Another very ancient New Year

Another very ancient New Year

By Jon Sandifer.

Each year on 4 February, the world’s most ancient astrology, I Ching Astrology, celebrates the New Year.

This system first formulated over 5,000 years ago in the Tibetan Himalayas uses the Chinese solar calendar.

2011 is ruled by the gentle and joyful 7 Lake Star, which carries the influence of the archetypal West, the setting of the sun and the joy of celebration after the harvest. So, overall, the outlook is for a less turbulent easier year. And this will come as a great relief. The ruling element, under the 7 Lake Star, is Metal. This, though, does suggest some continued economic troubles and serves as a caution to keep a close eye on our finances.

Use the calculator at the foot of this article to calculate your own Birth Star. It's easy and enlightening!

1 Water Star
2011 offers you a great opportunity to resume or renew your studies, and the Chi will underwrite your efforts with success. Education means preparation, and there will be a very real sense of priming yourself for a major breakthrough in the latter part of the year. And you will have the added blessing of being able to share your new wisdom with others.

2 Earth Star
Your move into the 9 Fire House in I Ching Astrology’s cosmic grid has you reaching for the sky and beyond. All aspects of your life, family, career, romance, will bud, bloom and blossom this year. Effortlessly you will find yourself where you need to be to catch the attention of those that matter. Your main problem will be trying too hard. Let the Tao unfold and delight in the results.

3 Thunder Star
The pressure is off this year. After a frantic 2010, you will start to experience the meaning of much that unfolded over the previous 12 months: clarity and conviction will replace confusion and ambivalence. You will find comfort in this reassurance and will be able to build on this certainty by working on new ideas and initiatives in a quiet fashion. And toward the end of the year, be prepared to break loose with some of these schemes!

4 Wind Star
You will enjoy a real sense of new beginnings in 2011, as you move out of last year’s rather quiet phase of Chi. Start to draw up some very serious plans about your future. Ensure first that your focus is clear - to ensure your success you need to be definite and feel committed. That done, whatever route you choose to take, this year provides the first and the most important first step.

5 T’ai Chi Star
You are unlikely to know what has hit you. For, after two relatively quiet years, you are on a roll again! You move into the powerful 3 Thunder House, where you will literally be in your spring – a time of extraordinary personal growth. Your enthusiasm, your vision, and your dynamism will be felt by everyone around you. A really superb year for you to initiate a new project or direction.

6 Heaven Star
This year your Star moves up a gear, and you will be riding a wave of high energy Chi. Build on the many but partial successes of last year, and start to move into overdrive. Plenty of opportunities will come your way and the wise route to take is to pick one or two strands and see them through to their completion. Avoid taking on too many projects or commitments at once this year.

7 Lake Star
This is your year of rebirth! This occurs for every Star every nine years. And 2011 offers you a decisive crossroads. The decision looks like this: let go of something that’s not been working recently, and look in a new direction of hope and possibility, which can transform entirely the direction of your life. It actually might not look like a choice at all; it will be so obvious.

8 Mountain Star
2011 is the year in which you, as an 8 Mountain Star, will be taken very seriously by others. You will discover that you have a new level of respect from your friends, family and peers. Use this position well and wisely, since you are now borrowing the House in I Ching Astrology that belongs to the archetypal Father. Making decisions and coming across clearly will be easy for you this year.

9 Fire Star
Party time! As of 4 February, you are the one Star this year perfectly placed to show everybody else how to chill out and have some fun. Don’t throw all caution to the wind, take stock, feel the gratitude for the last few years of success and take time to catch up on any longstanding issues. Most importantly, though, enjoy yourself.

Famous 7 Lake Stars
Emma Bunton
Mel C
Holly Hunter
David Beckham
Ant’n’Dec
Brad Pitt
Tiger Woods
Kiefer Sutherland
Kate Winslett,
Prince Harry
Prince Charles
Ronnie Wood
Robert Plant
Jamie Oliver
Angelina Jolie
Nick Clegg.

Determining your I Ching Star
For ease of practice over the centuries, all the stars have been allotted a number from one to nine. Apart from the central 5 ‘T’ai Chi’ Star, the other eight stars and their symbolism are drawn directly from the trigrams in the I Ching.
It is very important to remember that the year begins in I Ching astrology on the first day of spring - 4th February -annually. This is the first day of the solar year in all forms of Chinese and I Ching astrology. Therefore if you’re born before 4 February in any year, you’re actually born into the previous year and use this for the calculation below.
Calculating your Star
1. 1. Begin by adding up all the digits from your year of birth, e.g. 1954 = 1 + 9 + 5 + 4 = 19.
2. 2. You need to keep adding these figures until you get a number below 11. Therefore, with this example, 1 + 9 = 10.
3. 3. Now that you have a total below 11, take your total away from 11, i.e. in this example, 11 – 10 = 1. Another example would be to look at 2009: 2 + 0 + 0 + 9 = 11; 1 + 1 = 2; 11 – 2 = 9.
For more information about this fascinating astrology system, visit www.iching-astrology.com