These Animals serve as powerful symbolic archetypes, representing universal qualities and influencing individual characteristics. Each Animal sign imparts distinct personality traits to those born under its influence. Detailed psychological profiles of all twelve Animals are explored in dedicated chapters throughout this book.
Tibetan astrological tanka, XIX century
The Five Elements in Tibetan Astrology
The Five Elements represent fundamental cosmic energies manifesting as dynamic principles and potent forces: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. These symbols should not be interpreted literally; for instance, Wood signifies the potency of growth and development rather than a physical tree.
Each Element embodies specific qualities:
– Wood is vitality, growth, creation,
– Fire is an upward movement, heat, passion, joy,
– Earth is stability, fertility, heaviness, concreteness,
– Metal is hardness, coldness, purity, sharpness,
– Water is the moisture, flowability, penetration, cold, night.
The Elements interact through two primary cycles:
Productive Cycle (represented by external arrows):
– Fire generates (produces) Earth
– Earth generates Metal
– Metal generates Water
– Water generates Wood
– Wood generates Fire
Controlling Cycle (represented by internal dashed arrows):
– Fire controls (suppresses) Metal
– Metal controls Wood
– Wood controls Earth
– Earth controls Water
– Water controls Fire
The elemental qualities influence both annual cycles and individual birth characteristics. By understanding these interactions, one can assess the compatibility between a person’s birth Element and the qualities of an upcoming year to predict its potential favorability.
The Five Personal Forces
Every individual possesses five essential forces determined by their birth year:
Vitality, life force (Sok). This is the fundamental life force residing in the heart. It represents the inner energy that sustains life. A weakened Sok can pose a serious threat to well-being.
Body, health (Lü). This force governs bodily strength, health, and physical well-being. It acts as a vessel for life. Our vital energy (Sok) depends on the integrity of this vessel, depends on the health of the body, because our life force can flow out of the body due to diseases and injuries.
Strength, power (Wang thang). This force determines one’s ability to achieve goals, manage circumstances, and create financial stability. A strong Wang Thang enables effective use of talents and opportunities, successful time management, and prosperity.
Fortune (Lung ta). Translated as “wind horse,” this force attracts favorable circumstances, opportunities, and wealth. It harmonizes the other three forces (vitality, health, and strength) and represents the flow of success and reputation. Lung ta is the movement of energy through the human body. When our internal energies are in harmony with the external energies, then fortune becomes our natural companion.