Snake 2017

Who is a Snake?

Years:  1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001.
Month*:  May
Hour: 09:00 am – 11.00am
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.

Skip to: Snake in Fire Rooster Year.

What is a Snake?

The balanced or mature Snake has absolute integrity; this is the goal to strive for.

Snake is yin fire and sits flanked by Horse and the Dragon, possibly the most powerful pair of animals in the Zodiac and certainly among the most difficult stools to fall between. So a typical weakness of the Snake is indecision. Next to that is lack of commitment and finally a propensity for sudden and uncharacteristic dishonesty. The Snake is the prisoner who breaks at the threat of torture; a reasonable decision if you know you’re going to give in anyway. Snakes being of Candle Flame fire, are easily discouraged and sometimes they should be. A Snake may even stick long term with an inappropriate choice so as to put off making any choice at all.

The most powerful Snake in the world right now is probably Xi Jinping, born in Snake in the Grass year 1953 and appointed at a time when the internal tensions in China – between efficiency and self- expression, between industrial wealth and rural poverty and between cohesion and corruption – were quite stark. Repetitive tasks for cheap labour have been travelling East from Europe since the 18 th century. Once the last few hundred million Chinese have been urbanised, there’s nowhere else for manufacture to go because growth can’t go on forever. This is the conundrum that faces Xi. The smartest and bravest Snakes confront it head on, the typical Snake pretends there’s no issue and proceeds to “reform”. Do not deceive yourself that the Chinese authorities are no longer imprisoning the innocent without trial or protecting those of the corrupt who can be discreet. In Tibet some of the actions sanctioned by Xi – torture, dispossession, summary execution – make Assad (1965 Wood Snake) look like Paddington Bear. These are karmically at least, very young Snakes to whom the truth is a flexible tool but this is your shadow figure, your worst, most plausible self, walking.

It can be different. And if it is your dreams come true. The Snake remains the seeker after truth. This can mean that an immature or unbalanced one is a purveyor of untruths. The balanced or mature Snake, as I said, reveres the truth and calls out falsehood. But meanwhile what you see may not be what you get. Taking into account the Umbrella sit-ins in Hong Kong and a push-me- pull-you approach to liberal reforms, you might well say that about Mr Xi. Compare perhaps with triple 1953 Snake (year, month, day) Tony Blair. But also with 1941 Metal Snake Bernie Sanders.

So the choice for the Snake is between opposites: the extroversion of the Horse and the subtlety of the Dragon, instinct and logic, process and end product, long and short term, relationship and freedom, employment or entrepreneurship. In the face of this dilemma, a balanced Snake will often develop sufficient charm to get through without having to make the hard decisions. Typically in a relationship, the Snake of either gender is not the decision maker and the decisions she has not made may include that of being committed to the relationship. The partner of the Snake (best choice probably Ox or Rooster though Monkey lady and Snake man works well) would be well-advised to drag at least this minimum communication from the Snake early on. Interestingly the water Snake of 1953 is one of the best makers and keepers of relationship of all 60 pillars.

One of the advantages of being between the autocratic Dragon and the unruly Horse is that the Snake has her ego in check. Many would consider her wise because what she has to say is well-considered and she never says too much. The Snake can be a brilliant collaborator, especially with the Ox and the Rooster who are in a sense similar to her two neighbours: the Rooster is blatant and the Ox determined while the Snake anchors them to each other. There may be moments of doubt when the Snake’s loyalty wavers. At such times, the Snake asks searching questions which should have been settled long ago and then usually re-commits. The high minded Brutus was probably a Snake. Not Judas though. To know this, grants the Snake both power and integrity. Snakes who know themselves earn undying trust.

The Snake can also work with the Dragon in what is called the House of Magic. Only the Snake can subordinate ego to the extent that the Dragon demands, while also keeping up. One ideal vocation for a Snake is high-level p.a. Usually (and wisely) the Snake opts for the role of No 2 rather than Big Chief.

Being substantially of yin fire, the Snake often has intellectual and visual gifts. She makes a good critic as her judgement is good and she is not out to destroy egos. She will generally have natural and effortless style.

The Snake’s relationship with the Monkey is a love-hate one. Both have hands-on and logical abilityand both attract the occasional tussle but where the Monkey welcomes the opportunity for mischief, the Snake treats dispute as a necessary and regrettable evil. When a Tiger appears either in the form of a Tiger-born person or a Tiger year like 2010, this misunderstanding can turn nasty. In the Metal times of 2016 and 2017 however, the issues are very different.

The Snake is opposed to the Pig and as both of these are members of the informal group sometimes called the Four Terminals or Stations, they can impede each other’s movement. Snakes may develop mobility issues in a Pig year (or month) and vice versa. Your momentum may for instance slow in November this year. Be sure to have achieved your year goals by then.

The Snake prefers a short menu and yes/no questions. In a Rat year the Snake may be overwhelmed; there is just too much choice, The Snake’s dreams may come true only for her to run in the opposite direction. Often communication has to be wrenched from the Snake and in the water years of Rat and Pig there is little support for the tight-lipped. In a typical Ox year there is just enough water but not too much. This makes scope for just the restricted level of communication the Snake prefers. The Rooster year on the other hand is very different.

Snakes have a complex relationship with fire. They are not usually sun-worshippers but often their skin needs just a little regular sun and without it they may fall prey to easily avoided ailments such as vitamin D deficiency. A Fire Rooster year offers just enough Fire. That may be the theme of the year: just enough.

Snake in Fire Rooster Year.

Stars include: yeung yan.

The hair trigger and the hair shirt.

You’re still not settled.

Traditionally the Rooster year is an easy cruise for the Snake; the trick is to recognise your good fortune. This is not a year to push your own luck – you are too internally conflicted for that to be safe just yet – but it is one to recognise your good fortune and take a few risks. Grace is what is called for. Recognise error, respect the truth, however uncomfortable that may be.

2016 will have been double-edged: plenty of breaks but not necessarily the ones you expected. That’s the way Monkey and Snake work together. If you’re in a relationship – business, intimate or other – with a Monkey, you knew this already. And you may have felt you were fighting off friendly fire.

2017 is a 1 year, a year of opening up. Deep truthful communication is demanded. And that’s one of your gifts; the Snake is above all the seeker after truth. In 2017 the powers of darkness are in the ascendant. This is not empty theory any more. Evil – if there is such a thing – is in your face. We who know this need to keep asking questions. Whether it’s about desecrating the Earth or setting us upon each other to shift focus from their own shenanigans, authority needs questioning. This is the Year of the Turkey – of vanity and pomposity which would be comedy turns if they weren’t so dangerous. When world leaders look like stand-ups, we’re probably all in trouble. Truth needs to be told to power like never before. And the politic, reserved Snake may the one to do it.

You are the co-worker of the Rooster – the executive branch of the Rooster-Ox- Snake triumvirate – so you’re issued something of a safe passage this year but you could easily waste it. This team is the catalyst for change. Your relationship with Rooster and Ox is an industrious, purposeful, constructive one. You may be called to step up; this is a question of emotional maturity. It’s not likely to be relaxing because it entails you giving up complaint and owning your true objectives. Especially seek the Ox who is in a year of vision.

And it is a lot easier than you’re making it. Those frustrated ambitions will follow going with the flow. There seem to be a plethora of not-quite- right alternatives, don’t there? This is what we call Heaven qi – the ground rules as they seem to be set up. What adds to and alters these alternatives is time and choice. Therefore you have some waiting and choosing to do. Timing is everything. What seems inexplicable and exasperating may be exactly what you’re looking for by August. Either because it has changed or because you have. Be ready to be wrong about how you think it’ll turn out. Open up and take some risks. Help follows.

The Monkey year may have been a push-me, pull-you time, often frightening and uncertain. It would be reasonable in the light of recent accident-prone times to think of the future as a capricious thing. It’s not; 100% trust is 100% safe, 97% is dangerous. And appropriate change this year involved learning to trust; not anyone in particular, other perhaps than yourself. And letting go of the infantile baggage that informs so many of your judgements. You’re not seven years old any more and justice may never be seen to be done. Everything can turn out fine. Join me in repealing Murphy’s Law.

The balanced Snake reveres truth above all, the unbalanced one is frankly full of crap. You’re likely to have fallen between the two most of your life and your quest is to rise from this point rather than fall. The truth is your ally. Stick with it and rehabilitation and acceptance and more will follow. Half-truths and self-deceit can only get in your way. This year your team is leader, show-runner, inspiration and example. Or not.

You very likely have a clear mind and great retention. This year you are called to put these assets into service. Seek out the Ox and the Rooster; you could be dominated by smaller and more personal considerations but the world is calling you and you have support to fall back on. Trust that your own dreams follow stepping up on behalf of others. 2017 is the acid test.

Readers Digest version: Successful but challenging, calls for great flexibility.
What’s to be done about it: revere the truth, hurry slowly.
Amulet: Rooster and Ox.
Feng Shui advice: base yourself at home.
Helpful places: South East3 (SSE).
Helpful times: January, May, September.
Health: comes and goes. Care of skin.
Money: plenty.
Relationship: the big one.