Auspicious Dates and Places for the (10th) month of the Fire Pig 2025

My new book I Talk to the Animals (click to sample or purchase) cover by the wonderful Ellie Spinelli is out! Also on ebook. It’s a ba zi (or Four Pillars of Destiny) how-to. You might enjoy hearing me talking about it with the wise and witty Bob Nickman on his Exploding Human Podcast.
For a limited time I will coach by email any subscriber to this bulletin who gets stuck working through the book.

A 2 month                                        is about relationships of various kinds
A Pig Month                                     ties up the strands
Where not to be this month:           West & North (& NE all year)
Where to be this month:                  East, South East, South West
Favoured Animals:                            Rabbit, Sheep, Tiger
Especially challenged:                      Pig, Snake, Monkey

A more comprehensive Monthly Bulletin is available for an annual subscription. Contact Sheilashworthfengshui@gmail for a sample copy.

 

A 2 Month in a 2 Year speaks of a return to base. 2 itself, kun Yin Earth has a welcoming, containing quality. She relates to Mothers and to relationship, especially of an intimate nature. In the very patriarchal world of classical feng shui, the 2 Star has had a bad press over the years, Yin Earth’s quality of expansion and retention being interpreted as growths, cancers, swellings and obesity for at least a hundred years.

When the 9 Fate opened in 2024 however – to cut a long story short – the 2 became timely and was for many authorities thus rehabilitated. Given the important things she stands for this is an important improvement. The world needs the cooperative genius of the 2 now more than ever. So its return this month just ahead of the negotiations at Cop 30 is very welcome. Most of the world’s apparent problems are simply distractions from climate change. The key to mitigating and indeed surviving is co-operation, that is the awareness of our interdependence. It’s a cliche but we’re all connected and if we don’t learn that, we will only get into deeper trouble.  The solution is not political or technological, it is spiritual.

This Fire Pig month falls of course in a Wood Snake Year and Pig clashes Snake. This confrontation is about truth, its discovery, its maintenance and its distortion. The month is both incendiary and full of potential.

I’m sometimes challenged for saying that the Snake’s concern is truth. What I mean is that truth is the issue, not that Snakes are inherently untruthful. I recently for instance consulted on a ba zi with a Zen nun, the first I’d ever met. I don’t think I’m betraying any confidences by letting you know that her chart presented a triple Snake, ie the Snake rules her Day, her Month and her Year which told of her absolute dedication to the truth. Truth was her totem, her guiding light. The only other triple Snake I’ve come across was Tony Blair. Go figure.

Fire Horse and Blood Goat: the Chinese guys are pretty downbeat about the Fire Horse and Fire Sheep years 2026 and 2027, join us as we take our own view of those years at my Fire Horse Workshops: there are two sessions:
1.Live and kicking in Godalming, nestling in the heart of the Surrey Hills – all day on Saturday the 29^th November
and then
2. Via Zoom for you guys in Oz, South East Asia, the US and elsewhere from 3pm GMT/10am EST on Saturday 6^th December.

Both feature a global review, what the implications are for each Animal and Home and a great deal more. It looks like a hell of a year.
Details at: https://imperialfengshui.info/the-crimson-fire-horse-forecast-days/

You’ll need to be familiar with the Stems and Branches to get full value. Given sufficient demand, I’m offering a free one-hour Zoom refresher the week beginning 24^th November.
I hope to see you there.
Richard Ashworth ©2025

The monthly Hexagram from the Yi or Book of Changes (that is I Ching) is Number 16, Yi, Thunder over Earth, often called “Enthusiasm”.  Yi is generally considered hopeful and expansive. The changing lines concern what we may do with that enthusiasm. Is it appropriate to the times and is it useful? As Oscar Wilde wrote “We are all of us in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars.”

If this resonates for you, you can visit the highlights of this and every monthly session on my YouTube Channel. You may not have the stamina for all sixty four Hexagrams but you could also join us live via Zoom for a year via Sheilaashworthfengshui@gmail.com.

Put all that together and you have a month perhaps when many downward trends start to pick up. A month for less gutter, more stars.

 

The Pig is yin Water, prone to clamming up even during this your own month. You’ve been opposed by the Snake all year but that opposition is now fading. A time to catch up with yourself before you’re swamped by the emotional rush of Yuletide. The 10^th suits you; caution on the 8^th and 20^th when transport, limbs or your grasp on truth may fail you.

Remember you have at least four Animals to consider in your own Ba Zi chart (one each for Hour, Day and Month of birth as well as Year) and that it is as unlikely that they’re all suffering this Month as that all are making hay. Each Animal illuminates a particular aspect of life. To know this about yourself may be timely. My Annual Animal Fortunes are always on the website. More detail about this month in the Podcast.

Rat: put simply the Yin Water of the Pig is not enough to fuel you. Following an especially fiery Fire season and the tumultuous Hidden Fire Stem of mid-October, you may need a break. The 11^th may revive you. The 3^rd (of December) may not.
Ox is best biding their time until they call the shots (for about 60 days) from around December 9^th. Meanwhile your greatest power comes in the pure Water hours around midnight. Best save delicate work till then. Many Masters see 2026 as the Ox’s year. Meanwhile the 12^th offers much to the Ox who stays home.
Tiger always needs space and tends to find it – sometimes to others’ inconvenience – during Dog and Pig months. Make good use of the wealth of ideas floating in the aether on the Water Horse day the 9^th. You may get to right wrongs on the 29^th.
The Rabbit stays hot. The Snake is your friend all year and now the Pig works with you to clear space and create atmosphere. Being in service suits you. Good to lend a hand on the 10^th. Take care and lower expectations on Rooster day 6^th December.
Dragons may peep out from under cover where they’ve been hiding during the Dog Month on the 11^th November. Still not really settled and likely to stay that way this month. Take cover again on the Dog Day the 13^thand again on the 25^th.
Snake: You’re in command all year of course but Pig times often constitute direct sabotage. Or love. A Pig male/Snake female liaison might work; not the other way round generally. Sparks either way, even now as the Water season opens. The 11^th and 12^th may be days to advance plans. Not the 14^th.
Horses may feel a bit irrelevant now as things slow down towards the New Year. You’ll be assisted on the 10^th but probably sabotaged on the 15^th and 27^th. Expect more appraisal than inspiration, try not to mind too much.
Sheep and Pig understand one another. For the bigger projects aim to find a Rabbit to join with you; put in particular concentration on the 18^th but be ready to await the positive outcome that should follow effort and focus. Mistakes on the 16^th nonetheless resonate far and wide.
Monkey and Pig are kind of distant (technically a Harm or proxy fight over Snake and Tiger – pick the bones out of that) though a team of selfless Monkey and receptive Pig could go far. A good day to try that out might be the 11^th. Not the 14^th when things could fall apart.
Roosters: feeling drained as the Yin Water flows out of your precious Yin Metal. Roosters are often poor at keeping their attention focused though they are among the sharpest when they do pay prolonged attention. Your best day – depending on how you judge it – is likely to be the 1^st December when the momentum of the Dragon’s magic propels you over the line. .
Dogs tend to feel sabotaged by the Pig. Technically that’s Gip Sat and at best means regular delays this month. At its worst (the 19^th) it makes for standstill. Set the controls for being thwarted. That’s not the same as feeling frustrated – which like all such feelings is a matter of choice. The 18^th may come as a relief.

The kua at the heart of this month’s lo shu (above) is the welcoming 2, Yin Earth which represents the Mother and associated qualities. Note that the 4 in the West is shaded because it is on the perch of the san sha or Three Killings – meaning Do Not Disturb. For now. So not settling in the North East (5) or the North (7) of your space in November is wise as is spending more time in the East and South East.

Podcast: Feng Shui, the Real Thing 

In this month’s Podcast which should be out about the same time as this bulletin, I discuss with the brilliant Zoe Vita James the changing qi of the Month, its likely implications for each Animal and what we may each do about it as well as the usual feng shui and ba zi chat.
This month: we’re talking about some ancient feng shui curses as well as why the Water behind your house may be very helpful – whatever you’ve heard – the fortunes of Reggie the feng shui Dog plus Animal Fortunes, where to be (and not to be) and lots more. Join us.

The Month of the Fire Pig Helpful Dates & Places
(& not so helpful):

Below is listed a little about the energy, tone and implications of every day of this month – some suit certain Animals and activities more than others. Some suit nobody and my notes offer warning. To get most value you need to compare each of the Animals in the Four Pillars of your ba zi against the portents of the day

How do I know which affect me in particular?
To find out if you’re especially favoured (or not) notice that your ba zi consists of Five Animals, one each for the Year, Month, Day & Hour of your birth plus a Life House. When any one of these is name-checked below my comments apply to you, with different nuance of course depending on which Pillar the Animal indicated inhabits. The numbers in brackets indicate a year but each Pillar also corresponds to a Month Day or Hour. If baffled, do ask.

Your Year Animal will relate to parents, family and origins as well as the physical, the obvious and the immediate, the family you grew up with, hereditary traits and patterns; deep history, deep heritage & your public face.
Your Month Animal relates to career or business as well as education, peers, siblings, exes and the work environment; shallower history, shallower heritage.
Your Day Animal represents you personally and your significant other. You may need a Chinese Calendar or professional advice to establish your Day Animal.
Your Hour Animal represents your deepest dreams, your children and the future. Which for many of us are pretty much the same thing.
Your Life House represents the voice that calls to you. It may be summoning you to your true calling but it may be no such thing. That’s a decision for you to make.

Favoured days are rated from * (helpful) to ***** (take that leap) and Cautionary days from * (watch your step) to ***** (wrap up in a blanket & don’t stir).

A Helpful Day
Monday 10^th November, Water Sheep, Bow, Success (5) ***** a moment of truth
Hard to screw up today. Take it slow, get involved – Sheep is a flock animal –aim high and follow up. Not just today btw.
Activity: at the Sheep (SW1/SSW around 65º) draws company.   
Favours: everyone especially Pig, Rabbit, Sheep & Horse. 

Not so much
Saturday 15^th November, Earth Rat, Foundation, Remove (9) *** look to defence
Foundation with Remove makes for filling up holes dug yesterday. Going round in circles. Clear, frank speech may be quite hard. Probably best await another time.
Favours: no one much.
Activity: at the Monkey (around 240º SW3/WSW) for accumulation despite it all.

About Remove Days: just two Remove Days this Dog month. The first on November 15^th is no good at all; the other (the 27^th) just as bad. As you know Remove days are for clearing clutter (and more) but vary in quality. This means that you could make important and lasting mistakes on an unhelpful one. Best not to. Special Caution: chief topic of the Fire Snake on the 15^th is relationship. You’ve been warned!

A Helpful Day
Tuesday 18^th November, Metal Rabbit, Tail, Stable (6) ***** helpful.
Events fall into place, a day of smooth progress. Safe to load up with tasks, clearing a deep in-tray could be a joy full of unexpected finds. One thing at a time.
Activity: at the Sheep (SSW/SW1 around 204º) for support.
Favours: all, especially Pig, Rabbit, Sheep, Dog.

Not so great
Tuesday 25^th November, Earth Dog, Room, Closed (8) ***** little help.
Earth Dog is very fixed, said to be both inert and restless, this is not a time of change. Closed Room is pretty clear: wrap up warm, drink soup, play if you can. In the words of Rhett Butler “tomorrow’s another day.”
Activity: Rabbit (due East) if you must have sparks.
Favours: no one especially not  Dragon, Rooster.

About Water placement: An unusual three acceptable days to place long term Water.
The 10^th is the first. An external Water Dragon – sentimental (that is living) Water (not rushing, not stagnant – may as you probably realise by now, be the most powerful feng shui boost possible. Use wisely. Best seek professional help. You have my email.

I’m teaching and practising Ba Zi and Classical Feng Shui one-to-one via Zoom all the time. Ba Zi is a snapshot of the prevailing Elements at a moment in time and if we consider healing to consist of a spectrum from performance enhancement to actual physical change, perhaps the most powerful healing tool there is. If the moment concerned is your birth, we may learn all sorts of things from it about the past, the future, about potential and about opportunities that may otherwise be missed

Very poor
Wednesday 3^rd December, Fire Horse, Orion, Danger (9) ***** A foretaste
The Fire Horse of course presides over the whole of next year. Termed the “Crimson Horse” and followed by the Blood Goat, both years look pretty parlous. Today’s events may be some kind of window upon them. Orion is – paradoxically – about unity but the outlook is not great. As the Dalai Lama teaches, we can do pretty much anything but first we need to meditate.
Activity: at the Sheep (SW1/SSW around 204º) for solidarity.
Favours: (predictably) nobody much.

Note:
Every house is different but certain forces affect us all wherever we are. What follows identifies which areas are better served by those forces (or qi) this month & which worse. That applies to all enclosed spaces. What to do about it depends very much on the individual house where the energies will be individual and may qualify or contradict my suggestions. But…. wherever a wu huang 5 Star is located place a t’ang lung. And wherever there is a 7, exercise caution. Ask if in doubt.

For guidance:
Fire: upwards motion, bright light, arrangements of 9; pointy, triangular, pyramids.
Earth: stillness, crystal, stone, quiet, arrangements of 2 or 8 flat, level shapes
Metal: circular motion, music, arrangements of 6 or 7, circular & globe shapes.
Water: random motion, chatter, emotion, the unique, the shapeless, still Water.
Wood: constant motion, plants, arrangements of 3 & 4, upright, columnar shapes.

A Helpful Location
West, Intervention: Year Star: 4 Month Star: 4. Month san sha
The curious, inventive, unabashed 4 returns. Yin Wood is the original breaker of things who asks for forgiveness rather than permission. A place and time to stretch out and try new things.
To support: still Water: random motion, chatter, emotion, the unique, the shapeless.
Put simply: san sha or no, suits novelty, not disturbing the earth.
Avoid
North East, Begins & Ends: 5 Month Star: 5 Fortune Virtue (Tiger) Year Wu huang
Double 5: out of bounds all year and at its worst this month. Aussi simple que ca. When the wu huang is this strong, aim to Face this way briefly. But only briefly.
Mitigate: again a t’ang lung may help. But best left alone altogether.
Put simply: no better than usual, steer clear.
Note: Directions are from the tai chi (ie heart of the property)
Richard Ashworth©
www.imperialfengshui.info 

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.
Subscriptions (and further info): Sheilaashworthfengshui@gmail.com
Richard Ashworth©
www.imperialfengshui.info © 2025
art by @elliespinelli ©