2021: The Year of the Metal Ox

Words RICHARD GILES

The Chinese Year of the Ox is coming up in February. The 2021 Lunar New Year commences on the New Moon of Friday 12th February beginning the new zodiac cycle. Chinese tradition employs both a solar and lunar calendar, and the solar start is 5th February. Lunar New Year celebrations are when the dragons and fireworks come out into the streets. In 2020 the Metal Rat year was a challenge, so 2021 will also be a challenge but not with the same intensity.

The Chinese mythology of the ox (or buffalo) is useful for insights into this year ahead. The ox is a sign of longevity. Lao-Tse, the great Chinese sage, rode astride an ox during his travels in the mountains in search of immortality. From one end of Asia to the other the ox is considered a sacred animal and an object of veneration everywhere. Previous ox years are: 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997 and 2009.

The ox person is born under the double sign of equilibrium and tenacity – they are both sincere and honest with much patience but also have obstinacy as a characteristic. They achieve prosperity through determination and are a powerful born leader. As one might guess, such people are dependable, systematic, patient, tireless in work, and capable of enduring hardships without complaint.

The ox year benefits several signs – the snake, rooster and the rat all benefit with the oxen sort of getting good support if it works hard. The sign that is challenged is the sheep/goat across the opposite side of zodiac. Goats need to look to health issues.

The two Chinese elements of the year are Yin Metal over Yin Earth so it’s going to be a year concentrating on earthy things to do with food and resources. The Yang Metal/Water of 2020 was over-balanced and with Metal ruling lungs and breathing we got COVID. Yin Metal is stronger, so expect things to start to resolve, however, it may take until mid-year. In 2021 concentrate on the produce of the Earth: herbs, vegetables, housing and sustainability.

HOME AND BUSINESS

In traditional Feng Shui principles there are numbers called Flying Stars that arrive in different compass sectors of the house each year to influence the building’s good and bad fortune. In 2021 these Flying Star numbers will create challenges in your home – the bad fortune and the sickness numbers are 5 and 2. The two most important, prosperous energies numbers are 8 and 9. Number 5 is in South-East and 2 in the North – use metallic decorations to neuter them. Number 8 is in the West and 9 in the North-East, support them with bright colours. Best wishes for success in the Oxen New Year.

RICHARD GILES is a Feng Shui practitioner with two decades’ experience working on homes from Central Qld to Northern NSW. Email: ricgiles@powerup.com.au