Animal Forecast 2015: 8. Wool Gathering, outlook for the Sheep in 2015

Who is a Sheep?

Years: 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015.
Month*: July
Hour: 01:00 pm – 03:00 pm
Day: ask us

* Caution: the start of the Chinese month can be as early as the 4th & as late as the 9th, depending on the year. I can let you know this too.

What is a Sheep?
Idealistic, yin earth, not the top getter-onner, the Sheep has well-meant judgements about everybody which can sometimes keep her stuck in first gear. For the unbalanced Sheep (July birthday and/or mid-afternoon birth) ambition and foolishness are pretty much the same thing. On the other side of the fence the grass is not greener; it’s actually brown on both sides. The balanced Sheep though, as well as being an expert judge of people, knows exactly what matters and is not easily diverted from it. The arrangement for instance that Sheep Bruce Willis, his ex Demi Moore and her ex (and Bruce’s fishing buddy) Ashton Kutcher have come to, whereby they stay friends and the children avoid becoming conflicted is not usual, either in Hollywood or the world at large, but it is typical Sheep behaviour.

Conversely, the value of caution and conservatism is often clear in Sheep relationships. The most obvious of these is with the extrovert, spontaneous Horse whose sidekick the Sheep often ends up being. With the Sheep beside him, the Horse’s fun may be a little less riotous but he will also stay out of serious trouble. The young Horse and Sheep of 1978 and 1979 for instance, are often a tag team who go out drinking and clubbing together. The Sheep may stand back in amazement at the Horse’s daring but she is there both to pick up the pieces and to take advantage when these risks bear fruit. The Horse dances on tables, the Sheep buys the drinks. This of course illustrates a psychological truth about the Sheep: the risk-taking they shy away from is exactly what attracts them most. What often follows also is that a desirable partner, on the rebound from a Horse, finds a steadier proposition in the Sheep. In this light consider the relationship between Horse David Cameron and Sheep Nick Clegg. Poodle or what? And how about 1967 Sheep Alex Salmond? Improbably he may end the year propping up another unelected Tory administration. As I told you, the Sheep likes togetherness. Incidentally in this year of obfuscation and deal-cutting, don’t for similar reasons, expect whistle-blower Tom Watson (also born 1967) to receive a great deal of attention. And while we’re on the subject, a student of parliamentary history would be well advised to study the reasons behind the fracture of a national government during the Sheep year of 1931.

Anyway, placed as the Sheep is between the Horse and the Monkey in the Chinese Zodiac, you understand the tricky Monkey. There is generally a certain mutual wariness but this unorthodox team is capable of magic.

The Sheep also affiliates easily with the Pig and the Rabbit. This is a very domestic alliance. The Chinese ideograph for home is a Pig under a roof and the average Rabbit would happily stay home 24/7 if allowed to. The Rabbit is the diplomat and mixer while the Pig who is inherently versatile, takes up the slack of whatever jobs there are to perform. The Sheep makes things safe. She will have ensured for instance that there are no mutually sworn enemies on the guest list. The typical Sheep is an ideal social secretary as well as a master resolver of conflict. Psycho-therapy is among the appropriate career paths.

The Sheep is passionate, representing the yin or feminine side of sexuality, but whether male or female, he is more seducer than chatter up.

Perhaps most interestingly, the Sheep forms a team with the Dog, the Dragon and the Ox, of whom the Dragon is indispensable as you will learn this year. Individually each of these three is somewhat intimidating to her but when this group gathers, the Sheep’s unique gifts become essential: drawing flexibility from the Dog, humility from the Dragon and cheerful co-operation from the autocratic Ox. Above all she ensures peace among them. Even if all she does is make the coffee, the Sheep is a comforter of the insecure. She understands that most barkers never bite and that aggression is simply inverted fear. When in doubt, join.

Sheep in Wood Sheep Year.

Stars include: yeung yan.

You’re going to be under pressure this year. This may suit you. Possibly not. But there it is. Your role is central to bringing the year to a happy ending. And for “under pressure” read “offered opportunity.” There is as Shakespeare wrote, “a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood, leads onto greatness.” And this is your year isn’t it?

Well, yes and no. Some Animals suffer the self-curse; so a Horse for instance (Angela Merkel, David Cameron, Lloyd Blankfein) comes under considerable pressure in its own year. It’s similar for Pigs in a Pig year as well as Roosters and indeed Dragons in their own year. It’s not like that for Sheep . You guys are mutually supportive but this support is often itself a demanding thing. The Sheep is family oriented. In a Sheep year family issues are rampant; you are called upon constantly for support; moral, physical financial, other. So it’s probably good to know that your resources are also at their highest. The calls may come from anywhere – your children, other peoples’ children, groups, affiliates, the lost, the hurting, the uncared-for, distant relations, animals, the world. Your heart goes out to them; you are after all a Sheep, the most compassionate, the most idealistic of the Chinese Zodiac. Some talk about making a difference; you do it every day. Doubled up this year. You can’t help yourself. You may – like Jimmy Stewart in It’s a Wonderful Life – win nothing but friends with your kindness but that may sound like a reasonable deal.

The point is that endemic to the Sheep year is the so-called Bullying Curse. This can be just what it sounds like: the Sheep, the Ox and the Dog slug it out and the weakest falls away. When I see this in a ba zi, I have my antennae out for (often justified) resentment; when these three Animals coincide, someone is inevitably left behind. In a Sheep year, all you need is an Ox day in a Dog month or vice-versa and the dynamic is there for pretty much anyone at one time or another. If like you, there’s a Sheep in your Four Pillars, the effect may be deeper and more protracted. You may find yourself ganged up on, especially by family members whose bond with you appears to give them a free ticket. This could be a constant this year. Take it in context with what I wrote above. Big heart; big challenges.

The Bullying Curse is actually, as any half-decent psychologist would be able to tell you, unrequited frustration. A child brought up in this atmosphere, a Sheep say parked between a Dog and an Ox, will suffer the fallout of the parents’ mutual disappointment, a disappointment that is simply a failure to seize the day. These things hurt. And if you know this, you no longer need to be run by it. You can give instead. As Joe Gandolfo used to say: “Ideas are a dime a dozen but those who put them into practice are beyond price.”

So er…enter the Dragon; the Dragon is the sorcerer, the elemental of thunder who turns inevitable disaster into triumph. Dog, Ox and Sheep equals Bullying Punishment, equals unfulfilled plan. Dog, Ox, Sheep and Dragon make up the Four Earths, all ducks are in a row; great success. Seek the Dragon. In feng shui terms this means face or operate South East. In terms of time it means favour the Dragon day (every twelfth day), the Dragon hour (7-9am) and month (April) but also actual Dragons, (ie those born with Dragons in their Four Pillars). You’ll be interested to know for instance that UKIP’s Nigel Farage is a 1964 Wood Dragon. All major political parties (there will be five or six this year) need to appreciate this and apply it in whatever way they can live with.

So expect chaos this year to which you bring order. Generally this will be by way of your gift of selfless cooperation. Ecological and health disasters as well as domestic concerns swamp your in-tray. In-laws and dependants summon you while activism beckons. Nobody appears self-sufficient. You’re going to be busy. Surrender to the rhythm; it’ll be worth it.

A warning: as I wrote last year, power broadly arises with Fire as apathy does with Earth. The Wood Horse year was among the fieriest but a Wood Sheep tempts with warmth rather than passion. Choose bravely. We’ll all be in your debt. Check out maybe The Hope by Andrew Harvey, perhaps the most important thinker now living. And yes he’s a (1952 Water) Dragon. But then so is Vladimir Putin. Which kind of shows you what’s happening.

You know those moments when the choice to move forward or stay safe hangs in the balance? Often at such times we choose illness or other forms of distraction instead. That’s how it will feel to be a Sheep this year. Similar for Ox and Dog btw. Step up, step forward, seek the Dragon.

Health: be kind to yourself. Any diet or fitness regime should be maintained within your lifestyle.

Money: assets may be drawn upon but team work replenishes.

Relationship: family is the keynote. Commit, maintain.

Feng Shui: South East1 ESE) holds the Dragon,. Add sentimental Water regularly.

Readers’ Digest Version: step up, step out, step forward in cooperation.

Richard Ashworth©, early in the month of the Tiger, 2015.