Happy 2022! It’s a new year in the western calendar, but we’re still in the year of the Ox for another month. While the lunar new year of the Tiger is celebrated this year on February 1 in Asia with the new moon in Aquarius, the first day of the Water Tiger year begins on February 4 according to the solar calendar used by Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology practitioners.

The Tiger year starts with a double roar as February 4 is also the start of the Water Tiger month, with the month pillar mirroring the year pillar. Though change won’t happen overnight, we can feel the big shift in the air as soon as January ends. For those who are more than ready to leave the past two years behind, the elements of the year will help lead us into a new world. If you’ve been waiting for change, get ready to put in the work!

As 2021 ends with the Metal Rat month in December mirroring the elements of 2020’s year of the Metal Rat, we may have had a familiar feeling of déjà vu, as if we were reliving 2020 again. The Metal Ox month arriving on January 5, 2022 also shares the same elements as 2021’s Year of the Metal Ox, bringing back 2021’s major themes. You can review the Year of the Metal Ox outlook for similar insights into what to expect in January 2022. Of note, 2021 was the year of the vaccine, with the Yin Metal element of the year representing needles.

Before you read on, keep in mind whenever you read a forecast that the aspects and the elements do not offer predictions of the future. They only offer guidance from the universe – our free will, choices, actions, and physical locations play a major part in creating our own future. We can either take advantage of the insights gained from reading the elements and the aspects, or we can blissfully ignore them.

The elements of the Water Tiger year propel us to shift gears

The Tiger year marks the beginning of the Wood cycle, which holds promise of growth and expansion, after a Water-dominated cycle that starts with the Pig year in 2019. Associated with fear, Water element has contributed to a fear-based mindset and actions. Fear will still exist with Yang Water on top the Tiger in 2022’s year pillar, however we will also have hope and more positive thinking emerging from Fire element hidden in the Tiger.

As a Yang Wood sign and a travel star, the Tiger inspires community spirit, creativity, and passion for travel. It’s a fast paced year when the sign of the year is a travel star. Time will seem to speed by! Many of us will also be in a rush to get somewhere – this is a year we all have to be extra mindful on the road, especially in February, May, August, and November when the Tiger is accompanied by another travel star.

Change is a constant in a Tiger year. We may see existing situations reach a peak at the start of the Tiger year before they take a turn for the better, with the double pillars and the annual star 5 of misfortune and monthly star 2 of illness together in the center of February 2022’s Feng Shui chart (see the last part of this post for insights on 2022’s Feng Shui.)

How to work with the elements

The elements can be literal in their manifestation: Yang Water is forceful and aggressive – think big ocean waves, river rapids, and heavy rains, while the imagery for Yang Wood is that of trees and forests. Events happening through the year, especially in February, may highlight issues concerning our oceans and forests.

Like the ocean’s fierce waves, the year’s Yang Water heavenly frequency can propel us to great heights or pull us down into the deep below, while the Tiger’s Yang Wood, like a sturdy tree, provides support and protection from the elements but can break under pressure. The key is to be fluid and adaptable to changes. Like water moving around obstacles, accept any restrictions that may come up, and work around them to find a solution. Ride the waves instead of fighting them and you may find yourself in a state of flow, thriving and open to receive goodness and abundance.

Water is an intuitive element while the Tiger moves on instinct. This year we may have to rely more on our intuition and instincts in situations that require quick decisions. Trusting your intuition may be too far out of the comfort zone for the overly analytical mind, but recognize that you’re only harming the mind when you’re overthinking or overanalyzing a situation. We can all train to sharpen our intuition by developing a higher awareness of our internal and external worlds. Unplug and get out into nature often, and empty the mind with physically grounding practices that engage the senses such as meditation, Qigong, sound healing, and dance.

Grand Duke Jupiter and Jupiter in Pisces

Those born in a Tiger year (1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010) will be encountering the Grand Duke Jupiter (the “Tai Sui”) this year. The Grand Duke is the heavenly guardian of the year who will support you as well as throw you curveballs along the way. In Chinese Metaphysics, the year you encounter the animal sign of your birth year is usually a life-changing year, the beginning of a new phase.

A Grand Duke Jupiter year for most of us coincides with transiting Jupiter returning to one’s natal Jupiter in western astrology. For most of those born in a Tiger year, their Jupiter would most likely be in Pisces, though it could also be in Aquarius or Aries if one was born in the beginning or the end of a Tiger year.

Though a Grand Duke year is often looked at with fear and anxiety by many who grew up in the Chinese culture, I’ve found that the impacts of a Grand Duke year depend on the aspects Jupiter makes to other planets in one’s natal chart. For example, if natal Jupiter forms a Grand Trine to other planets in the natal chart, then a Jupiter return will activate your natal potentials, which can manifest as lucky breaks and unexpected windfalls. If your natal Jupiter makes challenging aspects to planets or points in your chart, then a Grand Duke year will come with trigger events meant to push you out of the comfort zone so you can rise up to your highest potentials.

With Jupiter in Pisces visiting for five quick months in 2022 instead of the usual annual visit, this year all of us, especially those born in a year of the Tiger, will need to jump at opportunities that come our way between now to May 10, 2022, as those opportunities may not come back or wait for us. The Tiger, after all, is naturally quick and opportunistic.

A day to remember in February

The Chinese Metaphysics community has been buzzing over a special day in February when the Water Tiger appears in the day, month, and year pillars. The Water Tiger also appears in the hour pillar between 3 – 5 am on February 18, an extremely rare alignment with all the four pillars containing only Yang Water on top and the Tiger at the bottom.

To gain additional insights into the day, I looked up the ephemeris to check if there are any significant astrological transits happening on the day. As it turns out, Jupiter in Pisces is in a supportive sextile to Uranus in Taurus, exact on February 18 in most of the world, while Venus is conjunct to Mars. The Sun’s also new in Pisces, which takes us into a new seasonal marker called “Rain Water” in the solar calendar, when new Yang emerges – an ideal time to start new projects. Jupiter linking up harmoniously with Uranus around this date helps us initiate change and welcome new experience with optimism, while Venus together with Mars brings the divine feminine and divine masculine into balance.

The planetary transits sound supportive, but the energy of the day will be intense in terms of the elements, with only Yang Water and the Tiger’s Yang Wood at play. Jupiter in Pisces shares the same imagery of a big water world as the year’s Yang Water – think expansive oceans and high waves. Wood is also the element of compassion and expansion associated with Jupiter. No matter what happens this day in the external world, we may finally feel what it means to be part of the whole, to be truly in this together. Qualities associated with Pisces (unconditional love, connection to spirit, art and culture) may be the keys to what can unite us and lead to needed change.

To best maximize the potentials of the day, it helps to know how the Water Tiger interacts with the elements in your natal chart and what the elements mean to you personally. A positive affinity with the elements can make this a memorably empowering day, while it would be better for those whose elements clash with the Water Tiger to experience the day with caution and mindfulness.

The Tiger’s influences on other signs

The Chinese zodiac signs that work well with the Tiger also benefit from the Grand Duke’s blessings. These include secret friend the Pig and zodiac allies the Horse and the Dog. This is a good year for those with these signs to forge ahead with their plans and take more risks as they have support from the Tiger.

The signs that will be most challenged by the Tiger are its opposite the Monkey as well as the Snake. Big changes are ahead and since both are also travel stars like the Tiger, 2022’s poised to be an active, extremely busy year for those with these signs in their charts.

The Tiger is a noble star to those born on a Yin Metal day or year (Yin Metal years are years that end with 1 such as 1971, 1981, 1991, and so on). A year or a month when your noble star appears is a good time to seek advice, get funding, or invest in personal or professional coaching as the help and support you receive will contribute greatly to your growth. People with these signs in their charts can also act as your guides, advisors or mentors.

The Tiger is also an academic star to those born on a Yang Water day or year. Yang Water years are years that end with 2 such as 1982, 1992, and so on. Since 2022 is the Water Tiger year, babies born in this year of the Tiger (between February 4, 2022 to February 3, 2023) will have this academic star, which brings high intelligence and charisma. Babies born in the Water Tiger month in February will have two of these stars, and those born on February 18th will have a very unique birth chart with three academic stars (and four if they were born between 3 – 5am!)

Feng Shui for the Year of the Water Tiger

In 2022, flying star 5 of misfortune “flies” to its home location in the center of the annual Feng Shui chart. Star 5 in the center amplifies the influences of the annual stars as the stars are stronger in their original locations.

The ruling trigram of a specific period can provide us with additional guidance to issues that may arise during the particular period, just like the five elements can provide insights for what lies ahead. As the 5, an Earth element star, doesn’t relate to any direction or trigram, listen and trust your inner guidance. Return to the center whenever you feel like you’re losing yourself, whether to a person, a cause, a job, or a belief.

From February 4, 2022 to February 3, 2023, the most productive sectors are the Northeast, South, and North sectors, with star 8 of prosperity in the Northeast, star 9 of joy and future prosperity in the South, and star 1 of wisdom and distant prosperity in the North. Do your work or daily activities in these sectors to activate the auspicious stars. You may find that you’re more productive, inspired, and happier when you’re working in these sectors. I’ve also found that homes facing one of the year’s auspicious directions are very easy to sell during that year!

The Northwest sector, visited by star 6 of power, makes an ideal work space while the Southeast sector is great for studies or social activities. With stars 1, 6, 8 aligned in the NW, N, and NE sectors in the annual chart, the north side of a home brings positive, vibrant energy to residents whose homes face North or South.

Be mindful when using 2022’s most afflicted sectors, which are the center and the Southwest sector, visited by star 2 of illness: avoid loud noises, open and close doors softly, and keep the sectors clean and tidy. Be especially vigilant in February, April, August, and November, when the strength of star 5 gets even more amplified by the monthly star in the center.

Reinforce all doors and windows located in the West sector, visited by the annual 7, which makes the sector more vulnerable to robberies and fire dangers. Star 3 of arguments occupies the East sector: be aware of your emotional state and leave the room temporarily if you start feeling angry or irritable.

*Contact me here if you’d like to identify and activate the auspicious sectors in your living or office space and subdue the influences of inauspicious stars to help optimize your family’s well-being. I also recommend getting a strategic life reading, which provides you with a blueprint for manifesting your highest potentials.

**If you have had a Feng Shui assessment done, consider getting an annual update as the annual stars are strong in influence and can highly affect the well-being of the home’s occupants. A proper Feng Shui analysis always takes into account the floor plan of a home, its location, direction, external and internal environment, and the year the home was built, as well as its affinity with the residents’ natal charts.

Just like we spend time on self-care as part of our life’s self-work, there is major “home” work involved once you’ve had your home professionally Feng Shui’d. Knowing your home’s natal energies brings full awareness of how your immediate environment can positively influence your life.