Chaos at Bay: Bulletin for the Month of the Wood Pig

Auspicious Dates and Places for
the (10^th) month of the Wood Pig 2024.
(07:49 7^th November to 00.29 7^th December inclusive)
in the Year of the Wood Dragon.
Public edition

art by @elliespinelli ©2024

Hexagram 35

Jin

Progress.

A 5 month can be full of hazards.
A Pig Month is (for better or worse) about independence.
Where not to be this month: tai chi (geometric centre), West
Where to be this month: North, North East,
Favoured Animals: Rabbit, Sheep, Tiger.
Especially challenged: Snake, Monkey, Pig
The Hexagram* (above): Jin Progress, Fire over Earth.
Summary: progress at some cost.

S
4       9       2
3       5       7
8       1       6
Wood Pig lo shu

Commercial Break
As ever my monthly Yi Jing class (next one: Wednesday December 4^th) will be examining the ramifications of Jin, Hexagram 35, Progress sometimes called Sunrise. Highlights of these sessions appear on my YouTube Channel later in each month. You may not have the stamina for all sixty four Hexagrams but you can join us for a year via Sheilaashworthfengshui@gmail.com

I am teaching and practising Ba Zi (that is the “Four Pillars of Destiny”) one to one via Zoom all the time of course. My next book I Talk to the Animals due out mid-2025, is a comprehensive guide to the drafting, interpretation and practice of Ba Zi.

It is said that it is the things we fail to do rather than those we do that we regret: the Ba zi, sometimes misleadingly called a Chinese Horoscope is a mechanism for identifying moments of choice, actually a snapshot of the prevailing Elements at your moment and place of birth. As the Elements appear cyclically, it can be, if you like “run” forwards or backwards to identify strengths, weaknesses, challenges and possibilities. Some choices are wise, some not so much but to revisit them may change the course of a life. It’s never as Chuck Spezzano teaches, too late to have a happy childhood.

My Monthly Podcast with the brilliant Zoe Vita James maps the changing qi and its likely implications for each Animal. Additionally from this month we’re putting one out with hints, tips and principles of Classical Feng Shui: this month how to recognise the helpful and less helpful aspects of the interior of a house. And what you might be able to do about it. https://open.spotify.com/show/2BvGN1qGP5HdF56HCl9y64

One Day Forecast Workshop:
2025: Breezes, Hurricanes, Twisters: The Year of the Wood Snake
Godalming 10am-5:30ish GMT 14^th December)
Zoom 3-9pm GMT/10am-4pm Eastern Time 7^th December).

Forecast One Day Workshop: The Year of the Wood Snake

This Wood Pig Month: Chaos at Bay.

“The true nature of man is good…but becomes clouded by contact with earthly things.” Confucius. On Hexagram 35

This Pig Month offers some sort of opportunity to pick up the pieces that have been scattered by the Dog. Technically the Pig is gip sat (that is nemesis) to the Dog which is not quite timely for (1946 Fire Dog) Donald Trump or the post-war dispensation. Put simply the Pig closes the Dog down briefly.

The Monthly Hexagram Jin, Number 35 Progress, depicts the Sun over the Earth and is as often referred to as The Sunrise. A symbol of progress as well as expansion and clarity. Just as the leaves of the trees in the rainforest reach for the newborn light, so advance, promotion and the pursuit of attention are favoured. Time for a fresh start. Business as usual won’t cut it.

The kua at the heart of this month’s lo shu or magic square is the perilous 5 which receives a consistently poor press but is at its simplest power which must be handled with care. To face the direction in which the 5 sits from time to time may boost power: this month face the tai chi (geometric centre) every now and then; next month Northwest.

Not a comfortable time for Snakes or Monkeys. No astrological analysis will ever truly “get” you and you also have free will and agency. Wiithin the timeless laws however that govern Ba Zi it is reasonable to suppose that this month will be tough too for Roosters and Oxen and comfortable for Rabbits but neither for Pigs or Dogs.

You may well not know that there are at least four Animals to consider in your Ba Zi and that it is as unlikely that they’re all suffering during the Pig Month as all making hay. Each Animal – covering Year, Month, Day and Hour – illuminates a particular aspect of life. To know this about yourself may be timely.

It is true however that the Year Animal does a great deal of heavy lifting. So if you were born in a Rabbit, Tiger or even Sheep Year, you may find this month surprisingly supportive.

It is now the Season of Water, when discussion replaces action to a great extent. More truth required as we move into the time of rest and discussion. Emotion may be high, a sense of loss is common as the leaves fall and the days draw in.

The Month of the Wood Pig, Animal by Animal:
These brief homilies carry different nuance dependent upon whether this Animal rules your Year, Month, Day, Hour or Life House.

Pig (1947, 59, 71, 83, 95; births in November*, 9-11pm & on certain days#) The principal danger is self-absorption. It’s quite possibly not about you.

Rat (1948, 60, 72, 84, 96; births in December* 11pm-1am & on certain days#). Frustrating; statements that aren’t quite coherent and may not quite land.

Ox (1949, 61, 73, 85, 97; births in January*, 1-3am & on certain days#) Small blockages, you may have to prioritise between yourself and those who need you.

Tiger (1950, 62, 74, 86, 98; births in February*, 3-5am & on certain days#) Fully powered. Power best used for creation rather than retribution. Opening up helps.

Rabbit (1951, 63, 75, 87, 99; births in March*, 5-7am & on certain days#) About (mostly upwards) movement and aspiration. Match reach & grasp for a happy conclusion.

Dragon (1952, 64, 76, 88, 2000; births in April* 7-9am & on certain days#) Less impeded than recently. It’s still all about stepping up.

Snake (1941,53, 65, 77, 89; births in May*, 9-11am & on certain days#) Pig is your nemesis: issues of deception possible.

Horse (1942, 54, 66, 78, 90; births in June*, around midday & on certain days#) Not your most energetic time: criticism may enervate rather than energises

Sheep (1943, 55, 67, 79, 91; births in July*, 1-3pm & on certain days#) Ambitions may be satisfied if you cooperate. Calling on old acquaintance may reveal a missing piece.

Monkey (1944, 56, 68, 80, 92; births in August*, 3-5pm & on certain days#) Illogical resistance could make it hard to bring your ingenuity to bear

Rooster (1945, 57, 69, 81, 93; births in September*, 5-7pm & on certain days#) Some (relatively minor) loss likely. If that rings a bell, prepare appropriately.

Dog (1946, 58, 70, 82, 94; births in October*, 7-9pm & on certain days#) Pig tends to trip you up. Which makes appropriate pacing and frankness your best allies.

* Chinese Solar Months start later than European ones.
#You’ll need help or a Chinese Calendar for this.

A Helpful Day
Friday 15^th November, Water Sheep, Neck, Success (5) *** promising risks.
Full Moon: 15:30pm. Identify the objective before advancing. There may be some ballast to move. A day to crash parties. Noble helper in the offing, just let it happen. If Fire is your thing, so much the better.
Activity: at Rabbit due East for flexibility.
Favours: all especially Pig, Rabbit, Sheep, Horse

Not So Helpful
Saturday 9^th November, Fire Ox, Willow, Full (2) ***** destructive.
A day to avoid self-indulgence which could linger and set both a poor precedent and a poor example. The image of this Fire Ox is one of frantic and unsuccessful withdrawal. “Faults and harmful actions (today) are followed by discord, illness and ruin.”
Activity: at the Rat due N for a 2^nd opinion.

Locations: helpful & not so much
Every house is different but certain forces affect us all wherever we are. Below we list one location (measured from the middle of the house or tai chi)) that will definitely be less helpful this month and one which will be more useful than usual.. That applies to all enclosed spaces. What to do about it depends very much on the individual house. Ask if in doubt.

A Helpful Location
North East, Beginnings & Endings: 6 Month Star: 8 Fortune Virtue (Ox)
8 visits 6. Support for sanity and organisation. Rational left brain activities well supported. Deep discussion encouraged. Owning error moves mountains. North East is the Ghost Gate, the default for spiritual practice. You might build an altar, conceive or hatch and initiate world-beating plans here this month. Best get on with it as the North East fades in 2025. Prosper with Water: e.g a glass changed daily all month.

Not So Helpful
West, Intervention: Year Star: 5 Month Star: 7 Year Wu huang. Month san sha.
With an influence that actually spreads into the Monkey in one direction and the Dog in the other, this is no place to get anything done this month. Activity and occupation will tend to make for stasis or unforced error, especially in calculation and detail work. Don’t locate here, face here or enter this way for now. Adjust: t’ang lung to address the 5.

Richard Ashworth is one of the most respected Western Feng Shui Masters. A good taster of his approach may be found on Audible . You can also see him at work on tv’s Housebusters Most Thursdays and Fridays he is to be found teaching both feng shui and ba zi one-to-one online (times by mutual arrangement) with students from Seattle to Belgium,

Richard has worked from Lebanon to Bermuda, in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and with stars such as Naomie Harris, Kelly Hoppen and Gillian Anderson. Unusually for a Western Master, he has addressed the Grand Masters at the International Feng Shui Conference in Singapore.

Every month we send (at a modest fee) retainer clients a more comprehensive monthly bulletin than this one, covering in detail right places to be (and when) as well as the most helpful days Animal by Animal and much more from the Chinese calendar.
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