Ready for the ride?

by majorie chiew

Power up: An LED-lit horse at the Kek Lok Si temple in Penang. The Horse takes centre stage as
the ruling animal zodiac until Feb 4, 2015.
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Feng shui experts give their take on what the Year of the Horse has in store.
THE Year of the Horse will be full of vigour and will be marked by increased productivity and
prosperity. The global economy will continue to improve, says feng shui expert David Koh,
founder of Malaysian Institute of Geomancy Sciences.
The world economy appears to have bottomed out as predicted last year, and is slowly
recovering, says Koh.
Industries that fare well will be Water- and Metal-related. Water-related industries include
insurance, finance, banking, fisheries, sea freight, trading, night entertainment, and businesses
such as coffee shops, launderettes, spas and gyms.
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The Metal-related sector covers the legal profession, civil service, defence and security,
engineering, machinery, gas and petroleum, mining, automobile, transport, aerospace, airlines,
sports goods, air courier services and tourism.
However, Wood (eg textile, clothing and publishing) and Fire (eg energy and entertainment)
industries will not fare too well.

Water- and Metal-related industries will fare well this year, says feng shui expert David Koh.
Though Earth-based industries (eg construction, housing and property) will experience a
slowdown, Koh is confident that the property bubble, if there is one, will not burst in 2014.
The weather is the biggest concern for the year, says Koh.
The first half of the year will be scorching hot, affecting not just the environment but people as
well. Dry coughs, respiratory and gastrointestinal problems and heat strokes are expected to
rise, says Koh.
There may be more volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
He foresees the second half of the year will be cool with cold, dry winds.
Sudden thunderstorms may break out but generally the earth will be dry. Agricultural produce
may be affected and commodity prices may rise, says Koh.
People may be more hot-tempered in 2014 and this does not bode well for world peace.
Conflicts in the Middle East may escalate and spread to other countries in the region. Closer to
home, conflicts may break out over disputed islands in the South China Sea following claims by
China. Then there is the dispute between Japan and China over the Senkaku islands.
Another concern in South-East Asia is the incidence of plenty of water.
The previous time we predicted plenty of water was in the North-East sector and that year, the
tsunami struck Fukushima in north-eastern Japan. This year, a similar disaster or massive floods
may hit New Zealand, Australias west coast, parts of Indonesia and the Philippines.
The Fire element dominates the year and fire is symbolic of optimism. Raymond Lo, Hong
Kongs foremost geomancer, believes that the strong Fire element and the energy of the Horse
will drive up the economy and the stock market. Fire also denotes optimism.
The Horse year will be an energetic year for businesses related to energy, airlines, space
exploration, sports, food and entertainment. It will also be a year of travel for many people, says
Lo.
However, he cautions against accidents related to air and sea travel.
In traditional Chinese medicine, the Fire element relates to the heart and circulatory system. Lo
warns of health problems related to the heart, lungs, skin and blood poisoning.
According to flying star feng shui, star No.4 will be in the centre this year. As No.4 represents
the Rooster, there may be a bird flu scare. No.4 is also associated with the Wood and Wind
elements. So be prepared for more disasters related to the wind.
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Flying stars change on a nine-year cycle, explains Lo. The last time star No.4 was at the centre
was in 2005. That year, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast of the United States. It left
behind a trail of death and destruction, and was said to be the costliest natural disaster in the
history of the United States.
Star No.4 also represents Peach Blossom; romances will flourish and more sex scandals will
come to the fore. Glamour industries such as fashion, beauty, movie, advertising and media will
prosper.

Single-Stroke Horse by James Phua. Look out for more of Phuas paintings in this Sundays
Star2.
Bad star No.5 is in the North-West, while No.2 is in the East. Both locations are easily affected
by the bird flu virus, Lo warns.
The most dangerous star to watch out for is star No.5, otherwise known as Five Yellow. This
star symbolises obstacles and misfortunes which arrive at the North-West, says Lo. Hang a
metal windchime in the north-west of the house to neutralise this bad energy. The worst months
are June, August and September.
Star No.2 symbolises sickness. Hang a string of six metal coins in the east of the house to
deflect this bad energy.
The Grand Duke is in the South this year. So it is not favourable to have substantial construction
work in this location.
Avoid sitting with your back facing North as you will be up against unfavourable energy called
Three Killings.
Bad star No.3, a star of conflict and robbery, is present in the south-east of the house. Put a piece
of red paper in this location to minimise its negative influence. Bad star No.7, which represents
scandals, is in the North-East. Place three stalks of bamboo plant in a glass vase in this location.
The presence of the star called Red Charm symbolises a stunner who is out to lure men, so be
forewarned.
People born in the Year of the Snake, Rooster and Ox, can look forward to an interesting social
life and there will be ample opportunities to befriend the opposite sex, says Lo.
Those born in the Year of the Horse are at risk of offending the Grand Duke and may be plagued
by worries and suffer relationship problems and health issues.
Rat people also clash with the Grand Duke and will be affected by more movements and
travelling, says Lo. However, he assures them that its fine to take chances and make necessary
changes such as moving house or office, changing jobs or going on trips. (Those born under the
Monkey zodiac can also expect to travel more.)

The Horse year will be an energetic year, says Hong Kong feng shui master, Raymond Lo.
Lo advises the Rat to be extra careful and keep away from risky sports and fast cars. Rat people
should minimise travelling directly towards the South, the direction of the Grand Duke this year.
Both Horse and Rat people are advised to carry a Goat pendant to minimise any negative forces.
The Horse is a Noble Man for those whose birth year ends with the number 1 (eg 1951, 1961,
1971, 1981, 1991). Noble Man refers to guardian angels who will come to your rescue in times
of trouble.
Lo says 2014 is reminiscent of a yang Wood year, 1954, based on a 60-year cycle. This years
Wood Horse marks the coming of a full cycle. It is symbolised by Wood sitting on top of Fire. As
wood fans fire, it would appear that these elements complement each other.
But this is not so, says Lo. 2014 is influenced by yang Wood which symbolises a stubborn tree
(unyielding to compromise), while the Horse represents a powerful fire energy.
So the year may be marred by international conflicts, fierce battles, explosions, fires and
shipping disasters. The Earth may even be hit by meteors.
The Horse, says Lo, is associated with the month of June or peak of summer which is packed
with fire energy. It has hidden yin fire which can trigger fiery disasters and volcanic eruptions.
The dangerous months are February and June.
We experienced the same yang Wood Horse in 1954 and 1894, and there were serious conflicts
which went down in history, says Lo. And in 1954, a 4kg meteorite fell onto a house in
Alabama.
Feng shui expert Jane Hor says 2014 is not a good year compared to last year.

Lion dances are an integral part of Chinese New Year celebrations around the world. EPA
Feb 4, the start of spring, is not a good day as it has too much Wood and Fire elements. People
tend to get into hot and sticky situations and are likely to be hot-tempered, impulsive and may
make wrong decisions. This scenario may prevail throughout the year.
Hor points out that this Year of the Horse has double spring days Feb 4, 2014, and Feb 4, 2015
and a leap month or yoon yit (in Cantonese). According to the Chinese calendar, there will be
two ninth lunar months one starts on Sept 24, and the other, a leap month, starts on Oct 24.
Hor says it is widely believed that the leap month brings harmony and women who want to start
a family will conceive easily.

Hor encourages people to participate in joyous occasions. If your luck is down, attend happy
occasions such as weddings, house-warming and full moon parties to boost your luck.
Feng shui master Gan Wai Kwang predicts that this year, violence will escalate, following riots
and demonstrations. China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States are some of
the countries which may be affected.
According to flying star feng shui, sickness stars will fly to the North-West and East sectors.
Countries like China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States as well as those in
the European Union may be affected by the flu virus. However, the situation will be under
control.
There will be a rise in accidents and casualties compared to previous years and this includes
accidents involving automobiles, planes and fires in highrise buildings, and the collapse of
bridges.
With the Three Killings in the North, some places may be affected by bad weather. Russia, China
and Thailand may have to brace for extreme cold weather, while countries like Australia and
New Zealand may be in for a spell of hot summer which could trigger forest fires.
Harvests may be affected by the extreme weather conditions, resulting in food shortages.
Gan adds that the electronics industry (eg computer industry) could face stiff competition,
resulting in layoff of workers. On the bright side, consumers may stand to benefit from relatively
cheaper electronic goods.

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