October 8 takes us into the month of the Wood Dog and a two-week period called “Cold Dew” seasonal marker. Yin continues to gain strength as autumn peaks and temperatures get cooler in the evenings and early mornings, with dew, fog and mist often visible in the early part of the day.

A season of mists

In the Chinese calendar, we’re now in the last month of autumn, a truly magical season ruled by Metal, perhaps the most misunderstood element in the Chinese Five Element system as Metal is the element produced by both Heaven (clouds, fog, and mist) and Earth (precious metals such as gold and silver). Associated with truth and clarity, Metal is the element that connects us to the spirit within. When we’re tuned in, we’re able to see and acknowledge all that’s within us – the light and the dark. For a refresher on Metal, check out this article I wrote last year for Energy Magazine September / October 2018 issue (go to page 38).

As nature evolves, so do we. This is the time to start conserving our energy and resources in preparation for winter. Yang Wood, the month’s heavenly stem, represents strength, resilience, and expansion. Identifying our priorities and focusing on necessities are keys to growth in the month ahead. Just like a tree shedding their leaves, we must adapt to upcoming changes and let go what’s no longer needed to protect what really matters.

The Dog, one of the four Earth signs in Chinese Astrology that mark the end of a season, is the sign that transitions us from fall to winter. An intuitive sign, the Dog encourages us to drop in, fine tune our senses, and listen to our gut so that we can survive even in the darkest path. No matter how busy we get, find time to slow down and get into the body to stay centered.

In the Flying Star Feng Shui chart for October 2019, the numbers in green are the annual stars for the current year (good until February 4, 2020), while the numbers in blue refer to October’s monthly stars.

The North is October’s most productive sector for work and study, with auspicious monthly star 8 “flying” to the sector, already occupied by annual star 4 of romance and academic excellence. Do your daily work or simply hang out in the North sector to activate the positive energy. If your home’s North and center sectors are an open area (without walls separating the sectors), you can take advantage of the month’s auspicious 3/8 “hotu” combination (which also applies all year to the South and center sectors).

The Northwest and East sectors are also great areas to hang out, work, sleep, or study, with annual star 9 of future prosperity and inspiration amplifying the monthly star 4 of romance and academic excellence in the Northwest, and monthly star 1 of wisdom and distant prosperity combining with annual star 6 of power and authority energizing career luck in the East sector.

The center, which is the year’s best sector visited by annual star 8 of prosperity, is visited by monthly star 3 of disagreements and legal troubles. You can continue using the center as the annual 8 and monthly 3 stars form an auspicious “hotu” combination – just be mindful to observe and leave the sector temporarily if negative emotions arise. Keep the center well lit to reduce the argumentative energy.

Reinforce any windows and doors that are located in the South and Southeast, with monthly star 7 of robbery visiting the South sector and the annual star 7 in the Southeast. The monthly star 7 also combines with the annual star 3 to form auspicious sum of ten in the South, which brings positive energy to those with main doors in the South sector.

The sectors to spend as little time as possible in October are the Southwest and West. Monthly star 9, which is a Fire element star, visits the Southwest, amplifying the energy of annual star 5 of misfortune, while the monthly 5 visits the West. Keep both sectors quiet and dark when not in use.

*Although there may be remedies to lessen a sector’s negative energy, the best solution is to keep the area as quiet as possible and respect whatever energy is visiting there, especially if you’re not familiar with your home’s natal energies as you may accidentally activate a negative star’s natal influences.

Contact us 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 manifest your highest potentials. 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.

Feng Shui has nothing to do about having a “consultant” come and “clean” your space with sage, incense, or palo santo sticks. While I love those space-clearing tools, they’re as good as vacuuming and mopping the floor and will not get you to the root of the issue. In fact, it is better to vacuum as the noise and movement activate a positive sector – I highly recommend doing so on the first day of the new solar month! 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 your internal environment, which is a major part of our luck and destiny. An experienced consultant will identify your home and office’s energetic blue print and give proper recommendations on how to boost the effects of positive stars and lessen the impact of negative stars, but it is up to you whether or not you choose to implement the recommendations.