Rooster Diary

Rooster Diary

Metal Rooster month, Water Snake year.

Started on the 7th September.

The Nature of this particular Rooster Month

Rooster month, September, autumn, mellow fruitfulness, all that stuff; historically the most likely time for wars to be declared. But also the time when we feel the freshness of the colder seasons blowing in. It’s a time of fresh starts, almost as much as the new year is: a new school year for our kids after a holiday may have punctuated the time between then and now. In summer we play more, we are outside more. Now we are drawn indoors, often to deeper thought, research and analysis.

Autumn is yin Metal. That is to say about precision. A Metal Rooster is especially Metal. Precision can be expressed yang (authority, rightness) or yin (proportion, elegance). The Monkey month (August) is yang and often turbulent. The Rooster is yin and more underhand. Think chemical warfare. Think backstairs lobbying. Also think straight talking followed by gossip as well as field work followed by accounting.

Animals

In a Rooster month the Ox and Snake are favoured as is the Rooster itself – with certain restrictions – and the Dragon. Each of our ba zis (the four markers of our precise time and place of birth) consists of four (for some Masters five) such Animals. If you’ve thought of yourself as say, a Pig because you were born in 1959, 1971, 1983 and so on, you may have another think due. The Animal of the day you were born defines you much more intimately. Not of course that any such packaging can truly define the human spirit. We always have choice. Don’t we?

The Rooster’s judgement may be affected by rivalry this month and the Dragon’s by attempting to turn the unfamiliar into the familiar. The Ox is very strong, the Monkey inquisitive and the Pig best advised to plan rather than act. The Horse changes gear (down) while the Snake may over reach. The Rabbit needs to be subtle but nonetheless brave, the Rat better-prepared and the Tiger cool-headed. Sheep might concentrate on building support and the Dog on bringing plans to fruition.

Locations

This month has a 4 in the middle of its lo shu (or magic square) which means it’s do with thoroughness, subtle adoration and – possible tautology here – the career paths of women. The 4 is sometimes called the Actress Star. At other times the Copy Cat. Similar ideas of course. Every month has a nature defined this way. Last month was a 5 – a return to origins – next month a 3 which I’ll explain then. Pay attention to the North East where things happen rapidly all year; activation there now (just ask) may make for justice and completion.

Credits

As I write this I’m listening to Amanda Palmer’s Grown Man Cry – about the frustration of a woman attempting to get a man in touch with his emotions. AP – often referred to as AFP – crowd-funded the album when her major label told her the sleeve could not feature her non-size-zero torso. Beautiful btw but not regulation thin. Good for her.

I commend to you the World-saving work of Andrew Harvey who appears to be the only teacher both seeing chaos and offering a solution. www.andrewharvey.net.

Rooster fun fact: Apparently the new Leadenhall building is slanted so as not to impede a view of St. Paul’s from Fleet Street.

These last two items may not be unconnected. Free I Ching reading to anyone who can tell me how.

I’m teaching starter professional feng shui from this weekend (14th/15th). Still time to join us. Just. Www.imperialfengshui.info/courses.

More next month. Roll on Dog.

Richard Ashworth.

www.imperialfengshui.info