TAO OF THE METAL TIGER – 2010
GONG HEE FAT CHOY – MAY YOU HAVE A POSITIVE YEAR!
Victor Anthony Voets

It seems to be ridiculous to insinuate that one whole year could have an affect on a person! However, the ancient Chin, later to be known as the Chinese have, and had, been studying and naming the Heavens, the Constellations, the Fixed Stars for thousands of years. Star-map Records seem to go back approximately three thousand years, even further back than the records of the Greeks and Egyptians who have had a major influence upon Western Tropical Astrology, and Sub-continental India who are deeply steeped in Sidereal Astrology.

For those who have gained a bit of knowledge of how Astrology works, one becomes aware of the fact that we are not just a Sun-Sign. We have an Ascendant or Rising Sign, we have the prevailing significance of the planet that rules our Rising Sign, and the importance of the house in which it is situated, we have our Moon sign, and so on. Not to forget the relative significances of the multitude of Aspects between the major points within each person’s Astrology, or Natal chart, and the power of the progressions and transits affecting our charts.

In her culture, the Chinese have been heavily imbued with the philosophies of Taoism, as originally written by LAO TSE, and later added to by CHENG TZU. Concurrently with Taoism is the pervasive influence of the I CHING, a divinatory system connecting with every aspect of life, through 64 Hexagrams.

Through these philosophies, or ways to relate to life, we have the Yin, and the Yang. In biblical traditions, or even in the Persian traditions of Ahura Mazda, these could be related to the forces of DARK, and the forces of LIGHT: where YIN could equate with the receptive, or the strongly gentle nurturing principle, and the YANG equating with the more assertive forward projecting, quickly decisive, occasionally aggressive principle.

Each of the 12 Chinese animal signs fits into one of these categories, in much the same way as do the 12 Astrology signs; Assertive. Receptive, Assertive, Receptive…. Yang, Yin, Yang, Yin, all the way through the signs, finishing off with Receptive/Yin.

Yes, there are 12 animal signs, however, these do not directly and obviously relate to the 12 Astrology signs which we are used to. Just as the signs which we are used to could also be broken down into Decans, Duads or Dwadashamsas, and different element rulerships, so do the Chinese signs also breakdown into elements, seasons, days, and hours, however, we do not have the space or time to delve into these in this article.

It is said that when the Great Buddha, Siddartha Gautama, decided to offer 12 animals a year to be ruled by their character, that a Great Animal Race was set up, where-by the first 12 animals to cross the finishing line would each have a year in their name, in that order. For those TIBETophiles, the Chinese introduced the peaceful way of the BUDDHA to the aggressive Tibetans around 640 c.e.

W hat to expect in the YEAR OF THE METAL TIGER

In previous Tiger years there has been a major amount of disruption or violence for World War I began in 1914; 1938 saw Hitler invading countries in preparation for his World War II debacles; 1950 saw the Chinese Communist party slaughter 126,000 Kazaks in the Sinkiang region of what is now Western China. In 1986, the Soviet Union’s Chernobyl Reactor spread clouds of radioactive gas across a large part of Western Europe,

The METAL TIGER will be the year to break free and overturn some restrictions. Be prepared to get out of the rut and become more interested in becoming a spokesperson for the under-privileged, be practical in helping others get out of their limitations. The world will experience a lot more stress and instability, and that could be through the occasional war so be prepared to be adaptable. Expect the unexpected. People will wish to stand out from the crowd because of what they see as their own uniqueness. Colour, beauty, harmony, entertainment, and leadership in religion or world philosophies will come to the fore.
Incidentally, if what is said in the following insights does not seem to fit entirely, then maybe it will have something to do with your hour of birth:

THE 12 ANIMALS
It is interesting to note that the Chinese Astrological Year is a Lunar Year, beginning around the Tropical Aquarian New Moon each year, and of course the New Moon will never be on the same date for 2 years running.

The years for each animal will be noted, and remember: - the Chinese Animal lunar year does not ever begin January 1st!
All the animals of the Middle Kingdom were lined up on the starting line, and at the sound of the bell they set off racing.

The RAT
1900,1912,1924,1936,1948,1960,1972,1984,1996,2008
the first to cross the finishing crease, and like Aquarius, the beginning of the new year, this animal in it’s own pride became critical, a seeker for perfection, aloof, and interested in humanitarian concerns, though the first interest was the protection and multiplication of one’s own family. As they are Yang, they may be aloof, though they can also be quite aggressive.
Those of this sign include USA Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter, Britains’ Prince Charles, and Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi.

2010 is not a difficult year, though as you have been consolidating, this will be a year to try some new ventures, whilst you remain careful with investments

The BUFFALO/OX
1901,1913,1925,1937,1949,1961,1973,1985,1997,2009]
second place was just that little bit slower, and has vague similarities with the sign Capricorn. It always like to imagine that it is in charge,(at the head of things), can be quite authoritative, and seems to be quite oblivious to others so it is a sign that is very slow to change. A Yin, or more receptive, sign in expressing it’s leadership qualities.
These include Lady Diana, Beau Bridges, Robert Redford, Charlie Chaplin, and born a few days after him was Adolf Hitler, who was said to have fashioned his moustache upon Charlie Chaplin’s. British P.M. Margaret Thatcher andPeter Sellers

You have experienced the beginning of a new 12 year cycle, so now you will be able to try a few new ways to continue the new cycle though try not to be bothered by all the erratic energies.

The TIGER
1902,1914,1926,1938,1950,1962,1974,1986,1998,2010
ever so ravenous, grisly and dissatisfied, was by nature rebellious and aggressive, sometimes a bit over the top, with vague similarities to Sagittarius. Magnetic in their own way! A Yang sign.
These have included past Australian Deputy Prime Minister Jim Cairns, Chinese Leader Jiang Zemin, Marilyn Monroe, Ayatollah Khomeini and Fidel Castro.

You have probably felt as though your life has been on hold, as you have experienced a number of blocks throughout the Ox/Buffalo Year. Look forward to many new opportunities beginning to offer more positive scope for growth in this Tiger year as you will now be in your own sign, if not in your own element. The last Metal Tiger Year was 1950. As the Chinese Calendar follows a 60 year cycle this will be particularly propitious year for those 1950 baby-boomers.

The RABBIT
1903,1915,1927,1939,1951,1963,1975,1987,1999
though the Vietnamese thought it a dirty animal and renamed it’s year, the CAT. They both have frisky little noses and whiskers.
Friendly, they enjoy being the centre of attraction, they are restless, intuitive, yet they do not really allow themselves to get too close to people. Good at sensing the environment, they are a bit like the sign Scorpio, Yin.
These would include the author of the futuristic novel 1984, George Orwell, jazz singer Billie Holliday, Frank Sinatra, recent Australian Prime Minister John Winston Howard, Pope Benedict XVI, and present British P.M. Gordon Brown.

As your year doesn’t begin ‘til next year, you may be feeling a bit anxious or frustrated at all the hullabaloo taking place, so take a bit of a back seat without expecting everything to fall into place. Try to avoid any excess, especially with fatty or sweet foods. Relax, and do some deep breathing exercises.

The DRAGON
1904,1916,1928,1940,1952,1964,1976,1988.2000
a lucky animal that refuses to come down to earth. Searching for recognition, partnership and continual approval seeking, yet, perpetually up in the clouds. A bit like the sign Libra. Think about the scales of a Dragon and one can understand why they appear to be insensitive to others, yet they tend to be at the centre. In their temperament they are Yang.
Includes, Chinese Premier Deng Xiao Ping, Salvador Dali, Australian P.M. Gough Whitlam, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Cliff Richards,the Superman who came down to earth, Chrirtopher Reeves, and Vladidimir Putin.

As you will have experienced a year when your wings seem to have been clipped, and getting up to fly has been difficult, in fact financial realities have needed to be faced, you will begin to enjoy the more restless year coming up. In a way you will be able to break free of looming restrictions.

The SNAKE
1905,1917,1929,1941,1953,1965,1977,1989,2001
Wise, thoughtful, philosophical, well read; preferring education and intuitive knowledge to the lures of a more frivolous world, yet they have a mind that understands money and the financial world. At the same time they have an excellent capacity for lateral thinking. Like Virgo they have an eye for subtle detail, and are interested in health matters. They tend to be systematic, aloof and detached. The desire to do good for humanity is evident. A Yin sign
Mohatma Gandhi, Mao Tse Tung, President John F. Kennedy, Jaqueline Kennedy-Onassis, Australian P.M. ‘Bob’ Hawke, British P.M. ‘Tony’ Blair, Pakistani Leader Benazir Bhutto, Indian P.M. Indira Ghandi and Howard Hughes.

In your usual detached philosophical way try not to let the hustle and bustle unsettle you, for this will not be a favorable time to invest much time or money into new ventures. There will probably be mild worries or stresses in relation to your work, or health problems connected with your domestic environment

The HORSE
1906,1918,1930,1942,1954,1966,1978,1990,2002
Leader of the pack, these people are sports minded, arrogant, they like open fields and plains, and hate to take advice: ‘you can lead a horse to water, however, can’t make it drink.’ Attracted to acting, or performing. Similarities to the sign Leo, and obviously Yang
Sean Connery, Australian P.M.s Robert G. Menzies, and Malcolm Fraser,
Barbara Steisand, Nelson Mandela, Harrison Ford, and the recent past Australian Liberal party opposition leader, Malcolm David Turnbull and golfer Greg Norman.

The year of the Rat in 2008 was one of the most difficult, 2009 was mildly better, and the Tiger year will be one of the best with a whole host of new opportunities presenting themselves to you.

The SHEEP/GOAT
1907,1919,1931,1943,1955,1967,1979,1991,2003
Prefers to follow and not to be in charge. Very sensitive and requiring nurturing reassurance. However, they have a good sense as to how the money market works. A strong attraction to the arts.
Enjoyment in spending time at home, a bit similar to the sign Cancer, and obviously Yin.
Robert Gates, John Major, the British P.M. who followed Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, Rupert Murdoch, Nicolas Csaesescu, Past Australian P.M. Paul Keating and Nicole Kidman.

As you prefer quietness, you will probably be wondering what all the expression of energy is all about. Relax, don’t worry, be contented, knowing that next year will promise to be in your favour.

The MONKEY
1908,1920,1932,1944,1956,1968,1980,1992,2004
Good at acting, or performing, though threatened when it comes to in depth discussion. The restless mind, jumping from branch to branch, quick in repartee, changeable, tending to be unfocussed, a master at all forms of movement including chatter. A sponge for information from others yet there is a dislike for putting in the effort to study. In seeking to take centre stage, a strongly Yang sign, yet nervous and prone to hypochondria. Gemini connections.
Actress Elizabeth Taylor, Pope John-Paul II, Jazz Pianist Dave Brubeck, Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, N.Z. Opera singer Kiri Tekanawa, NSW Premier Kristina Keneally, actors Michael Caine and Peter O’toole. Australian based pop singer Jimmy Barnes and Michael Douglas.

This will be a testing year for you, in health, relationships, finances, for this is a time to reassess you priorities. Make sure that you take care of your health

The ROOSTER
1909,1921,1933,1945,1957,1969,1981,1993,2005
Preferring to be at the head of things, and proud of their home and family. Their roost! Proud of the quality of their possessions, as the rooster crows to the emerging sun, people born in this year tend to be attracted to singing. If they are not doing it themselves, they appreciate good singing. They tend to strut around in a territorial minded way and are relaxed when ordering people about. A Yin sign, with some similarities to Taurus.
Singer/Actress Bette Midler, Indonesian Dictator Suharto, Burmese Political Prisoner, Aung San Su Kyi, Australian Opposition leader ‘Tony’ Abbott, and of course the present Australian P.M. Kevin Rudd.

A fairly opportunistic year as the slowness and occasional delays of the somewhat positive Ox/Buffalo year begin to recede to present you some new outlooks, in your family, your work, and your financial situation.

The DOG
1910,1922,1934,1958,1970,1982,1994,2006
Revered in ancient Egypt for their faithfulness, yet there were probably connections to Sirius, the Dog Star for it was a harbinger of the annual flooding of the Nile which was necessary for agricultural growth. Dogs like to be in packs, so, a bit like Aries, they tend to prefer to be fairly gregarious yet they are fairly headstrong and protective towards their home. Marriage is good for Dogs, and it is said that one of the years in which an abundance of marriages take place is the Year of the Dog. This Yang sign is also protective towards their country
British P.M. Winston Churchill was virtually the only Leader who had a nose for, or could smell the manipulative evil that Adolf Hitler was intent upon in the years prior to World War II. If not for his barking protectiveness our world would have been overrun by Fascism. Brigitte Bardot dropped out of acting to fight for the rights of dogs, and other animals. William Jefferson Clinton became President of the United States, as did George Walker Bush, both Dogs at the behest of Skull and Bones Leader President G.H.W.Bush.
The performer is apparent in Michael Jackson, Madonna, Prince, David Bowie and Elvis Presley.

After the somewhat harrowing year which you have been experiencing, be prepared for one of the best, most opportunistic years experienced for some time. Family, home, domestic improvements, and employment opportunities for growth will present themselves to you. Be strong and don’t be tempted to bite peoples’ ankles!

The PIG/BOAR
1911,1923,1935,1947,1959,1971,1983,1995,2007
Like the teeth of the Boar, these people can be quite tactless, though that is usually to hide their duplicitous over-sensitivity. Very lucky when it comes to money, they have the ability to spin a web of illusion, so they could make quite good salespeople, actors, even if only second rate like President Ronald Reagan. A dreamy sign which is addicted to cleanliness, despite people using the phrase ‘filthy pig’. Very much a Piscean, Yin sign.
Alfred Hitchcock, a master of surprise. Woody Allen. Lafayette ‘Ron’ Hubbard of Scientology fame, Danni Minogue, Sarah Ferguson who was married to Primce Andrew. International economist Harry Schultz, Erich von Daniken and Jimmy Connors.

A year to experience a number of disheartening delays. Don’t be tempted to take on too much this year for the tide is not in your favour. No need to be stressed by all the pervasive emotional angst. It may be slightly disruptive, however, save your energy for next year.

Victor Anthony Voets – Emeritus President of both the Sydney Astrology Research Society, and the NSW Federation of Australian Astrologers, Victor as well as being an Astrologer is also a master Numerologist, a Palmist, and Tarot Card reader; he consults with his wife Amanda Voets (nee White-Dobson), also a competent Astrologer and master Psychic Tarot reader, and both are available for booked consultations at their shop Astro-Artery in Seven Hills, NSW, Australia, just across the road the road from the raiway station.
Telephone: 61-2-9621 2333