Kung Hei Fa Choi!
Here in China we are celebrating the Lunar New Year and like many I am wondering what will the year of the tiger bring to the world of events?
Crystal balls, stars signs and common sense all have their place when making predictions about the future. Over the past two years while on “sabbatical”, I have had time to dig deeper into the I-Ching and the flying star school of Feng Shui.
No I have not gone ‘covid mad’ in isolation. I have long had an interest in Feng Shui and how it can be used in designing events. Although classified as a pseudo-science because the core principle of “chi” cannot be proven, we know that energy in an event experience can be manipulated simply by choosing a good location, changing elements in a space or by choosing a good time. An event held on a Tuesday night will have a very different energy than one on a Friday. The surrounding responsibilities of Tuesday will make an event much more serious, better for a grounded and productive meeting whereas a Friday may be better for a dance party. A speech from a stage placed in a central focal point will always get more attention than a stage in the corner of the room out of easy view. So, we know that time and place have huge effect but what about other more subtle factors like gravitational pull? One thing I always check when choosing a date for a social event is the phase of the moon. When a full moon is waxing (coming) people are more outgoing and events more outward (yang) energy. Some may say I am mad for thing that moons effect mood but philosophers throughout time have blamed the full moon for many things and after all it is where the word ‘lunatic’ comes from.
Time, space and gravity have influence on the energy that create experience. Perhaps the 2000 year old pseudo science of Feng Shui can help when making decision about event design?
Today February 4th 2022 is the first day of the Water-Tiger, it is the exact mid way point between the spring equinox and the winter solstice. In Christianity it is known as Candlemas, in Celtic the tradition it was called Imbolc meaning ‘lambs milk’ (beginning of lambing season), it is also part of the where we get our groundhog day tradition.
In Feng Shui seasons and natural elements combine together to influence our earthy existence. Symbols and elements are used to convey meaning and influences. Earth, wood, water, metal, fire, male, female as well as the 12 animals each with their own characteristics are combined with the directions and time to create myriad of possible influencing energies. So 2022 is a yang-water-tiger year but the day is a yang-fire-pig day in the month of a metal ox. Generally in the Asian traditions we look for harmony and balance. Earth creates metal, water comes wood which feeds fire back to earth. Water and fire are conflict as is metal and wood. So you could say that a yang water day in a yang fire month will be hot and cold whereas a wood day in a water month will be less conflicted. In addition to the times each person and even buildings have different influences depending on their time of birth. The layers of possibilities for reading become deep.
2022 is a yang water tiger year. The tiger is in the wood group so you could say 2022 is like a boat surrounded by water. The water is yang so it is moving water like a river or ocean as opposed to a calm lake. A boat on rough water conjures images of exploration, risk, adventure and hope. Wood and water have a supportive nature so this year will be more harmonious as opposed to 2020 and 2021 with metal and water and water and earth combinations causing conflict. The wood water of 2022 will help resolve conflict and bring more world harmony. The cold dark water and the metal combined with the lack of fire in 20 and 21 brought a mood of fear and distrust. Tiger wood is the beginning of yang fire that will bring warmth, happiness and positive energy.
The event industry is driven by fire. As fire is in the beginning of a cycle the event industry will not see fast or big growth however as fire has been absent for the past 3 years we will see more support and recovery. With the tiger producing wood which symbolizes creativity and growth we will see more creative activities and art. This will also influence and drive entertainment and events. Tiger is also a ‘traveling star’ which means people will begin to move around again. The full fire element does not return to full glory until 2025 but like the start of a fire it starts small and then slowly catches until it burns bright.
As we float in our boat on the sea we must remember that too much yang water can be thought of as rough seas. There may be impulsive and rough actions with little consideration. This could cause skirmishes and even war. The cycles repeat every 60 years our last wood tiger year was in 1962. That year brought us close to world war 3 with the Cuban missile crisis but it also brought the first oral polio vaccine as well as the launch of Bob Dylan and the Beatles careers. 1962 also brought many storms including Typhoon Wanda in Hong Kong, flooding Germany and Barcelona as well as the Columbus Day Storm which killed 46 people in the Northwest US.
In general, the yang water tiger year will bring growth, creativity and movement that will drive recovery of the events industry. It will also bring a joyful mood that will increase the appetite for entertainment and art. However we will not suddenly be “back to normal” and we should anticipate stormy weather and always have a back up plan.
I wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous year of the tiger!
