Show and Tell: Bulletin for the Rooster Month

Auspicious Dates and Places for
the (8th) month of the Water Rooster 2024.
(12:27pm 7th September to 04:31 8th October inclusive)
in the Year of the Wood Dragon.
Public Edition

Hexagram 53
Jian

                                                               Gradual Progress                                                                

A 7 month                                      is about intervention.
Rooster Month                           emphasises display and the brilliant
Where not to be this month: East, Tai Chi (the middle)
Where to be this month:         North East, South East, North West
Favoured Animals:                   Snake, Ox, Dragon.
Especially challenged:            (in order) Rooster, Rabbit, Dog
The Hexagram* (above):        Jian  Gradual Progress, Wind over Mountain.
Summary:                                     a reassessment of priorities, pointless display.

S
6       2       4
5       7       9
1       3       8
Water Rooster lo shu

 I am teaching traditional Chinese Feng Shui and Ba Zi (that is Chinese Astrology) as well  as Ze Ri Xue, the Art of Date Selection all the time one to one via Zoom. Details from Sheilaashworthfengshui@gmail.com

 The Rooster Month: Show and Tell
Perseverance alone prevents slow progress from dwindling to nothing”  Confucius.

In some ways, the Rooster Month is as much the beginning of a new year as February is. The weather turns, holiday turns to work day, school is in again. The new month opens with two weeks of Bak Lo or White Dew, the first suggestion of frost prior to the real thing some time in mid-October. The Rooster typically has a short attention span and is drawn to shiny things. So expect a certain amount of gesturing and posturing this month. Best avoid ultimatums.

The Hexagram of the Month which will tell us so much about the coming mood is Jian, sometimes called Gliding or Gradual Progress. Jian implies progress that has been prolonged and may not even now be near completion. That progress has had to be pragmatic rather than strategic. Jian is about grasping each half-opportunity as it appears. It’s often thought of as representing the so-called “glass ceiling”, the invisible barrier that prevents some people, usually women from progressing. Its appearance now indicates that such issues are in focus and soluble. The instructions on the tin are to plan meticulously, follow the twists of the Tao faithfully or both. Which to do when is your call. This is the Tao.

The Rooster (born 1945, 57, 69, 81, 93; births in September, 5-7pm & on certain days for which you’d need a Chinese Calendar) is attracted to the bright lights and glitter. The Rooster hosts the Mid-Autumn Festival marking the equinox when the hours of light by night and day are equal. It is a time when neither illumination nor enlightenment can be taken for granted. And it is a fresh beginning. If you were born on a Rooster Day this may be an uncomfortable revelation.

A 7 lo shu month is about interference as well as display which implies that it is helpful to consider what is appropriate before acting or opening our mouths. If we are still enough and attentive we can always feel the right time as well as the right action. This is very much in line with the message of the Hexagram. Look before you leap.

Favoured Animals this month are the Dragon, the Ox and the Snake. Dragons need to step up, Oxen to listen closely and Snakes to be extra studious. The Rooster herself suffers the so-called self-clash which means they don’t tend to flourish during such times. If you were yourself born in the Rooster Month, you may have to work extra hard to reach the standards you set yourself.

The Month of the Water Rooster Animal by Animal:
These generic forecasts carry different nuance dependent upon whether this Animal rules your Year, Month, Day, Hour or Life House.

Rooster (1945, 57, 69, 81, 93; births in September*, 5-7pm & on certain days#) Ego issues, mostly about appearances. Mutual respect solves most people problems.

Dog (1946, 58, 70, 82, 94; births in October*, 7-9pm & on certain days#) Attention to detail pays off in spades.

Pig (1947, 59, 71, 83, 95; births in November*, 9-11pm & on certain days#) Don’t confuse your immediate objectives – which may not be supported – with your values which may be.

Rat (1948, 60, 72, 84, 96; births in December* 11pm-1am & on certain days#). All systems go.

Ox (1949, 61, 73, 85, 97; births in January*, 1-3am & on certain days#) Time to seek the limelight, or the daylight at least.

Tiger (1950, 62, 74, 86, 98; births in February*, 3-5am & on certain days#) The opposition is less direct now; beware over-confidence.

Rabbit (1951, 63, 75, 87, 99; births in March*, 5-7am & on certain days#) Much can be accomplished if you lie low and lower your sights. It’s such a domestic time.

Dragon (1952, 64, 76, 88, 2000; births in April* 7-9am & on certain days#) As empowered as you’re going to get this year. Step up or seize up.

Snake (1941,53, 65, 77, 89; births in May*, 9-11am & on certain days#) Prepare, calculate, get informed; act on the information.

Horse (1942, 54, 66, 78, 90; births in June*, around midday & on certain days#) Resist extroversion as best you can. This is no time to be picked out of the crowd.

Sheep (1943, 55, 67, 79, 91; births in July*, 1-3pm & on certain days#) Some loss is inevitable with the changes you are going through. Stay centred and your power returns. If you click your shoes together you can still be in Kansas.

Monkey (1944, 56, 68, 80, 92; births in August*, 3-5pm & on certain days#) Lesser power, seek Dogs if you miss it.

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

A Couple of Helpful Days
Sunday 15th September, Water Horse, Star, Receive (3) ***** dropping ballast.
A typical Water Horse Day, like a Fire Rat, promises inspiration. Emphasise control with Water (eg the colour blue) and/or invite the Muse with Fire (red, illumination). Star is about the fulfilment of objectives by cooperation, Receive speaks for itself: let inspiration come as it will.
Activity: at the Tiger NE3 (ENE around 65º).
Helpful to all, especially Tiger, Dog, Sheep.
Special turbo-boost to:
Wood (1974) Fire (1986) Tigers
Wood(1994) Dog:
Wood (1955) Sheep.
Favours: all but especially Pig, Rabbit, Sheep, Horse

Monday 23rd September, Metal Tiger, Heart, Initiate (4) *** internal conflict
Don’t mess with this Tiger who gets things done without much regard for distractions. Fine if you can be that focused,
Activity: North West for the last word.
Favours: Tiger, Horse, Dog, Pig

Not so Helpful
Thursday 19th September, Fire Dog, Horn, Remove (8) ***** static.
Dog of the Day clashing Year Dragon is a very distinctive form of clash: flow and progress are blocked for no (apparently) good reason.
Favours: pretty much no one.
Caution: Dragon & Rooster.
Activity: let it go.

Friday 27th September Wood Horse, Ox, Receive (9) ***** “fickle”.
Wood Horse is organised, sometimes too organised. There’s little breathing space today. Progress is made more by opening than thrusting.
Caution: Rat, Ox, Horse.
Activity: at the tai chi (the geometric centre) for a panoramic view.

New Moon: This Water Rooster month’s New Moon falls on Thursday 3rd October at 06:34am. The Pillar of the Day is the Metal Rat, the bridge between times. The Lunar Mansion Astride when “Harmony & prosperity” are said “to blow through the door” often relates to relationship, in particular its physical aspect. And to the demon fear of commitment. The Daily Officer Stable counsels patience rather than retreat or variety.
New Moons are broadly about beginnings but the beginning here is probably not about new relationship so much as a new approach as the Moon waxes.

Full Moon: The Full Moon of this Water Rooster month falls on Wednesday 18th September at 18.18pm. The Day Pillar is the Wood Rooster which often signifies peace after a long struggle. The quality of that peace may be the issue as the Moon fades. The Lunar Mansion Carriage is perhaps perversely, very much about staying put and watching our tongues. The Daily Officer Establish (meaning what it sounds like) implies a time to put down roots. So does the Monthly Hexagram btw.

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
South West, Accumulation: Year Star: 9 Month Star: 4 Moon (Sheep).
South West is helpful all year, particularly regarding relationship (which defines the SW). And the 9 Star works well with the 4 Star now that we are well into the 9th Chinese Fate (which started in 2024). A place of renewal and repair in September – unless your localised Stars are extremely poor. Suits Dragon & Horse.
Make productive: Metal; e.g. Metal stuff, light music, the colours white, silver and gold.

Not so Helpful
West, Intervention: Year Star: 5 Month Star: 9 Year Wu huang.
Worse than ever. There may be redeeming Stars here in your particular house but as a general rule, the West holding the tricky 5 wu huang Star, traditionally associated with everything you don’t want to invite or encourage, is polluted all year. Best if it’s a bathroom. Or even missing. The 9 only makes it worse. Avoid.
Adjust: t’ang lung continues to address the 5.

Note: Locations are measured from the tai chi (ie heart of the property)

As ever my monthly Yi Jing class (next one this Wednesday September 11th) will be examining Jian, Hexagram 53, Gradual Progress sometimes known as Gliding. The implication is of progress made by seizing opportunity as it arises. Progress may follow a plan but planning may not always be possible or appropriate. Jian is often compared to a tree growing on a windswept hill, that puts down a root before risking extending a limb and puts down further roots before blooming or fruiting. The process is one of resolute awareness of the Tao or adherence to a detailed plan or both. The six lines as they change tend to indicate which. 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

Four Point Activation for 2024:
The simultaneous 4-Point Activation of Dragon Virtue, Sun, Moon and Fortune Virtue at Pig (around 330˚ NW2), Snake (around 139˚ SE3), Sheep (around 204˚ SW1) and Ox (around 27˚ NE1) respectively, is said to clear any major blockage. Locations are from the tai chi.

The actual drill:
Put simultaneous attention on these four spots during the designated double hour, move between them, making noise, cleaning, placing Water, working or whatever. The more energy expended the better. Outcome may relate to energy put in & quality of materials.
If I have surveyed for you, I will have marked these points. If you’re unclear, do check. You may need help but many manage on their own by setting things up and moving from place to place. Agitation – drilling, digging, hammering – will always activate, but certain locations at certain times suit certain types of activation; see below.

Important: Timing:
1. Activation is likely to be most effective on auspicious days. We identify these in the Monthly and Weekly bulletins available by subscription.
2. Equally important is to choose a month that is safe for your particular building; this involves the Great Sun calculation which given the orientation of your building, we can work out for you; it relates to the sitting (or rear) position and it’s a bit fiddly.
If in doubt, don’t do the Activation.
Next suitable Date: 5th October 2 to 4pm BST. 

Last Call for Zoom Date Selection Workshop.
Once you’ve mastered the what and the where of Feng Shui, the logical
next step is knowing the when. Whether you’re planning a big event, a big decision or an incursion into a neighbouring country’s sovereign territory, join us to learn Ze Ri Xue, the ancient Art of Date Selection.
Exclusively via Zoom 3pm BST (10am EST) Sunday October 22nd
£300 PayPal button here https://www.paypal.com/instantcommerce/checkout/9ZJR3HY3AXGKS
and/or contact Sheilaashworthfengshui@gmail.com

Instructions for 2024 He Tu Journeys.
There are four journeys this year one of them includes three compass points. So you’ll need nine bowls and 150 rose quartz tumblestones. You may have some left over from the Rabbit Year; wash thoroughly at the next New Moon.

You are mixing  the energies of the two locations. So breath in deeply at the starting point and feel, then carry that energy with you to the end point. Notice the meanings of the Star numbers as you mingle them.

1. Wash and leave your 150 tumblestones outside under each New Moon; dates and times in my monthly bulletins.
2. Place a bowl of 30 tumbles at each of: E, NE, SE and tai chi (x2).
3. Place an empty bowl at each of: N (x2) and S (x2).
4. Move one crystal daily from starting to end point of each journey including one at NE (the midpoint of the E>NE>tai chi journey)
At the next New Moon you’ll have five different bowls holding 30 tumbles each at the end points (N (x2), NE and S (x2) and five different empty bowls at the starting points (E, SE, and tai chi (x2)
5. Wash stones again, leave them under the New Moon again, start again.

Starting Points & End Points for He Tu Journeys 2024:   
Tai chi to N         Calming communication (He Tu Wood)     Heart to 2nd Son.
Tai chi to S          (10) Creativity                                              Heart to 2nd daughter
E to N via NE       He Tu Water Beginnings & Endings             Brothers join.
SE to S                   He Tu Fire   Rescue                                     Sisters join

A word about Water placement: The 5th October is the only day that really ticks all the boxes for placing Water during this Rooster month. An external Water Dragon – sentimental  (that is living) Water – not stagnant & not wild – may be the most powerful feng shui boost possible. Carefully constructed, timed & positioned, such Dragons are reckoned to preserve qi (ie health, wealth & wisdom) frozen in time and place. Time it and place it carefully; you’d be wise to seek professional help.

 Richard Ashworth©
www.imperialfengshui.info

29, Portsmouth Road, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 2JU | tel: 01483 428998 | info@imperialfengshui.info

Corporate and Media Contact: Peter Dunne. Tel. 07768 617330 peter@peterdunne.com

© Richard Ashworth 2024