Auspicious Dates and Places for the month of the Metal Dragon 2025
Auspicious Dates and Places for
the (3rd) month of the Metal Dragon 2025.
(20:52 4th April to 14:11 5th May inclusive)
in the Year of the Wood Snake.
Public Edition
A 9 month is about visibility.
A Dragon Month can be a cat among the pigeons/bull in a china shop.
Where not to be this month: South, North, East
Where to be this month: tai chi, North West
Favoured Animals: Monkey, Rat, Rooster
Especially challenged: Dog, Rabbit, Dragon.
The Hexagram: 11 Tai Peace, Earth over Heaven, Peace.
I am teaching and practising Ba Zi all the time My next book I Talk to the Animals cover (detail above) by the wonderful Ellie Spinelli, due out October 2025 from O Books, is a comprehensive guide to the drafting, interpretation and practice of Ba Zi. You can pester your book shop for it now (preferably a real live book shop and absolutely please not Amazon). As I say I’m teaching this stuff one-to-one via Zoom all the time. Meanwhile you will have received another extract from my book after next Love made Visible the other day. We don’t yet have a publisher so any constructive comment you might have about that may be helpful. Hope you liked it.
This Metal Dragon Month – Winners and losers.
Some days in any month suit certain Animals better than others and some activities more than others. Some suit nobody and the notes below offer advance warning. To get most value you need to compare each of the Animals in the Four Pillars of your ba zi against the portents of the day. Remember that you have at least four Animals to consider in your own Ba Zi chart (one each relating to Hour, Day and Month of birth as well as Year – see below) and that it is as unlikely that they’re all suffering during the Dragon Month as that all are making hay. Each Animal illuminates a particular aspect of life. To know this about yourself may be timely. My Annual Animal Fortunes are now on the website. More detail in the Podcast.
Your Year Animal will tend to relate to parents, family and origins as well as the physical, the obvious and the immediate, the family you grew up with and/or hereditary traits and patterns; deep history, deep heritage & your public face. The Year Animal does a lot of heavy lifting, often the first to be affected by outside events.
Your Month Animal relates to career or business as well as education, peers, siblings, exes and the work environment; shallower history, shallower heritage.
Your Day Animal represents you personally and your significant other. You may need a Chinese Calendar or professional advice (you have my email) to establish your Day Animal.
Your Hour Animal represents your deepest dreams, your children and the future. Which for many of us are pretty much the same thing.
Your Life House represents the voice that calls to you. It may be summoning you to your true calling but it may be no such thing. Which is a decision you have to make for yourself.
Dragon people like Dragon times can be both magical and chaotic. Some Dragons – I speak as one - may not like to own both aspects. Anyway this Dragon Month as ever marks April the month of showers, Easter and the tax year. The power of the Dragon is the cleansing that follows the storm: the shake up leading to transformation. For all of us this may be a good time to consider what in our lives needs shaking up. Might not be easy for Dragons themselves (born 1952, 1964, 1978, 1990, 2002, April (the approx 29 days from about the 5th) between 7&9 in the morning and on days you’d have to ask me to look up) who suffer the “self clash”, that is to say that Dragon times challenge Dragons – in particular their egos which may be tested during April. The way through is not likely to be introspection.
Dragon in the Dragon Month That’s what it’s like to be the agent of change. You may be short of funds but you aren’t likely to be short of friends. This is the month to trade on the influence of those in power who see your worth. There are special Qi Men Dun Jia orientations and times that may make up for the opposition you may feel. In this year of proxy conflict pick no fights because you’re likely to be confronting the innocent.
The Snake finds her teacher at such times. Best stay alert. Instruction may entail discipline, that is kun, order, challenge and healthy opposition; that which as Nietszche wrote, does not kill you makes you strong. This month at least. Don’t undertake new tasks without proper instruction.
Horses may be impatient for the full-on Fire of their own Month (ie June). But in this year of revelation and (often unwanted) attention you’d be best advised to be discreet especially if you’re going to misbehave. Anything in relationship is legitimate by mutual agreement (see Hexagram 60 last month) but that much is required.
Sheep may be feeling a bit lost again following the supportive Wood of last month’s Rabbit. Those doors will re-open, you may be disappointed but don’t get mean. As Oscar Wilde wrote “a soul in rebellion can not receive grace.” Patience; question short cuts to influence.
For Monkeys Snake years are a playground and you’re likely to find Dragon months especially constructive – mostly late at night and on Rat days (13th, 25th). You can advance in a big way if you prepare well and stick to the facts.
Roosters of course are Metal too and usually in cahoots with the Snake but for them the issue is concentration. Keep your eye on the ball. Not everything is for show. Dance like the whole world is watching.
Dogs move fast when they move (notice the suddenness of Fire Dog Donald Trump’s recent er… adjustments) but they’re likely to be sitting things out a bit for now, knowing on some level that both of the subsequent Horse and Sheep Months will spur them into further action. Be prepared for opposition and/or separation in July.
Pig: directly opposed by the Snake all year and now possibly mystified by the Dragon energy. Overlooked last month and with unexpected breaks in their schedule, this month won’t turn out a lot different. Be very honest about what you do and don’t know.
Rat loves Dragon because between them they get stuff done. This is a nose to the grindstone month. Don’t expect a great deal of leisure. Enlist Monkeys too and make hay on Monkey Days (19th, 21st April, 3rd May). It’s all about teamwork.
Ox and Dragon are technically a break up. Value what’s valuable. Where you expect loss, focus, make choices and act appropriately. A slim down is likely either way. Be ready.
Mustn’t forget the Tiger who is under fresh pressure right now. Stick to your guns if you can. Your best bet is to be unselfish, unattached and philosophical. Right behaviour takes you up another rung. Be aware of the green-eyed monster.
Rabbits may be lucky in love as well as at cards this month, but don’t push either. Lucky or fleeced you won’t be lonely. Good time for a break away to prepare for the big breaks due in the Snake Month.
Hope that’s everybody!
The Lo Shu or Magic Square for the Metal Dragon Month 2025
S
8 4 6
7 9 2
3 5 1
The kua at the heart of this month’s lo shu (above) is the 9 Fire, associated mostly with visibility and attention. Things come to light. A 9 Lo Shu favours the North West (that is genuine authority) and centre stage. Attention may be daunting but it will amplify the gracious and the benevolent just as it has the cynic. This whole year is one of revelation, the limelight shining into nooks and crannies. Beware the proxy fight.
The Hexagram from the Book of Changes for the Metal Dragon Month 2025
As ever my monthly Yi Jing (that is Book of Changes) class (next one: Wednesday April 9th) examines the ramifications of the Hexagram of the Month: this time Tai, Hexagram 11, Peace (above) which is about co-operation and joining. The Trigrams Earth and Heaven are reckoned to mingle on their respective journeys down and upwards. Earth, the Receptive is full yin and Heaven that is the Creative, is full yang. This is a time when the world will be changed by those who work together. Gender co-operation is top priority.
Highlights of these sessions appear on my YouTube Channel later in each month. You may not have the stamina for all sixty four Hexagrams but you can join us live via Zoom for a year via Sheilaashworthfengshui@gmail.com
Podcast: Feng Shui, the Real Thing
In this month’s Podcast which should be out about the same time as this bulletin, I discuss with the brilliant Zoe Vita James the changing qi of the Month, its likely implications for each Animal and what we may each do about it.
In this month’s Bonus Podcast, in pursuit of perfect Feng Shui we take a close look at interiors, what’s helpful, what’s not and what you might do about it. How readily does your front door open?
From now the bonus podcasts will concentrate upon hints, tips and principles of Classical Feng Shui. You’ll find both at
.
Helpful (& unhelpful) Days & Locations
Days
Not so helpful
Wednesday 16th April, Wood Rabbit, Wall, Closed (4) ***** enclosed
Rabbit favours domestic activity while Wall speaks of the safety and comfort of home. Closed completes that picture. Work at home, don’t stick your neck out on this morbid day. Best used for identifying obstacles which may be more easily moved on the 18th.
Special Caution: Dragon, Rooster cool your heels for now.
Helpful
Friday 25th April, Wood Rat, Ghost, Success (4) ***** originality
Fears allayed, best foot forward. Wood Rat is the ground breaker. Take time to receive the genius ideas afloat today – before someone else does. Best day this month for placing Water and other enhancements.
Activity: briefly at the Horse (due South) will stir things up if needed.
Favours: Monkey, Rat, Dragon, Ox.
Not so helpful
Friday 2nd May, Metal Sheep, Neck, Balance (2) justice *****
Neck: transgressions catch up. Balance: favours outliers, the desperate. Power is shared more widely than usual but it’s a double-edged sword. Examine all propositions carefully. Activity: as little as possible.
Helpful
Sunday 4th May, Water Rooster, House, Initiate (4) *** very helpful
Provocative talk may move things along – in a good way. Good day to begin things. Favours most constructive activity especially display.
Activity: South East for awareness of what’s attracting attention.
Favours: all especially Snakes, Oxen, Dragons, the discreet.
Locations
Not so helpful
North East, Beginnings & Endings: 5 Month Star: 3 Fortune Virtue (Tiger) Year Wu huang
The 5 has no stake so a visit from the fidgetty 3 could prove explosive in this the most delicate area of the year. Best kept low, dim and quiet throughout. If you must be here, tiptoe. Some advocate a salt water cure – if that tempts you I can send you instructions. It’s messy though, mind. Worst place for the Eldest Son this month.
A t’ang lung may mitigate but it’s almost always better to leave things alone than to trust cures.
Helpful
South, Bright Future: Year Star: 6 Month Star: 4 Sun (Horse S2)
6 represents power and authority; 4 invention, curiosity, new frontiers
Power failure. Intra-family stress and rebellion. Controversial intentions may come to light. Whatever you do here, make it defensible because whatever it is, is going to come out. The good news is that such communication can solve anything.
Pacify add a little Water (one manifestation of which is simply deep communication).
Note: Directions are from the tai chi (ie heart of the property)
Richard Ashworth©
www.imperialfengshui.info © 2025
art by @elliespinelli ©