Forecast for the energetic NineStarKi tendencies of 2017
The energy of 2017, in NineStarKi, is represented by the element 1-water. Water is the element that harbors qualities like rest, quietness and inactivity. It holds the key to the source of infinite potential. Water doesn’t only represent the flow of life, but also life’s undercurrent; that which prefers to hide itself beneath surfaces and tends to soak off the rules of life. Water represents this big, big world of the unconscious. A world in which our talents slumber and our biggest fears lurk.
It might sounds exciting to dive into this years water mysteries. Which it also is of course. The energy of the new year however also challenges us, more than ever before, to consciously learn to handle the unconscious side of ourselves. Whether that be yet unknown talents and precious qualities. Or the pain and hurt of past events not yet embodied. Or the fear for the unknown and uncertain.
Cycle
We currently live in a 81-year cycle that is dominated by the element 9-fire. This is a big transformational influence operating at the background of our current era. Within that bigger cycle we were stressed by first a 9-year cycle dominated by 4-wood (2000-2009) and now we’re in the midst of a 9-year cycle dominated by 3-wood (2009-2018). Both 9-year wood cycles are combustion to the bigger 81-year 9-fire cycle which is transforming our world big time! As a result of all these active yang elements, events inflated to grandiose proportions take place at a rate that is hard to comprehend, let alone understand.
About last year I wrote in my (Dutch) NineStarKi predictions: “Coming year a change in course is going to be noticed, even more so than in previous years.” and “Indisputably we can come to the conclusion that, since entering the two 9-year periods dominated respectively by 4-wood and 3-wood in 2000, our society, our world is transforming. The coming year will fuel the fire process of transformation even more.” Many of you may have experienced 2016 as if they were dancing like a cat on a hot tin roof.
Unknown
These bigger processes that operate at the background force us, beside into the upsetting processes of transformation, into individuality. If known and familiar ways of organizing our lives are changing, the more we are thrown back into the individuality, into a life that’s more autonomously. Consequently many lost as a result of that not only the relationship with ‘the other’ but also the coherence of things out of sight. It is therefore not a surprise that many of us not only doubt but also fear the many changes we are facing; nothing seems to remain the same anymore. We feel we’re losing touch with each other. We feel we’re losing contact with reality, with what we knew to be true. We feel the need to be at ease. We feel the need to be safe. We feel the need to protect. To protect our own known and familiar ways of living as means to fight the fear for change and for the unknown.
Yearly cycle
Within the bigger 81- year and 9-year NineStarKi cycles, there’s a cycle running at an even faster pace with energy changing every year. Every year a different element takes it’s position in the centre of the Ba Gua. This centre position forms a vital influence on all the other positions of the Ba Gua – read on life; on all aspects of life as differentiated in the Ba Gua. The one element that takes position in the centre of the Ba Gua, dominates the energetic tendencies of that year.
In 2015 3-wood energy in all its enthusiasm opened up Europe’s front door to a tremendous amount of refugees. We invited them as guests to our ‘home’ without being all that critical about who they are, where they’re coming from and how they behave. We forgot to set our rules. Now that they – so to speak – walk our clean carpets with their muddy boots and leave a (social) mess where they go, now it’s almost impossible to show them the door or to make clear under which conditions they remain welcome.
At the same time there are people who understood the workings of these mechanisms. Who were conscious about setting clear boundaries and rules of engagement. Who were courageous enough to still help those people in need, however without neglecting their own. Who opened their homes to refugees, inviting in renewal at the same time. Those are the people that showed us what 2016 consequently was all about: humanity. It’s not about protectionism. It’s about cooperation. It’s not about segregation. It’s about integration. But cooperation and integration only works if we know with whom or what we cooperate and integrate with. It only works if we ourselves know who we are and what we expect from this cooperation and integration. It only works if we ourselves know what it is we can contribute. We need to become more conscious that it us that are the co-creators of our own reality. That it is us that have to become conscious about where we tend to become the (mis)users of that same reality. Where our ‘guests’ reflect our own misbehavior. We have to set clear boundaries and rules for engagement for how we have to behave ourselves as guests of Mother Earth. It’s all about attitude!
Women
So last year was all about the safety and security of our home and hearth. Questioning the definitions of this same home and hearth. The element 2-earth that ruled last years Ba Gua, represents the archetypal mother. So last year was much about the role and position of women. And about the effect upbringing, nutrition and education has on the development of a healthy life.
Last year Farawayistan presented itself at our doorstep. Literally. And with it came the social conventions that are interesting and intriguing from an anthropological perspective or when on holiday. Placed within the context of our Western attainments it became clear in a very bitter way how especially women and women’s rights fall short: it was an important theme in 2016 (for Europe). It made us realize that gender equality for many still isn’t self-evident. That decent behavior isn’t self-evident. That safely living a healthy, balanced life isn’t self-evident either. And that oppressing women is a way of oppressing new generations to come.
For many 2016’s 2-earth energy created lots of shocking insights and changes in its related areas of life. Be that health and nutrition. Or home and housing. Or women and femininity. Or in standing ones ground. For many reality shape shifted back into the dark ages.
From what has been experienced in 2016 and previously in 2015, the tendencies of the new year are set in motion.
Water
On January 28th China celebrated the start of a new year. For China that is a fire-rooster year. NineStarKi however is a different form of astrology, so in NineStarKi cycles we’re on the threshold of a water year. A year filled with new chances and opportunities. Of course. Also a year filled with challenges and yet unknown threads. There’s definitely going to be more yin quality to the year’s energy, creating more chances for rest, but also for more introspection. For some the year will bring moments of breathing space. For others it might feel like life is coming to a standstill, a breaking down, or even a getting stuck. A year in which it’s possible for the water energy to help us re-connect with our source. Or to get lost in it’s blurred dimness all the same.
Pure
Big question is how pure, clear, clean and authentic our personal water world is! It touches something that can grow into a theme this year: the element water, taking centre position in the Ba Gua, is moving into the position that is normally ruled by the element 5-earth. That’s a recipe for trouble! Water and earth don’t work well together. They collide into a mud pool of stagnant energy. The result will cause a slowing down, a weariness, a tiredness, a lack of clarity and purpose. It means that in the coming year processes can get blurred, become stuck or even get reversed. Alternative facts and incomplete information that obscure communications add up to the equation making it even harder to find clarity in many situations. This general lack of clarity will have us silt up in a struggle to stay afloat.
Water undermines the basic fundaments of social structures (5-earth). Even the apparent solid structures we’ve built in our own lives, might turn out to be built on quicksand. Ostensible peace and quiet waters suddenly can turn into a tidal wave of emotions that flood the world, our world. A tidal wave of emotions that drown the structures we rely on and soak off the carefully applied social-economical botox. Water undermines the fundaments on which walls are built that separate us. It seeps across borders that keep us confined.
Water is also to cleanse the positive aspects of a structure from its muck and scum. This cleansing process needs to be taken very seriously. Before you know it shadowy emotions control the flow of water and demolish what should be respected as holding our grounds.
This demands the patience to take it slow. To take it step by step. To listen very carefully to your inner voice. It urges to become very, very clear about your own intentions. It urges to learn how to discriminate in a very scrupulous way so you’ll be able to make up your own mind.
Water takes it slow if you let it. If you’re willing to be vulnerable enough. Water brings you to resolution, drip by drip. If you’re willing to let go of the resistance. Water can take you back to source. Your source. If you only allow the waters to cool you and take you down under into your inner world and find comfort there. Don’t resist; get yourself out of the way.
Water’s natural ability is to align itself with other frequencies. Frequencies not always seen in the visible world, but often experienced and sensed in the unseen world; the world of shadows. Despite this ability, water is and stays always true to its own uniqueness. Water knows its own depths. Water knows the mystery of life. Water is, from its own place of sensitivity and darkness, able to connect with the vast and dark space of the universe.
Finding comfort in the realms of your inner water world in a way is finding comfort in and accepting the workings of the universe.
Dikes
Interestingly last November a tv-series called ‘When the dikes burst’ was broadcasted in the Netherlands. It, obviously, outlined what would happen when (yes when, not if) our dikes would burst and water indeed would flood our land. Note that roughly 40% of our inhabitants live in the roughly 30% of the Netherlands that is below sea level, the deepest point being 7 meters below! So you can only imagine what kind of upheaval an event like a flood would cause. When the waters come power, appearance and status quo disappear and we collectively will stand knee high (or higher) in the mud.
It’s the same with the energetic tendencies of 2017. It’s going to be a year in which the dikes of secured social structures burst. Water harbors the power of great destruction. Of major dissolution.
Such a tendency challenges us to no longer look for securities outside of us, but to let them rise to the surface from our own source. This source, in Nine Star Ki, is related to what is very old and ancient. Very pure and authentic. That which outlives lives and bares the essence of who and what we are. Re-connecting with that essence asks to turn inwards. To query yourself. Who are you? Who do you want to be? What do you want to be? What is the essence of your existence? What do you, on an individual level, contribute to this existence, this world? What is the job that suites your authenticity? What inspires you? What is your untapped potential? Which part of you is yet unseen, a source yet unknown?
This might be the year in which the dikes of your personal fortifications burst and your potential floods your life, floods your career, floods your waste away. Floods what you are wasting your time on away.
1-Water in the 5-earth position makes the world fluid, more intuitive. Maybe that is going to be the new movement: a movement of a fluid society in which there’s room for a sensed reality. A reality that is perpendicular to the rationalized, masculine construct that is our world as it is today.
Collision
It however, will take a while before this new world really can come into realization. Because “Predicting isn’t all that hard, shaping the future into manifestation however is” says Frank Kalshoven, economist, in an article in de Volkskrant (Dutch newspaper).
The emotional inner world of water is highly sensitive, intuitive and exceptionally susceptible for external influences. Fear is the big genius that can easily dislodge water from its anchor. Earth of the centre position of the Ba Gua on the other hand is like security self. It finds support in the practical day-to-day ins and outs of existence. Compassion and trust make earth an extremely social and reliable safe-haven. A rock to built on. It however, also exudes power and dominance.
These two elements are each others opposites and like in a ‘was sich liebt das neckt sich’ dance, whirl around each other. Water can loosen up the sometimes rigid, stubborn and conservative earth. Earth is able to support and stabilize the extreme flexibility of water. That is if they can keep to the rules of their daring dance of love. Water’s sensitivities can easily collide with earth’s practicality.
When water loses control and boundlessly overflows, the normally fertile land of earth will be drowned. When earth stubbornly resists change, the source of new life and growth bringing changes will dry up, leaving us like shriveled mummies.
Water, in short, collides with earth. Or vice versa; the result will be the same. For the coming year this result will show an increase of uncertainties and precariousness. Uncertainties as regards us and our own authenticity, autonomy and authority on one hand. Uncertainties as regards everything we thought of so far as being safe, secure and solid on the other hand. We will loose a lot this year! But we can generate great breakthroughs as well!
Since water not only concerns emotions and the unconscious, but also career (as one of the life aspects of the Ba Gua) and any form of transport, we will loose solid grounds or get stuck in those departments too. It is quite possible that we’ll experience the biggest traffic jam ever. At least in the Netherlands!
Water also concerns – or better said represents – us, the people. So a collision between the people on one hand and authority and the established order of 5-earth on the other, is very likely! A popular revolt, for instance in America, will increase feelings of fear and insecurity and undermine the existing foundations of our existence.
The People
The element water – we, the people – represents so to say what we human beings, citizens of the world, think, feel and experience. We are like water; a lot of individual drops that together shape the ocean of humanity. This ocean ripples and babbles and in general has no clear, distinct voice. Plays no distinct role on the world stage and is easily dominated by the captains of industry and politics.
In 2017 however water – we, the people – will take the centre stage. We will make ourselves heard as never before! The elite, the powers that be (5-earth), can pack their bags and leave, or at least will be severely sniped at.
Water – we, the people – will create such an undermining undercurrent, that many fundaments of social and civic structures will be washed away and collapse. Water will turn our earth structures of our established order into an impenetrable mush of quicksand in which any process strands and goes down.
In such a messy, emotional state, the ratio threatens to get adrift like an endangered species. All this water leaves us no choice than to act on slumbering and vague feelings. On unresolved emotions. On motives we are not clear about.
Water undermines the dominating power of the economical 5-earth. That which in the 20th-century definition is described as the study of the control, production and the distribution of scarce goods. Water undermines this for instance by undermining economic forecasts. These forecasts let us believe our intent is to increase prosperity. That we therefore can expect yet more economic growth in 2017. That we acknowledge the economic importance of the EU. That we are able to take well considered and rational choices. And that we, in any given process, are able to control our emotions, specially those of fear, and disqualify them as not relevant and act accordingly.
We, the people, however thrive on this undercurrent of gut feelings, vague sentiments and especially fear. Although we think we don’t. We thrive on this slumbering idea that we are the victims of processes that are beyond our control, played over our heads. That makes our decision making completely erratic. The none expected Brexit, the election of Donald Trump and the growing influence of right-winged sentiments are poignant examples.
In such cases, ‘power becomes vulnerable to the determination of citizens’ as Asha ten Broeke, journalist, recently stated. We, the people, citizens of the world, its us that will change our society and with that our world. Not our leaders! Big question however is whether the impulses of this change are rooted in fear or in the intrinsic trust that the dissolvement of securities also offers opportunities. We, the people, have to face, conquer and eradicate the fears that hold us bound to a cave mentality.
Hope
Ten Broeke also wrote: ‘Hope is based on the premise that we don’t know what is about to happen, and that that insecurity gives room to act.’ Insecurity definitely will be fully present. And so will be the space to act. And to act differently. That’s something that has to start with each one of us. With each individual. With yourself. By returning to your self for instance; what is your source of origin? Where are you still authentic? Where have you complied yourself with prevailing mores (earth)?
Water reminds us of our vulnerability. It teaches us to establish our own emotional centre and remain upright in the everyday humdrum. It reminds us to remember we are the water bearers. We can cleanse the land, the world from the unwillingness that took root by making distinct choices. To distinctively see what doesn’t separate but connects us. That’s where we find hope for the future.
Hope you find in re-sourcing. Of yourself, your work, the way you relate to others and the rest of the word. ‘What works for you?’ is a good question that author Wenske Pasman reminds us of. Being in true contact with your authentic source, deprives fear from the power it has over you. It is merely another way in which water can undermine a dominating power.
Hope is found in the unshakeable trust in the existence of life in which nothing happens without reason and everything happens in service of growth, your growth. This kind of trust although observes this fear, but never lets itself be defeated by it. It is carried by the flow of life, by the flow of universe in which all is one.
Water is the source that harbors the secrets of life.
1-Water in 5-earth generates destruction and at the same time liberates. Liberates from conditioned beliefs. From traditions and secured structures, replacing them with a more fluid, amorphous formlessness. A formlessness that at any given moment can take on a new form of expression. A form that you create after your wishes and ideas. Flexibility at its best! So from which intention, which key qualities do you enter this space, do you start the creation of your new world?
Hope is built on those structures that are worth lasting. It’s found in the structures of our dreams. It’s found in depth-psychology. It’s found in spiritual healing processes. And it’s found in showing fragility.
Hope is connected with the unshakeable knowledge that we, the people, are able to gather our spirits and withstand oppression of our freedom, of our fragility and of our spirituality. We are able to rise up, like a tidal wave, in protection of what is truly dear to us. It is us, the people, that are able to revitalize, replenish our world with progressive innovations.
Yin
The element water, besides all the above mentioned, foremost represents the feminine. The archetypal feminine that is. That which in the never lasting Tao-dance of yin and yang, is the destroying force. What breaks down in order to be able to rebuilt. This is what in fact, turns water into the biggest creational force. A force that is able to tear down even the biggest buildings, the biggest ego-structures created by raging yang dominance. A force that does so from a point of stillness, of softness, from invisibility.
This is the force that can help understand how women, in general, behave. They often carry out their work at the background, combining several tasks in a responsible way. They still, despite improved employment conditions, don’t operate at the top layers of social stratification. They keep quiet when around them cocky roosters try to outsmart each other.
It is this yin, the feminine represented by the element water, that fills the cracks in society and drip by drip trickles down into the economic tissue where it preconditions new growth. Not by planting seeds, but by disintegrating the dense earth lumps. Softening in all its fragility lump after lump, grain after grain. Yin doesn’t hurry but nevertheless softly but determined cracks the basis of our civil society.
It is the archetypal feminine that sparks a serious deterioration of the egocentric patriarchy we have been suffering from too long. Let’s celebrate this determined fragility, this tender strength, this powerful potency. Let’s celebrate the destructive potency of the people! But please let’s do so from a source of purity and sincerity. Not from pain!
Join for a free webinar.
There’s much more to say about these tendencies of the new year. Specially on a more personal level. I like to invite you to join me for a free introductory webinar in which I will explain more about the energetic tendencies of 2017 on a personal level. You can register up here or send me an email for details.
In the coming days detailed tendencies for every individual NineStarKi element will be published in this blog.