The year of the Yin Water Rabbit (Gui Mao 癸 卯) has arrived! It arrives in the midst of troubling times. There is political disarray in many countries, war in some. The world is still in the throes of a global pandemic of which its population is growing very weary. The earth’s climate and natural resources are threatened like never before and the real possibility of mass extinction of many species of wildlife looms ever more critical. So the question is: how will the energy of this year  affect humans’ health, culture, well-being, and stability?

Background on  the 5 Elements

Each year of the Chinese Zodiac is thought to embody an energy that affects the earth and humans in a certain way. It is thought these energies are the basic components of everything in the universe: Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, and Earth, the 5 Elements of Phases, 五行, wu xíng. The relationship between these elements explains how the universe is unfolding at a certain time. All of Astrology is based on the passage of time and patterns defined by this passage. The patterns are based on how the Five Elements relate to each other. There is a creative pattern, a destructive pattern, a controlling pattern, an insulting pattern, and a supportive pattern. By knowing the element you are and the elements in your surroundings, you can understand how you will be affected.

For example, if you are a Wood element, Water creates you, you create Fire, you control earth, and metal controls you. You are supported by other Wood elements. This is the basis for Four Pillars of Destiny astrology.

Each pillar has an earthly as well as heavenly influence called the Earthly Branch and Heavenly Stem. In a complete chart, there will be 4 pillars relating to the hour, day, month, and year a person is born. We are analyzing the year pillar for 2023.  The elements of Wood and Water are prominent.

The Grand Duke Jupiter 太 岁 星 君

The ancients noticed the planet Jupiter revolved around the Sun once about every 12 years. This Jupiter return was felt as a significant change on earth. The ruler Jupiter is called Tai Sui, the Grand Duke Jupiter 太 岁 星 君. Tai Sui is his title. There are 60 such deities. The Tai Sui for 2023 is General Pi Shi. He is a powerful and wrathful deity and plays prominently in Daoist tradition. He is so powerful, in fact, humans will do well to pay him homage each year, being especially aware of different kinds of clashes with this Deity. It is thought that he is insulted by people born in the year, so a special homage should be paid in your birth year. The Traditional safeguard is to wear a pendant of the Dog. You would wear this pendant if you have Rabbit in Year or Day Pillar of your astrology chart.  Ideally, this pendant would be blessed by a Daoist priest. If this isn’t possible, the pendant can be a reminder to be cautious this year. Because he is always moving around the Heavens, the Grand Duke’s energy changes every year. As indicated by a Heavenly Stem and an Earthly Branch. We know the branches as the 12 animals of the Zodiac. The same Tai Sui returns every 60 years. (5 elements x 12 Branches.) Please see my blog on the Flying Star Feng Shui for 2023  for more detail.

The best way the ancient masters thought to describe the Earthly influence of the passing of time and the movement of the Grand Duke Jupiter was in terms the average person could understand. Thus, animal names were chosen that related to these qualities. The evidence of this way of looking at the zodiac dates back 2000 years. Myth describes that the Jade Emperor, (Ruler of Heaven and Earth) set up a race to decide the order in which the animals would rule the months and the element they would represent. The race was to be across a river. The first 12 animals to cross were chosen and represented the 12 lunar months.

The strong Ox led during most of the race, but at the last minute, the Rat jumped in front to win and to be the first animal of the Chinese Zodiac. The Ox was second, the Tiger third, and Rabbit fourth. 8 other animals (Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster Dog, and Pig) also finished the race and will be discussed for later years’ analysis.

Cycles of Time

The cycle of 12 is repeated everywhere in the movement of time on earth. 24 hours of the day (12 x 2） 12 months of the year, and 360° of the compass(12 x 30). Other important cycles derived from 12 are the 60 months cycle (return of the Grand Duke Jupiter), and the 180-month cycle (3 x 60 months). Ancients thought that these points of time meant a significant change in the condition of humanity and the earth.

Thus, each animal represents an hour, a day, a month, and year as well as an Element in the Ba Zi 八 字 system of astrology (eight characters = 4 pillars x 2 characters). The Element of an animal is determined by the season. Rabbit is the Spring Season, the 4^th lunar month, the element of Wood, the hour of 5 am to 7am. The animals rule the years in succession as the Earthly influence of each pillar paired with the Heavenly. This year’s Heavenly influence is Water. Each year is either a Yin polarity阴 or a Yang 阳 polarity. This year is Yin. So the Year pillar for 2023 is Yin Water Rabbit. guí mào 癸 卯.

The Nature of Rabbit

Yin Water Rabbit is Water (Heavenly Stem 天干) over Wood (Earthly Branch 地支). Because Water creates or nourishes Wood, this is seen as a beneficial or auspicious pairing. This bodes well for the energies of the year in general. The nature of the Yin Water Rabbit is charming, friendly, and likable. They have many social contacts and receive help and support from a wide network. They are adaptable, easy to get to know, and nimble. They have a keen sense of observation and make decisions quickly. They dislike strong emotions and violence. A rabbit person does not like obstacles, complications, and other undesirable interruptions. However, smooth sailing brings them laziness, indecisiveness and confusion. Emphasizing comfort, higher material status and material life are strong sources of temptation. But the Rabbit or bunny will give no concessions to another rabbit invading its territory or seeking to poach a girlfriend! If you have a Day or Year pillar Yin Water Rabbit you may recognize some of these qualities.

If you are Rabbit (day or year), you will find the most harmonious relationships with Dog, Pig, or Goat (Sheep) in their Day or Year Pillar. These people will be your helpers, benefactors, and support.

Incompatible Signs

Rabbit’s least compatible sign is Rooster (180° opposite) on the Zodiac. You will most likely find this person is at cross-purposes with you. Dragon is a neighboring sign, but your approach to life is drastically different and you may find Dragons difficult. Likewise, Rats have personality traits that will most likely lead to a tumultuous relationship. Likewise, if YOU are Rat, Dragon, or Rooster, you will perhaps find some snarls in your plans for the year. Please bear in mind that this is a very simplistic way of looking at relationships. In every chart, there are 4 animals and 4 Elements plus up to 12 Hidden Elements that comprise the entire chart.

The qualities that apply to an individual chart also pertain to the collective and worldwide phenomenon. For example, the placid, peace-loving Rabbit will bode well for international relations as opposed to the aggressive Tiger year of 2022. In addition, that Water supports Wood indicates a more harmonious nature to the year. This could bring some peace in international relations. Of course, perfect peace is not really possible. The tendency of the Rabbit to hide from its predators would indicate the conflict will be more hidden. As overt relations seem to ease, the tension and aggression could play out on the world stage in secret operations and assignations. John F Kennedy was assassinated in a Yin Water Rabbit year 60 years ago. This might indicate backstabbing or gossip at the personal level.

Famous Gui Mao Year People

Rand Paul, Michael Jordan,  Rene Syler Larry the Cable Guy, Charles Barkley, William Baldwin, Bobby Bonilla, Joe Exotic, Joel Osteen, John Andretti, Bret Michaels, Vanessa Williams, Quentin Tarantino, Joe Scarborough, Eric Cantor, Johnny Depp,  Lisa Kudrow,  Whitney Houston, John Stamos,  Chris Coons,  Rob Schneider, Brad Pitt

Missing Fire Element

The main Elements of this year are Water and Wood. We will discuss what this means, but first, we must discuss what is missing. Fire is missing. Since Pig year 5 years ago, the Fire Element has been missing in the Year Pillar. Fire is warmth, happiness, and positive energy. The spark of Fire is needed to stimulate economic activities. A lack of Fire can lead to pessimism and a Bear Market. Fire won’t return to the Year Pillar until 2024, and not a powerful Fire element until Snake year 2025. It is then the economy is expected to recover from the years without Fire.

Wood and Water Combination: Nobleman and Academic Star

That said, there are positive elements to a Yin Water Rabbit year. Yin Water (Stem) on Rabbit (Branch) is a very positive combination. It becomes both Nobleman and Academic Stars. If you have Yin (or Yang) water in your day or year pillar, it is indeed a happy circumstance. Since it appears in the Year pillar, humanity, in general, will benefit.

The Academic Star will be beneficial for anyone wanting to study and attain higher standing in the community or career. It will assist personal intellectual pursuits of all kinds as well as be fortuitous for institutions of learning in general. This does not mean you will achieve straight A’s, but you will be able to maximize your education/training. For Humanity as a whole, the Academic Star portends strong advances in the culture at large.

The Nobleman can be thought of as a benefactor, backer, supporter or champion. This person just shows up unexpectedly to help you when you least expect it. It can happen in any walk of life – Career, family, religious life, business. Their help can be financial, physical, emotional, or spiritual. The individual with this pairing in the day or year pillar may go through life and seem to live a charmed life. Even if disaster befalls them, it will roll like water off a duck’s back. The people with Nobleman are very resilient, and seem to use Judo moves on life’s difficulties, sidestepping the trouble with apparent ease. For humanity as a whole, this will affect the collective in a positive way. Rather than respond with aggression and violence as did the Tiger, the rabbit’s response to threat is to simply flee – swiftly and quietly. The other tactic is that the rabbit of course is an expert at camouflage and avoidance of danger. These tactics will help avoid a conflict and bring it to a more peaceful solution. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King was a strong advocate of peaceful protest while maintaining strong resilience during adversity.

Bear in mind, this is Yin Water Element. Yin water is like dew on a flower or rolling mist on a mountain. It’s like the tiny tricking stream through the woods as opposed to Yang water which is a mighty river or monstrous ocean waves. So these opportunities will be simple, humble ones. They will require keen observation and flexibility in order to maximize the endeavor. Yin Wood is pictured as a new plant, a sapling, a flower or a blade of grass. As opposed to Yang Wood which is pictured as a tall oak tree or towering sequoia.

Peach Blossom

Rabbit is the Peach Blossom star for Tiger, Horse and Dog. In modern terminology, this would be your Wing Man. In other words, the influence is one that helps with romance. If you have a Tiger, Horse, or Dog Day Pillar, this could be your year to find that special someone! Just remember, too much of a good thing is not positive. Moderation is the key and beware of sex scandals and being tempted by the wrong sort of partner if you have the clash Rat, Dragon, or Rooster as your Day pillar.

 

Health Outlook

There are some things for the physical body we can expect this year, but how it will affect an individual depends on the relationship to wood and water in your 4 Pillars chart. As mentioned previously, Rabbit (Yin Wood) generally cooperates with Dog, Pig, and Goat. Therefore, a more positive outcome may be expected for these signs. Conversely, Rooster, Dragon, and Rat have harms, clashes, and penalties with Rabbit so guard against less advantageous outcomes. Be mindful that the season influences the strength or weakness of each element. While the tendency for many physical issues can be seen in a BaZi chart, it takes a professional to look at the chart to weigh the factors and make sense of the reading. [I can help] An imbalance may be caused by a disproportionate combination of elements, or a clash between two elements of one type or another.

For Example: If you have strong Wood in your chart unless it is balanced, the yearly energy may shift you into excess. But if you have weak or non-existent Wood in your chart, the yearly Wood influence can be helpful.

Wood and Water are the two primary influences for 2023.

WOOD-According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), in the body Wood is the liver and gallbladder. The Liver manifests compassion. It holds anger, rage, and resentment. It is responsible for healthy growth of the peripheral tendons and manifests outwardly in the eyes. As we learn to have compassion for others and ourselves our anger diminishes. The Gallbladder helps us digest our food and process things that happen to us. A healthy gall bladder enables us to negotiate turns and changes in life. Although Yin does not have the raw power of Yang, the wood this year is fed by its Heavenly stem providing stable Wood energy. The influence of Wood will be felt most strongly in the Spring. An extreme Wood excess will be hot and dry conditions in the body like arthritis. High blood pressure can evolve as well. It can lead to unresolved anger Wood deficiency can lead to cold damp conditions like tumors and immune disorders and excess worry.

WATER represents the Kidneys in TCM. The Kidneys hold fear and loneliness. They also enable Wisdom. As we gain Wisdom, we overcome fear and loneliness. The Kidneys are responsible for the nerves of the Brain and Spinal cord. They manifest in the ears and support hearing. They feed the bones and bone marrow. They support the immune system and reproductive organs. The water is somewhat weakened this year because it is drained feeding Wood. The influence of Water is felt most strongly in winter. Kidney deficiencies can lead to a great number of disorders including sexual and urinary tract. It can cause impairment of other systems and lead to diseases caused by too much heat in the body. The Water element plays an important role and a severe deficiency will have serious physical and psycho-emotional consequences.

The most severely impacted group this year is Yin Fire Rooster. Rabbit clashes with Rooster and Water extinguish Fire. If you have a Yin Fire Rooster Day or Year pillar, be cautious this year. Guard your health, especially heart issues, and carefully consider career, financial, and relationship changes. This is not your year.

Earth, Fire, and Metal 

EARTH element is very weak this year. It represents Spleen, Pancreas, and Stomach in TCM. The Wood controls Earth and Earth controls Water, thus exhausting it.  This is our digestion and thus at the core of our ability to take in nourishment to survive. A weak Earth element this year means its negative traits of suspicion, obsession, and overthinking will be felt psychically in the collective and we must guard the health of our digestive system more closely. Earth is felt most strongly in the months when the seasons change. An excess of earth can cause weight gain, tumors, toxin build-up, or obsessive worry. A deficiency of earth can cause digestive issues or excessive fear.

FIRE Element represents the Heart and Circulatory System and small intestines in TCM. A healthy small intestine separates the turbid from the beneficial as food passed through on its way out of the body. It enables us to make clear and sure decisions in life. A healthy heart enables us to order and structure our lives. A weak heart diminishes this ability. A weak heart can manifest anxiety and a pathological kind of joy that more closely resembles mania than real grounded happiness. A weak heart is unable to sufficiently move blood and warm the body. It can lead to unresolved grief sorrow and shame. Fire is not supported this year. Yin Fire directly clashes Yin Water and if you have a Yin fire pillar in your chart, take extra precautions this year. If you have a chart with little warmth or Fire, this may be a year you struggle to maintain balance. Work through strong emotions and consult a physician as to the need for supplements to support your heart. If Fire is in excess, it can lead to heart issues high blood pressure, and hot dry conditions in the body, and feelings of anxiety. Fire is felt most strongly during Summer.

METAL Metal in the body is the Lungs and Large Intestine. This year, there is little support for the body in the energy of the year. In fact, metal is pretty much exhausted. It creates Water and controls Wood. We hold grief, sadness, sorrow, and shame in our lungs. Transmuting these emotions enables our lungs to hold integrity. Our lungs influence our immune system, skin, feet, and palms. The large intestine rids the body of waste and helps us let go of what does not serve us. On a personal level, unless you have very strong Metal in your chart, be aware this may be a year when you need to seriously guard your mental health as well as your physical lungs. Metal is felt most strongly in Autumn. A Metal deficiency can lead to unresolved anger issues, immune disorders, and lung issues.

Anyone with Yin Fire Rooster has the year’s Yin Water Fire attacking.  Chairman Xi Jinping has Yin Fire Rooster as a Day Pillar. His chart is strong, so he may fare pretty well. Rooster clashes with Rabbit which could also bring health issues. Some celebrities with year or day Rooster are Megan Markle, Ivanka Trump, and Paris Hilton. If the Rooster is in the Day Pillar, this will clash affect their spouse. Some celebrities with this configuration are Queen Consort Camilla, Jamie Oliver, and Kevin Spacey. Soviet Joe Biden is also a Yin Fire Day pillar, but does not have a Rooster clash. Vladimir Putin is a Dragon Year, so he may expect things to be difficult this year. 

King Charles III is a Yin Water Rabbit Day Pillar and will be coronated King this year.

The Environment

Because of weak earth, there will be more disasters such as earthquakes and volcano eruptions. Fire’s clash with water can bring more Fire disasters.

Outlook for Business

The way we look at prospects for business and money-making is once again using the 5 element cycle. It is thought that the element controlled is the money influence. Metal Controls Wood and Earth controls Water. Therefore Metal and Earth industries will have the most support this year. These elements are weak this year but able to control the pervading energy of the year and thus be well suited to make money.

METAL Industries are banking coin minting, finance, hardware manufacture, money Jewels, money, mechanical engineering, investment, accounting, entertainment, and management consultancy.

EARTH industries include building and construction, human/customer relations, pottery and china manufacturing, real estate, civil engineering, farming, and gardening. Because of weak earth, there will be more disasters such as earthquakes and volcano eruptions.

WOOD industries are carpentry, paper products, electronics, healing institutions – hospitals, clinics, food industries – restaurants, cafes, catering, and most technology, and scientific instruments. Because Water feeds Wood, these industries will be healthy, but not grow.

Non-existent Fire in the year indicates fire industries will suffer and be prone to accidents and difficulties.

FIRE industries are sales, public relations, marketing, Fuel industries, livestock farming, fashion, chemical manufacture, and chemical processes, air transportation. With Fire absent in the year’s makeup, we can look to businesses represented by Fire to have mishaps. In the previous Yin Water Rabbit year, there were at least 3 very serious airplane accidents including one in which country music star Patsy Cline was killed in Tennessee.

WATER industries enjoy support from the Water year and see Wood as its output. Water industries are communications, Advertising, the arts, computers, manufacturing, the media, music, and literature.

Events of 1963

To understand this year, it’s useful to examine how other years with Yin Water Rabbit fared for humanity. While there have been 60 years separating then and now, the patterns that arise have relevance.

Arts and Culture

• The Beatles released their blockbuster hit I Wanna Hold Your Hand, and I Saw Her Standing There in 1963, a Yin Water Rabbit Year. Beatlemania became a cultural phenomenon and the Beatles released the album Meet the Beatles.

• In the US, zip codes were first introduced in 1963. 
  Folk singers Joan Baez and Bob Dylan perform during a civil rights rally on August 28, 1963 in Washington D.C.
  Bob Dylan releases A Hard Rain’s A‐Gonna Fall,  Blowin’ in the Wind, and Don’t Think Twice, It’s Allright

• February 19 – The publication of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique launches the reawakening of the Women’s Movement in the United States as women’s organizations and consciousness-raising groups spread.

• Iron Man debuts in Marvel Comics’s Tales of Suspense #39

• March 5 – In Camden, Tennessee, country music star Patsy Cline (Virginia Patterson Hensley) is killed in a plane crash along with fellow performers Hawkshaw Hawkins, Cowboy Copas, and Cline’s manager and pilot Randy Hughes,

• The Coca-Cola Company debuts its first diet drink, TaB cola

• May 8 – Dr. No, the first James Bond film, is shown in U.S. theaters

• The film Cleopatra, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rex Harrison and Richard Burton, is released in the United States

• September 7 – The Pro Football Hall of Fame opens in Canton, Ohio

• August 9 – Patrick Bouvier Kenned dies, son of President and Mrs. Kennedy (b. August 7)

• August 27 – W. E. B. Du Bois, leading African American sociologist, historian and co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (b. 1868)

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• Political
  At 12:30 pm, just seconds after President John F. Kennedy and Texas Governor John Connally were shot in Dallas, Texas, the limousine carrying the mortally wounded president raced toward the hospital, on November 22, 1963. He is buried on November 25 at Arlington National cemetery. VP Lyndon Bayned Johnson assumes the Presidency and establishes the Warren Commission to investigate the assignation. His accused assign Lee Harvey Oswald is himself killed by assignation on November 24.

• Civil rights legend Dr. Martin Luther Kings delivered the now famous I have a Dream speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963

• The United States and the Soviet Union agree to establish a hotline. On June 20th a direct communication system between the two nations to prevent a possible Nuclear War.

• Nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Thresher sinks in the Atlantic Ocean

• August 5 – The United States, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union sign a nuclear test ban treaty

• Nearly 16,000 American military personnel were deployed in South Vietnam.

• Black college student Dorothy Bell, 19, of Birmingham, Alabama, waits at a downtown Birmingham lunch counter for service that never came, April 4, 1963. She was later arrested with 20 others in sit-in attempts.

• Rev. Ralph Abernathy, and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., are removed by a policeman as they led a line of demonstrators into the business section of Birmingham, Alabama, on April 12, 1963

• April 16 – Martin Luther King Jr. issues his Letter from Birmingham Jail.
  April 20 – Martin Luther King Jr. posts bail and begins to plan more demonstrations (the Children’s Crusade).

• Alabama’s governor George Wallace on June 12, 1963 blocked the enrollment of two African-American students, Vivian Malone and James Hood to the University of AL, despite an order of the federal court, before finally allowing their admission

• The first African American, James Merideth, graduated from the University of Mississippi

• March 21 – The Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay closes

• President John F. Kennedy delivers “A Strategy of Peace” speech at the American University in Washington, D.C., outlining a road map for the complete disarmament of nuclear weapons and world peace.

• The United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union sign a nuclear test ban treaty

• Writer for the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl was born. He was murdered by terrorists in Pakistan in 2001.

• Medicine
  The Sabin oral Polio Vaccine which is taken with a lump of sugar is given nationwide in US and UK

• Dr. Michael Debakey installs an artificial pump to assist a patient’s damaged heart in Houston, on July 19, 1963

Industry

• Studebaker ceases production in the USA

Technology

•  Polaris vehicles are released. They are powered with engines about the size of an outboard motor and travel up to 8 or 10 miles an hour, depending on snow conditions.

• The launch of the Mercury Atlas 9 rocket with astronaut Gordon Cooper on board from Launch Pad 14 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on May 5, 1963. Mercury-Atlas 9 was the final manned space mission of the U.S. Mercury program, successfully completing 22 Earth orbits before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

• AT&T launched the first touch-tone phone

• 26-year-old Valentina Tereshkova, who became the first woman to travel in space, as seen in a television transmission from her spacecraft, Vostok 6, on June 16, 1963

• July 26 – NASA launches Syncom, the world’s first geostationary (synchronous) satellite.