by Young Living Essential Oils Distributor, Evelyn Vincent – TheVeryEssence.com

Do you remember as kids saying, “you better watch out, that will rub off on you” – well, there is a large degree of truth in that expression. I think everyone has experienced at some time going to a place where the energy felt soothing and wonderful, while some places made you feel uncomfortable and like you couldn’t get away from them fast enough. No, you weren’t off your rocker – there is a reason for that feeling!

During my years as a traditional Feng Shui Consultant and performing Space Clearing ceremonies for clients I became much more aware of how the energy in our homes affects our moods, our overall energy, our health, and to an extent – our luck.
 
As always, in traditional Feng Shui, the New Year is a time to make some changes around the home, and office too – working with the subtle energies that you are going to be spending a lot of time with for the next year. Traditional Feng Shui is quite different than the Black Hat or Tibetan Feng Shui discussed in books, both of which are an over-simplification of a true art in itself.
 
Although I won’t be able to give you all the nitty-gritties in this article, I can share with you some of the subtle energies that will be happening in every home and building during 2009 and what you can do to diminish those energies which are inauspicious (negative).

Year of the Earth Ox

The Year of the Ox, 2009, is symbolized by two elements – earth sitting on top of earth. According to the 5 element cycle of birth and destruction, which governs the inter-relationship between each of the 5 elements, earth and earth are like brothers and sisters, they do not have birth nor have a destructive relationship with each other. They can be friends and they can be competitors.
 
Therefore, earth sitting on earth is not a sign of conflict. The Earth on top is Yin (feminine) earth which symbolizes a garden, the garden gives sense of harmony, peace and relaxation. The Ox underneath is actually matching, the picture of a peaceful field with ox eating grass.
 
It is anticipated this elemental relationship will bring a year of more harmony and peace in international relationships – a year for healing and relaxation from the turbulent times the world has recently experienced. It is a time for rebuilding and reconstructions from the damage brought by war and natural disasters, and the financial tsunami of 2008, a time to seek peace, narrow the differences between different cultures, religious beliefs and begin to care for one another, and to make some achievement in solving the global warming issue. Thus, it is a year of pure earth element and the theme for this year should be caring for our planet earth.
 
The Chinese calendar year goes on 60 year cycle. This means that we have experienced the same year of yin earth on the Ox in 1949, a year when the world order basically settled down, a year when countries were healing from the devastation of WWII, a more peaceful and stable environment. Though it was still a time of confrontation between USSR and the west (USSR testing their first atomic bomb in August 1949) it was still a year of no major conflicts between nations, and a year of construction and rebuilding after WWII.
 
In Chinese Astrology (find your animal sign), the character for “Yin Earth” represents a field or a garden. Associated with the quality of moderate, peaceful, intellectual, charming and charitable kind of person. People born in a day of “Yin Earth” are often moderate, harmonious and slim. Famous earth people born on a “Yin Earth” day are, interestingly… Barak Obama , Uma Thurman, Celine Dion, George Michael, Tchaikovsky, Leonardo Da Vinci, Jet Li, Larry King, Donald Trump, Charles Darwin and Sigmund Freud.
 
Those born under the Year of the Ox, Sheep/Goat and Dog should be mindful of their health – being certain to eat properly and get plenty of rest and exercise. Be sure to drink your NingXia Red and use your Young Living essential oils!

Get Young Living essential oils and NingXia Red here!

It is also interesting to note that “Yin earth Ox” appeared in some significant dates in American history, as the Declaration of Independence on 4th July, 1776, and the Pearl Harbor attack on 7th December 1941 – both Yin earth Ox days.

So could 2009 be a year of significance to USA under new President bringing a lot of changes? Already, some are bailing ship and are being asked to resign.

It so happens that Barak Obama is also a yin earth person, and his birth elements bear similarity with Abraham Lincoln, who is also a yin earth person. Naturally he will be the focus of the world in 2009, the yin earth year. It is interesting to note that Geroge W. Bush is a “yin metal” person and he became president in 2001 – a “yin metal” year that started 8 years of turbulence (metal chops wood/new growth). Let us hope Barak Obama will bring out the peaceful and healing qualities of yin earth. Here’s a website where our voices can be heard, Change.org

The Ox being of the earth element it is the second of the 12 animal signs. It represents the construction and building phase after a new beginning of a 12 year cycle… the Ox will be the year when the new leaders will commence reconstruction and consolidation of their position and power.
 
Regarding Flying Star Feng Shui (not a real star but a set of  principles used by the traditional practitioner to read the energy of a house or building), the current twenty year period from 2004 to 2024 is called “Age of 8” and this number 8 represents the Trigram of Mountain. It also is symbol of young children and thus should be a year of fewer problems related to children.

Regarding the economy, fire element is often the driving force behind the stock market. The five elements are also affecting peoples mood. In general fire is joy, water is fear, Earth is meditation, metal is sadness, and wood is anger.

A fire year would generate optimism and drive up the stock market, such as 2006 and 2007. But in 2008 the water element arrived and people began to have fear about worsening of the USA subprime problem and recession.

For 2009 there is pure earth on earth. The earth element is not as fearful as water, rather it is still and solid, much like meditation. It means people will be conservative and play it safe. As such, it is a year of continued cooling down and gaining more stability.

In 2009, despite the absence of fire element in the year, the spring and summer months still show strong wood and fire influences bringing an upward surge in the stock and property markets. But investors will be more cautious and practical, there will not be dramatic fluctuations such as in the magnitude of the yin fire year in 2007. In general 2009 is a year showing signs of more stability and calmness with steady upward trend.

The Energies in the Home for 2009

In general, the yin Earth Ox year, is symbol of a peaceful and relaxing garden, a place to rest and calm down, to refill our energy and reflect on the past and plan for the future. The theme is healing, a time to begin to reconstruct our world and allow planet earth to heal. We should focus on earth themes – ‘Green’ rebuilding, construction, and agricultural improvement to ensure sufficient supply of healthy food, make progress to reduce CO2 emissions and restore our environment.
 
A little side-note: you may have recently heard about a disaster in Tennessee regarding a dike breaking which contained a decades worth of Coal Ash – this is quite serious and it’s a HUGE wake-up call for us to get off our fannies and make certain that Green Technologies get a stable footing in 2009. Read more about this in an article I wrote, Don’t worry, it’s not toxic – just boil the water before you drink it… the Deadly Trail of Clean Coal – stuff you probably won’t see or hear in the media.
 
In traditional Feng Shui, energies change from year to year (as well as, momth to month, day to day – but I’ll keep this simle). Therefore, it is necessary to watch for the reallocation of good and bad energies at the beginning of each year so that we can take necessary precautions if some bad energy happens to arrive at important locations of our homes.

The Energy in the North Sector
In the year of the Ox, the bad energy, called “Five Yellow” – symbolizing obstacles and misfortune, is in the North.

If the North of the house is an important area such as bedroom or entrance, it is recommended to hang a metal wind chime there to dissolve this bad energy. The worst months will be in March, September and December.

The Energy in the West Sector
Another bad star number 2, symbolizing sickness. It will arrive in the West in 2009. The traditional method to dissolve this energy is to hang a string of six metal coins in the west area of the house. Another option which I like is to place a glass bowl, filled with salt water and 6 copper coins, outdoors in this area of inauspicious energy. Note: each year the location of this energy changes, so be sure to remove the bowl and/or any other treatments you might apply.

The Energy in the Northeast Sector
The Grand Duke this year is in the Northeast, hence it is not favorable to “move earth” or make substantial construction work in this direction. It is also not recommended for one to sit with their back against Northeast as you will be sitting against the unfavorable energy called “Three Shars” or “Three Killings”. Simply move your desk or chair so your back rests in a more favorable direction.

The Energy in the Southwest Sector
Southwest is the “Crash position” against the Grand Duke which is also not good to sit. The bad star 3 is a star of conflict and robbery. This is present in the Northeast of the house. It is necessary to put a piece of red paper in the Northeast to minimize such bad influence.

The Energy in the East Sector
The bad star 7, representing scandals is in the East, the traditional solution for this bad star 7 is to place a 3 piece of bamboo plant grown in clear glass vase of water in the east location.

For the ‘Finishing Touch’ and maintenance read my Space Clearing and using essential oils to shift negative energies article.