Chinese Almanac Astrology December 17 - 20, 2018

In honor of Liu Ming

my teacher

To support grace and ease / For the resolution of all beings

CHINESE ALMANAC ASTROLOGY

Commentary and compilations by Jamie Shulander

All notes from class notes/works by Liu Ming

Scroll down to find daily indicators...
(::: ::: ::: preceeds change)

INDICATORS - The pattern components that continuously rotate per year, month, daily, lunar or solar phase. The indicators below articulate the current alignment.

LUNAR YEAR: YANG EARTH DOG 4716 - Faithful Vigilance

“Charged: loyal, caring, protective, direct, helpful, intuitive, insightful, private, calm under

fire, just, expansive, congenial and quiet.

Deplete: stubborn, argumentative, spiteful, vain, rigid, frozen with anxiety, stingy and

excessively critical.

Image: The Dog talked about in Chinese Astrology is the Chow. This dog has been domesticated for more than 5000 years, both as an aggressive house guard and a battlefield companion. The battlefield Chow was ferocious at crippling the horses of the enemy chariots while never losing sight of its trainer (whose corpse it would protect even with its own life). The Dog epitomizes loyalty."

YANG EARTH DOG (1898, 1958, 2018, 2078) ‘Mountain Dog’

EARTH is the native element of the Dog Earthly Branch. Earth Dogs are modest, funny

and independent characters. They are light-hearted and generous, often quitting difficult

situations and avoiding confrontations. A short temper is hidden behind their joking. Strong

idealistic aspirations fill their youth and soften as the hardships of life close in. They do not

express their feelings or thoughts easily. They are prone to qi stagnation and poor circulation."

LUNAR MONTH: YANG WOOD RAT (1804, 1924, 1984, 2044) ‘Rat on the Roof’

Wood Rat is the first of 60 configurations of the Stem/Branch system. It is therefore very precarious. Wood Rats are particularly studious, industrious and naive characters. They are extraordinarily clever but also insecure. This may be the result of clinging to trauma (being orphaned or abandoned in childhood). Their rat-like resourcefulness is therefore held back by a lack of depth. Their cleverness and impatience often turns to frivolity, trendiness, deception and cunning. The fortune of wood rat is average and their wealth modest. Endless worrying weakens their constitution and they are prone to injury, skin problems, bowel disorders and arthritis.

QI NODE: QI NODE: 21 Great Snow
Yin Matures
“The Great Snow qi node is a time of visions and magic. Our inner yang sees images in the Great Yin. Things are not as they appear. Yin extends its influence into our dreams. During this qi node qi is best at 11pm (when you are asleep). Practice neigong in the  morning and evening. Remembered or forgotten dreams appear in this qi node that portend the coming year. The darkening of the light means shorter days, no rainbows and abundant snow. Stillness may lead to stagnation. All activity slows down, many things seem to stop or die. Every being/thing must rest. A trip south (winter vacation) is recommended for those with insufficient yang.”
LM The Way of Three Treasures

LUNAR HEXAGRAM 64 Weiji: Not Yet Across
"Expect to be unfulfilled at first and then later satisfied. The old has not quite turned into the new...Good for waiting and preparation, education and growth. Bad for pressing forward, conflict, lawsuits, examinations, and travel."
LM Changing: Zhouyi

::: ::: :::

MONDAY December 17, Yin Earth Water Goat 11

Hexagram Consult the Oracle

Lunar Mansion: The Bow / Deer

Solar Indicator: Danger

“Auspicious activity: It is auspicious to build and buy new property. It is an especially good day to get married. It is favorable for divination, signing contracts, romance/courtship and all forms of partnership. Good auspice is especially related to festive group events, banqueting, family gatherings and/or community celebrations. It is an excellent day to take office (begin a new job).

Contraindicated Activity: It is not auspicious for funerals/burials (become unsettled: ghosts). Seclusion or isolation is unfavorable (miss opportunity).”

LM Notes: The Bow

“To roust hypocrisy in his new alliances the leader must bait his hidden enemies (yin) by showing vulnerability. This day is a qi expression of true power but all the action is fraught with danger and risk. The games of political power are also the precursors of decline. The power plays show yin to be drawing life from the heart of yang. Success is limited now to a kind of survival. Manipulation and covert action succeed. Elegance becomes the mask of cleverness and intrigue. Doing only what needs to be done is best. Old habits or patterns of pressing forward will invite catastrophe. Beware grudges.”

LM Notes: Danger

TUESDAY December 18, Yang Wood Monkey 12

Hexagram 34 Da Zhuang: Great Strength

Lunar Mansion: The Wings / Serpent

Solar Indicator: Complete

Today's character is versatile, adventurous and ambitious...seek mentors and wisdom to even out the auspices and generally go with routine and rest.

“The wise use great strength with great caution, because the know it is costly (great injury). In general, the authors of the Zhouyi give great strength no value, unless it is paired with wisdom.

However, it is also observed that even the weak, when in a desperate situation, naturally possess great strength - the will to survive. The force or instinct to survive has great strength and can have a successful result. This kind of great strength should not be confused with belligerence or mere violence."

LM Changing: Zhouyi 34 Da Zhuang

“It is auspicious to continue routine work and to uphold and support your superiors. It is auspicious for religious rituals (not ancestral), divination (and compliance), family gatherings and celebrations. It is favorable for sponsoring and/or attending public and cultural events.

“It is very unfavorable for marriage (cause chronic illness and premature death for both partners), funerals and burials. It is inauspicious for traveling far from home. Buildings begun today become money pits (need constant repair) and the construction will cause injuries and/or accidental deaths.”

LM Notes: The Wings

“It is a day for resting on your laurels. Success is established and secured and the new state seems to govern itself. Enemies are few. It is a time for inward reflection (yin) on the bare face of reality (yang). Struggle (yang) is no longer possible or necessary (yin). Decline is not feared and success not celebrated. Wisdom approaches and withdrawing succeeds. Art is the demonstration of confidence, dignity and wisdom - be artful. No more accumulating - decorate with modesty. The way of perfecting power is austerity and restraint. Do less, have less, show less and seek nothing. Enjoy what is already manifest.”

LM Notes: Complete

::: ::: :::

61 Zhongfu: Holding the Center

"The action that arises from stillness is able to ‘work wonders.’ A Zen archer lets the arrow find the target without meddling."

LM Changing: Zhouyi

::: ::: :::

WEDNESDAY December 19, Yin Wood Rooster 13

Hexagram 14 Dayou: Prosperity
Lunar Mansion: The Chariot / Earthworm
Solar Indicator: Harvest

"Through good management, prosperity is established and, through generosity, prosperity is translated into great benefit."

LM Changing: Zhouyi  14 Dayou

“Auspicious Activity: Great success comes to anyone who initiates and continues industry. Business booms, all prosper. Building and remodeling go well (bring prestige). Marriages will inspire both partners to be their best and they will produce brilliant offspring. Funerals, memorials and burials will allow the dead true peace (and produce scholar offspring). Contraindicated activity: It is very unfavorable to procrastinate and/or postpone.”

LM Notes: The Chariot

“What makes this day smooth is a sense of fearlessness...The lessons of earthly life are found in both maturing and declining. Everything succeeds. Cleverness and survival give way to courage and directness. Be like the beloved monarch and not an ambitious merchant. Let new resources and assistants come forward by standing back.”

LM Notes: Harvest

THURSDAY December 20, Yang Fire Dog 14

Hexagram 43 Guai: Lurch
Lunar Mansion: The Horn / Crocodile
Solar Indicator: Open

“Guai tells us when impulsiveness, abruptness and breaking with standard protocol are okay. Success, in the case of Guai, is a timely, but abrupt, escape. Sometimes it is best to immediately quit a situation and/or abandon a relationship because of its excessive restrictions. Guai carries the ambiguous message that misconduct is sometimes appropriate.”

LM Changing: Zhouyi 43 Guai

“It is auspicious to begin or initiate any activity (marriage) or series of activities. It is a good day to buy property, plant a garden, apply for and/or begin a new job. It is ideal to apply to or enter school, begin a construction or remodeling project. It is auspicious for marriage proposals and making your case as asking permission is favorably received. All activities related to children and/or young people are auspicious. Its first appearance each year (or any Spring season) is particularly auspicious. A child born on this day will be intelligent and fortunate.

“Contraindicated activity: Funerals, memorials, constructing tombs and burials will bring about disaster to a family. It is not time for exerted effort or overcoming obstacles. The qi is fresh and unformed and therefore should not be pressed into fixation (slavery).”

LM Notes: The Horn

“The choice here is whether to call fate something to fight or something to embrace. It is a day with an easy qi. It is a day to appreciate how things really operate beyond the desire that creates images and appearances. Accepting should be a boundless (yin) act beyond goals - the goal has always been return to our beginningless origin (Dao). There is no protagonist (yang) that should relax - there is only relaxation itself (yin). Look around for a successor (new plan, idea, task) and resume the heart/mind of a novice. The son of a rebel leader may become the second emperor of a new dynasty. An open heart gives the option to acquire great wisdom.”

LM Notes: Open

::: ::: :::

In resolution and adventure...

Warmly,

Jamie Shulander
Instagram @jamieshulander
jshulander@gmail.com
415-450-7884