The month of the Fire Dog begins on October 8^th. We’re now in the last month of autumn in the Chinese solar calendar. Fall will soon turn into winter, with Yin continuing to take over Yang. Fire element is strongly present in October, seen in the monthly four pillars’ chart and the Feng Shui Bagua chart, with flying star 9 and the Fire trigram in the center, highlighting themes of hopes and joy influencing the month ahead.

The Dog is one of the four Earth signs in Chinese Astrology that help us bridge the transition from one season to another. Earth element encourages us to slow down and drop in to our center so that we can gather strength for the cooler months ahead. Associated with Saturn, Earth is the in-between element that keeps us grounded and in our body. Its energy is centering and inward rather than upward, downward or outward. When we’re centered and rooted, our foundation is more solid and we’re more likely to remain calm and steady as a mountain even in the most stressful situations. As the most abundant of the Chinese Five Elements, Earth element can provide us with the resources necessary to survive and thrive.

Ancestral healing work can be especially transformative this month as the intuitive Dog is closely connected to the ancestral realm. Taoist practitioners traditionally spend the first day of the Dog month on rituals honoring their ancestors. The calls to pay respect to the spirit world can be heard around the world, with Samhain / All Hallows’ Eve / Halloween and Day of the Dead / All Souls’ Day celebrations also taking place during the Dog month, which ends on November 6. When we acknowledge and honor our ancestors, they become the biggest supporters to our personal growth and spiritual development. Rise above any ancestral or generational trauma you may have by going back to generations way beyond the current past. Keep tracing your roots, ask the elders in your family for stories they may have about about their elders. They may help you identify a few wise, vibrant souls from their lineages. Learning the arts and crafts of our ancestors can also help establish ancestral connection, as it’s been shown that our body and the subconscious inherit the collective wisdom and genetic memories of our lineages.

With Yang Fire as the heavenly stem of the month, we are reminded to find joy within instead of looking for it externally. Stoke your inner fire by practicing generosity and always looking on the bright side, qualities associated with Fire element. Associated with the Sun, Yang Fire also invites messages of inclusivity, equality, resilience, and hope. Keep your hopes up – they can help guide and motivate us through these uncertain times.

Hidden inside the Dog is Yin Fire, which is the more unpredictable and reactive of the fire element. Whereas Yang Fire is unconditional and generous in its love and always dependable like the Sun radiating its brightness and warmth from dawn to dusk, Yin Fire, like a flickering candle flame, shines its light in the darkness but the gentle flame can also easily turn destructive. Choose your battles carefully this month as anger and rage can rise quickly and unexpectedly. Take a deep breath before you react, release your frustration in the exhale.

Signs that have affinities with the Dog are secret friend the Rabbit and allies the Tiger and the Horse. Those with these signs in their chart can generally expect a collaborative month ahead, with support from their personal and professional networks. *Keep in mind, however, that the Dog may clash with other signs and elements in the chart.

Those with a Dragon, the sign opposite the Dog, in their charts may find October to be the year’s most challenging month. The hardy, mighty Dragon loves to tackle challenges thrown at them, however, and has the strength and ability to rise above any hardship with their usual steadfastness.

October 2020 Feng Shui

In the Flying Star chart for October 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 October’s monthly stars.

The stars in the center of the Bagua chart, represented by the numbers, form the energetic foundation of the particular periods, whether annual or monthly. Each number (with the exception of number five) is associated with a trigram. The symbolisms of the trigrams can provide us with messages and guidance to issues that arise during the specific period.

October’s ruling trigram, Li, which is the Fire trigram, is associated with the heart, the eyes, the emotion joy, the color red, the middle daughter (or middle-aged women), and the direction South in the Bagua chart. Pay attention to events happening this month, especially those highlighting women taking power in leadership. As Fire also relates to light, a 9 cycle brings out yearnings for spirituality and higher demands for lightworkers, with more people sharing their light and searching for the light within.

The single broken Yin line between two solid Yang lines in the Fire trigram illustrates the presence of heavenly forces surrounding Earth – as above and so below. No matter how chaotic the external world seems, keep your internal world filled with hopes and prayers for a better tomorrow. Stay focused in your heart center, and awaken your inner joy by opening the heart to gratitude.

In the Flying Stars chart, the presence of the monthly star 9 in the center strengthens the effects of the annual 7, a Metal star associated with hostility as well as the respiratory system. Take care when using the center of your space this month. The 7/9 combination in the center brings elevated fire dangers, political instability, and possible increase in violent incidents. If you live in a fire-prone area, October is the month to stay even more vigilant. For more insights on the annual 7 and the year’s ruling trigram the Lake, check out the May update.

October’s best sectors are the Southeast, the Northwest, and the Southwest. The Southeast sector benefits from the monthly star 8 of harmony and prosperity, which forms an auspicious interaction with the annual star 6 of power and authority, while the Northwest has a 1/8 combo. The monthly star 6 in the Southwest combines with the annual star 4 of romance and academic excellence into a lucky sum-of-ten formation, ideal for entertaining, academic studies, creative projects, or a home office. Use these sectors often to activate the positive energy, especially if the natal stars in these sectors of your home are also 1, 4, 6, or 8. *Keep in mind that the effects of the visiting stars are influenced by their interactions with the natal stars.

The four cardinal directions are afflicted this month with either the monthly or annual star 5 of misfortune or star 2 of illness. These sectors should ideally be kept quiet, but if you can’t avoid them, use them mindfully – no loud noises or banging the doors. Take special care with your health if you reside in the West or East region of a geographical area or if your front door is located in one of these sector, as the monthly star 2 of illness is exacerbated by the annual star 9 in the West, while the East, already afflicted by the annual star 5 of misfortune, also hosts the hostile monthly 7.

*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.