Year of the Wood Sheep

Looks like a year to cultivate contentment, and find refuge from the chaos, in the harmony found in nature.  The Year of the 2015 Sheep starts February 18-19th and goes to February 7th, 2016.  It coincides with the second New Moon after the Winter solstice.

In Sheep years, there's a return to hearth and home -- this Chinese Zodiac animal and year are associated with the Western Zodiac sign of Cancer.


 

The wee lamb is synonymous with peace, and Sheep have the reputation of being docile, easily herded animals.  That's why the word "Sheeple" has emerged in the lexicon, for people who go along with the program, even if it's leading them to the slaughter.

Chinese astrologers tell us the motto for Sheep is "I depend."  And that in Sheep years, we want to avoid toxic agreements of dependency.  The love of comforts and stubborn resistance to change can lead to a contract of false security.  This can lead to being fleeced, or the target of a predator, who uses your own lack of will against you.  

Another way to look at the Sheep archetype is that it's a rooted and family-oriented creature.  A powerful trend in the Sheep year, then, can be to bloom where planted, and grow hardy with rich sustenance.  It's a yin energy, which fosters growth from giving and receiving true care.

We grow strong when we're aligned with the power of nature and the Earth, and each other in community.  A strong current to ally with in the Sheep year is that of slowing down and being rooted.

  This seems auspicious when things seem to be speeding up, and some sadly grow more disconnected to the real, in favor of the virtual. 

The Sheep Year is a remedy for mania, as we take our time, eat slow food, come to our senses, and disengage from what numbs us from our emotions.  There can be a revival of the arts, and a special focus on what's beautiful.  This is a time to nurture close friendships and family. 

Might and Substance

The strong side of the Sheep is its ability to hang tough and persevere.  In nature, Sheep are out in the elements, some in harsh conditions.  The male Sheep, the Ram, is synonymous with tenacity, pushing through obstacles, scaling heights. 

Astrotheologian Santos Bonacci tells how in religious texts and pre-Christian myths, "Everywhere you go, the hero is the Lamb of God.'  Moses is the Ram; he blows the Ram's horn.  Everyone wants to be the Ram, you see?  Because they want to be the one who has ascended, they've climbed up."

So a complement to the homey grounding of the Sheep, is the fortitude of an animal that climbs mountains.  This is a year to patiently forge ahead, and when necessary push against obstacles.  It can also be a time to hold your ground, and take a stand in your right to live in abundance and peace.

And there's a message too, in the element for the year.  The last two years have been Fire element, and now the (Chinese) element is Wood.  In Chinese astrology "Wood feeds fire" -- there's a chance to find the fuel (substance) for our inspirations in 2015. 

So symbolically, we can declare 2015 one to plant the seeds of inspiration into fertile ground.  The wild energies of the last few years take root, and bloom into tangible, beautiful and harmonious expressions of that passion. 
Year of the Sheep or Goat?
Which is it?  I always saw Goat for my year, which is the year in question.  The Sheep/Goat years are 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027.

This had me confused, until I read here that the Chinese word (yáng) matched to the character for the year translates to "a ruminant mammal, generally with horns on its head."  And that can be a sheep, goat or even a gazelle.  

Look for your Chinese Zodiac Sign.  This is a lucky year for the Sheep/Goats like me, and also for Rabbit, Horse and Pig, which are compatible to the Sheep.

• Lucky colors according to feng shui for 2015 are those related to the Wood element, which are green and brown.  The colors of the supportive Water and Earth elements are also favored, which are blue and black.  Read your 2015 Feng Shui Good Luck Tips for All Chinese Zodiac Signs.
• The Japanese send out New Year's Cards called Negajou with the year's animal featured.  For the first time, the Japanese Postal service referred to an earlier stamp, from 2013, the last Year of the Sheep.  The 2003 stamp shows a Sheep knitting; the 2015 stamp shows it sporting a scarf with this message:  "The scarf, which was in the middle of being made twelve years ago, is now finished."