Auspicious Dates and Places for the month of the Water Dragon 2026 in the Year of the Fire Horse

Learn secrets of the Four Pillars of Destiny that I have discovered over three decades of practising, many of which have never appeared anywhere else. We have just a couple of openings to study with me – one-to-one via Zoom. My new book I Talk to the Animals (click to sample or purchase) is the starting point. More info here.

A 6 month                               spotlights authority, earned or otherwise
A Dragon Month                    has a certain magic about it
Where not to be this month: North West, South East (& South all year)
Where to be this month:       East, North East, most helpful
Favoured Animals:                Monkey, Rat, Rooster
Especially challenged:          Dog, Rabbit, Dragon – ego issues

Thirsty : this Water Dragon Month.

Thirsty
“When you want the truth as a drowning man wants air, enlightenment will surely follow.”

A Water Dragon Month is likely to be wet. The pattern of the year as you know is Fire then Water, then Fire then Water. All Water is in constant downhill search of all other Water. And the extreme Fire of the Year ensures there is plenty of it. Those icebergs need to go somewhere.

So much for the weather. Literal Water is one thing, elemental Water another: the fact is that Water is communication. Not represents or means but is. And above all the Water Dragon brings emotionality. Not necessarily grief but a certain poignance, often the moment when dread turns to hope. The Welsh word hoel may cover it best. It is the opposite of the stiff upper lip. This month is not, I think for keeping calm and carrying on but for opening and sharing. There will be a great deal of talk. Our job is to make it be to some purpose.

You’ll see below that the current Hexagram is Number 26 Da Chu Seize the Day. This kua is notable for placing Mountain (that is the Youngest Son) over Qian, Heaven, the Father. Unusually the younger has power over the older; the elder authority implied by the 6 Lo shu of the Month is subverted. Best make use of that advantage while it lasts. This may show up as ever in global politics but may also imply younguns focusing their outrage. Rebellion at home, in elections and alliances may prove far from aimless.

This month is one to allow feeling both in ourselves and those around us; the most fundamental form of connection. And along the way this Dragon brings magic. This is not a month to trust linear thought. It’s pretty clear that many world leaders are ahead of most of us in this respect. And not in a good way. This is not the time to trust logic and reason but a time to trust nonetheless. Trust and love if you will. The world can be the way it should be.

For you and me it means the right answer is usually yes and that connection, empathy and unselfishness are the key to the future. We might yet save humanity from humanity.
Richard Ashworth © 2026

The Hexagram from the Book of Changes for the Water Dragon Month 2026

My monthly Yi Jing (that is Book of Changes) class
(next one: Wednesday April 8^th) examines the ramifications of the Hexagram for this Water Dragon Month: this time Da Chu  Hexagram 26, Mountain over Heaven, sometimes called Seize the Day.

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 can join us live via Zoom for a year via Sheilaashworthfengshui@gmail.com.

The kua at the heart of this month’s lo shu (above) is the paternal (you might say patriarchal) 6 Yang Metal Star. Note that the 1 in the South is shaded because the san sha or “Three Killings” has landed there. This year the South is pretty much permanently out of bounds: not settling there, in the South East (5) or North West (7 ) this month, is wise as is spending more time in the North East (9)  and West (8).

This Water Dragon Month – Winners and losers.

Dragons of course suffer the so-called self-clash, meaning that Dragon Months, Years and so on are not times they tend to make hay. Avoiding other Dragons (whether by Year, Month, Day or Hour) is orthodox advice. Nonetheless some of the most helpful days this month favour you: the 16^th and 17^th for instance, when Wood and Water Dragons carry all before them. If you teach, the student approaches.
Which segues us nicely into the Snake who is reckoned to be just such a student. Which may prove good news for both. This Horse Year may be a bit much for you. Some like it hot, you may not. But the Dragon brings cooling Water and for you food for thought. Your best inspirations may land on the 11^th and the 16^th.
Horses could feel blocked by the solid Yang Earth of the Dragon. The trick is patience – not your top suit probably. Allow the sudden changes that the Dragon brings. Resistance is futile. You’ll get more than most out of the 18^th especially if you are a Metal or Earth Horse whether by Year (1990 & 2002/1942 respectively) Month, Day or Hour.
Sheep is the Horse’s gofer but often uncomfortable in Dragon company including Dragon Months. The Dragon is both inscrutable and as open as the ocean. Which is puzzling and your need for approval may make you unattractively needy. Take no such risks on the 18^th but the 1st May offers you a supportive audience.
Monkey is mates with the Dragon though you may find her over-serious and the 10^th and 22^nd probably don’t allow you a fair shake. The 16^th does though, especially for the Metal Monkey of 1980. Monkey can always work constructively through Dragon times.
Roosters are special (that is Secret) friends with the Dragon. Which is good news as you’re possibly finding the Horse year demanding: the extroversion required is more blatant than your own variety. Trust in your way of doing things. Your best day is quite likely the 25^th. Your Metal is going to stay sticky throughout the Horse Year, so lean in.
Dog and Dragon are directly opposed on the compass, calendar and clock, so expect opposition. You are of course more comfortable than most with the extreme heat (Celsius and metaphor) of the Horse and the 18^th puts you in pole position. But best keep your head down otherwise. The 19^th is especially hazardous.
Pigs  and Dragons are kind of mutually mystified. The Remove Days 13^th and 25^th amy be treacherous for you. Discard nothing lightly – stuff, clutter, change and most particularly not people.
The Rat works well with the Dragon but they don’t usually share down time. Among Rats the Fire Rat (1996) is the most suited to such a fiery year. Top trump on the 16^th, also 2nd May.
Ox and Dragon are technically a Break-Up. Could be literal, romantic, professional or other. Unlikely to be a surprise, such contretemps are often easy to see coming. I’m guessing the 9^th or the 15^th. The 17^th April and the  2^nd May may make up for it. Not the month for risks or major initiatives.
Tigers may as the saying goes, be happy to have no history this month; for some Tigers humdrum, for others a quiet time to catch up. Metal (1950) Tigers will enjoy the 30^th but should lie low on the 16^th.
Rabbits can make good use of a Dragon Month. Romance may beckon the Rabbit male (and the Dragon female actually). Gay relationships are too complicated to go into here. But if you simply seek beauty Fire(1987) Wood(1975) and Metal(1951) Rabbits may find it around the 10^th.

 Podcast: Feng Shui, the Real Thing

 

In this month’s Podcast out the 2^nd week in April latest, the brilliant Zoe Vita James and I look at the Dragon Month, the likely implications for each Animal and what we may each do about it, plus the usual feng shui and ba zi banter, where to be and not to be, the well-being of Reggie the dog and how her skiing break inspired Zoe to consider why the foothills of the Dolomites might be less prosperous than the foothills of the Alps.

 

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 advance 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.

Pretty Poor
Sunday 12^th April, Fire Dragon 4/1, Void, Establish  (5) **** rush
The Fire of this Dragon may be dissipated by the Lunar Mansion Void but two Dragons on any given day are one too many. An Establish day is usually the one to get set up for the twelve days or so but keep your aspirations modest. This is an uphill day and for Dragons an uphill month.
Caution: everyone especially Rabbit & Dog.
Activity: stillness works best today.

Pretty helpful
Monday 20^th April, Wood Rat 1/1, Net, Success (4) pivotal.
Solar fortnight: Kuk Yu/Grain Rains opens 09:48am; Wood Rat brings a new and original beginning. Net/Success: Goals achieved; set new ones, move on.
Activity: at tai chi (geometric centre) for celebration.
Favours: all especially Monkey, Rat, Dragon, Ox.
Special opportunities for:
Water(1992) Wood (1944/2004) Fire(1956) Monkey
Water (1972) Wood(1984) Fire(1996) Rat;
Metal(1940/2000) Water(1952) Wood(1964) Dragon
Wood(1985) Ox 

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.

A Helpful Location
West, Intervention: Year Star: 3 Month Star: 8. Moon Tin Yute Gwai Yan (at Rooster W2)
3:8 He Tu Wood combination. Another Tin Yute Gwai Yan Star – due West (around 270º). Most likely topic is career and advancement down the generations.
For assistance: Fire: candle burning for 3 or 4 hours at W2 on 20^th, 28^th and 29^th
Put simply: more (career-related) help is at hand than before.

Not so Much
South, Bright Future: Year Star: 5 Month Star: 1 Year Wu Huang Tai sui (Horse).
Stay out as far as possible. Not much use all year, too hot; too fiery in many senses.. It’s a place where it may be very easy to mis-speak. Neutralise as far as you can but mostly steer clear. And don’t face this way either
Mitigate: t’ang lung may help, also quiet and stillness plus very carefully place and timed Metal such as 5- or 6-pipe Metal Wind Chime.
Put simply: Very unhelpful unless your home is quite unusual.

 2026 He Tu Journeys.
These are part traditional Chinese feng shui, part meditation, part something else. They change with the changing year. For myself, I perform them every morning by moving crystal tumble stones.

The rationale is this: each year the qi pockets or “Flying Stars” change position, bringing different energies to each of the nine locations within a space. As well as altering the balance of the location they find themselves in, each Star gains new neighbours. There are rules as to how they interact but broadly “joining” one space with another can improve both.

On another level, each Star represents a member of the family and much more. What the 7 Star (in the South West this year) stands for, for instance includes Youngest Daughter, precision, beauty and intervention while the 3 (in the West) represents, among other things the Eldest Son, action, aspiration and ambition. Which means you can if you like “connect” two members of the family or “bring” particular qualities to bear from one to the other.

This year for instance when I move a crystal between the South West and the West, I intend to bring say relationship to my Youngest Daughter. This second application is more visualisation, manifestation or indeed prayer but it remains perfectly sound feng shui practice. Indeed I have set up new builds with doors located to allow the qi to move in just this way.

I make no claims for the effect of a sliver of rose quartz but quite apart from anything else, people tell me the journeys give them a sense of agency and awareness of what is happening in relation to what they care about most. Me too.

Instructions for 2026 He Tu Journeys.
There are four journeys this year. So you’ll need eight bowls and 120 rose quartz tumblestones. You may have some left over from the Snake Year; be sure to wash them thoroughly at the first New Moon of the Year on the 19^th January. For most Chinese that date in point of fact is the New Year when you can expect your local take-away to be closed.

1. Wash and leave your 120 tumble stones outside under each New Moon; dates and
times in my monthly bulletins.
2. Place a bowl of 30 tumbles at each of: SE, W, tai chi and NE.
3. Place an empty bowl at each of: the tai chi, SW and N.
4. Move one crystal daily from starting to end point of each journey ie:
a. One crystal from SE to tai chi                 
b. One crystal from West to South West   
c. One crystal from tai chi to the North
d. One crystal from North East to North.

At the next New Moon you’ll have four different bowls each holding 30 tumbles each at the end points plus four different empty bowls at the starting points. The tai chi holds two bowls of course.

5. Wash stones again, leave them under the New Moon again, start again.
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.
The direction of travel (which I myself often vary during the year) is not crucial; it is the connection that matters.

Starting Points & End Points for He Tu Journeys 2026:
SE to tai chi 9–1   (10) Attention                    1^st Daughter to Heart
W to SW      3–7    (10) Connection               Youngest Daughter to Mother
tai chi to N  1–6      (He Tu Water) Rescue    Heart to Abyss
NE to N       4–6     (10) Return                      Youngest Son to 2^nd Son