Elements and Personal Forces
Each Animal in the Tibetan Zodiac has a predetermined set of three qualities:
– 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.
Calculating favorability of the coming year
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).
Example of calculating white and black stones for 2025
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 2025 (Wood Snake) the forces and Elements will be as follows:
– Vitality Element: Fire,
– Body Element: Fire,
– Strength Element: Wood,
– Fortune Element: Water,
– Life-soul Element: Wood.
Now let's compare the Elements of 1952 with the Elements of 2025. The degree of favorability is estimated with the help of black and white stones:
– Vitality Element (Fire produces Earth): ○○○ – three white stones
– Body Element (Water controls Fire): ○○ – two white stones
– Strength Element (Water produces Wood): ○● – one white stone and one black stone
– Fortune Element (Wood produced by Water): ○○○ – three white stones
– Life-soul Element (Wood produces Fire): ○○○ – three white stones
Two white stones in the Bodyfield indicate that the Element of 1952 (Water) controls the Element of 2025 (Fire). This means that the year 2025 gives an opportunity to those who were born in 1952 to strengthen their bodily "vessel".
Ifthe Bodyhad two black stones (as, for example, those born in the year of the Water Tiger), then this would indicate an increased health hazard in 2025.
The interpretation of all black and white stones for each pair Element-Animal and recommendations for 2025 can be found in the corresponding chapters of this book.
How to identify your Animal and your Element
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 2025.
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
