A Sense of Belonging: Auspicious Dates and Places for the month of the Metal Sheep
Auspicious Dates and Places for
the (6th) month of the Metal Sheep 2024.
(22:58 6th July to 09:05 7th August inclusive)
in the Year of the Wood Dragon.
Listen to the podcast for the Metal Sheep:
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Hexagram 6
Song
———– Heaven
Ruling Line ———– Qian Heaven
———– Yang Metal
—– —– Water, the Abyss.
———– Kan 2nd Son
—– —– Water
Dispute
A 9 month is about prominence & visibility.
A typical Sheep Month centres on issues of belonging.
Where not to be this month: North, East, West
Where to be this month: tai chi, North West, South East
Favoured Animals: Pig, Rabbit, Sheep, Horse
Especially challenged: (in order) Rat, Ox, Dog
The Hexagram* (above): Song Dispute, Heaven over Water.
Summary: sticking and splitting.
8 4 6
7 9 2
3 5 1
Metal Sheep
*I am now listing the Hexagram corresponding to the particular month in question rather than the generic Tidal Gua. Put simply, Song corresponds specifically to a Metal Sheep rather than to just any Sheep.
A Sense of Belonging
“Before he can consider victory, the general must first make defeat impossible.”
Sun Tzu The Art of War.
The Sheep‘s top priority is to belong and second to that but derived from it, to be relevant. Technically the Sheep is a Vault or Earth Branch made up of a cocktail of Fire, Earth and Wood.
Sheep are flock animals that huddle together for security and warmth. They are great at extended family and often their chief nightmare is of being left out. As you might expect, sometimes to this end they can bend themselves out of shape. Why else would 1943 Sheep Mick Jagger and Keith Richards be touring again at the age of 81?* On the other hand why would 1955 Wood Sheep Jair Bolsonaro be quite so twisted? Because, you might conclude, as the tension between the Wood and the Earth of his Year Pillar implies, he is internally conflicted: he wants to be the centre of attention and he doesn’t care how he achieves it. That is the m/o of the populist.
These are the themes of the month.
And conflict unsurprisingly, is what Song, Dispute, the Hexagram of the month is about. How do we deal with conflict? Is winning the be-all and end-all? What brings conflict about? The answer to this last question from the Book of Changes is that there is no dispute without mean spirit and willfulness. The Yi counsels that there are times when letting dispute settle itself is wise; others when the sheer force behind a position forces even the wisest positions to withdraw. How would we apply this to the world as we find it today? As ever my Yi Jing class (1st Wednesday of each month, 7:30pm BST, next one August 8th) will be examining the ramifications.
To join contact sheilaashworthfengshui@gmail.com.
In the second half of these sessions we are edging ever-closer to usable forecasting: Hexagram 50, the Cauldron which deals with the end of dynasties was for instance the text that our methodology showed ruling the week to the 4th July, during which took place both the change of the British General Election and Macron’s hasty poll.
A 9 lo shu month majors on visibility and prominence. For some this will be chosen, for others an embarrassment. The South which is obviously enough the home of Fire is poorly aspected all year. Best not to do or plan anything there that you don’t want made public. Steer clear for a quiet life. And perhaps vice-versa.
*Especially as they haven’t made a decent album since Let it Bleed.
Opinions expressed author’s own.
A Helpful Day
Wednesday 10th July, Wood Pig, Wall, Stable (7) **** very helpful
Best stay put on a day that supports deep and creative concentration so powerfully. Stillness and openness help to maintain the opportunity. Time to seek out the influential and commence works of art.
Activity: Sheep SW1 (SSW around 205º) for company. The wise include what they might otherwise consider interruption.
Favours: most but especially Rabbit; Sheep, Tiger.
Not-so Helpful
Friday 12th July, Fire Ox, Mound, Destruction (5) ***** sacrificial.
A feast, not quite celebration, perhaps remembrance. Carefully chosen words solve most. Not the day to step forward. New concepts, conceptions.
Activity: Ox NE1 (NNE around 30º) for beginnings and endings.
A Helpful Location
Tai chi, Home, the centre: Year Star: 3 Month Star: 9.
3:9 is about expression, celebration and the drawing of attention to achievement. In most environments a little Water at the centre will calm turbulence and support that qi representing itself creatively by powering the yang Wood (3) which in turn feeds the Fire (9). This is a place to create art during July and to have it noticed. The power and benefit of that will vary from house to house of course.
Improve: Water (eg a glass jar of Water changed daily).
Not so Helpful
West, Intervention: Year Star: 5 Month Star: 2 Year Wu huang. Month san sha
At its worst when the 2 joins 5, so don’t locate. Usually associated with illness. As the 2 has become more timely with the transition from the 8th to the 9th Chinese Fate and hence more benevolent, this combination may be a little tamer now. Whoever you are, I still wouldn’t locate here this year. Facing West however may give you a shot in the arm
Adjust: t’ang lung continues to address the 5 as will adding Metal
Richard Ashworth©
www.imperialfengshui.info
On September 22nd at 3pm BST (10am EST) I’m teaching a One-Day Zoom Workshop on Ze Ri the Chinese Art of Date Selection. You’ll need to brush up your Stems and Branches but otherwise no prior knowledge of metaphysics or any other mumbo jumbo required. For some idea of content, you might look at the links to recent talks to the Feng Shui Society and the IFSG. This workshop teaches the rudiments of what I share daily on Facebook, X and Linked In. Places are limited to allow for individual attention.
I continue to teach starter ba zi (that is Four Pillars) & Classical feng shui live one-to-one via Zoom times & dates by arrangement with sheilaashworthfengshui@gmail.com