BAT FOLKLORE
Bats and Halloween have a ubiquitous relationship. It maybe due to the nocturnal habits of the bat that bridges the link between the two - after all Hallow’s Eve is a festival that’s celebrated at nightfall. Or as Mayans believe, bats are the guardians of the underworld. Spookiness aside, the winged creature is known to conjure up high levels of anxiety, day or night, for folks with long hair! (Myth No. 1, they don’t get tangled in your tresses). That said, without doubt the humble Bat is steeped in myth, negative omens and superstitions. Yet in some cultures, the omen is of an auspicious nature.
Firstly, it’s suggested should the winged vermin simply fly near you - then apparently someone is trying to bewitch you. And if the nocturnal mammal should dare fly into your house, then it’s a harbinger of death and very bad luck. As is similarly associated with most winged creatures, like birds who enter your home. Bats are also used as a weather omen, so should one hit a building/window, it’s said to signal rain. Or if you spy a colony of bats well before twilight, then it’s a sign good weather is on the way. In Australian folklore, a bat represents an incarnation of a human and to accidentally or intentionally kill the creature, would lead to a shortening of your own life - or a heavy fine, I suspect!
Oh, and if you’re reading this at Halloween and love spooky ghoulish stories, then apparently the right eye of a bat - kept in a waistcoat pocket - will make a man invisible! Which must be rooted in the myth that Bats are blind. And finally if you fear a bat is eyeing you up for their next meal . . . rest assured it probably isn’t, as there are only three species that favour a diet of blood!
FAMILLE ROSE 'HUNDRED BATS' VASE above with GuanGx 6 character mark in Iron Red and of the period (1875-1908) sold for USD $43,750 in a Christie'
Double_Happiness_Five_Bats, courtesy of Cleveland Musuem
Dish with peaches and bats China. From the Metropolitan Museum of Art. public domain
Shou redbats by Patricia Bjaaland Welch. Creative commons
BATS IN FENG SHUI SYMBOLISM
Bat & peach Scroll - two bats, symbolizing Double Happiness while peaches and Bat pairings symbolize good fortune and long life. Pic via Invaluable
Known as a ‘sky rat’ in Asian communities, yet the Bat is a symbol of happiness and joy. The Chinese word for bat (fu 蝠) sounds identical to the word for good fortune (fu 福) making the Bat a popular auspicious symbol. It’s thought that an albino bat can live for a thousand years, thus its body parts have been used in TCM potions as longevity elixirs.
The number of bats depicted is equally as significant to one’s fortune - a pair meaning Double Happiness. While five in Feng Shui terms isn't a particularly favourable number, such a numbered grouping of bats represents the 'Five Blessings' (wufu 五福): long life, wealth, health, love of virtue and a peaceful death. And a bat with peaches as seen above, speaks to a wish for a long and happy life.
In Feng Shui terms, some practitioners use depictions of Bats or Bat shaped ‘trinkets’ as cures. Whilst I appreciate the highest quality artisanship, generally reserved for antiques and original pieces; I do however prefer to use cures/remedies in keeping with a property’s decorative aesthetic and an owner’s design tastes, selecting ‘cures/countermeasures’ that resonate with owners on a personal level.
However, if you do like Chinese antiques then take a look at how Chinese artists have long used Bat motifs to depict good fortune. With antique collectors paying vast sums of money for Chinese antiques, depicting bats. The FAMILLE ROSE 'HUNDRED BATS' VASE above with GuanGx 6 character mark in Iron Red and of the period (1875-1908) sold for USD $43,750 in a Christie's auction rooms in 2013.
ⓒ FENG・SHUi ・iSM 2025 #fengshuiism
Sol and and Luna’s allure have captivated nations and cultures since the dawn of time. And the mystical obscuring of either celestial body’s illumination continues to beguile us today. In times past, the phenomenon of eclipses must have been scary when playing out in our skies. We’ve unpacked the cosmology and folklore behind the ominous occurrences. And the upcoming New Moon marking the Fire Horse’s entrance is solar ring of Fire Eclipse on 17 Feb 2026!
August’s Full moon lunation goes by many names*, depending on your domicile and cultural preference. Named the Red Wyrt, Corn/Barley Moon by Indigenous communities while Chinese folk refer to this lunation as Harvest moon. The calendar month is Osmanthus or Skills (flowers associated with Autumn). You’ll also hear lots of Lunar Eclipse chatter, not visible in Australia but on 28 Aug Luna is technically fullest at 2.18pm in Sydney*(more Full moon times below). Eclipse aside, it’s no ordinary Full Moon.
Happy Chinese Valentine’s Day!
Unlike International lover’s day - aka Valentine’s Day - which follows a set annual date, the Chinese version fluctuates according to the 7th day of the 7th lunar Month, known as the Qixi — Double Seventh Festival. This year (2026) in the Gregorian calendar it falls on 19 August.
This article was written in May 2025 and originally published Oct 2025 for Wellbeing Predictions Almanac 2026.
Snake of 2025 slithers off the podium, with a manifesto hanging in the balance. Yang Fire Horse 丙午 is crowned torchbearer, primed to trailblaze a path to the summit. With an unapologetic entrance on 17 February, a spirited tenure begins. Horse promises powerplays from a playbook written for Black Swans⓵.
FIFA World Cup fever is cranking up. All 12 groups are finalized and 48 countries are in fine tuning mode for the holy grail of titles. Argentina are the reigning champions and a 2026 favourite, but who has the edge astrologically speaking?
This article was originally published by Wellbeing Astrology 2025– Universal Media, Australia
Legend proffers amidst a chaotic flood, the underlying order between Yin and Yang elements was inscribed upon a horse emerging from the River Ho. Since elements wax and wane, over time fire came to represent the point of culminating yang. Reflecting high noon on the midsummer solstice, when solar energies standstill — before slowly declining, seeding yin. This year’s overtly fiery horse frenetically presses the point. Amplifying the interlude between yang and yin. Feng Shui offers respite.
This article Part 1 of 2 was originally published by Wellbeing Astrology 2026– Universal Media, Australia
Aesop pontificated if it’s possible to have too much of a good thing. This year tests the probability. We’ve reached a zenith, an interlude — before crossing the Rubicon
Sport does the heavy lifting in the light relief arena of a fire horse year. Solar Horse year began on 4 Feb 2026, and two days later the 2026 Winter Olympics began seeding a year of sporting events that would dominate the calendar. And we’re only in Q1. Hello Sporting fever.
Depending on your persuasion, the wheel of the year is prefixed by many names — Celtic, Druid, Pagan or Wicca. The familiar graphic has near cult status, bedecking the walls, altars and journals of devotees of the cosmos. In more recent times the ubiquitous image has expanded and morphed into a mystical symbol shrouded in layers of occult, spiritual and religious mystery. Freed from the shackles of cultural and metaphysical associations the Eightfold wheel is more universally appropriate and immediately demystified as sun’s celestial journey mirrored via seasonal cycles.
At sunset on Oct. 31st, the transition point between two luminaries will exchange the baton from day to night. Forget midnight, it’s sunset that marks the close/ beginning of a Celtic day in their calendar. The last day of Oct. is Hallows Eve, (Hallowe’en) a significant Celtic/Pagan festival marker that’s believed to have marked Celtic New Year’s Eve*. While 1st Nov. is Samhain (or Púka’s day). Folks domicile in the S.H shall be celebrating Beltaine’s Eve. Both markers represent two major festivals or Witches Sabbaths; either the beginning of Summer (S.H) or the beginning of the opposing season of Winter in the N. Hemisphere.
Bats and Halloween have a ubiquitous relationship. It’s most likely due to the nocturnal habits of the bat, that link the two - after all Hallow’s Eve is a festival that’s celebrated at nightfall. Spookiness aside, the winged creature is known to conjure up high levels of anxiety, day or night, for folks with long hair! (Myth No. 1, they don’t get tangled in your tresses). That said, without doubt that humble Bat is steeped in myth, negative omens and superstitions. Yet in some cultures, the omen is of an auspicious nature.
National Moon Day
It’s 57 years since man took his first step on the moon on July 20, 1969. And since 1971, the landmark event has been commemorated as National Moon Landing Day. Mans' curiosity to travel to the Moon showed no signs of letting up over the years— as I update this post Artemis II prepares for a take off for a trip to the other side of the moon (2 Apr 2026). So it's little wonder that Luna also intrigued our ancestors — but there's little doubt, it's impact and affect was well known by our forefathers. Today is also a Full Moon in Libra at 1:11pm in Sydney.
The magical charm of trefoil shamrock goes way beyond the fifth century Christian legend of St.Patrick. The three leaf plant (trefoil) is said to be the source of inspiration for the triskele, triple spiral, pagan symbols and beautifully illustrated knot-work illustrated in the Books of Kells. So why is this little plant classed as lucky? And why does it appear in mythology across so many civilizations?
The 15 day long Chinese Lunar New Year festivities will draw to a close, with the Annual Lantern Festival - Yuanxiao Festival - heralding the first Full Moon of the Chinese New Year, in the Year of the Horse.
Have you had your fortune divined this year? Well today is the third lunar day and it’s the traditional day to consult the heavens. But what does a dog, a mouse, a red mouth, a wedding and staying in have to do with the third lunar day of the Spring Festival? Perplexed? I’ve always been intrigued with the symbolism of the colour Red, so in 2021 I pontificated what happens when Valentine’s Day and the third lunar day of the month coincided; also known as ‘Red Scarlet day’!
Every year I try catch a DRAGON / LION DANCE (舞狮 wǔ shī) to mark the Lunar New Year. Spectacularly loud and boasting vivid colours, they are definitely an invigorating sight. It’s maybe a familiar sight to Western eyes but it draws a frown, followed by the covering of ears. But the deafening sound, is a necessary part of the tradition.
Find out why . . . .
IIf January’s New Year resolutions have fizzled out, tune into the Chinese Lunar New Year as the Year of the Fire Horse makes its final transition on 17 Feb. 2026. Lunar New Year follows Moon (Luna) cycles therefore commencing under a New Moon. The upcoming lunation is the second New Moon AFTER the Winter Solstice which dictates the beginning of the Lunar New Year. It also kick starts the more widely known and celebrated of the Lunar New Year festivities - beginning a two week long Spring Festival. Li Chun is a Solar Festival marker which occurred on 4 Feb 2026 seeding the Chinese Solar New Year and Fire Horse official debut.
It's time to celebrate the Polarity of Seasons again. Phenologists will appreciate, when the dog days of summer bring balmy humidity, I know my internal barometer is in sync with seasons! The dog days of Summer coupled with the end July (or Jan in S.H), are both calendar and celestial indicators; a midpoint point between Solstice and the next Equinox and the heliacal rising of Sirius the Dog star. This crucial time on the Celtic Wheel of the Year is a time of Harvesting nature’s bounty, known as Lughnasadh, an Autumnal festival marker.
I’ve remained tight lipped about the Kondō convos for a while now. But I’ve been prompted to chime in from a Feng Shui perspective.
Disclaimer, I’ve not read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up book by Marie Kondō but I’ve watched her Netflix series and encountered the KonMari social media frenzy. Admittedly, I tend to rebel against mainstream crazes, but when conducting my own personal annual preparations for the Solar New Year on Feb. 4th (not to be confused with Chinese Lunar New Year) I decided to check out the best selling author.
I’ve been musing…. and it’s led me to Mistletoe’s door. Are we entering the Age of Mistletoe or The Return of the Druids? Mistletoe, the little freeloading plant that has remarkably synchronicities and on point themes that weaves a symbolic narrative of the prevailing astro weather. Even main stream media covering the cosmic skies with chatter of the Great Conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn; exact back on the December Solstice in 2020. My mistletoe musings unearthed some fascinating lore, far more interesting than stolen kisses, dare I say. And if we were living in bygone times the Xmas staple would be the Ancient’s secret weapon to this current health situation.
The December Solstice, is known as the Winter Solstice in Northern Hemisphere; but since December is a Summer month in the Southern Hemisphere, 21 Dec is a Summer Solstice. As I currently live in Oz; the longest day of the year beckons. Both Solstices’ always reminds me of my Celtic homeland roots. I miss celebrating classic winter Yuletide vibes when the December Solstice occurs Down under - a warm Xmas is mind bending for this European!
Seasonal Greetings to one and all.
This year give a gift with meaning. If you’re drawing a blank when it comes to choosing the perfect seasonal gift, then we've got an awesome suggestion. Give the gift that keeps on giving Good Sheng Qi - positive, prosperous abundant vibes.
Everyone needs a friend. Some prefer the furry or feathered kind and some favour mankind, but have you ever considered the Plant Kingdom as your friend? In Chinese plantlore a specific group of three plants are called the Three Friends of Winter.
Moon, the night-time celestial luminary holds great significance in the Chinese calendar system. Nowadays, lunas passage through the sky pretty much determines China’s cultural and religious festivals and the solar component is used for timings in Bazi and the 24 solar terms. The upcoming Frost / Cold Moon in Gemini (2025) is especially significant to Taoist devotees, as this Full Moon marks the Xia Yuan Festival. There are five Full Moon centric festivals of note in the Chinese calendar. Two of which are more widely celebrated. All five Moon festivals occur on the 15th day of a Chinese lunar month as it guarantees Luna’s fullest splendor.
So when should you unfurl tissue wrapped baubles and detangle last years lights? It depends as Yuletide is steeped in a seasonal cocktail of tradition, folklore, personal bias and how long your eyes can handle the visual display. Shopping malls may well be dripping with ubiquitous tinsel tinged displays . . . but has the “magic” that surrounds true Yuletide faded?
PEACE DEAL — Firstly, this is not a political post just a little ponder on some verbatim astro in motion.
As the year draws to a close we’ve all become familiar with Elemental friction between the two elements in the annual pillar Wood & Fire (Snake) something I highlighted in my 2025 forecasts. “Fire is the child of wood; a metaphorical match offers momentary flashes into the future, a light bulb moment." Striking deals is another obvious manifestation - and arguably a more relevant than the ubiquitous and overly reliant theme of ‘shedding’ that flooded the socials as a key theme. Snake is not the only animal that sheds; Tiger, Monkey and Pig the other zodiacal ‘growth’ animals all shed. Also it’s the elemental union of Heavenly Stem and Animal sign that offers the most accurate analysis. I digress, back to deals 😉
Remembrance Day is a Memorial day that falls on 11 November to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty. Originally evolving out of Armistice Day. On the 11th hour, of the 11th day, in the 11th month, folk stop for a minute silence to remember those no longer with us. In Australia, Anzac Day is reserved for veneration of fallen service men and women during World War One - it falls on April 25th annually - Lest we forget. Rosemary and Remembrance, features heavy on both days. With a swag of benefits, Rosemary’s uses got way beyond it’s culinary uses.
Globally Remembrance Day falls on November 11th and on the 11th hour of the day, folk often stop to remember those no longer with us. In Australia Anzac Day is reserved for veneration of fallen service men and women during World War One - it falls on April 25th annually.