be strong luck from the male relationships in your life, including family members, business partners, and colleagues. That’s also part of the Tai Yang energy. Snakes also get a leg up from the Peach Blossom star when it comes to relationships.
From the “languages of love” such as gestures, gifts, physical touch, quality time, and even food, find the apt language of love for the people most important to you. And this approach extends to professional relationships, whether in doing business or interacting with colleagues in an organization.
As opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach, find what’s important to them and speak that language, so to speak, to be able to connect with them better.
And lastly, the Snake also has what is called the Heavenly Chef star. As such, try to find opportunities, whether at home or in the office, to celebrate milestones with food. And if you like cooking, adds Patrick, so much the better, because there’s a lot of energy tied with the Snake this year when it comes to food and celebrations.
Horse. For the Horse, there’s a star called the Sky Relief star, which would help in instances that are a bit challenging. As its name implies, such as star will come like relief from the sky, often in the form of other people.
Sometimes when you least expected it, these are the people who are going to willingly help you, says Patrick. So, try to help spread the good chi around to create a good cycle of positive chi.
If you’re a Horse, there are two things to hold on to this year: patience and resilience. Some stars will cause a bit of headwinds more than in other years, Patrick cautions. Certain obstacle stars may make things harder for you to achieve or solve this time around. But you’d be fine as long as you have ample reserves of patience and resilience.
Goat. Perhaps the Goat’s year is not as great compared with the Rooster’s, but it will still be a good one loaded with opportunities. Because of this Opportunity star, this year will be an ideal chance for the Goat to meet new people.
As such, Goats should go out of their way to network because a lot of opportunities will come from new people they encounter. But there’s a star that has to do with being overly ambitious. So, Goats should be cautious not to spread themselves out too thinly, Patrick warns.
They should also be wary of a star that has to do with entanglement, meaning being enmeshed in other people’s affairs. Don’t be a “marites,” (rumor monger), says Patrick in jest. If you love to express yourself orally, find the right avenue for it that won’t put you in hot water.
Monkey. For the Monkey, there’s a star called the Three Achievement star, which will help push them to accomplish a lot during the rest of the year. Those born during this year should make the most out of these breaks by having a “learning agenda.”
After accomplishing something, ask yourself what worked well and what areas need improvement. In that way, your next set of achievements are bound to be bigger.
It’s also good for the Monkey to focus beyond the year. There will be a lot of short-term goals. But at the same time, it would be beneficial to also think long term.
Lastly, Monkeys shouldn’t allow themselves to be irritated by the Nuisance star, which will come in the form of slightly annoying people and events. Try to steer clear of such irritants to lessen everyday stress.
Rooster. It pays to be best friends with the Dragon because it’s going to be a generally good year for Roosters. Since they would have their hands full of worthwhile things to do, it also pays to prioritize.
To achieve this, says Patrick, follow the Japanese concept of ikigai or four things. If you have, say, 10 things you want to do, pause for a moment, and think about these four criteria: What are the things you’re good at? What are the things you enjoy doing? What are the things that are good for the world? And what are the things that you can earn from?
Endeavors that tick off all or most of these boxes should be given priority. It will also give you an idea whether a project is worth spending your time in or not.
It’s also good for Roosters to have mentors or people they can learn from. It can be their spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, etc. Beware, however, of the star that tends to draw you to relationships that may not be good or beneficial. With regards to this area, it pays to be a bit more prudent this year.
Dog. The Dog is what we call the chong or conflict animal of the Dragon, says Patrick. Each animal in the Chinese Zodiac only encounters this once every 12 years.
If you’re a Dog, be more careful about your health, money, and relationships. There’s going to be a Big Rain star where money may be flowing out. But there’s also a good star for the Dog, which would make it easier for them to work with different types of people. Patrick advises Dogs to rely on these people to get them through the entire year.
Pig. The Pig enters the year with the Emperor star, which has everything to do with expansion, either in terms of scope or business. So, this is also a good year for Pigs, especially if they’re planning on doing different things and expanding in other areas. With careful study, these endeavors are bound to click because they have energy behind them.
The Pig also has a good star for professional relationships, which involves areas like networking and problem-solving.
If there are instances this year that seem to be a little bit dire, says Patrick, don’t worry because you’ll have an inspiration to help you face up to and solve certain problems in a creative way. Pigs should also try to be a bit more careful this year because of the Mischief star.
