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