Fae Friday: Year of the Fire Rooster

In Chinese astrology 2017 is called the Year of the Fire Rooster. Here are 13 vital things you need to know about the subject before the year begins.

• Though a form of personal and universal divination, Chinese astrology does not calculate the positions of the sun, moon, stars, and planets at the time of a person’s birth.
• Rather, it is based on a series of 12 animals that answered the call of the Buddha to appear before him at the New Year.
• Each year one of the 12 animals represents the primary spirit of the year.
• The Chinese New Year is based on a lunar calendar. It begins on the second New Moon after Winter Solstice, usually in late January or early February.
• The 12 animal signs and some of their alternate names are: rat (mouse), ox (cow), tiger, rabbit (cat), dragon, snake, horse, goat (sheep), monkey, rooster (chicken, bird, peacock), dog, pig (boar).
• Also involved in the spirit of a year and a person are 5 basic elements: metal (white), water (black), wood (green), fire (red), and earth (brown).
• Metal adds strength and steadfastness; water adds sensitivity and adaptability; wood adds warmth and compassion; fire adds inspiration and energy; earth adds patience and practicality.
• The basis of all is the yin (feminine) and yang (masculine) that together and equally form the universe and all matter.
• Each animal sign is either yin (darkness, night, moon, resting, feminine) or yang (light, day, sun, active, masculine).
• I think of a rooster as strutting around the barnyard, but strangely enough, the rooster is yin.
• A description of the Year of the Fire Rooster includes attributes of vision, effective communication, brightness, courage, passion, inspiration, honesty, generosity, expansion, survival skills, showmanship, time well used, engaging wit, clear discernment, problem solving, and deep thinking. Attuning ourselves to the energy of the year can bring about the fortunate state of “being in the flow.”
• Most publications call 2017 the Year of the Fire Rooster, and I really like how the publication We’Moon calls it the Year of the Fire Phoenix, adding transformation to the mix. This is a time in which we can let go of past negativity and transform our lives to experience and put forth our best selves.
• The Year of the Fire Phoenix or Fire Rooster starts with the New Moon on January 27, 2017.

If you are interested in learning more about your individual Chinese astrological chart, here are places to start:

http://www.chinesefortunecalendar.com/FAQSign.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Read-Your-Chinese-Horoscope

Special note to frequent readers: You may have noticed I’m paring down my blog a little. For years I typically created posts centered on Mythic Monday, Tuesday Tales, and Vintage Friday. Sometimes a Writer Wednesday was also included for information or to help other authors with promo– that will still be the case. I adore writing in all these categories, but for me three blog posts every week is a fast pace when my main goal is to write novels. Plus, Mythic Monday posts scarcely got their moment in the sun before Tuesday Tales posts took center stage. Because Tuesday Tales is a shared effort to produce WIP snippets based on writing prompts and pictures, I want to participate in that as often as possible. My solution for now is to weave Mythic Monday posts into a new designation called Fae Friday. Fridays will alternate between Fae and Vintage categories.

You will:
• have your fix of vintage / historical culture and curiosities. 
• still get all the mythical, magical, and mysterious tidbits about fairies, deities, astrology, gemstones, runes, tarot, and the like.

And I will:
• have more time to spend on my primary goal, novel writing.

Thank you for your support and please let me know how you like the new setup as we go along.

Cheers & Happy Reading!
Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic in Romance