See Part ONE of 2023 and Part TWO of our Annual Predictions Forecast written in March 2022, released and published in Sept 2022 for @Wellbeing Magazine Astrology 2023.

8 Oct 2023 — Yang Water Dog 壬戌 month kicks off on 8 Oct @9.17pm (Beijing). While the Ninth Lunar month in the Chinese Calendar; known to the Ancients as Chrysanthemum month, will commence under 15 Oct., New Moon Eclipse @4:55am Sydney (more times below*). This month is oft depicted in paintings by the pairing of a dragonfly and chrysanthemums — the quintessential flower of Autumn. Or as above, via Black Dog, as elementally Water is associated with the colour black. So how will man’s favoured companion, guide us through October’s dense terrain?

🐕 YANG WATER 壬戌 DOG Month :: 8/9 OCT. — 8 NOV.

Dog month is the last hooray of Autumn; a seasonal transition that bridges a path toward Winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Like many, I was glad to bid adieu to Rooster month; this Month is less in your face—but Dog month is akin to a silent assassin.

Earth month’s are placeholders for transition. While the elemental shift from intense Monkey and Rooster Metal months is welcome, the shift to Yang Water 壬 over Earth Dog 戌— will feel exhausting and draining. Autumnal Metal still prevails; Dog’s home is NW on the Compass, so still under elementally rulership of metal, with a sliver hidden for good measure. In fact the Dog sector is one of three Assassins (aka three killings directions) this year! Yet the Canine of the Zodiac also duals as the Rabbit’s annual soul mate . . . Dog is both friend and foe, bringing mixed blessings, dependent on whether it’s your favourable element or not. And, this month offers a little insight to what next year’s Dragon will deliver in 2024; the Water Dog month pillar is a Fan Yin (clash) with next year’s Wood Dragon.

In Eastern culture, the hounds yard stick points to stoic loyalty; with a dash of anxiety. Seasoned dog lover’s know their hounds howl signals our attention to what’s incoming. Take a cue from pooches deep growl — switch to alert mode. In BaZi (Chinese astrology) Man’s best friend is a Nobleman to — NO man — not even his owner. Loyalist to a point, but he can turn dog whenever. Former watchdogs, turn whistle-blowers.

Astrologically speaking, Dogs monthly tenure nods to set backs and delays; unlike last months head on opposition, this will feel more sideways, knocking you off balance. Themes of immovable and stalemate will linger, akin to being stuck in quick sand or wading through mud. You’ll need to work harder to surmount this hump month. Those born in years ending with ‘3’ you’re wallet may get a workout. Be savvy and direct expensive toward things that benefit you and loved ones. Ladies born in years ending ‘9’ cupid could have you in his sights. Requited love maybe in the air for some, but for others extramarital entanglements maybe on the horizon. Leaving some forlorn and abandoned; licking wounds and seeking shelter, vowing hermetic ways from here on in. Paralysis by analysis is probable.

On personal fronts and collectively, the shift in focus to Dog’s NW sector highlights male figureheads, father figures and patriarchs. The NW sector also stirs up themes of ‘Helpful people and support’. So globally and locally, friendships and alliances will be topical. The gnarliest sectors this month - is North, with an irksome intensifier. One’s career maybe in the spotlight. Dog’s NW sector is however, also home to the annual irritant aka #5.

ISRAEL/HAMAS OBSERVATIONS

As Man has taken Dog's freedom, the quest to open the Gates to Freedom, will be tangible. At the time of writing, Rooster month draws to an end, poised to hand the baton to Dog month – and the Israel/Hamas tensions is triggered. In my annual forecast (for @wellbeing Astrology Magazine, written and researched back in March 2022) I wrote of ‘Yin Water Rabbit’s legacy. Sixty-year cycles, unfurl against a fractious backdrop of warfare, undisclosed secrets couched in political and social unrest . . . It would seem that this month, canine calamity triggers. ‘Clandestine tension conceals undercurrents. Thunder brings breakthroughs. The picture clearer if viewed via its Annual Hexagram #49 – Revolution. The shedding of an earlier order brings the dewy dawn of a new frontier. The outcomes chequered; chess mastery, the secret weapon’. By all accounts this metaphorical chess move was planned, occurring on the significant Jewish festival of Sukkot — akin to Thanksgiving or Mid Autumn festivals when family’s return to homesteads to celebrate. Noting I’d flagged 6 Oct on my social media post that three Rooster would line up and the day would pack a punch(chart below)! Rooster has strong military associations. Obviously behind the scenes the clandestine invasion was unfurling. The Hamas invasion began early Saturday morning, 7 Oct 6am/6:30am that’s during Rabbit hour. I wrote the following back in March 2022;

‘Under the shadows of dawn, the networker of the zodiac is adept at resurrecting underground movements. Bunny’s lesson — foresight — knowing when to advance, and when to retreat’.

The 7 Oct., chart of the moment (see below) had a Rabbit hour (and year), a Yang Earth Dog day pillar brings the Star of Blood, also known as a ‘Fai Kong' pillar which nods to resilience, strength and in natal charts, being principled. Couched in a firm stance mode, the opportunity to show compromise or willingness to surrender lingers in the ether. The 戊戌 Earth Dog pillar is also one of the ‘Ten Destruction' pillars; classically this implies significant disasters, defeat due to retreating in times of trouble. The aforementioned themes of stubbornness, immovable and stalemate vibes will weigh heavily as feelings of being confined and stuck reverberate. And Rooster months parting statement, brings the 'Sui Po' star that classically indicates destruction, turbulence, conflict and losses. Roosters have military uprising associations and symbolic ties to Army- building on the trio of Roosters legacy the day prior.

In the 2023 monthly Dog chart a fiery #9 star is the central theme. Granted this can imply Joy but it’s also themed as inflaming, igniting, acting as an accelerator teasing out malevolence qualities, tinged with dare I say the baggage of warfare. The Middle East tensions – from a Chinese astro lens occurs under a ‘bull sha’ ; conflict signatures resides in the East sector of 2023 chart (rabbit’s home is cardinal East – Middle East). This month, the military themes layer up in east sector with #7 adding to the mix; robbery tinged with military conflict. Why now, why here? Every country has it’s own natal chart- the UN State of Israel was founded in 1948, an Earth Rat year; it’s triggered in a Rabbit year. Rat and Rabbit are not ideal bedfellows, bringing an ingratitude punitive vibe, pinged again later this year. While Dog and Rat bring a sacrificial quality. Country leaders birth charts also influence events and Benjamin Netanyahu also has a Dog in his chart. The opposition leader, Benny Gantz has this month’s exact dog pillar as his day pillar — Yang Water Dog!

While researching my 2023 forecast I wrote ‘Rabbit's moves follow the fate shaped by predecessors —1939 going to war, 2011 ending one’. Just two dates of military tinged tone to Rabbit Year. The 2023 Annual Tai Sui (governor) is Pi Shu, a war strategist, known to quell invasions and secure borders; without causing harm. Rabbit is know to shows ‘indifference to change, until impacted personally. Conflict-averse diplomacy is however the favoured position’. I’ve said it before, Rabbits have an inability to take sides and align with you on something. Making decisions that the court of public opinion will see as taking the easy or winning side. Yet Rabbit also has sacrificial tendencies; offering itself to the full moon in folklore, so it may fall on its own sword.

Our saving grace maybe couched in the mythological association of Canine of the Chinese Zodiac, known as a Guardian; think Fu dog figurines. Likened to Anubis in the Egyptian ‘Book of the Dead’ it’s fitting given Dog month (8 Oct - 8 Nov) also spans Samhain / Halloween the Celtic Festival of the Dead. It’s no coincidence that compass wise, Dog position sits NW— known as guardian of Heaven’s Gate, where the Summer Sun sets, and dips below the horizon in the Northern Hemisphere. Israel’s Major General, Ghasan Alyan is quoted as saying Hamas has “opened the gates of Hell”. In Chinese metaphysics NE is deemed Hell's Gate.

No doubt the emotive topic of Land and Country will continue to play out. Dog’s palpable sense of being duty bound and servitude has unleashed the dogs of war, and dog tags affinity to combat. Thoughts of crossing the line, as Land locked States & Countries, reflect on notions of being in exile, boxed in and pent up. Harsh confrontations are likely and the quest to cross the great divide stirs deep within.

To sum up. Dogs are loyal to a fault, but generally only to their owner. Blessed with a nose to sniff fragrant lies and lay secrets bare. Skeletons fall from closets. With a Solar eclipse on the horizon it’s intense. Eclipses in Chinese cosmology were viewed as a scene from Heaven, and thus reflected how a nation should be arranged on Earth - as above, and so below. Emperors ruled in China’s Imperial Courts, only with the support of the Heavenly cosmos. Thus Emperors were regarded as conduits between Heaven and Earth, so via Chinese cosmology eclipses were perceived as bad omens for Imperial rulers, no longer supported by the ‘Mandate of Heaven’. A solar eclipse story follows the lore that when the ‘yang’ sun - symbolic of the Emperor, was dominated and obscured by the ‘Yin’ moon, symbolic of the Empress - then the Emperor's light (i.e his reign) was extinguished.

‘What’s concealed is revealed — when we dig deep’◘

You can read my forecast written in March 2022, released and published in Sept 2022 for @Wellbeing Magazine Astrology 2023. see links in bio. Our 24 solar terms blogs, are available separately. You’ll find the corresponding 17th SOLAR TERM term here. And for S.H peeps, the the seasonal vibes of the 5th Solar term is worth a read.

— NEW Moon in LIBRA —

CHINA 15 Oct 1.55am
DUBLIN 14 Oct. 6:55pm
SYDNEY 15 Oct. 4:55am
NEW YORK 14 Oct. 10:55am