The celebration of Chinese New Year may be on February 12 this year, but the Year of the Ox or Xin Chou Year is arriving early, on 3 February, according to the International Institute of Tao Studies in Kuala Lumpur.
This year’s Tao talk on the Xin Chou Year by Dr Geraldine Goh, Tao scholar and founder of the Institute, assisted by Lim Meng Siang, a Tao advocate who holds a senior position in the banking industry, was conducted via Zoom. The talk focused on: Tao Ways to Upgrade the Potential Auspicious New Year Qi, Conflicting Tai Sui and Tao Ways to Manage the Problems, Managing the Pathways of the 12 Zodiac, Fengshui Setting and Bringing in Prosperity on “Dragon Raising its Head” Festival.
Five approaches based on Tao Studies are used to find out what the Year of the Ox will bring. These include Qi and Symbolic Implication of the Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch, the Six Cylinder Theory, Numeric Implication and Theoretical Reasoning of Purple White Star, Implication of I-Ching Kua for the year and references from Zi Wei Numerology.
This year Xin is the Heavenly Stem and Chou is the Earthly Branch. The Heavenly Stem is Metal and the Earthly Branch is Earth. It has elements of Water and Metal. The colour for Water is black, Metal is white.
The phonic sound combined together becomes Wall Earth, represented by yellow. The Purple White Flying Star manages at the Centre Court which is Metal.
This year is lacking Wood (green) and Fire (red). The popular element is Metal (white). “The coming year likes green,” said Dr Goh. “You can still wear some red. Our Year of the Ox Almanac emphasises these colours to harmonise the coming qi.”
Under Metal, the popular industries include finance and banking. It may see the rise of bitcoin, cryptocurrency and gold.
The Xin Chou Year likes Wood, so palm oil will still do well. Fire, which includes the restaurant business will not be as good because of restrictions with curbing the pandemic.
With the Purple White Flying Star in the Centre Court (6 Metal), China will continue to be a world leader though it will not be a smooth path in the coming year. There may be a revival in the US economy as it softens its stand towards China.
There may be unease in Europe and the Middle East, with natural disasters in New Zealand, Taiwan and Japan.
South-East Asia has to practise patience, and go slow, coping with problems, especially with Covid-19. China will soften its stance towards Australia and it’s up to them to improve relations with China as Heaven is on their side.
Tao Ways to Upgrade the Potential Auspicious Qi
Spring Arrival
Wednesday 3 February, 11.08 pm.
Aroma new Xin Chou Tai Sui Card and carry it.
12 midnight to 1am (Thursday 4 February)
Send off the qi of the Rat
Light aroma at entrance of house and say thank you.
Friday 5 February, 12am to 2am, 2am to 4am
Begin spring cleaning. Take down the curtains, and resume spring cleaning at a later time.
Light aroma, 8pm to 10pm
Light up the whole house at night
Saturday 6 February, 4am to 6am, 6am to 8am
New qi descending and receiving
Light aroma, go out of the house and look up to heaven
To receive Yang qi, have a sweet Yang drink. Eat longans, goji berries, red beans, black pulut, black sesame
Avoid bad language, activities
Initiate a new longevity plan
Thanksgiving on 8 February (8am to 10am), 11 February (8am to 10am, 10am to 12pm)
Time to thank your tools — computer, laptop, car, handphone.
Aroma 6 coins for each angpow packet to put on top of the tools. Aroma the angpow packets too.
For the handphone, turn it off for 7 minutes.
Put the packets of coins on top of fridge, also where you keep money.
Place them on top of old stocks which are not moving.
This Almanac published by the International Institute of Tao Studies is useful to have in order to select the right date and time for an occasion, event or celebration
Chinese New Year’s Eve, 11 February, 10am to 12 noon
Aroma Tao tools, pictures – North-west direction
Light up pine leaves with fengshui aroma in front of your house and step over it.
Set up auspicious decorations, flower arrangements, CNY couplets
2 Red packets
Put in RM168 for prosperity; RM159 for success
Sleep with them under your pillow
Prepare 2 fish, one to eat on CNY Eve, the other of CNY Day
Prepare dumplings and a whole chicken
Chinese New Year’s Day, 12 February
1am
Receive Heaven and Earth water
Light up the whole house
Stay up late for parents’ longevity
4am to 6am
Open the front door
If you can, walk south towards a temple church and make a wish.
Or you can walk south to a corner of your house and meditate on your wish.
Auspicious Day and Time to Reopen/Re-initiate Activities
2nd Day, 13 Feb: 8am to 10aam, 10am to 12 noon
4th Day, 14 Feb: 6am to 8am
7th Day, 18 Feb: 12 noon to 2pm, 2pm to 4pm
9th Day, 20 Feb: 8am to 10am, 12 noon to 2pm, 2pm to 4pm
13th Day, 24 Feb: 6am to 8amm, 12 noon to 2pm
14th Day, 25 Feb: 8am to 10am, 10am to 12 noon
16th Day, 27 Feb: 6am to 8am, 12 noon to 2pm
17th Day, 28 Feb: 10am to 12 noon, 4pm to 6pm
21st Day, 4 March: 12 noon to 2pm, 2pm to 4pm