2017: The Year of the Fire Rooster

by Master Wendy S. Goldman

2017 is the Year of the Fire Rooster. As you may know, the energy of each year is different, and most people know the animal of their birth year in the Chinese Zodiac. Each animal represents different energetic implications for the year. With a basic understanding of how the energies of the year interact, we can get some insight into the implications for weather, health, emotions, business, the economy, politics, and more. We can use this information to plan and prepare for the year.

Let’s look at the energy this year. 2017 is the year of the Yin Fire, or Red, Rooster. Red represents Fire, so you may see the year mentioned as either the Red Rooster or Fire Rooster.

Every year, we have both the energy from Heaven, and the energy from Earth. When we say “Heaven energy” it represents the energy coming from the sky, or the universe, not in any religious sense. The Earth energy is exactly as it sounds, the energy coming from the Earth. Because Heaven and Earth are so much bigger than humans and everything that lives on Earth, we’re all affected by these energies.

Each year is also Yin or Yang. Yang represents the heat, fire, activity and function. Yin represents calm, quiet, and rest. Daytime, spring and summer are more Yang in nature, being more light, bright, warmer and active. Nighttime, fall and winter are more Yin in nature, being darker, quieter, colder and naturally less active. Yin time is the time to rest and recharge.

The Yin/Yang polarity alternates each year. 2016 was a Yang year, so 2017 is a Yin year, and 2018 will be another Yang year. The Heaven and Earth energies both follow the Yin/Yang polarity of the year. This year, the Heaven energy is Yin Fire, and the Earth energy is the Rooster, which corresponds with Yin Metal.

To analyze the energy of the year, we can start by considering the nature of the animal. Roosters are loud in the morning to wake us up at daybreak. They’re very territorial, and protectors and guardians of their flock of chickens. They can also be quite ornery, as you may know if you’ve ever encountered a rooster! Many urban communities that allow the keeping of chickens ban roosters, due to their loud morning noise. So, we can expect this kind of energy and behavior this year, and we’ve seen a preview in American politics. Roosters also tend to have more flamboyant feathers and coloration than the hens. Expect more loud, extravagant crowing for attention this year, from people and events.

Next, we consider the nature of the annual Heaven and Earth energies. The Heaven energy this year is Yin fire. Fire is hot, active, and passionate. Yin fire is more like the flame of a candle than a bonfire, so the weather will continue to be warmer than normal, but shouldn’t be as hot as last year, which was a Yang fire year.

Fire is also passion and joy, so it’s a good year for romance and to have fun, especially with others, as chickens are social creatures that live together in flocks.

The Earth energy this year is Yin metal. The nature of metal is dryness, but again, due to the Yin nature of the metal this year, we’ll have mildly dry conditions. So, in general, we can expect warmer and dryer weather than normal. There is more potential for fires this year, especially in fall, but they shouldn’t be as big as last year, since it’s a Yin year.

We’ll probably also have more humidity. The metal and fire create dryness, but as an ancient Chinese Medicine text says, metal is in charge of fog and dew. (Earth is in charge of clouds and rain.) Thus, more humidity.

Interestingly, metal is also in charge of armored creatures, so we may see more bugs this year, as well as problems from insect bites.

Metal is sharp and cutting. Last year was Yang metal, like an ax or chainsaw. This year the Yin metal is more like a small knife, but it’s still a good time to cut unnecessary excess out of your life, physically, mentally and energetically. Lots of people have been purging their clothes and stuff. It’s a great year to continue, in all areas of your life.

There could be more injuries caused by metal and cuts this year. But watch out for cutting language and behavior this year, too. And because of the fire energy, people will be passionate about it, so thinking before speaking and acting is good practice this year.

Health

We may see problems with the lungs, since they correspond with the metal energy in the body. Combined with the fire energy from Heaven, we’d expect problems of dryness, but because metal also creates more humidity, we could see problems of both dryness and dampness in the lungs and large intestine. So there could be more asthma, allergies, and colds with lots of mucus, but also dry coughing. People could have problems with diarrhea or constipation, depending on their constitution and diet.

Emotionally, be aware that there could be more sadness, depression and anxiety in the fall (metal season).

There may also be skin diseases with redness and dryness, and most likely itching, like psoriasis. This energetic effect started last year, and will continue this year, although it may not be as severe as last year.

Be careful with overwork this year, as it may have more of a burnout effect. People suffering from fatigue, hot flashes, menopausal symptoms, and dry eyes, may have a bit harder time this year. If this is you, you may need some help to manage the symptoms with acupuncture and Chinese herbs, which can both help.

Also watch out for problems and injuries with tendons, ligaments and the nervous system this year.

Anxiety and insomnia may be worse in summer and fall, especially in hot weather. Again, Chinese medicine can help if this affects you.

Business

Businesses related to fire, cooking, computers, electronics and the stock market are all considered to be associated with the fire element, and should be strong this year. We also have to consider the relationship and interactions between the Heaven and Earth energies. Fire melts metal and weakens it, so metal and metal-related industries may suffer this year.

Also businesses related to water, like fishing, plumbing, etc., will most likely be weakened this year. The energy this year may be most difficult, however, for industries related to wood, wood working, publishing, trees, and medicine.

The Dreaded…Politics

Many people keep asking about the political situation, and we can gain some insight into the Year of the Fire Rooster through the same method of analysis. Fire represents passion, and it can go too far and become mania, especially in people who tend toward heat, and in hot weather.

Metal is sharp and cutting, but its nature is also about justice, or right and wrong. Since fire melts metal, justice and right and wrong will most likely suffer this year. There may also be a lack of wisdom. This all started last year, and will continue this year, along with the cutting behavior and language. It’s just the nature of the energy this year. However, next year is a double earth year, and earth represents harmony and trust, so things should be more harmonious next year. In the meantime, people will still be stressed and upset about politics. Manage it by taking breaks from it and getting together with friends and do things that bring you joy, and avoid talking about politics during play time!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you enjoyed this article, feel free to share it with family and friends. Please give proper credit and attribution, and a link back to the blog post would be appreciated.

And hey, here’s the disclaimer: This article is for fun and entertainment purposes only. No advice is being given about anything. That means no health, medical, legal, financial, investment or any other advice, is implied or intended. Read at your own risk.