Water Tiger
Lunar New Year of the Water Tiger ~ New Moon in Aquarius
1st February 2022 – 21st January 2023
Starts with 12° Aquarius New Moon February 1st @ 6:45UT
“I learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.”
~ Nelson Mandela
Heavenly happenstance sees the Aquarian New Moon and the Lunar New Year of the Yang Water Tiger, at the same time as the astrological once-a-year intellectually determined and dramatically transformational ‘Fixed Air’ Cross Quarter point! A Cross-Quarter ‘Solar Fire Festival’ signals changing seasons, currently from Winter to Spring in the Northern hemisphere, marking a time to tend the fire of light (within); and from Summer to Autumn in the South, giving thanks for the abundant harvest Sun’s life-giving light on earth brings.
Being blessed with a ‘Light Festival’, at the same time as the Lunar New Year of the Water Tiger, accents and nurtures our own internal light to grow – and glow. Hold that beam. Because when both Sun and Moon emphasise such special turning points in the Soliluna calendar, it potentises the cosmic energy field to double charge any potential good fortune. And this is timely, as 2022 is the Tiger year is when fortunes can be made – and lost.
The Water Tiger has not been seen for 60 years, since 1962, and won’t be around again until 2082. All Tiger years tend to start in spectacular fashion because the majestic ‘King of Beasts’ is awesome, wild and rare. Although, by using intuition as well as instinct, the affectionate but in-no-way timid Water Tiger is less inclined to be as extreme as other elemental Tigers. A Water Tiger is territorial, brave and passionate, powerful and playful. Think ‘Tigger’ rather than ‘Shere Khan’. With a sharper than average emotional intelligence, the open-minded Water Tiger also knows one must be realistic to survive in the jungle and be in one’s flow. Indeed, pragmatism – especially with shared high-risk ventures, friendships and business, is recommended throughout the year.
This Aquarian Lunar New Year sees the Sun and Moon also conjoined by taskmaster Saturn, the weighty Lord of Karma, making this a rather serious and sombre start to the oriental Lunar New Year. Moving from the steady and dependable Metal Ox into the bold and dramatic Tiger may even take a while to get going. Yet due to the added influence from a decidedly resolute ‘Fixed-Cross-Quarter’ the Lunar New Year of Water Tiger instils new enthusiasm to be calm, strong and steadfast and ‘hold one’s space’ with a dignified inner-peace before springing into action – when the time is right.
Watching and waiting for the right moment, the Water Tiger can also procrastinate – and if left too late to dive or pounce, then takes imprudent and unpredictable risks. Feisty and impatient powermongers would do well to take note: when we couple Tiger’s curious art of lingering with Saturn’s innate caution, it will help in the long run and prevent major disasters. According to Chinese folklore, Tiger also protects against thieves, fire and evil spirits.
Synchronistically, Tiger is associated with the zodiac sign Aquarius, a future orientated symbol of hopes and wishes, space and technology, experiments and freedom, as well as group orientated activity where individual talent contributes to the whole. This, therefore, is a year to take extra care of influential friendships that represent humanity’s desire to come together and build a brighter tomorrow – with Water Tiger leading the way.
Tiger’s planet is Venus, the planet of love, recently forward from apparent retrograde motion, which is auspicious for the Tiger seeking love and romance: Boars, Dogs, Rats, Sheep and Roosters are Tiger’s favourite companions. All six signs can also fare well in the Tiger’s year.
☆ Though it must be said, the Rat needs to be extra patient this year in all areas, especially with money matters.
☆ With hard work and cultivated, helpful support, the Dog can have a winning year.
☆ Boars also need to keep a firm eye on finances, especially rolling high-risk investment.
☆ This is a good year for Sheep, even if the domestic situation conflicts with a busy work year: remember to take a break!
☆ This could be a most eventful year for Roosters who strut their funky stuff and don’t overstep the mark.
☆ For a Monkey in the Tiger past karma (good or bad) could come back to test their tolerance. Best hang fire on major expansion and consolidate resources.
☆ A thirst for entertainment and distraction could bring unforeseen expenses for a flamboyant Horse, who would also do well to curb temper and attitude.
☆ Without being too much of a people-pleaser, i.e. you can still do your own thing while relationships go smoothly for a Snake who can look on the bright side of life; helping others will also help the Snake.
☆ A challenging year for the Dragon who must keep integrity intact under all circumstance: and exercise patience at work, home and play.
☆ Diplomacy, respect and moderation works for the Rabbit this year, who could get caught up in expensive legalities if not careful.
☆ For the dependable Ox, it is an auspicious year for contracts, romance, and marital affairs.
☆ Traditionally the Tiger can have many challenges during their own year, but nothing they cannot overcome with their innate courage and a little bit of good cheer, luck, and serendipity.
Still, the authority of Saturn in Aquarius throughout 2022 and the Water Tiger Year (Saturn changes signs March 2023) means there are bound to be major obstacles for us all to confront, such as fear, anger, and oppression. Yet with unconditional confidence, the sensual Water Tiger reminds us to be assertive, direct and gently forceful. Interestingly, in Tibet the Tiger is a symbol of ‘meekness’, possessing a humility that is less complicated by ego desire and therefore able to show loving kindness and compassion more easily towards others.
This quote is from a recently departed wisdom teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh, the ‘Father of Mindfulness’, (who has a cosmic connection to Tiger’s planet Venus (Thay has a Venus ruled Libra Sun conjunct Venus) and exemplifies the essential qualities of the Tiger year: “If you crave acceptance and recognition and try to change yourself to fit what other people want you to be, you will suffer all your life. True happiness and true power lie in understanding yourself, accepting yourself, having confidence in yourself.”
Should events and situations in what could be an emotionally profound and deeply moving Water Tiger year teach us to be our true selves, then rest assured all goes well.
Bear in mind how in days of yore, Tibetan and Indian Tantric practitioners would meditate upon a Tiger Rug, but not nowadays, however. A 21stC meditator is environmentally aware of the rarity and scarcity of the magnificent beast and that taming the tiger within, which is symbolic of one’s personal power and fearlessness, is just as easily attained sitting on a sustainable wool Tiger pattern rug. Indeed, Goddess Durga is often seen riding her Tiger; and Shiva, creator-destroyer is often seen dressed in and sitting upon a Tiger motif.
A couple of last points about 2022:
- Tiger in the wild is an endangered species. Tiger represent our need to rewild and reinstate our connection to the environment. It is now commonplace for tigers to be bred in captivity, specifically for hunt and game reserves. To my mind being couped-up all one’s life to be prey goes against the grain of being a Tiger. Regal Tiger’s do not do well in a cage, they get angry and bad tempered, depressed and dangerous. Tigers need a kingdom to patrol and survey. Of course if under attack, like all cats, they retreat to hide and lick their wounds to watch and wait for safety – unless of course they are cornered by hunters who pay to kill. We need to protect the Tiger, not hunt it to death. Doing so we also connect with our own innate courage and strength.
- Secondly, two major planets are in water sign Pisces for a lot of this year, with a historic conjunction between oceanic Neptune and expansive Jupiter April 12th, the likes of which we haven’t seen for 800 years, since 1204. Applying conjunctions are the strongest. And as we watch these two mighty giants conjoin it may explain a ‘Big Wave’ the world is currently witnessing, particularly with an unseen virus – Neptune rules the unseen, and Jupiter the growth. Tsunami’s notwithstanding, it may be that after this one-hit conjunction the pandemic starts to dissipate. Let’s hope and pray it is so, for our world to recover heartmind, body and soul.
With best wishes to everyone, may all beings benefit from the self-existing mindfulness the Water Tiger year portends!
Note this year the Tibetan and Himalayan New Year is one month later at Losar, with the Pisces New Moon, 3rd March.
Happy Year of the Tiger! =^..^= :)….
Added 3rd March ~> Flying Star Feng Shui tips for the Water Tiger Year:
Love & thanks to unknown artists for Tigers, Shiva and Durga =^..^= 🙂