Ox Diary: what to expect in January 2015.

Ox Diary: what to expect in January 2015.

The Ox takes a Bow.

Ox Month opens: January 6^th 00:57am.

Ox takes a bow.

Now, in the sluggish Ox-time we prepare for the New Year. The Ox of January is a symbol of fortitude and stamina, occupying this slow period between the year’s end and its regeneration. December is slow and dark, February is fresh. Inbetween is neither one thing nor the other, short days, long lights, new purpose taking time to form. “Blue Monday,” supposedly the most depressing day of the year, falls on the 26^th January when holidays, paydays and clement weather are furthest away in either direction.

But this is a time literally of re-creation. An ancient Chinese proverb says that ”the new-born Ox-calf does not fear the Tiger.” This may simply be an oriental way of warning fools not to rush in but the terminology is astrological: the Ox Boy and his lost partner nu the Maiden, are separated in the night sky by the vastness of the Milky Way. Year succeeds year and the less we resist change, separation and novelty, the easier it may be to adapt appropriately.

The years as I have written many times, do not change like the opening and closing of a door. Nature does not work in straight lines and there are good reasons for putting the beginning of the year as early as December 19^th – when the esoteric kua numbers of the days start to be counted upwards rather than downwards – or as late as February 19^th and the Chinese (Lunar) New Year Festival. There are those who are pedantic about each of these calculations and indeed about several more. All of which simply emphasizes the sleepy chaos of the Ox month.

So this is the time to start the he tu journeys prescribed for the year and to-rethink sleeping and working positions while the qi remains weak. It’s hard to stumble into an inauspicious location and trigger a plague of boils right now but equally, few dramatic reversals are likely to be conjured up. All of this information was included in our 13^th December workshop btw and will shortly appear in writing. There’ll be more.

The Ox in the Ox Month.

Ox (1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009) are by common consent the tyrants of the Chinese Zodiac. If that seems sweeping, consider again that Adolf Hitler, Napoleon Bonaparte and Margaret Thatcher were all born in Ox Years. And Barack Obama.

In the Ox month we reluctantly uncurl and pick up where we left off. As you’d expect, the typical Ox has no problem with consistency. In fact sticking to a position beyond its sell-by date may be the Ox’s downfall. Consider the Oxen above. They also share somewhat the Ox’s other failing, that of not knowing when their influence is fading.

The Ox’s cohorts are Snake and Rooster who can be inventive and seductive respectively, while the Ox keeps them to the agenda. The Rat may feel that his or her arms are tied for the time being while that agenda continues to vary from his own.

The Ox spats with the incoming Sheep and indeed this year focuses around the four Earth Animals – Ox, Sheep, Dragon, Dog – and the so-called Bullying Punishment which is relieved by the Four Earths. This year features team-building revolving around the Dragon who brings magical release to a stuck situation. If I remind you of two prominent Dragons, Farage and Putin, this may start to make sense, especially if we factor in the Obama Ox, Sheep Nick Clegg and Alex Salmond along with Dog George Osborne.

This is the Year of Gathering, not one of uncovering like 2014 and most of what matters will be out of the public gaze. Do not expect the CIA, Goldman Sachs, GCHQ or those in charge of investigating the various abuses that came to light in the bright year of the Horse to report rapidly or fully.

Early in the Cameron administration, a ship ran aground on the South Coast. Sheila and myself, both brought up by the sea in traditional wrecking country, looked up from our armchairs and smiled at each other ruefully at the BBC announcer’s admonition to the curious that the cargo was “hazardous”.

“It’s valuable,” we said simultaneously. And indeed the hold was full of shiny new motorbikes. Now, the Ox month, is the time to pay close attention to what is not being said.

Ox Month, Animal by Animal.

During this Ox month:

The Rat reluctantly takes orders.

The Ox sticks to the point.

The Tiger flirts with impatience.

The Rabbit finds gratitude.

The Dragon becomes essential.

The Snake dictates what is dealt with.

The Horsedefends the indefensible.

The Sheep may withdraw before joining.

The Monkey may feel left out.

The Rooster is flattered.

The Dog narrowly avoids break-up.

and

The Pig gets a second chance.

Ox Pillars; know your Ox rating.

Birth in the Ox hour (01:00pm-03:00am): children of faith.

Birth in the Ox month (January*): leadership.

Birth on the Ox day#: ignoring shelf-life.

Birth in the Ox year: born to a spiritual or religious tradition.

* Caution, the Chinese month generally starts and finishes a few days after ours.

# Just ask.

Where to do what, when and why.

This month’s lo shu is the authoritative year 6. In a 3 year like 2015, authority is unlikely to be respected consistently;this trend is magnified in the Eastern part of any space right now. This makes the East however along with the North, literally a plum location in the coming Sheep Year. Because both of these hold toe far or “Plum Flower” stars. This means they can be activated to attract or strengthen one-to-one (generally romantic) relationship for those born in the years of the Horse, Dog and Tiger (East) and Rabbit, Sheep and Pig (North). Such “activation” is best customised, but simply placing “sentimental” (that is flowing) Water North now and in the East from February may bear interesting fruit. Let me know.

Richard Ashworth©, towards the end of the month of the Rat, 2015.