Year of the Sheep – Yi Wei
February 19, 2015 welcomes the Chinese Lunar New Year, which falls on the second new moon after the Winter Solstice. Mostly ceremonial (like the Western New Year on January 1) it commences 15 days of traditional celebrations around the world and the planet’s largest annual human migration as Chinese families return home. However, the Chinese Solar New Year (which is used in Xuan Kong or Flying Star Feng Shui) is based on the agricultural calendar and always begins on the first day of Spring (usually February 3 or 4.) The seasonal influence of shifting time on people and locations makes it a perfect time to change the yearly Flying Star cures in and around your home and workplace.
2015’s Yin Wood Sheep – Yi Wei (known as the Contemplative Sheep) promises a respite from the fast-paced energy of last year’s Horse in the Clouds. In Chinese astrology, the Sheep or Goat is the eighth sign of the zodiac representing female (yin) energy. She is the companion to the masculine Horse who together symbolize the very essence of yin and yang principles. The Sheep is linked to the S/SW compass direction, the month of July and the hours of 1-3 pm, when the intense energy of midday begins to moderate. She is conservative and docile preferring grazing to conquering. In the cycle of Five Elements, Sheep is associated with Earth and all that is peaceful, gentle and kind. In 2015, Earth energy combines with the springtime energy of green Yin Wood and the optimism engendered in that season of hope and renewal. Both flexible and yielding, the Yin Wood Sheep rewards moderation with the gift of new beginnings, harmony and tranquility.
Since the Sheep is more reserved and humble than the impetuous Horse, you will notice a less hectic pace as the year gets underway. She is concerned with quality rather than quantity and her penchant for pleasant surroundings makes this a good time to consider improving the appearance of your home and business. The Sheep is also a peace-loving consensus builder who takes comfort in the companionship of her flock. She embraces the importance of home, family bonds and meaningful relationships. For this reason, it may be a good time to pool resources and assemble other like-minded individuals rather than venturing off on your own. Reconciliation and diplomacy are the preferred strategies for dealing with conflict in a Wood Sheep year, so it will be best move forward with integrity, avoiding confrontations that could upset the balance. With a keen sense of aesthetics, the Sheep prides herself on appropriate timing and observing the natural order of things.
The pastoral Wood Sheep has panoramic vision and 2015 promises a year that is ripe for self-expression, expanding the fine arts, music, performance and innovation. She is a visionary who sets trends rather than follows them so expect a fresh crop of creative ideas to bloom this year. After expending so much physical energy in the Year of the Horse, it will be restorative to explore a more meditative and thoughtful approach to activities. Like bamboo, Yin Wood is fragile yet flexible, boding well for a more cultivated meeting of the minds in business and political arenas. Known as the most humanitarian of the Chinese zodiac animals, the sensitive Wood Sheep cares deeply about the environment and the welfare of those less fortunate. Look for innovations in delivering assistance to others along with an increased awareness of natural resources and green initiatives. Generosity of spirit will serve you well in the Sheep year.
Wishing you a gentle transition and a peaceful and prosperous year,
Diane Gallin, CFSC
