This week we have an Aquarius New Moon that urges us to reconnect with our loved ones while seeking to solve problems creatively.
But beyond Western astrology, Tuesday marks an incredibly significant event; according to Chinese astrology, today begins the Year of the Earth Pig.
While you may be familiar with traditional western zodiac signs via reading your weekly horoscopes, it’s worth checking out what followers of Chinese astrology have forecasted for the year ahead too.
Key Differences
Before you understand how the Year of the Earth Pig may affect you in love and life, it’s important to note the differences between the two realms of astrology.
Expert astrologer and founder of Love By Luna Katie Huang explains, “The most noticeable difference between the systems of western and Chinese astrology is the time frame by which the signs are divided. In western astrology, the signs are divided by months, whereas in Chinese astrology, they are separated by year.” The Chinese believe that those born in the same year share similar traits, versus those born within the same month in the West.”
The symbols and elements also vary greatly too.
The four elements of Western astrology—fire, water, earth and air—expand to five in Chinese, swapping air for metal and adding wood. Each of these elements “is associated with a two-year period rather than being inherently tied to specific signs.” Huang explains you can figure out your element with the last number in your birth year. Metal is 0 or 1, Water is 2 or 3, Wood is 4 or 5, Fire is 6 or 7 and Earth is 8 or 9.
While in Western astrology “the elements color the general psychology of each group,” in Chinese Astrology, “the elements dictate the motivational forces in one’s life,” says Huang.
Western astrology aligns each sign with a constellation and their position relative to Earth as they move in the sky, which Huang explains stems from Greek mythology, and include a mix of animals, humans, and objects. In Chinese astrology, though, the symbols are only animals, “deriving from a legend that when God was creating a calendar, all the animals on Earth were gathered to participate in a race.” The twelve who finished were rewarded with a spot in the Chinese Zodiac.
Interestingly enough, expert astrologer Christian Klausner explains, “the pig got last in the race because he enjoyed himself the most—took 'detours' in a sense.”
The Year of the Earth Pig
The Year of the Earth Pig will urge us all to focus on what we have as we restore and strengthen our relationships—romantic, familial, and friendly—as well as our commitments, in all senses. Wealth and fortune are on the horizon too.
Klausner adds that good fortune for this year could bring “abundance, generosity, and a need for avoiding sloppiness."
In regards to romance, love, and partnership, Huang explains that the Year of the Pig “should be quite favorable for friendship and love, with a festive atmosphere focused on celebrating the trials, tests, and struggles each sign has had to deal with and overcome in previous years.”
Excellent news for brides-to-be: She also says it’s an excellent time for marriage or having children, engagements, and conception.
Be prepared, though, that, “while this year will be filled with much passion, this passion could be short lived. This will create an environment that is most conducive for dating and would benefit singles,” but Huang suggests exercising caution in how fast you form emotional attachments before knowing where the other person stands.”
See more: The Luckiest Wedding Dates of 2019
Other advice?
“All signs would benefit from taking the lessons they’ve learned throughout past cycles in a more serious light. Consider your actions carefully, and be cautious in how you move forward in forging new connections or deepening your current ones, as they will produce much better results than impulsive risk taking.”
Kung hei fat choy!
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