The Astrology Book

Tibetan astrology. Like the animals signs, the elements also rotate in strict sequence

from year to year, but unlike the signs, each element holds for two years before chang-

ing. Thus, the elements and signs rotate in combination, the total cycle taking 60

years. The elements are: Wood (air), signifying long life, beauty, good or increasing

energy, mental energy, changeable, and not stable; Fire, signifying strong, instant, hot,

and warmth; Earth, signifying stable, strength, and ground; Iron, signifying strong,

cutting, direct, weapon, changing (it is somewhat similar to earth); and Water, signi-

fying soft, fluid, clear-seeing, flowing, and smooth (often connected to the blood and

emotional concerns).

Element Color Body Function

Wood (Shing) Green Veins Cause to Grow

Fire (me) Red Warmth, Heat To Burn

Earth (SA) Yellow Flesh Stabilize

Iron (Chak) White Bones Hardening

Water (Chu) Blue Blood Moistening

Each year is assigned an element. These elements rotate in a particular order.

Each year’s element is the son of the previous year’s element. In other words, the pre-

vious year is considered to be the mother of the following year.

The relationship table shown below is read as follows: Wood is the mother of

Fire, Fire is the son of Wood, Water is the enemy of Fire, and Fire is Water’s friend.

RELATIONSHIPTABLE

Mother Friend Son Enemy

Wood is Fire is Fire is Water is

Mother of Fire Friend of Water Son of Wood Enemy of Fire

Wood Fire Wood Fire

Fire Water Fire Water

Earth Earth Earth Earth

Iron Wood Iron Wood

Water Iron Water Iron

Element Relationship Pecking Order

There are preferred relationships between the elements. Mother is the best.

Son is the next best. Friend is less important, but acceptable. Enemy is the least desir-

able. Certain elements go (or do not go) well together. Earth and Water are good,

while Wood, Iron, and Fire (in combination) are not as good.

RELATIONSHIPS

Good Relationship

Water is the Mother of Wood

Iron is the Mother of Water

Earth is the Mother of Iron

Tibetan Astrology

[668] THEASTROLOGYBOOK