Zodiacs

If the previous year called for more self-restraint than you would have liked, this year it all begins with opposable thumbs. From there, the world will be your oyster as long as you can open it. You have a ‘get-out-of-the-lab-cage’ free card in the Earthly Relief Star. It does not so much as augment any particular area of your life, but it will stop your plans from evaporating like a hot-air baboon. Go out and tinker with what you will.

Fire Monkey:
08 Feb 2016 – 27 Jan 2017
12 Feb 1956 – 30 Jan 1957
Wood Monkey:
22 Jan 2004 – 08 Feb 2005
25 Jan 1944 – 12 Feb 1945
Water Monkey:
04 Feb 1992 – 22 Jan 1993
06 Feb 1932 – 25 Jan 1933
Metal Monkey:
16 Feb 1980 – 04 Feb 1981
20 Feb 1920 – 07 Feb 1921
Earth Monkey:
30 Jan 1968 – 16 Feb 1969
02 Feb 1908 – 21 Jan 1909

Fortune direction:

East

Augmenting your fortune:

Bronze wind chimes

Lucky colours:

Silver

White

Gold

 Health

While a little bit of the Tai Sui may still follow you around through the spring with an unexplained ailment here or there, you should not be turning into a howler Monkey. Come the summer, the warmth should spread through your body, and you will feel like the champion of the bananas. Take care not to let too much success in other areas of your life distract from looking after yourself.

 Wealth

You heard it through the grapevine? We did as well and it is clear that you have a fine year coming up, with possibly unexpected sources of income arriving at your door. Too much Monkey business might make for some Monkey business, though, and you will want to find a way to appeal to better financial judgement. Whether you are dealing with retailers or new contacts outside finance, many of those interactions should lead you to new wealth creation ideas.

 Love

Even if the effect on your heart was not pronounced, last year’s changes should lessen through the spring. Perhaps catching you unawares, a satisfaction or happiness may creep up on you through the year until one morning you wake up and find yourself wanting to slide down the banana-sters. Do not be an ape if it seems matters are not going your way – have a little patience and things may turn in your favour after all.

 Career

The Lunar Virtue Star is visiting this year. In addition to helping turn adversarial situations to your advantage, it augurs well for new partnerships in sectors or areas you may have kept somewhat off to the side. Monkeys are nothing if not excellent climbers. With hands and feet highly developed for grasping, buy yourself a map with the ladder of success clearly marked on it and make your way. Fate will help you do the rest.

Guiding hexagram from the Yi-Jing (Book of Changes)

Judgement:
Standstill. Evil people do not further the perseverance of the superior man. The great departs; the small approaches.
Image:
Heaven and Earth do not unite: the image of standstill. Thus the superior man falls back upon his inner worth to escape the difficulties. He does not permit himself to be honoured with revenue.
The Forest of Changes:
Duke Ping of Jin took a woman surnamed Jiang from the state of Qi to be his bride. A carriage was sent to collect the bride. Once she arrived, the Duke found he was pleased with her, and began affectionately calling her the ‘tender girl from Qi’.
Verdict:
Stillness: “Have you ever seen a wildcat or weasel? Crouched low until the wanderer approaches, it then leaps about from east to west, avoiding neither what is high nor what is low, until it is caught in a trap or dies in a net.” The revenue did not move, yet the honour was there. Miss Jiang moved, and yet she remained herself.