Background

This reading is based on your Year, Month, Day and Time (Chinese hour if available) of birth From ancient times, the Chinese have believed that certain parameters of your personality and fate were set at your moment of birth. The Chinese are not strict determinists, however, and do believe people can use the information in their charts to improve their lives. For example, athletic coaches train their teams to exploit their strengths and to find ways to compensate for their weaknesses. That’s an ideal use of this element reading, as your element balance highlights these capabilities and vulnerabilities.

About Chinese astrology

The roots of Chinese astrology go back thousands of years. Needless to say in the course of millennia a number of different systems have been used. There are two main types, those that rely on birth data alone, and those that use birth data but rely primarily on positioning of stars and planets (Purple Star* astrology). Most use the lunar calendar (see appendix 1 for more info on the Chinese calendar) which bases its calculations on the cycles of the moon. That is why Chinese New Year falls on a different date every year. Some Chinese systems use the solar year as Western astrology does. Both, however, make use of Chinese five element theory. The five elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, always being given in that order. It is said to be a productive cycle, that is Wood produces Fire; Fire produces Earth; Earth produces Metal, Metal produces Water, and Water produces Wood, thus continuing the cycle. The balance of these elements and their positioning in a Chinese chart enable the astrologer to tell many things about a person’s personality and life. Chinese astrologers base their calculations on the moon and its cycles, that is, on the lunar year. Western astrologers base theirs on the solar year. Thus, Western signs are called sun signs. In Western astrology the month sign, for example, Leo, is the primary influence, while in Chinese astrology it is the year sign. This is why your year element and the fixed element of your year sign was noted above. Actually, Chinese astrology has four signs, one for the year, the month, the day and the hour of birth. In texts these are often referred to as the four pillars. This may sound different, but even here there is a similarity with Western astrology. That system, for example, uses hour signs as well, calling them ascendants” There is one more very important thing to know about Chinese astrology. Chinese astrologers are not strict determinists. In other words they do not believe a person’s fate is sealed in stone at the moment of birth. What they do believe is that a person’s time and place of birth set parameters, boundaries within which a person has more or less freedom. What happens within these boundaries is influenced not only by “free will” but also by external factors such as financial status of the family, the culture, and the local economy. In one way this is just common sense, not unlike what people in the West already believe. If your adult height is five feet one inch, you’re not likely to be a professional basketball player. If your IQ is less than 100, you’re not likely to be a chemical engineer. There is of course a whole body of Chinese philosophy and culture underlying the precepts and findings of Chinese astrology. The subject of Chinese studies, as fascinating as it is however, is well beyond the scope of this basic introduction. One point worth mentioning, though, is that balance plays a central role in Chinese thought. Even this idea has Western counterparts, Aristotle’s “golden mean” for example. In Chinese thought a star athlete who flunks Algebra is still weak. True strength comes from balance. A strong chart will be balanced in terms of elements. Ideally you will have about an average amount of each element in your chart. That will give you the widest range of capabilities and the least vulnerability.. *Note: Although it is beyond the scope of this reading, it should be said elements are crucial to preparing a Tzi Wei Dou Shu (Purple Star) horoscope, the most complicated form of Chinese astrology. One of the five elements is associated with each chart and determines into which palace (house) to place the various stars. The entire horoscope is dependent on this placement.

Understanding Your Reading

Your reading consists of three parts.
1. Year Sign
      General information revealing aspects of your personality based on your year sign elements
         a. Fixed element of your (animal) year sign
         b. Year sign element
2. Element Mix
      Detailed analysis of your particular combination of elements
         1. Overall balance
         2. Strengths
         3. Weaknesses

Each part of this reading contributes valuable information to help you understand yourself and your fate. The above index shows there is a lot more to Chinese astrology than simply saying a person is a Rat or a Snake and making a few observations. This reading highlights the information you can derive from analyzing the elements in your chart. An element-focused reading provides a unique perspective that cannot be obtained by considering only animal signs. As with all readings, however, this one can only outline the parameters of your life. It is ultimately you who determines your fortune and your destiny by the decisions you make and how well you use the abilities you have. Now begin a unique journey of self discovery with the five elements as your guide.

Year Element: Metal
Year Element Polarity: Yin
Fixed Element of Year Sign: Water
Your year sign is Metal Ox
Your fixed element is Earth
The ability to communicate is one of the primary qualities associated with Water. Since you are a yin, Ox-sign person, you may tend to be introverted. Under the influence of Water, however, you can be a forceful and eloquent speaker when the situation calls for it. Water is often connected with artistic ability, so your communications skills could also be manifest in your participation in the performing arts.

Flexibility is another trait common to Water sign people. This may seem to contradict the Ox's reputation for stubbornness. In you flexibility is likely to manifest itself, even to a fault, in the way you adapt yourself to your immediate environment. You're likely, for example, to continually go with your natural tendency to shoulder others' burdens.

In spite of the Ox's characteristic, charge-ahead approach, under Water's influence you are probably not a confrontational person. Water, and you, favor the indirect approach. You are more likely to wear down your opponents with your persistence, as Water erodes rock. In general you are thus more of the live and let live type rather than a mover and shaker.

Compared to mountains and forests land-locked Water is rather unobtrusive, and so is the Ox. You most likely prefer to work in the background rather than the in the spotlight. You may also be the strong, silent type, only selectively using your communications skills. While you could do well when thrust into a leadership role, you generally prefer just being a loyal subordinate.

Rivers with their streams and tributaries seem to touch just about everywhere. You likewise probably have an extensive network of friends and, or, acquaintances. And, you may be emotionally connected to many of them due to your empathy and emotional feelings.

Water in fact is associated with emotions. As an Ox-sign person, however, your emotionality is likely to be of the internal variety. In other words, you don't readily display them but rather carry them inside yourself. This is a major reason why you are incompatible with Sheep-sign people, who require frequent, emotional support.

Just as rivers sometimes traverse great distances and Water seems to trickle endlessly after a rain, you probably get around and are comfortable with travel. Indeed, in the legend explaining the order of the 12 signs, the Ox is one of the first animals to cover the distance to Buddha, thus earning the honor of being the second of the 12 signs.

Finally, it must be said Water goes with mental, even psychic abilities. The Ox, however, is generally more of a doer than a thinker. You nevertheless probably have reasonably good foresight and decent reasoning ability. If education is to your liking, you can do well with your Ox perseverance and Water's facility with scholarship.

Year element
Your year element is negative Metal. You are likely to be a more reliable, plodding, and emotionally brittle representative of your element.

Primary (year) Element Description
Productive cycle: Earth > Metal > Water > Wood > Fire
Earth enhances Metal, and Metal enhances Water.
Destructive cycle: Fire > Metal > Wood > Water > Fire
Fire weakens Metal and Metal weakens Wood.
Characteristics: Hard and cold
Associations:

Body Organs:	Lungs (primary), Large intestine (secondary)
Sensory Organ:	Nose
Color	White (also Gold)
Direction:	West
Flavor:	Pungent
Emotions:	longing, melancholy, wistfulness
Personality:	Unyielding and brutally frank
Season:	Fall
Vocations:	Business, athletics

Approach: Metal is associated with strength and determination. You are comfortable with taking direct action in pursuit of your goals. Furthermore, one of your strengths is that you work hard to complete the projects you start and rarely give up in the face of resistance. You are a fighter, someone who sticks up for their rights and who doesn’t easily back down when challenged.
Positive Traits: Ambitious, confident, determined (purposeful), focused, implacable, influential, intense, interesting, persistent, self reliant, serious, supportive (by lending strength).

The Metal element person is rock solid and epitomizes focused determination. The Metal in your personality manifests itself as steely resolve. Your generally serious attitude and unrelenting focus contribute to your ability to stay with even the lengthiest projects to completion.

These positive qualities contribute significantly to what is likely to be your generally ambitious nature. They also give you leadership potential, which is only heightened by the fact that people tend to be drawn to you because of your fiercely competitive attitude.

Your resilience and drive extend to daily life as well. Little things do not distract you from your mission. Furthermore, you add strength to others, and many people value the support you provide.

On the other hand, you yourself are very self reliant, secure in who you are and your abilities. This gives you the confidence to tackle almost any challenge that comes before you. And, you rarely back down when confronted by direct opposition.
Negative Traits: Coldly impersonal, "heavy" (overly serious), materialistic, melancholic, opinionated, reclusive, rigid, ruthlessly direct, self righteous, stubborn, uncompromising and wistful.

Metal's strengths turn into weaknesses in excess. All too often it's my way or the highway, thanks to your sometimes, uncompromising rigidity. You might be the type that continues heading towards a cliff even when people warn you of danger.

On occasion you may become ruthlessly direct and coldly impersonal; you created The Look. You can be very opinionated and react sharply when someone contradicts you.

There is another time when you have no use for people, that is, when you become downright reclusive. You have another side, which is prone to melancholy. When you indulge your wistful, longing feelings, your self-confidence may just melt away.

Your element mix is 63220, very unbalanced. This imbalance means you have one strength to excess, one moderate strength, and one major weakness. Since the strength rating of elements affects your chi (energy/life force) in the various stages of your life, it also means that you will have one very strong, one strong, two average and one weak period in your life.

Ratings
Wood - You have a high average amount of Wood in your chart. You tend to be good-hearted and creative. Also, you can usually adapt well to change.
Fire - You have a low average amount of Fire in your chart. You may have some charisma and tend to be an active person who is not afraid to act quickly when you see something you want.
Earth - You have an excess of Earth in your chart. You are extremely determined and not afraid to strike out in new directions to improve your situation. Given the large amount of Earth in your chart you tend to be stubborn to the point of obstinacy, thus losing much of the exceptional practicality that normally is associated with strong Earth.
Metal - You have a low average amount of Metal in your chart. You may be determined and competitive but not to any great extent. You could have difficulty finishing what you start.
Water - You have no Water in your chart. You have difficulty with communications skills and are not particularly suited to travel. Lack of Water also means you are shy and reserved.

Concluding Remarks

People are complex, so it is not surprising that many factors go into making up your chart. You may even have read some comments that appear to be contradictory. You are likely to display some behaviors that are consistent and others that will vary depending on the situation, your mood, or some other factor. This reading focused on your elements, an area that is often overlooked or given less attention than is needed for an accurate picture. Although it is not nor tries to be comprehensive, it provides valuable information you are not likely to get from other readings. Now it's up to you to take this information and use it to help you make the most of your life given the parameters that have been established for you.