Happy Chinese New Year, Friday January 31st

On Friday, January 31st, we mark the Chinese New Year of the Wood Horse. This is a very different energy than the 2013 Snake. Where we were crawling and cautious now we want to get up and run. This year we have the ability to charge towards our goals as depicted in this beautiful statue from http://www.formosa-art.com/. But we need to be mindful that running forward without a clear plan will just get us really far in the wrong direction. People will feel very impatient this year and want things to happen quickly. But things will happen best when you pause and wait for others to offer their support to your goals.

In my book, Chinese Astrology 2014 Year of the Wood Horse, I outline predictions for each sign and give Feng Shui remedies to help increase energy for attracting love, money and happiness. Here's a short excerpt to get you started in 2014 with a Feng Shui tip you can do to attract more money. To find out your sign go to: http://www.fengshuiform.com/chinese-zodiac.htm

Rat: This year will be a very challenging year for Rat. Your best bet is to think big and keep your expectations small. Then you will be likely to end up achieving something in between. Be extremely cautious about whom you bring into your inner circle, as with a bit of flattery this year, others can tempt or otherwise cause you to waste both valuable time and money.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

When you wish to find or bring new money into your life, imagine you are unlocking a magic door. What better symbol could there be than a magic key to unlock a magic door? Indeed, the perfect Feng Shui cure to attract more money into your life this year will be a symbolic key!

Find an old-fashioned key. It can be large or small, it can be a replica key – even a key on a necklace, or a key chain. You might find your key in a department store, as a piece of jewelry, at a swap meet, or in an antique shop – any store where you buy things for your home may have decorative keys you can use as your Feng Shui cure to attract wealth and money.

Ox: This is a somewhat bumpy year for Ox, and if there’s one thing Ox hates, it’s a bumpy road. This does not mean this year is going to be unusually difficult or stressful, it simply means things will not always go smoothly.

There may be delays and some things will take much longer than you’d like. There may be small setbacks which can be a little irritating. However, as the year progresses, things will get better and better.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

Ox natives are one of the Chinese Zodiac signs who are able to accumulate wealth over a long period of time. In our current economy, it is becoming more and more difficult to have any money left over after paying our bills and our living expenses. A good Feng Shui cure for attracting new money (and keeping more of the money you do attract) is to get yourself a piggy bank to use as a symbol of savings.

Choose a style which appeals to you, perhaps a classic white ceramic piggy bank, or the traditional Feng Shui metallic gold pig bank, decorated with the Chinese characters for wealth and good fortune. Place your choice in your bedroom or home office, and feed it coins at least once a week (no pennies please). When the pig gets full, get him a brother pig and fill that one up, too.

Tiger: Overall this is a happy year for Tiger. Things will go smoothly, the results of your endeavors will be better than you expect. Others, co-workers, friends, family, all offer lots of support this year, and this will result in increasing recognition for your talents. Money will come in greater quantities this year, so you will even be able to save some money over time. And there will be more than one reason to celebrate.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

There are a lot of symbols, both universal and cultural, we can use to attract luck and good fortune into our lives, but what could be luckier in the Year of the Horse than a horse shoe? Hang horse shoe over your front door -- inside or out -- with the ends of the horse shoe pointing upwards. This creates a U-shaped form, (figuratively a strong, empty, yet define space in which to catch all the luck).

Rabbit: As a Rabbit, you’ll be very visible this year. Others will notice and remember you – even those who may have ignored you in the past. Your talents shine and people come to offer you so many opportunities, you can take your pick! Some even want to offer you a leadership position and put you in charge. This will be a good year to implement your vision and to experience your life as you’d like it to be!

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

When it comes time for Rabbit natives to look for a new job, the Feng Shui cure I suggest is to take a wooden box; place a list of what you want in the new job inside the box. Add a few coins to the box, along with some leaves or needles from a tree.

Close up the box and place it on a table near your front door. Once your wish for the new job has been realized, open the box and take out that piece of paper; replace it with a new wish. (Just make sure you also add some new leaves or pine needles.)

Dragon: Everything is stacking up to bring you an exciting year, one where you find the means and support to bring your dreams and wishes to life. You’re becoming known in powerful circles. Synchronicity is happening in your life on nearly a daily basis, and you watch in wonder as all the pieces fall into place.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

An excellent Feng Shui cure to give you the power and energy to hunt down and capture the job you want, is to hang a picture of a lion in your home office or kitchen. You can choose a picture of either a male or female lion (though remember, the female does most of the hunting).

Write out a description of the job you want, and tape it to the back of the picture. Or, if you don’t want to hang a picture of a lion, you can choose to display a figurine, or even a little stuffed lion. In this case have the lion “sit” on your list of qualities of your dream job.

Snake: 2014 marks the second year of your 12-year cycle. This year you can sit back and see what things start to manifest as a result of all your work last year. You can pick and choose from opportunities that knock at your door. Find what you like to do and do more of that. The only limitations you have are the ones in your imagination. Your true talents are coming to the surface.

In the West when we think of gold, we think of a gold bar; but in the East a gold ingot is shaped like a little boat. This is called the yuanbao. These ingots were traditionally used as a form of currency. Now you can find replica gold ingots in painted metal to be used as a symbol of wealth. They often have embossed Chinese characters of “wealth” and “fortune” on them.

A gold ingot is a very powerful Feng Shui cure used to attract opportunity, success, and abundance. Place your ingot on your desk or in your family room on a shelf near a picture of your family. From this place it will attract a great new employment opportunity, a raise or a bonus (possibly also a promotion if you are due for one) from your current employer.

Horse: This is your year, the Year of the Horse. Many things will change in your life this year. As a Horse you’re flexible and like the idea of things changing. It will be an exciting year. People will want to know you. People will offer you help. Financial opportunities will be found as a result of the contacts you make. There will also be love and a feeling of closeness with others.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

You’re probably familiar with the concept, “like attracts like”. This is the principle behind the Feng Shui cure of placing coins on windowsills. Coins represent money, and windows represent an opening into your home – and therefore an opening into your life. You can use currency from your own country, or the traditional Chinese coins in this cure.

Use an odd number of coins, or stack your coins in odd numbers. Odd numbers are Yang numbers so they attract more energy. Place the coins particularly on kitchen windowsills, and the windowsills in your home office (or near the table/desk in your house where you sit to pay the bills and keep track of your finances).

Ram: Overall, this year will be one of reflection, where Ram will review what works in their lives and what needs to be let go. You will be able to wring out the last drops of benefit in some of the situations in your life, and take stock in areas where you have invested time and energy – but are no longer receiving gain (of any kind). This could be one of your best years ever, as you really clear out and clean out, down to what is really useful for you.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

You might already have a collection of pennies in a jar; if so, there is a powerful Feng Shui cure you can use to stimulate money energy. Or, if you don’t have a collection of pennies or coins, you could start one this year. Simply find a decorative glass jar and start filling it with coins. Each time you add a coin ask that a new source of money or opportunity comes to you.

If you already have a collection of coins, take them out their storage spot and rinse them off under running water. Let them dry on a towel until they are completely dry. Replace them in a vase or a jar, and each day add a few coins, visualizing your wishes for money and prosperity.

The jar or vase is best placed in your home office or family room. It should be in easy reach, so it becomes easy for you to add coins at any time. Don’t remove the coins again until the jar is completely full.

Monkey: Overall, Monkey has a lot of opportunities this year and will encounter only a couple of bumps in the road here and there. The bumps, however, need to be dealt with, or they could cause real problems. Monkeys are very adaptable and can handle most anything life throws their way. They will turn problems into benefits, and ride the wave of good fortune all the way to his goals.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

You are probably familiar with lucky bamboo, i.e., sticks of bamboo growing in water, or small pots with bamboo growing in stones and water. There are about 10 species of bamboo grown in China. Some can measure a diameter of 3 feet and a height of 40 feet. Bamboo has many uses; it's been used for food, in manufacture of paper, for making buckets and furniture; the leaves have been used to thatch roofs; the seeds and sap is used for medicinal purposes.

So this versatile plant is a perfect Feng Shui cure, a symbol of attracting money and benefit of all kinds this year. Place a lucky bamboo plant in your living room – in view of your front door – to attract easy money opportunities.

Rooster: Opportunity is knocking on Rooster’s door this year. You have lots of energy and willpower to make things happen. You may be focused on home and family, but that doesn’t mean you neglect your career! Though there are lots of changes coming, the benefits of change are clear.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

Around the world, seaports are still the most popular places to live and work. Even though we no longer rely on ships for personal transportation, much of the goods we use come into the country via boat. For this reason, one Feng Shui cure is the sailing ship, representing wealth and prosperity.

When using the symbol you can choose a model of a sailing ship, or find a picture or painting you like of a ship. Place your selected cure near your front door, or in your home office. Position the ship or picture of the ship so it appears to be sailing into the room, not out the door.

Dog: Overall this will be an exciting year for Dog natives. There will be plenty of opportunities to experience more financial and career success in your life. Matters of love are also highlighted and will show up each time Dog leaves the house. If anything is neglected this year, it will be the house itself, because Dog is so busy this year, there will be little time for home maintenance and repairs.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

When considering a new career or new job, you sometimes want to draw the energy in quickly. The traditional cure for this is to take ground cinnamon (the kind in your spice cabinet), and sprinkle a bit on your porch – especially on top of your welcome mat. A single teaspoon of cinnamon should do for a whole porch. This will attract positive career and financial energy. Repeat every couple of days until you have the job you want.

Pig: Overall, this can be a very good year for Pig. Opportunities Pig has been patiently waiting for finally knock on the door. Some things which may seem difficult to begin with will even prove to be a means to bringing benefits to you. However, Pig needs to be aware that speculation and unrestrained spending will undo a lot of the good happening this year.

Your Feng Shui remedy to attract money energy:

A good Feng Shui cure is to use Chinese coins in your home or place of employment or business. Because Chinese coins have a square hole in the middle of them, they can be strung together in a display. And since on an energetic level, “Like attracts like!”, hanging coins attracts both money and new job energy. The Chinese characters inscribed on the coins identify when the coin was cast. Most coins you find today are replicas.

Find strings of coins hung on red cords (choose strings with three coins, eight coins, nine coins or 18 coins). Hang a string on the doorknobs in your house – especially the front door. Each time you use the door, your hand will touch the coins bringing the energy of opportunity right to your fingertips.

Want to know more? You can find more predictions and Feng Shui suggestions at http://www.2014chineseastrology.com/