– vitality,

– fortune,

– life-soul.

For example, Dragon’s vitality is Earth, fortune – Wood, and life-soul – Fire; Monkey’s vitality is Metal, fortune – Wood, life-soul – Earth; and so on.

Strength (Wang thang) is defined according to the Element of the year. For example, the ruling Element of 1952 and 1953 was Water. Accordingly, the Wang thang of an individual, who was born in 1952 or in 1953, is Water.

Finally, the Element of the body (Lü) is determined depending on the Wang thang Element and the Animal. For example, a person born in 1952 (Water Dragon) will have Water as a body Element.

To predict how favorable the coming year will be, Tibetans compare Elements for the coming year with natal Elements. There are six degrees of favorability of the interaction of Elements:

– If the Element for the year produces the natal Element (for example, Metal – Water), it is excellent, it is ○○○ (three white stones).

– If the natal Element controls the Element for the year (for example, Fire – Metal), it is very good, it is ○○ (two white stones).

– If the natal Element (Earth or Water) coincides with the Element for the year, it is good, it is ○ (one white stone).

– If the natal Element produces the Element for the year (for example, Earth – Metal), it is neutral, it is ○● (one white stone and one black stone).

– If the natal Element (Wood, Fire, or Metal) coincides with the Element for the year, it is not good, it is ● (one black stone).

– If the Element for the year controls the natal Element (for example, Metal – Wood), it is bad, it is ●● (two black stones).

Let's say a person was born on October 7, 1952. The natal picture of forces and Elements for this person will be as follows:

– Year of birth: 1952. Animal: Dragon. Element of the year: Water.

– Vitality Element: Earth,

– Body Element: Water,

– Strength Element: Water,

– Fortune Element: Wood,

– Life-soul Element: Fire.

Knowing the natal Elements you can compare them with the Elements of the coming year and find out how favorable the year will be. For example, in 2023 (Water Hare) the forces and Elements will be as follows:

– Vitality Element: Wood,

– Body Element: Metal,

– Strength Element: Water,

– Fortune Element: Fire,

– Life-soul Element: Water.

Now let's compare the Elements of 1952 with the Elements of 2023. The degree of favorability is estimated with the help of black and white stones:

– Vitality Element (Wood controls Earth): ●● – two black stones,

– Body Element (Metal produces Water): ○○○ – three white stones,

– Strength Element (Water matches Water): ○ – one white stone,

– Fortune Element (Wood produces Fire): ○● – one white stone and one black stone,

– Life-soul Element (Water controls Fire): ●● – two black stones.

Three white stones in the Body field indicate that the Element of 2023 (Metal) produces the Element of 1952 (Water). This means that the year 2023 provides a good boost to bodily strength and energizes those born in 1952.

If the Body had two black stones (as, for example, those born in the year of the Earth Dog), then this would indicate an increased health hazard in 2023.

The interpretation of all black and white stones for each pair Element-Animal and recommendations for 2023 can be found in the corresponding chapters of this book.

The Tibetan calendar is lunar-solar. The Tibetan new year does not start on January 1, but on one of the days of January, February, or March.

Each new month of the Tibetan calendar begins with the new moon. The first day of each new month starts when it begins to dawn, in Tibet, it's around 5 a.m.

In popular literature, on Tibetan astrology, you may find the opinion that the year changes its quality (Animal and Element of the year) exactly at the time of the new moon. But this opinion contradicts the fact that the new moon always falls on the 30th day of the month of the Tibetan calendar (as the full moon falls on the 15th), and therefore refers to the previous year. Losar (Tibetan New Year holiday) gives the official start to the new year at dawn.

In the list below you will find information about the start dates of each year in the Tibetan calendar. Once you know your Animal and your Element, you can go to the appropriate Chapter and read your forecast for 2023.

1927 – March 4 – Hare-Fire

1928 – February 22 – Dragon-Earth

1929 – February 10 – Snake-Earth

1930 – March 1 – Horse-Metal

1931 – February 18 – Sheep-Metal

1932 – February 7 – Monkey-Water

1933 – February 25 – Bird-Water

1934 – February 14 – Dog-Wood

1935 – February 4 – Pig-Wood

1936 – February 23 – Rat-Fire

1937 – February 12 – Ox-Fire

1938 – March 3 – Tiger-Earth

1939 – February 20 – Hare-Earth

1940 – February 9 – Dragon-Metal

1941 – February 27 – Snake-Metal

1942 – February 16 – Horse-Water

1943 – February 5 – Sheep-Water

1944 – February 24 – Monkey-Wood

1945 – February 13 – Bird-Wood

1946 – March 4 – Dog-Fire

1947 – February 21 – Pig-Fire

1948 – February 10 – Rat-Earth

1949 – February 28 – Ox-Earth

1950 – February 17 – Tiger-Metal

1951 – February 7 – Hare-Metal

1952 – February 26 – Dragon-Water

1953 – February 14 – Snake-Water

1954 – February 4 – Horse-Wood

1955 – February 23 – Sheep-Wood

1956 – February 12 – Monkey-Fire

1957 – March 2 – Bird-Fire

1958 – February 19 – Dog-Earth

1959 – February 8 – Pig-Earth

1960 – February 27 – Rat-Metal

1961 – February 16 – Ox-Metal

1962 – February 5 – Tiger-Water

1963 – February 24 – Hare-Water

1964 – February 14 – Dragon-Wood

1965 – March 4 – Snake-Wood

1966 – February 21 – Horse-Fire

1967 – February 10 – Sheep-Fire

1968 – February 29 – Monkey-Earth

1969 – February 17 – Bird-Earth

1970 – February 7 – Dog-Metal

1971 – February 26 – Pig-Metal

1972 – February 15 – Rat-Water

1973 – March 5 – Ox-Water

1974 – February 23 – Tiger-Wood

1975 – February 12 – Hare-Wood

1976 – March 1 – Dragon-Fire

1977 – February 19 – Snake-Fire

1978 – February 8 – Horse-Earth

1979 – February 27 – Sheep-Earth

1980 – February 17 – Monkey-Metal

1981 – February 5 – Bird-Metal

1982 – February 24 – Dog-Water

1983 – February 13 – Pig-Water

1984 – March 3 – Rat-Wood

1985 – February 20 – Ox-Wood

1986 – February 9 – Tiger-Fire

1987 – February 28 – Hare-Fire

1988 – February 18 – Dragon-Earth

1989 – February 7 – Snake-Earth

1990 – February 26 – Horse-Metal

1991 – February 15 – Sheep-Metal

1992 – March 5 – Monkey-Water

1993 – February 22 – Bird-Water

1994 – February 11 – Dog-Wood

1995 – March 2 – Pig-Wood

1996 – February 19 – Rat-Fire

1997 – February 8 – Ox-Fire

1998 – February 27 – Tiger-Earth

1999 – February 17 – Hare-Earth

2000 – February 6 – Dragon-Metal

2001 – February 24 – Snake-Metal

2002 – February 13 – Horse-Water

2003 – March 3 – Sheep-Water

2004 – February 21 – Monkey-Wood

2005 – February 9 – Bird-Wood

2006 – February 28 – Dog-Fire

2007 – February 18 – Pig-Fire

2008 – February 7 – Rat-Earth