Hello, summer. May 5^th takes us into the first day of the Metal Snake month and the beginning of summer in the Chinese solar calendar. We’re now in the seventh seasonal marker of the year, with Yang becoming more vibrant, ready to take over Yin at solstice. Both the astrology and Feng Shui flying star chart of May 2020 suggest the need to stay prudent.

We’re living in unprecedented times that demand radical changes to our lifestyle, behaviors, expectations, and mindset. The elements of 2020, dominated by Water and Metal elements, have pointed to an economic downturn that may last well until at least 2022 or longer, as Fire element, the indicator of a bullish market, has been missing since the year of the Rat began in February and won’t reappear in full strength until 2025, the year of the Snake.

The Snake is a Yin Fire element, associated with joy at its highest frequency. The summer months of May, June, and July may offer a slight, temporary economic relief. However, since we’re only at the start of a recession, it’s wise to keep expenses down by focusing on basic necessities. Let “less is more” be your guiding mantra in the months ahead. We’ve been dealing with various stages of grief (associated with Metal) and fear (associated with Water) caused by the on-going pandemic, with anger rising in some communities as Wood element, associated with compassion at its highest frequency and anger at its lowest frequencies, appeared in spring. Now that Fire element is back in the picture, we’re being called to transform our fear and anger into joy.

Fire element in the Earthly branch of the month also presents a hidden danger, however, as it can be too easy to let our guard down when warmer weather lures us outdoor. Enjoy the sunshine by all means as it will do the mind, body, and soul good, but do it safely and with prudence and mindfulness.

May’s Yin Metal element helps strengthen the year’s Yang Metal, which, as mentioned in the previous month’s update, is of an unstable quality due to an exhaustive relationship with the Water element of the Rat. Metal is the element that rules the respiratory system, including the lung. With Metal in the heavenly stem, support from the universe is there for those who take precautions to protect and strengthen the lungs. It is up to each of us how we choose to take all the available information out there to enrich our own knowledge, and apply what resonates into our self-care practice.

The month’s Yin Metal element, which is also the element associated with the annual flying star 7 / the Lake trigram in the center of 2020’s Bagua chart, also encourages self-reflection. The Lake trigram is an interesting one – it’s one line removed from the Heaven trigram – which is also of Metal element – with two solid Yang lines at the bottom and one broken Yin line at the top instead of three solid Yang lines of the Heaven trigram. We can spend forever discussing the meanings of each trigram from just three simple Yin or Yang lines and yet, the Lake illustrates how Heaven / Spirit is within us. We only need to look beyond the surface and dive within to find our inner guidance, the spirit within.

May is the month to discover the richness of your inner world. Stoke your inner joy by incorporating Fire element into your daily life. Engage in rituals, hobbies and practices that make you happy. Stay connected in the heart with your loved ones. Mother Earth gifts us with the essence of the season’s element in the fruits and vegetables that she produces, so eat foods that are in season such as tomatoes, berries, cherries, and figs. Fire element foods also include bitter greens such as arugula, kale, and dandelion greens.

Keep cultivating Earth and Metal qualities to strengthen the lungs. Practice kindness and gratitude. Slow down and stay grounded. Tame the mind with meditation. Breathe and connect to the spirit within. I’ve provided more useful tips on how to bring in Earth and Metal elements in the April update.

MAY 2020 FENG SHUI

In the Flying Star Feng Shui chart for May 2020 above, the numbers in green are the annual stars for the current year (good until February 3, 2021), while the numbers in blue refer to May’s monthly stars.

Monthly star 5 of misfortune occupies the center in May, exacerbating the influences of Metal-element annual 7, a sign that we still need to be vigilant in maintaining physical distancing efforts as Metal rules the lung and respiratory system in Traditional Chinese Medicine. *The number in the center is an indicator of what lies ahead during that period, whether it’s an annual number or a monthly number.

May’s most productive sectors are the Northeast, Northwest, and Southeast sectors. Monthly star 8 of prosperity visits the Northeast to accompany the annual star 1 of wisdom, while monthly star 6 of power flies to the Northwest, where the year’s most auspicious star 8 of prosperity is. Do your work or daily activities in these sectors to activate the auspicious stars. Monthly star 4 of academic excellence and romance forms an auspicious sum of ten combination with the annual star 6 of power in the Southeast, making the sector a great location for creative projects and studies.

Monthly star 1 of wisdom and distant prosperity visits the North and you can use the sector for work or study, however be conscious of your emotional state as the annual star 3 of arguments is currently in the North sector. It’s best to leave the room when you notice anger or anxiety rising.

Keep the center, South, East, and Southwest sectors as quiet as possible during May. These are the sectors visited by the annual or monthly stars 5 of misfortune and stars 2 of illness. Take extra precautions when it comes to your health if your bedroom is located in any of these sectors and be mindful when opening or closing a door in these sectors. Reinforce all doors and windows located in the West, visited by monthly 7, which makes the sector more vulnerable to robberies and fire dangers.

*Although there may be remedies to lessen a sector’s negative energy, the best solution is to simply avoid using the sector, or 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 natal star. If you do have to spend time in the area, keep your activities there minimal. Common sense also applies: for example, it’s a good idea to have doors and windows reinforced if they’re located in a sector affected by star 7 of robbery.

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 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.