Chinese horoscope for November 2009

A special celebration, this monthly Chinese astrology column is one year old! I hope you have all enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. The twelve monthly animal signs, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig have come full circle back to Pig month, when we first started this time last year. In the cycle of the twelve animals starts with the Rat. This column started in Pig month, which is the last of the twelve animals. As you may well know, in any cycle the end marks the start of a new beginning. The end of the first twelve months and round we go again from Pig month.

The beginning of winter in the Chinese calendar is known as ‘Li Dong’ and falls on the 7th November, the start of the solar month of the Pig. The new moon rises on the tenth lunar month which starts on 17th November and waxes to a full moon on 1st December, which is still in the solar Pig month. Rat month starts on the 7th December.

In winter, water energy is at its most powerful and can be thought of as snow, ice and frost as well as rivers, lakes and seas. Pig month is pre-dominantly water energy which flows and cools. When the weather turns cold we need to bring balance by adding the warmth of fire energy, by heating our homes and eating lots of warming foods. This Pig month is a Wood Pig month, and the wood energy loosens up the earth of the Ox year. If things have felt stuck, don’t be surprised by free flowing new movements and growing developments.

In the Chinese animal zodiac, the Pig’s qualities encompass honesty and compassion. Will you be speaking your own truth and can you expect others to kindly do the same this month? Check your animal sign and see what Pig month holds:

Rat 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984
Ox 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985
Tiger 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986
Rabbit 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987
Dragon 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988
Snake 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989
Horse 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990
Goat 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991
Monkey 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992
Rooster 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993
Dog 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994
Pig 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995