![\"12](\"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/12-Animals-Chart-with-Stems-and-Branches-300x297.jpg\")
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Chinese almanac-astrology is a practice of observing the ever-revolving cycle of yin & yang, the five elemental qi-phases, and twelve zodiac animal totems that symbolize specific, dynamic qualities of qi.\u00a0 These \u201cHeavenly Stems<\/a>\u201d & \u201cEarthly Branches<\/a>\u201d combine to form a \u201cSexagenary Cycle<\/a>\u201d \u2013 a revolving array of 60 distinct qi-patterns that arise in myriad expressions in space & time.\u00a0 These shapes or patterns spontaneously arise, transform, and resolve as Heaven & Earth interact.\u00a0 In terms of the almanac, we can view these as 60 dimensions of time.<\/p>\n The Stems & Branches combine in Four Pillars based on the movements of the Sun, Moon, & Earth.\u00a0 The Four Pillars are the Year, Moon, Day, and 120-minute Hour – each Pillar revolves through the Sexagenary Cycle, so there\u00a0are\u00a0cycles of 60 years, 60 moons, 60 days, & 60 “hours”.\u00a0\u00a0I have completed a 60-day observation, am 13 years into a 60-year observation, and in 2020 began a 60-moon observation.<\/p>\n Toward the end of 2020, I began publishing Dark Moon Newsletter<\/a>, a complimentary public newsletter introducing the Heavenly Stem & Earthly Branch of the new moon in accordance with classical Chinese almanac-astrology (b\u0101z\u00ec, \u516b\u5b57), along with a corresponding hexagram from the 3,000-year old Zhou Yi Jing to provide additional depth and dynamism on the qi-quality of the coming moon.\u00a0 The system I am presenting uses the actual lunar cycle, based on the Stems & Branches and Zhou Yi Jing hexagram correspondences attributed to the neo-Confucian philosopher Shao Yong of the Song Dynasty.\u00a0 My monthly write-ups serve to bridge these two systems, which I think provides tremendous perspective to further the reader\u2019s study of either system.<\/p>\n The\u00a0qi-descriptions in my newsletters suggest a general auspice for each respective moon; however, we also need to view each moon within the more influential context of the year.\u00a0 The days & hours also come into play, and our capacity to digest this revolving qi is influenced by our own natal chart as well as our conduct.\u00a0 Not to mention other aspects of the almanac and astrology that are beyond the scope of this particular project.<\/p>\n We can observe the almanac in different ways.\u00a0 At the heart of the practice is adapting our conduct to align with the qi of the moment.\u00a0 Observing the almanac \u2013 and its sister practice, divining with the Zhou Yi Jing \u2013 can assist us in navigating the fluctuating auspices of time.\u00a0 The\u00a0purpose of this practice does not center around\u00a0gaining some advantage or reaching some exalted state \u2013 in\u00a0our lineage, we understand that observing and adjusting and expressing appropriately each moment is itself Dao-De<\/a>.<\/p>\n My primary almanac-astrology teacher liked to say that as the Four Pillars (year, moon, day, hour) revolve, it is like a revolving buffet of qi \u2013 the quality is not always the same, and if we want to digest the qi of the moment well, it can help to know something of its quality.\u00a0 But we don\u2019t need to stuff our heads with too much information \u2013 just enough to open our eye to perceive and adjust.<\/p>\n I encourage you\u00a0to study these monthly images to perceive a gestalt “qi-pattern” within yourself and the world around you during each respective moon.\u00a0 But as with everything we do here, hold it lightly and don’t push it too hard.\u00a0 Don’t believe or disbelieve; simply observe and watch for\u00a0the qi-pattern to reveal\u00a0itself.<\/p>\n The purpose of this observation is not\u00a0necessarily understanding the auspice of each specific moon \u2013 mainly\u00a0it’s using the moon cycle as a way to observe these 60 expressions of qi, to spend\u00a0a full lunar cycle contemplating and becoming\u00a0familiar with each sign.\u00a0 After five years we will have become familiar with the full “canon of qi”.\u00a0 We can and I think should also observe these qi-expressions in the cycles of years, days, & hours as our appetite for this practice stirs.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s dive in.\u00a0 I will explain the system bit-by-bit in the moons ahead.\u00a0 Subscribe here<\/a> to join me in this 60-moon project.<\/p>\n Added at Lunar New Year 2024: Introduction to Lunar New Year Talks: Classical Chinese Almanac-Astrology<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Chinese almanac-astrology is a practice of observing the ever-revolving cycle of yin & yang, the five elemental qi-phases, and twelve zodiac animal totems that symbolize specific, dynamic qualities of qi.\u00a0 These \u201cHeavenly Stems\u201d & \u201cEarthly Branches\u201d combine to form a \u201cSexagenary Cycle\u201d \u2013 a revolving array of 60 distinct qi-patterns that arise in myriad expressions … Continue reading “Chinese Almanac-Astrology: 60-Moon Observation”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[28],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/943"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=943"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/943\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1365,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/943\/revisions\/1365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=943"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=943"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/oldoakdao.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=943"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}