Articles

The Four Seasons of the Twelve Chinese Animals

 

By understanding the energy of the powerful characters of the Chinese Zodiac we can learn to shape our lives in a manner that presents greater success and greater inner peace. The 12 animals are directly connected to the energy of the earth so if the elephants of Sri Lanka can read this energy and climb to higher ground the day before the Tsunami wave hit their shores in 2004, then through them we too can have the power of foresight. Fore warned is to be fore armed.

 

The Rat:

Brave Heart could be the middle name of this fellow as little daunts him and his courage knows no bounds. He is a highly intelligent character who rarely stands still but pursues his goals with his full attention. It is not by chance that he sits at the head of the queue of the 12 animals as he is also a great negotiator and liaison officer. His role is to represents the month of December and the Winter Solstice carrying us though to the early part of January and overseeing the handover from the energy of the old year to that of the new one. Thus it is that the Rat is a natural leader with a very strong army behind him due to his popularity.

 

The Rat represents the element of water which is refreshing but at the same time unstable as water is never still unless it is stagnant or frozen, neither of which is desirable. What we can expect from the month of December is a period of unrest due to the high activity of this fellow who has the sole intention of clearing things through and getting the energy moving again for the New Year.

 

The Ox:

Not know for his elegance but more for his power and fortitude, the Ox is the most reliable character of the 12 animals. Slow could be the middle name of this chap as he knows nothing else other than shouldering his yolk and pulling the plough, no matter how laden the plough may be. His sole resolve is to stay focused with his eye on his goal and to produce the furrows of the field ploughed to the most perfect line. In other words he is an achiever, all be it in his own time, so patience will be the mother of miracles through the month of January.

 

The Ox represents the earth element so the banks of the river will offer some guidance to the mayhem thrown up by the Rat and his fast flowing water element throughout the previous month. He gives a lot of thought to everything he does so although you may feel some degree of stability in this month and your feet on more solid ground you nevertheless have to wait to see the results you desire. Be assured the Ox will produce this because he has a hidden reserve that pushes his energy forwards constantly to the handover of the first animal of the spring, the Tiger.

 

The Tiger:

It is the very reserve that the Ox has to offer that kicks the Tiger into action at the commencement of spring. Responsibility is this guy’s middle name due to the fact that it is his energy that now fires up the enthusiasm that follows through for the rest of the year. The Tiger can be a little complacent at times, only hunting when he is hungry, so he really has a lot to thank the hoof of the Ox for in getting him up and running. His natural element is wood so this symbolises the tall trees with the firm roots reaching well down into the earth and endorsing his reliability in any storm.

 

February can be a month of breakthroughs that have felt like they have been a long time coming. This is the consequence of the winter season which saw the seeds that were sown throughout the autumn resting and germinating beneath the cold ground. The air is getting warmer and the time is now right so they are ready to begin to show through. The Tiger’s responsibility is to make things happen.

 

The Rabbit:

Sociability is this guy’s middle name as it is now his role to communicate and spread the new energy of the spring about as much as possible. This makes March a much more productive month with a more encouraging feeling in the spring air and to the Spring Equinox The Rabbit is not the strongest of fellows and can have a tendency to overdo it a bit so care is needed not to run before you can walk and just embrace the welcome energy of the spring without going into overdrive which could be a temptation after lying dormant for so long.

 

The Rabbit’s natural element is yin wood which is represented by a fresh new shoot coming through the earth. This shoot needs plenty of tender loving care to encourage its growth. Airing on the side of caution you have to guard against complacency this month. Of course you want to continue to build on the positive energy that has come through recently but we also have to understand the hard work has only just begun.

 

The Dragon:

The Dragon is the power. This is the true entrepreneur who knows exactly where he is at. He has a very keen eye and is thus a cute observer of the facts. He knows exactly where the opportunities lie and when to use them. It is therefore the role of the Dragon to transform the energy of the year, after the hard work of the predecessors we have just discussed, and carry it forwards. This energy is gradually getting stronger as we move through the spring season towards the warmer summer months.

 

The Dragon’s natural element is earth so he offers some stability to what can have been a very taxing previous few months. He plans ahead too so, like the Ox, he has hidden reserves to help take the energy through the hot summer months ahead. April is therefore a month of seeing some degree of fruition to your well laid out plans and an encouraging energy to help you keep your resolve.

 

The Snake:

The snake is the first animal of the summer season and the first to spot an opportunity when it presents itself. Thus it is in May that he will grab the first bite of the cherry of this newly transformed energy of the year that the Dragon and his predecessors have worked hard for. He moves very quietly without detection and is therefore successful because he has the ability to catch everyone off guard. He is also known as the most attractive of the 12 animals which can be a distraction to what is really going on in his head.

 

The Snake’s natural element is fire so it is he who has real fire and enthusiasm in his belly to keep the continuity of the yearly energy moving and as money is usually his motivation and his driving force nothing will deter him.  This will be a month of opportunities and a feeling of a quiet confidence to anyone with a keen eye on the financial developments around the world. There is also however, a need for caution as the Snake is not always one to be trusted.

 

The Horse:

The Horse is the pinnacle. He represents the month of June and the height of the summer season. This is a time when the energy is at its strongest, the month of the Summer Solstice. The tree is in full bloom and you can see the rewards of your prolonged efforts. Everything about the horse shouts confidence from the strength in his neck and head through his powerful girth to the tip of his tail. The horse simply flows.

 

His natural element is fire so drive and persistence are the forte of the Horse. There is a saying “make hay whilst the sun shines” and nothing could be more appropriate this month. The best approach is to make the most of the moment presented to you and to enjoy it for the pleasure that it gives.

 

The Sheep:

The Sheep has the ability to surprise us all. It could be said that he can be a bit if a dark horse. He has taken on board the energy of the Horse and holds it in a quiet reserve for an opportune moment. He may look and act a little stupid and thus be dismissed by his friends and colleagues to some degree but actually the sheep is very cute and understands the movement of energy perfectly.

 

The sheep is the most relaxed and laid back of the 12 animals so July is a month of quiet consolidation and relaxation. The Sheep has everything under control and is ready to hand over the responsibility of the energy to the following season when the time comes. He knows his job and does it well. He also does not more than he has to so this is a month for recharging your batteries.

 

The Monkey:

The monkey is thankful for the forwarding energy from the sheep and for his support but it has to be said this guy is keen to put some action back into the situation. He is full of life and has the greatest vigour of the 12 animals.  August, and the commencement of the autumn season, is a time where the decline of the power of the energy of the year is starting to show and it is the Monkey’s role to keep it going as best he can.  That said, we cannot fight nature and the autumn will see the leaves fall from the trees and the energy being returned to the earth for recycling.

 

This will translate into a need to have more determination to keep your sustained efforts going. It can also be a time to reap the fruits of your labours so being cautious to maintain a
quiet confidence and resisting the temptation to shout of your successes from the tree tops, as the monkey is happy to do, is more likely to see you through to a positive outcome.

 

The Rooster:

The rooster is confidence personified. He has so much self belief from the knowledge that the job of moving the energy through has been well done and that he is now sitting on the seat of power. The bottom line is in knowing where the energy sits and the Rooster understands this full well for just as the earth has received the leaves back to her soil for rejuvenation so the Rooster can stand knee high in farmyard waste and know that is where the energy now rests. As they say “where there’s muck there’s money” and nothing could be truer for the Rooster.

 

September is the month for ploughing the land and sowing the seeds for the following year. It is a time for cutting back. The roots of the tree are sound because the energy has been stored there so nothing could be more natural that to prune the tree to encourage fresh new growth in the spring. The Autumn Equinox is a time for forwarding planning and for trimming the dead wood out of your life.

 

The Dog:

The Dog is the most loyal of the 12 animals and will always make his best endeavour to ensure everyone is comfortable and taken care of. He offers some stability as the energy of the year draws to a close and a more quiet time ensues. On the whole the Dog is happiest at home as this is where his true alliance sits and where he can provide the warmth and affection to help guard against the cold winter months to come.

 

October is the month for resting, recharging and putting a strategy together for the following year. It is not a time for new beginnings so opening a business or making major investments would not be a wise move now.

 

The Pig:

The pig is the real planner. He leaves no stone left unturned in his endeavour to reveal the facts. When he makes a decision it is an informed one and nothing is left to guess work. For the Pig there are no skeletons in the closet so what you see is what you get. This guy is one for unearthing the short comings and misgivings of his predecessors in order to clear the path for the hand over of the energy to the forthcoming New Year. He may not be totally righteous but he stands in his truth and thus expects you to accept him, warts and all.

November is the month to question your actions and to know the truth without wallpapering over the cracks. Take this advice and you will have a solid platform to take you into the New Year, ignore it and you could well find yourself skating on thin ice.

The Rat:

The Winter Solstice on December 21st/22nd sees the shortest day and longest night and the natural handover of the energy of the old year to the new one. We have come full cycle.

In the same way as the 12 months of the year has this natural cycle the same principles can be applied over a 12 year period. For example 2009 is the year of the Ox, 2008 was the year of the Rat and 2007 was the year of the Pig.

Using the same characteristics for these animals we can say it was the Pig in 2007 that unearthed the short falls of the financial institutions around the world, the Rat who scattered the findings to all points of the compass through 2008 and the Ox who is bringing about some stability through hard work in 2009. I will go as far as saying I believe we are on the right track to recovery of our global economic situation but will not be back at its peak until the Horse arrives again in 2014

This is Life Force Energy; this is the language of Nature. Nothing can fight it because nothing is more powerful.

Kay Tom, March 2009