Once you’ve listened, let us know in the comments below — what element are you, and how will you harmonize with the energy of the New Year?
When the Lunar New Year passed on February 1st, we transitioned from the Year of the Metal Ox in 2021 to the Year of the Water Tiger in 2022.
Tigers are associated with strong Yang energy, which is tempered and settled by the element of water. Each zodiac animal contains inherent qualities that are affected by one of Five Elements, and in this episode, we will explore the five elements that are associated with each of the animals during the sixty-year cycle.
In order to harmonize yourself and your energy with the Year of the Water Tiger, it’s important to understand the interrelationship between the elements.
An easy method of finding out which element corresponds with your birth year is to look at the last digit of your birth year. If the digit is 0 or 1, your birth year corresponds with the element of Metal. If it is 2 or 3, it corresponds to Water. If it is 4 or 5, your element is Wood. If it is 6 or 7, your element is Fire. Finally, if it is 8 or 9, your birth year corresponds to the element of Earth.
For those who are born in January, it may be important to do further research into which lunar year your birthday lands on, as the day of the Lunar New Year changes every year, and you may be born in the previous lunar year. The day of the Lunar New Year is usually in February, and you can use February 4 as a general cut-off date for the beginning of a new lunar calendar year.
Each of the Five Elements is associated with a different season and set of qualities. Wood, which correlates with springtime, is the element of new beginnings, rebirth, and the renewal of life after winter.
Fire, which correlates with summer, is the element of creativity, spontaneity, interaction, and connection.
Earth is the center of the Five Elements, and corresponds to late summer or the transition between seasons. It is associated with community, care, compassion, and nurturing.
Earth nurtures the element of Metal, which represents the season of autumn. Just as metal is rigid, Metal-type people enjoy order and refinement. Those born in Metal years enjoy decluttering their lives and creating space.
The element of Metal nurtures Water, which is associated with Winter. A Water-type person can exhibit traits of self-absorption, introversion, and philosophical reflection. They possess a Yin or spiritual-based consciousness, grounding their energy rather than scattering it. Because of this, their energy can also easily stagnate.
Because 2022 is a Water year, it’ll be easier to cultivate the traits associated with the Water element.
In addition, Water and Wood have a close relationship: Just as watering your plants helps them thrive, so too does the Water energy of this year nurture the Wood elements of ambition and drive.
The Tiger animal is linked to strong, aggressive, and active Wood energy, and since this is the Year of the Water Tiger, the element of Water nourishes and supports the natural Wood characteristics of this year’s Tiger.
Therefore, the Year of the Water Tiger will be a fruitful year of growth and activity.
One of the challenges of this year is that too much growth and activity can cause tempers to flare. Wood is also the element of focus and rebirth, which will be important and central to emerging from COVID times.
The characteristics of a Tiger include focus and courage. As this year kicks off, what projects and activities have you not yet tackled in your life? This is the year to nurture the projects that were put on the backburner, especially as we shift into the energy of the new year.
In order to harness this year’s Water energy and harmonize with it, understanding the dynamic relationship between the elements is key. This way, you can nurture and support your own element while also shifting your vibrations to be in line with this year’s Water energy.
Wood: Balancing Contemplation with Activity
For those who are born in years that end with 4 or 5, Wood is the element associated with your temperament. Wood-type people are natural leaders, exhibiting a sense of focus, drive, and ambition. However, this may also lead to temperamental flare-ups, a lack of control over emotions, and a tendency to become anxious or nervous easily.
Since Water nourishes Wood, it is important for Wood-type people to take on the qualities of Water by becoming more introspective, engaging in breathing exercises, and looking inwards through activities such as journaling or meditation.
Color therapy is another way of using Water energy to nurture your Wood element. One way to do this is to surround yourself with colors correlated to water, such as dark blue or black. These colors can be incorporated into your wardrobe or be found in your environment. Spending time near the ocean or around placid bodies of water can also be a way of channeling the Water element.
Wood-type people are naturally Yang, meaning that they are high energy. While contemplative exercises can help calm and temper their Yang energy, it’s equally as important to channel the Yang energy out of the body. Frequent and rigorous physical activity, such as cardiovascular exercise, can ensure that Wood energy doesn’t stagnate, especially since the Wood element is associated with the Liver, which helps the Qi flow throughout the body.
Fire: Harmonizing Opposite Elements
Those born in a year that ends with 6 or 7 are Fire-type people, meaning that they contain Yang energy and have a propensity to be more social, extroverted, and creative.
Because Water and Fire are opposing elements, the challenge is to harmonize with Water by increasing the Wood in your life. Harmony can be achieved through color therapy, such as wearing shades of green and other colors that are associated with the element of Wood.
In the Five Element cycle, Water energy controls Fire energy, similar to the way that water can put out fire. Therefore, for Fire-type people in the Year of the Water Tiger, it’s essential to protect your Fire energy and ensure that you’re receiving enough stimulation in your life.
This can be achieved by engaging with your creative energy and channeling it into hobbies and crafts. By pursuing creative outlets, such writing or music, your Fire energy can be protected and supported during a Water year.
Earth: Seeking Order and Refinement
The element of Earth has a tendency to be overcontrolling and oppressive of Water energy. To prevent this from happening, those born in an Earth year (a birth year that ends in an 8 or a 9) should harmonize with Water energy by supporting your Metal element.
The Metal element harmonizes your Earth energy with the Water energy of this year.
Qualities of Metal include refinement and order, meaning that Earth-type people can channel Earth energy by organizing or decluttering, getting a haircut, or generally refining their appearance.
The nature of Metal-type people is to follow a specific way of doing things, and to become judgmental about how tasks are performed. Therefore, Earth-type people can tune into Metal qualities by becoming more of a judge in their lives.
By creating space and order to harness Metal characteristics, Earth-type people can balance out their Earth energy so that it doesn’t overpower or overcontrol this year’s Water energy. Another way to find harmony is to wear metallic jewelry and incorporate Metal colors such as white, gray, and silver into their wardrobe. This provides vibrational support for your body.
Metal: Balancing Out Rigidity
For those born in a year that ends with 0 and 1, the Metal element is your dominant element. Metal is associated with the qualities of refinement, order, and clarity.
One challenge that Metal-type people face is the tendency to become rigid, preferring a particular way of doing things that can cause stagnation. Because Metal nourishes Water, the element of Metal is already harmonious with this year’s energy, but it’s important to make sure that it’s tempered and doesn’t become overly rigid. Anal-retentiveness, as the name implies, can lead to Colon issues.
However, balance can be achieved by maintaining a proper routine of exercise and maintaining the health of the Lungs. The Lungs and the large intestine are the organs related to metal, and by supporting these organs, Metal-type people can balance out and avoid rigidity.
Water: Encouraging Flow
If you are born in a year that ends with 2 or 3, Water is your dominant element. Water-type people have a natural tendency to be introspective, introverted, contemplative, and philosophical. They are known to possess the deep wisdom of a sage. Water-type people are also unattached and carefree, though this can also mean that they tend toward sluggishness.
To support your Water energy, it is important to tap into Metal qualities. Creating a sense of order in your life can prevent sluggishness and encourage the flow of Qi, which also supports the Colon. Building structure and organization into your life will help Water-type people maintain psychological well-being in the new year.
Finding Harmony in the Year of the Water Tiger
While each of us are made up of the Five Elements and a combination of these qualities, the element that dominates the year of your birth will determine which element most influences your qualities. Your presiding element will interact with the element of 2022, and understanding your own element will give you insight into how to harmonize with this year’s energy, allowing you to thrive and find balance in the Year of the Water Tiger.
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