Much to my surprise, I have discovered more than one famous Feng Shui personality who has incorrectly perpetuated the wrong Feng Shui New Year date. Contrary to popular belief, the Feng Shui New Year is based on a Solar calendar, not the Lunar calendar.

The Lunar calendar vacillates from year to year by weeks, sometimes occurring at the end of January and sometimes in February. Feng Shui enthusiasts sometimes assume that the New Year will begin according to the Lunar calendar, but there is no excuse for a Feng Shui professional to get this wrong.

There is one form of Chinese Astrology called Zi Wei Dou Shu, which adheres to the lunar calendar. But even the more popular BaZi (Four Pillars of Destiny) Astrology uses the Solar calendar as well. The Chinese solar calendar begins on February 4th or 5th each year, not vacillating by more than a day and calculated down to the minute. This date represents the exact mid-way point between the December Solstice and the March Equinox. February 4th/5th marks a specific date when the Sun and Earth are at a precise distance from each other. And this is true for both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.

When one gains a better understanding of Yin-Yang Theory, The Trigrams, astronomy and Chinese cosmology as it relates to Feng Shui, then it is understood that the solar calendar has to be used. Most classical teachers will announce very early on in their classes that the New Year begins on February 4th/5th, but some Feng Shui celebrities who do not understand the crucial aspect of timing and Xuan Kong Flying Star School will assume that any reference to the new year has to be the lunar cycle.

The solar calendar is also referred to for monthly cycles and for longer cycles like the 20 Year Eras. For example, we are currently living in a time called Period 8. It began on February 4th 2004 and will continue until February 4rd, 2024.

Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian cultures like to celebrate the Lunar New Year with great festivities. But how do we appropriately celebrate a Feng Shui New year? Most people who are aware of the Feng Shui New Year are either trying to figure out on their own or consulting with a professional regarding what kinds of changes they may need to make to their home or business just before or on February 4th. It ends up being more of a time to plan and execute some adjustments to our living or work space than any kind of party or ceremony.

In any given year, typical adjustments to a house could involve the use of water, wood, fire, earth and metal. Because of annual influences, beginning on February 4th/5th, someone might need to change an element from one location to the next. The precise directions within a floor plan have to be determined using a to-scale floor plan and an accurate compass reading.

Let us speak generally about the direction of Southeast. The southeast sector spans from 112.5 degrees to 157.5 degrees, relative to the center of a floor plan. In 2014, there was annual energy residing in the Southeast which for anyone could invite legal problems, gossip, or contractual disputes. The range of course could be vast, from something as minor as a parking ticket to something serious like an IRS audit or worse. During 2014, this particular energy, written in code as the “3 wood star”, could have been weakened with the presence of the fire element. There are a number of ways to represent fire, inconspicuously, such as with boldly red art work, red décor items and accent lighting.

Come February 4th 2015, a very different type of annual influence occupied the Southeast sector which usually does not do well in the company of fire. Instead, the element of metal would have been more appropriate in the Southeast location for 2015. And yet, more than just annual influences are compared in any given direction. We have what I call “permanent” flying stars which have to be taken into consideration as well, along with who is using the area and for what function.

If you want to make a new year’s resolution, you can attempt to start January 1st as so many people do. But in reality, February 4th as a start date has greater potency to assist you in initiating your resolutions. February 4th is when Earth embarks on a whole new relationship with the Sun and it is when people experience a much bigger shift personally and professionally. In fact, for some people the month of January feels like a long hang over from the holiday season, but by February we are better equipped to start manifesting our yearly goals.

Author: Kartar Diamond
Company: Feng Shui Solutions (R) Since 1992
From the Myths and Misinformation Blog Series